Hello from Marykate

Sorry for the delay, everyone! My work had meet at two different conferences, two weeks in a row. so I didn't get to this 'til now. :-/

Do you have a nickname?
Most people call me MK. My sister calls me "Meazy," the pronunciation of which is best described as "when a Massachusetts native tries to say "Mares eat" from the song 'Mares eat oats, and does eat oats...'"

What do you like to read?
I'll read pretty much anything, but with a heavy concentration in genre fiction. My favorite writers include Octavia Butler, James Tiptree Jr., Kelly Link, Neil Gaiman and Scott Lynch. For nonfiction, I'm a sucker for Virginia Woolf, Laurie Penny, Roxane Gay, Jeet Heer, and Doris Kearns Goodwin. I also love Kieron Gillen's comics writing. 

What kind of stories do you write?
I definitely write more fantasy than science fiction, though I read plenty of both. I tend to write weird fiction, urban fantasy, magical realism, and any of the other sub-genres in the fantastic-in-the-everyday story subset. I always liked imagining that there were witches and dragons in the marshland behind my house, and I guess I'm always trying to make that a reality. :-)

How would you describe your personality?
I'm definitely something of an introvert. All my friends make fun of the difference between the way I was when they first me, and the way that I am now that they got to know me.

What would you do this summer if you hadn't been accepted to Clarion?
I would be working in the supes-glamorous world of business insurance.

Who will miss you most while you're in San Diego (cats, kids, partner, boss, coworkers)?
I will miss my partner and my family the most. I was born, raised and went to college in Massachusetts, so I'm more of a homebody than I'd like to admit. Six weeks on the sunny west coast is definitely going to be a change!

Have you participated in an intensive writing workshop before?
I've done a few workshops and writing groups, but never anything this intense.

What scares you most about Clarion?
I'm definitely scared of failure - of not getting everything out of the workshop that I wanted to. Like most attendees, I'm scared that everyone will hate me and everything I write.

What do you do to relax or for recreation?
I read and eat for relaxation. For recreation, I love traveling, and my partner is forcing me to go outdoors more often. As long as there are no hornets, wasps or yellow jackets around, I can now tolerate the woods - progress!

What 1-2 essential things will you bring to Clarion besides your laptop, watergun, and espresso maker?
Tea! I'm spoiled to live near two awesome tea shops and have friends who'll bring me different brands from abroad, so I love to test out different types of tea. Plus, it allows me to pretend to myself that I'm not addicted to caffeine.

What is your ideal career?
I'd love to be a professional full-time writer - but realistically, I'd be delighted to write part-time.

What else do you want us to know about you?
I have too many cousins and attend too many costume parties.