CCS Faculty Published in Literary Journal

Michelle Grue, Writing & Literature faculty, is published in Astral Waters, a science fiction and fantasy literary journal

Michelle Grue is UCSB Writing Program and CCS Writing & Literature faculty. Astral Waters literary journal recently published her short story, "Mercy". 

College of Creative Studies: Could you tell us about your piece, "Mercy"?

Michelle Grue: It’s a short story about a mermaid who finds a slave ship and saves the life of a slave who was tossed overboard.

CCS: Was there something that inspired "Mercy"?

MG: Almost every mermaid story we get in mainstream media has white mermaids. It reminds me of Fantasia, where all the centaurs are white and in the original there was a little Black centaur slave girl who served them. I’m so tired of the presumed whiteness of fantasy lit and wanted to think of a story where it made sense to change that up. This story came out of that desire.

I’m so tired of the presumed whiteness of fantasy lit and wanted to think of a story where it made sense to change that up. This story came out of that desire.

CCS: The genre of the journal is science fiction and fantasy. Is this your preferred genre?

MG: For fiction, definitely. Other than exercises when I was in undergrad, I haven’t written any fiction that isn’t sci/fi or fantasy. In poetry and creative nonfiction, however, I’m more grounded in real-life.

CCS: Why did you submit your work to Astral Waters? What do you like about their journal?

MG: It’s their first issue, which felt fitting, because this is the first short-story I’ve written in ages. But mainly, I love that they expressly support writers of color and LGBTQ+ writers.

CCS: Did you always know you would be a writer?

MG: Oh, I think I always did. My dad used to make up bedtime stories for me when we couldn’t afford new books and I’d read all the books in my age range at our small library. I always knew I wanted to be able to do that, make stories come to life. It helped that most of my teachers encouraged my writing in school.

CCS: Is there a message or piece of advice you could share for other writers?

MG: Other than the trite but true advice to make time for your craft (it needn’t be everyday, but often), don’t be afraid to send your work out or let people review it. You’ll never get published if your work stays in a notebook or on your computer.

You’ll never get published if your work stays in a notebook or on your computer.

CCS: Has CCS helped you develop as a writer in any way and, if so, how?

MG: Oh yes, working for CCS has been both a great kick in the pants and an inspiration. How could I teach all these creative writers when I’d allowed motherhood and grad school to keep me from my own creative writing? But also, I do all the readings I assign, so reading great published work is always inspiring, as is working among writers.

CCS: Is there anything you have learned through your creative writing that you bring to the classroom?

MG: Certainly. Critical vulnerability is key to good writing, I think especially for poetry and creative nonfiction. Teaching that honest inward gaze is hard, but is necessary for all good writing, both creative and academic. It’s necessary for all good research, too.

CCS: Is there a project you are working on currently that you would like to tell us a bit about?

MG: Oh, quite a few. I’m planning to expand this short story into a novel, as most of the people I’ve spoken to who’ve read it feel it needs the space to develop into a full narrative. Too many unanswered questions!

CCS: Anything else you would like to add?

I’d just like to say thanks to Kara Mae, since her emails of different publishing opportunities are what brought Astral Waters to my attention.