Bio
Degrees
MA and PhD, Indiana University (Bloomington): English and American literature
BA, Stanford University: English, with Honors in Humanities
Research Areas
American literature since 1945, American fiction
About My Teaching and Writing
American literature—and creative writing
My doctoral work was in literary study, specifically fiction and American literature, and most of my teaching has been in those areas. My teaching of rhetoric and writing led to developing that as an additional area of expertise and publication. Finally, when I began writing my three-generation memoir 15 years ago, it became clear that it would have to include poetry along with the creative nonfiction.
Recent Publications
Looking After Minidoka: An American Memoir. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 2013.
Understanding Jane Smiley, rev. ed. Columbia: U of South Carolina P, 2009.
Current Projects
Writing poetry and creative nonfiction
Outside of the University
I have three adult children, two of whom hold degrees from Iowa State. One teaches high school English and is a writer, one is a digital artist, one is a photo and video artist.