Last month, ahead of the Blue Demon Challenge, alumna Anna Sortino (MAWP ’19) visited DePaul for a Q&A with graduates in the MFA and MAWP program. The visit was recorded for the Blue Demon Challenge, where Anna discussed her time at DePaul, what led her to writing in the YA genre, any advice she has for current students in the program, and so much more. Check out the full video below, and if you missed the interview we did with Anna last month as part of her visit, you can read it here.
Latest Posts Under: Alum Interviews
After Anna Sortino graduated from DePaul’s MAWP program in 2019, she applied for a publishing mentorship program called Pitch Wars (which is now defunct) and was picked by renowned YA author Aiden Thomas. At the time, the program was encouraging authors to write stories inspired by their own lives and identities, which ultimately pushed Sortino to write stories centered with disabled characters living their lives and falling in love. She has published two YA books—Give Me A Sign (2023 via Penguin Random House) and On The Bright Side (2024 via Penguin Random House)—with another set… Read Article →
Last year, Avery Cunningham (MAWP ‘16) released her debut novel The Mayor of Maxwell Street via Disney/Hyperion. “The year is 1921, and America is burning. A fire of vice and virtue rages on every shore, and Chicago is its beating heart,” the book states. The novel follows a Black debutante who hires a low-level speakeasy manager to uncover the head of an underground crime syndicate, against the backdrop of Prohibition-era Chicago. We chatted with Cunningham about the extensive historical research the book required, what inspired her to write the story, her experience in editorial for… Read Article →
In 2022, Caroline Macon Fleischer (MFA ‘20) released her debut novel The Roommate, a work she started as a graduate student at DePaul for her MFA thesis. Fleischer is a writer, editor, and theatremaker, and teaches creative writing at Loyola University. Her second novel, A Play About A Curse, is set for release on October 21, 2025, via CLASH Books. We sat down to chat about the upcoming release and its key inspirations, writing processes, her time at DePaul and background in theatre, and what advice she has for students. This interview has been edited for clarity… Read Article →
Recently, I had the chance to chat with Anna Sortino, a DePaul MAWP alumni whose first novel, Give Me a Sign, is being published at Penguin Random House. Anna shared some insights on graduating, shed some light on her process, and expressed what it was like representing Deaf culture. Give Me a Sign comes out July 11 and can be pre ordered here Thank you for taking the time to talk with me, Anna, and congratulations on the upcoming release of Give Me a Sign. How does it feel to be so close to the… Read Article →
Ex Libris is taking submissions! We are looking to feature book reviews and interviews with alumni and faculty, written by current students. Have an idea, or a piece already written? Email Zach Sharp @ rsharp5@depaul.edu. Thanks, Zach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbChzHQWgfw
A DePaul MAWP alum wrote a book! And it comes out this month! Wow, we are so thrilled to celebrate Zhanna Slor and her debut novel, At the End of the World, Turn Left. Read the full review here.
This year’s Ex-Libris correspondent, Anna Gerwig, sat down (on Zoom) with MAWP alum Zhanna Slor to discuss the winding path of books, writing advice, and her debut novel, At the End of the World, Turn Left, the cover of which features one of her very own oil paintings. Click the image to open and read.
This autumn quarter Ex Libris correspondent Eric Canan sat down with MAWP alum Meredith Boe to dicuss life post-DePaul, paying the bills, and her recently published chapbook, What City. Alum Profile: Meredith Boe Since graduating from DePaul’s MAWP program in 2013, Meredith Boe has settled into a groove she can be proud of. She has a satisfying job, she’s published several poems, essays, and short stories in various journals, and a few months ago she won Paper Nautilus’s 2018 Debut Series Chapbook Contest with What City, a collection of essays and fiction. Winning… Read Article →
This Autumn Quarter Ex Libris correspondent Matt Adams sat down with MAWP and graduate assistant Eric Houghton for an interview. The human interest piece that follows is an elegantly written celebration of Eric’s unique path to DePaul and passionate study. Ex Libris hopes students can take a moment out of their busy finals schedules to appreciate the work of one of their peers. Student Profile: Eric Houghton To call first-year MAWP student Eric Houghton’s journey to DePaul a winding one would be an understatement. Eric graduated high school in tiny Lakeview, Michigan twenty-five years ago with… Read Article →
Ex Libris contributor Matt Adams recently interviewed MAE alumnus Carolyn Rudinsky. Carolyn graduated from DePaul in June 2015 and now works as a Communications Coordinator for Gads Hill Center, an educational non-profit based in Pilsen. Here, Carolyn offers her insights into what inspired her to pursue opportunities in the non-profit sector and how she leveraged her connections at DePaul to pursue a post-grad career. Matt Adams: Tell me a bit about yourself. Are you a Chicago native? From where did you obtain your undergrad? What drove you to pursue your MAE at DePaul? Carolyn Rudinsky: The term… Read Article →
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