421: From Essays to Picture Books: Applying Tools of the Craft Across Genres and Forms - Interview

DIY MFA Radio

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Patrice Gopo. We’ll be talking about Broad Topic and her book All the Places We Call Home.

Patrice Gopo is the child of Jamaican immigrants and was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She is an award-winning essayist and the author of All the Colors We Will See: Reflections on Barriers, Brokenness, and Finding Our Way (a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection). Her ties to Jamaica and other parts of the world sparked her early desire to travel to the cities and countries she traced on a globe. In time, as she began writing about her experiences, Patrice became interested in how places contribute to the people we become. Ultimately, she hopes her stories celebrate the beauty of living a multifaceted life. Patrice lives with her family in North Carolina—a place she considers another home. All the Places We Call Home is her first picture book.

You can find her on her website, subscribe to her newsletter, or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

In this episode Patrice Gopo and I discuss:

• Leaving room in your writing for your illustrator to heighten the story.
• Recognizing the themes that reappear in your life and your work.
• How to turn an emotionally resonant image into a whole story.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/421