By Jefferson Beavers, MFA Communication Specialist
Republished from We Grow Writers
Our blog’s ongoing “On the Books” series introduces you to writers from our growing list of Fresno State MFA alumni who are getting their first books published. The 15th installment profiles Monique Quintana. She is an associate editor at Luna Luna Magazine, fiction editor at Five 2 One Magazine, and a pop culture contributor at Clash Books. She has received fellowships from the Community of Writers at Squaw Valley and the Sundress Academy for the Arts, and she has been nominated for Best of the Net.
In an April email interview, MFA communication specialist Jefferson Beavers spoke with Monique about getting commissioned to write your first book, finding inspiration in decadence and the theatrical, and finding a balance between building a writing community and taking care of yourself.
When were you in the Fresno State MFA program, and what genre did you study?
I was in the MFA program from 2013-2016 and I studied fiction. It’s funny because on my first night of workshop, I was nervous to go. I sat on a bench at school, and for about five minutes I seriously considered going home. I suppose after years of college, I was scared about starting something new. But I got up and went to class. I was late and I got lost trying to find the room, but I made it there and I’m glad I did.
What were your first thoughts when you learned that your novella, Cenote City, would be published?
I had a very unexpected route to publishing my first book…
Read full article at We Grow Writers
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 