Q & A with author T. Greenwood and Susan J. Farese of SJF Communications

SJF: In a nutshell, tell us about your book or written piece. 
TG: My most recent novel, Rust & Stardust, is historical fiction based on the 1948 kidnapping of eleven-year-old Sally Horner, the crime which inspired Nabokov’s Lolita. 

SJF: What has your experience been as a writer in San Diego?
TG: I think many people don’t think of San Diego being a “literary” city, but my experience has proven this assumption to be incorrect. There are a lot of working writers in San Diego — and by working, I mean both published and aspiring. We have many literary organizations (including San Diego Writers, Ink, where I am an instructor), as well as reading series (So Say We All, Dime Stories, etc.). We have multiple universities and community colleges, each with their own literary events. There are a variety of writing conferences hosted here (the Southern California Writers’ Conference, the La Jolla Writer’s Conference, the SDSU Writers’ Conference, the Canyon Crest Academy Writers’ Conference for high school students, and others). This year will mark the third annual San Diego Festival of Books, where readers and writers convene. Never mind the fact that we have many independent bookstores.

SJF:  How has storytelling influenced your life?
TG: I have been writing stories since I was a child. I studied English in college and creative writing in two master’s programs in grad school. I have been writing and publishing novels for twenty years. And I have been teaching creative writing almost as long. Storytelling is my life. 

SJF: If you had a magic wand, what kind of opportunities would be available to writers in San Diego?
TG: There are a LOT of resources for writers in San Diego. I would love to see more outreach, however — especially to communities who might not have access to some of these resources. 

SJF: What are you excited about when it comes to participating in the inaugural San Diego Writers Festival?
TG: I love the idea of a “festival” for San Diego writers. It just seems so celebratory!

SJF: What advice would you give to a new writer in San Diego?
TG: Find your tribe. Whether it’s educational, performative, or merely being around other writers, there is something available to you here.

SJF: Many thanks, T.!

Learn More about T. Greenwood 
Learn More about Susan J. Farese of SJF Communications