Breakfast with Antonya Nelson

On Friday students from the MFA creative writing program were invited to breakfast with Antonya Nelson. Originally from Wichita, Antonya was here to give a reading and a workshop at Watermark Books. Along with three faculty members and one lucky undergraduate, we gathered in the basement of Watermark for quiche, scones and coffee. Or at least it was some sort of basement. We spent a few moments deciding if it had been a storage facility for the old drugstore or served as a bomb-tornado shelter. Now the room is white and the walls are filled with writings and drawings by visiting authors. It was, shall we say, intimate.

Antonya spoke of her beginnings as a writer, where she earned her degree, how she obtained her first agent, how she decides on location for her novels and short stories, and that she loves creating the short stories much more than the novels. I agree with her wholly on that point. The novel aspect is intimidating and at the same time constricting for me. I love the short stories. Because of the fact that I had been persuaded unsuccessfully to write a novel instead of a collection of short stories for my thesis project, I felt exonerated of my decision. She stated that "once you discover which it is that you truly love to create, the novel or the short story, the sooner you will be at peace and understand yourself as a writer."

Antonya also solidified my decision on location. My collection is based on Wichita, but I had created a fictional name for the city, afraid of offending anyone. But, no matter how we alter settings, change names, someone will inevitably, usually a family member, read themselves into a character of a story. It happens. I know a few writers who have been disowned by family members, never hearing from or speaking to a mother or brother again.

But, Wichita is what I know. Wichita is who I am and I feel that my characters belong in Wichita, not that fictionalized place similar to Wichita, but Wichita.

So I feel I took two important things from the breakfast with Antonya. As well, we talked about Macy's which used to be downtown and how going to Macy's was an all day event, something we looked forward to all week, and something we never forget as  Wichitans. The anticipation of walking across the enclosed walkway from the garage to Macy's, the elevators, the escalators, the deli in the lower level right next to the revolving door, the shiny and bright cosmetic counters, the windows at Christmas...It was great reminiscing and it was as if these memories helped me to understand the importance of including Wichita in my writing. No one cares or knows about Riverton or Rivertowne, but many know, remember, and care about Wichita.