Kate Elizabeth Russell, MY DARK VANESSA

Kate Elizabeth Russell is the debut author of My Dark Vanessa, the story of a young woman coming to terms with the sexual relationship she had with her teacher and the consequences of it that she continues to face in her adult life. Kate started writing this haunting novel in her teens as a way of making sense of our culture's sexualization of teenage girls. Kate discussed her novel coinciding with the @metoomvmt, her views on rewriting the narrative of victimhood and consent, her book giving a voice to victims that feel hesitant to share their story, and the importance of creating fiction that allows room for engagement and disagreement. This woman is so eloquent! Kate earned an MFA from Indiana University and a PhD from the University of Kansas. Her fiction and nonfiction has appeared in Necessary Fiction, Quarterly West, Mid-American Review, Hayden's Ferry Review, and other journals. You’ll never forget these characters!!