Image © Christopher Felver/Corbis

Linda Hogan is a celebrated poet, storyteller, academic, playwright, novelist, environmentalist, and a writer of short stories. Her novel, Mean Spirit, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She’s an NEA Fellowship recipient, a Guggenheim winner, a Pulitzer Prize nominee, and, most recently, the recipient of the 2016 Thoreau Prize from the PEN American Center. Linda is currently the Chickasaw Nation Writer in Residence.

I reached out to Linda after I attended a panel at AWP which featured Linda and Lidia Yuknavitch, another friend of PDXX Collective. Throughout their all-star panel discussion, I was moved by Linda’s strength, resilience, and humor, all of which carry over into her brilliant writing. I am honored to have the opportunity to present you with more of her words.

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Were you a writer from an early age? Can you describe your publishing process?

No, I wasn’t a writer…