On Wednesday, February 12, at 7PM, Emmanuel Professor Mary Elizabeth Pope will read from her new short story collection, Divining Venus, at the Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street. The literary event will also feature Gina Frangello (A Life in Men) and Jessica Keener (Women in Bed.) I spoke by phone with Mary Beth about writing, teaching, and her love of Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River Anthology.

Brookline Hub: Tell me about your new short story collection, Divining Venus.

Mary Elizabeth Pope: The book covers love and friendship between characters ranging in age from 11-70. The stories give various perspectives on love.

BH: Perfect for Valentine’s Day then…

MEP: Yes. The first story in the book, “Junior Lifesaving,” I wrote in the summer of 2004. It was the first piece of fiction I wrote. My training had been in nonfiction. I wanted to write a story in the 2nd person about a woman’s rebound relationship after a breakup. In fiction I could start with a grain of truth but unlike with nonfiction I could make things up!

BH: Where did you come up with the title for your book, Divining Venus?

MEP: The title didn’t come to me right away. I actually made a bubble chart! The title story is about an eleven-year-old girl named Venus. Divining Venus seemed like a great title for the collection that was starting to take shape.

BH: When did you decide to become a writer? What has your career trajectory been?

MEP: As a kid, I was a terrible student. I couldn’t remember to bring my homework home! One day—I was 8 years old at the time—they announced at school that there were five open slots for students to participate in Young Author’s Day and they gave us forms to sign up.  I stuck my form on the back of my door so I would remember to get it signed. The next day I went into school and immediately gave the slip to my teacher. I had finally worked against my forgetful tendencies!\

I was an English major in college and took writing classes with nonfiction writer Robert Root. After grad school at University of Iowa I took a job teaching creative writing at College of Notre Dame in Maryland. Now I teach Creative Writing at Emmanuel. Teaching has been really helpful in my own writing.

BH: What advice do you give your writing students?

MEP: First, you have to find a way to eat! Academia is a great place for writers to work because you have built-in deadlines. You have to publish to get tenure. Also, a lot of my students want to be novelists, but I tell them to start with the short-form first.  When I first got an agent I was working on a novel but I asked her to send around my short story collection to the small press circuit first. I also get them to submit their work and I walk them through the rejection process.  I use myself as an example. I share my rejection letters with them and we talk about what is a “good” rejection letter versus a “bad” rejection. Some writing teachers don’t talk about the publishing world because of competitiveness with their students. As a teacher I don’t hold back. I tell them all I know. I want them to keep submitting so they internalize the philosophy keep trying. Don’t give up when you’re 25. I was 41 [when she got her first book published.]

BH: What authors have influenced you and what are you reading now?

MEP: I love Pam Houston and Lorrie Moore and Louise Erdrich. Erdrich’s story “Plunge of the Brave” from her novel in stories, Love Medicine, is my favorite short story. I just finished reading Edith Wharton’s autobiography, A Backward Glance.  The House of Mirth is my favorite novel. I also love Edgar Lee Master’s Spoon River Anthology.  The way he tells stories…all his characters speak from the grave about the critical moments in their lives. He based them on real-life people and how we defend or regret the decisions we make. Masters assumes their voices and their ability to see through all the detritus of life.

– Jennifer Campaniolo