Former Contributor Interview: Grace McNamee

Editor's Note: our Former Contributors Interview Project showcases former contributors of Stone Soup and the wonderful things they've gone on to do.

Grace McNamee's story "Pennsylvania" was published in the July/August 2007 issue of Stone Soup, and was the featured story in our Saturday Newsletter on Saturday July 13, 2019.

SS: What are you doing now?

GM: During the day, I'm an assistant editor at Bloomsbury Publishing. I acquire and edit a combination of literary fiction and nonfiction and also help with the list for the editorial director for fiction. It's an amazing job. I love working closely with authors, reading books before they're published, and being aware of upcoming trends in books. I'm also continuing to publish, recently essays in Electric Literature and Vol. 1 Brooklyn and a short story in Joyland Magazine.

SS: What did Stone Soup mean to you?

GM: Stone Soup was the first time someone, other than my parents, took my writing as seriously as I did. It was the encouragement I craved, and it provided me with the confidence to keep working on my fiction. I loved seeing my writing in print, and with such beautiful illustrations, and to this day, I continue to be so proud of that story and of my first ever publication.

SS: Do you have any advice for the current readers, writers, and artists who contribute to Stone Soup?

Keep writing! Keep reading! Keep submitting!

Are you a former Stone Soup writer or artist and interested in being interviewed? We'd love to hear from you! Please reach out to sarah@stonesoup.com for more information.