Meet a Member Archive
May 2009
Whenever we see Allan Peterson in a Hugo House class or at the Works in Progress open mic, he's always got that look in his eye—you know, the "I've been writing all day" look. We're totally impressed—and a bit envious!
So Allan, what have you been writing all day?
A story about someone returning to his hometown for a high school reunion; he discovers the life he left behind 30 years ago is much different than the life he chose to remember.
What do you do for a living?
Currently I remodel homes. After high school I went to work for a custom cabinet maker and a spec home builder for five years. Then I tossed my belongings into my Ford pickup truck and headed north to Seattle where I attended the Art Institute. After receiving my degree, I went to work for a Seattle company licensing and publishing music. Eventually the lifestyle of the music industry caught up with me so I decided to pull out the old tool bags from storage and start remodeling homes.
What brought you to Hugo House?
I was introduced to Hugo House five years ago. I was living on the Eastside at the time, and commuting to Seattle for Hugo classes was difficult. This changed when I made the commitment to pursue a career as a writer. I moved to Capitol Hill specifically so I could be closer to the House. This was a big move for me. I always had the dream of becoming an accomplished writer, but I started this pursuit late in life—or so some might say. I didn't read my first book until the age of 22, and I didn't write my first story until the age of 43. So, you can imagine the back-tracking I needed to do if I was to become an accomplished writer. Hugo House provided the necessary stepping stones for me to move forward.
What are you reading right now?
I just finished reading Tim Dorsey's "Atomic Lobster." Very funny stuff. The book actually recharged my batteries on a story idea I have about a fictional small town in Nevada called Para Dice.
Where can we read your writing?
In the dark depths of my computer. I have entered a few contests, but the results are not in. However, I will be reading some of my work at the Works in Progress open mic on the first Monday of June.
Any interests besides literature?
Mountain unicycling is something I enjoy very much. At my age it takes a little longer to heal after falling down a hill, but I still feel it's pretty cool. The people I meet on the trails are great. Imagine walking up a trail and all of a sudden you see this guy pedaling toward you on a unicycle. This usually sparks some interesting conversations. In fact, those conversations have provided me with good material for short stories.
April 2009
Meet Sonora Jha. Whenever Hugo Writing Classes are in session, Sonora is a familiar and cheerful sight in our halls. She's been working on a novel ever since we met her at Write-O-Rama in the summer of 2007.
Hey Sonora, when are we going to get to read it?
A couple of months from now! In the meantime, you can Google me and my journalistic and academic writing comes up, and you can read my blog at blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/mediamockingbird.
What do you do for a living? Where are you from? What are you writing right now?
I am a professor of journalism and mass communication at Seattle University. I have a Ph.D. in political communication and my research is in journalism and Internet studies. I grew up in Bombay (Mumbai), India. I was a journalist in India and Singapore and have written hundreds of news stories and features from the cities and villages of India, then in Singapore, and, now, an occasional op-ed and a blog in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. When I left India, I was a bureau chief at The Times of India. Right now, I am finishing the last few pages of my first novel, "Foreign."
What brought you to Hugo House?
After writing those hundreds of journalistic stories about lives that intrigued, moved and inspired me, I knew there were some stories that are best told, lovingly, through fiction. So, although I love my job, I one day stood up from my comfortable chair in my very professorial office at Seattle U., walked down two blocks, and sat down to become a student of fiction at Hugo House. My students know all about my new love, and they are cheering me on.
Have Hugo Writing Classes helped your writing?
Oh, my! They have taught a hard-nosed journalist and pedantic academic to be a soft-hearted, passionate fiction writer. It all started with Write-O-Rama in the summer of 2007. My favorite class was a trilogy taught by Cheryl Slean--the novel came rushing out of me.
What are your interests and hobbies (besides writing and reading)?
Would enjoying Seattle be considered a hobby? And I really enjoyed taking my students to Mumbai for a study abroad last summer. And I am a die-hard Bollywood fan. My greatest joy comes from my 13-year-old son, himself a mind-blowing writer, and my most astute critic.
