by Michelle Tea
Michelle’s story, stanched for so long, came quickly and clearly, page after page it came, the story of Michelle and her tiny life made big, her blunders and foolishness made human, sometimes noble, her struggles redeemed, momentarily, and her love. That Michelle was the kind of person who loved felt good in those moments of writing. Michelle’s fingers bounced against the keys like hail. She banged the story of her life into the computer, telling it until the words before her vanished and the very world around her was gone.
Acknowledgments
Much gratitude to the San Francisco Arts Commission and the Center for Cultural Innovation for their support of this project. Many thanks to Ali Liebegott and Beth Pickens for their work in creating the Radar LAB Writing Retreat, where the majority of this book was created. Thanks also to my writer roommates that first year; your excellent creative vibes are in this book: Lucy Corin, Nicole J. Georges, Thomas McBee, Sara Seinberg, and Myriam Gurba. For early reading and support I again thank Ali and Beth as well as Tara Jepsen, Amanda Verwey, Daniel Handler, Eileen Myles, and Emer Martin. The humblest of thanks to Dia Felix, Rocco Kayiatos, Bretton Fosbrook, Cari Campbell, Sash Sunday, and Sini Anderson. Thank you, Laura Mulley. Thanks to Lindsay Edgecombe for her daily wonderful support. And thanks to Jennifer Baumgardner, whose enthusiasm for this project from day one has been incredible. Much thanks to Jennifer, to Kait Heacock, Lauren Hook, Suki Boynton, and the entire Feminist Press team for their amazing vision, care, and work on this. I could not have hoped for a better home for this book.
And the deepest thanks to Dashiell Lippman, for making everything possible, always.
About the Author
MICHELLE TEA is the author of numerous books, including Rent Girl, Valencia, and How to Grow Up. She is the creator of the Sister Spit all-girl open mic and 1997-1999 national tour. In 2003, Michelle founded RADAR Productions, a literary non-profit that oversees queer-centric projects.
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