WRiT Class of 2017
For the last two weeks of June 2017, five writers shared the space of Rosa di Tufo, splitting their time between writing in the house, exploring Tufo and beyond, and eating. Scroll down to get a sense of the variety of personalities, backgrounds, and focuses each one of us brought to the space and spirit of the house.
Steinbeck said Positano bites deep. Here’s Ben biting back.
Ben Miller is an animator and writer from Philadelphia. He animated and co-wrote Ecoli High, an animated short that will be shown on IFC’s Comedy Crib. His two upcoming projects are Eternity Fraternity and Amatuer Hour, a solo project. Also, he’s self published two zine/comic type books, 100 Life Hacks and Cool Sports Stories for Kids (Not Suitable for Children).
Kelana’s about to blow, so we brought her to Vesuvius.
Kelana Celine Johnson is a poet and student born and based in Los Angeles, CA. Taking inspiration from the her travels abroad and the cool beaches at home, she aspires to create work that reflects the reality and beauty of the times. While at WRiT she’s fallen madly in love with the Italian countryside of Tufo, and with the greeting “buona sera” which she says at all times of day.
When Jared Levy sees a ruin on a beach, he climbs it and stands in the window for photos.
Jared Levy is a writer and teacher who lives in Philadelphia. A long-time Backyard Writers Workshop member, his fiction has appeared in The Quotable and Apiary Magazine.
We took Dana to the highest point around to get a lay of the land.
Dana Ray is a writer, idea-wrangler, and Why storyteller from State College, PA where she lives with her partner in a Victorian Mansion above a creek. She sees herself as an essayist and is particularly infatuated with profile writing in the last year. In her non-writing life, she is an independent consultant and facilitator who works with individuals and business owners to find and articulate their Why. You can read more of her work at her blog, danamray.com.
Patrick isn’t big on selfies, but when he made it to Tufo he couldn’t not.
Patrick McNeil is the founder and host of the Backyard Writers Residency in Tufo, and long-time organizer of the Backyard Writers Workshop. His fiction has appeared in Eclectica Magazine, Apiary Magazine, The Head and the Hand Vending Machine Chapbook Series, and elsewhere. His Italian gets better every day.
Backyard Writers 