MM: I love creating writing prompts for the Baxter kids, and I’m very grateful that Lori gives me the freedom to lead classes. Leading forces me to think about the craft of writing in a completely different way than I’m used to: what’s going to be fun, engaging, and educational for such a wide range of ages, is a question I enjoy tackling.
MM: I’m a big ol’ dork, so when I’m not volunteering, I try to work on my own writing (creative nonfiction, what!) as much as possible. I’m a dancer, so spontaneous dance parties occur often. Oh, and I’m a pro at loitering at The Sparrows.
CYC: Where is your favorite place to go on adventures?
MM: I’m a very curious person, so whenever I get the chance to explore, I take it. For example: This past fall, my best friend and I got in the car and just started driving. We flipped a coin to determine whether we were going to head north or south, then pit-stopped at whatever attractions sounded fun. We learned about bird-tagging at the Kalamazoo Nature Center, tasted wine at St. Julian and Warner vineyards, lost money at Four Winds, played on the swings at Centennial Park in Indiana, and ate dinner at a little Mexican restaurant in Illinois. After the sun set, we called it a day and drove back to Grand Rapids. CYC: Who would play you in the movie about your life?
MM: This is a hard one. She’d have to be short and a little socially awkward, in a loveable way; sarcasm, creativity, and realism would help, too. I think I just described Daria, so I pick her. CYC: What do you want to be when you grow up?
MM: I’ve always loved teaching, so my dream job is to teach creative writing–whether it’s to children or college students. I had such great professors in GVSU’s writing program, so to return some of that support and care back to the writing community only seems fair. Or, an astrofirenauterinaologist would be cool, too.
CYC: Is there anything else that is important for the whole world to know about you?
MM: My two favorite literary quotes are “We tell ourselves stories in order to live” (The White Album, Didion) and “The world spins. We stumble on. It is enough” (Let the Great World Spin, Colum McCann). Those say more about me than any words I could come up with on my own.