The Self in Writing: A reading and conversation between authors

How much of the author’s “I” finds its way into writing? Is the novelist omniscient, or is she inevitably writing herself into the story? How does the “I” of the memoirist craft herself as a developed character? How much is poetry a self-reflection in time and place? Writers Judith Krummeck, Danielle Ariano, and Pantea Amin Tofanghchi representing memoir, poetry, and fiction, will read from their work and consider these questions.

Pantea Amin Tofangchi is an Iranian-American poet, writer, graphic designer, and art director. Her literary work has been published in Ploughshares, Little Patuxent Review, Welter, Atlanta Review, and other journals, she won the International Merit Award from the Atlanta Review in 2018 and was named a finalist for both The National Poetry Series (2016) and the Georgia Poetry Prize (2018). Her story, Glazed with War, chronicles her life through the lens of her childhood experiences.

Her life’s journey—shaped by the complexities of growing up during the Iran-Iraq War and immigrating to the United States in 2000—is a story of resilience, creativity, and cultural intersection. It's at this intersection that Pantea's artwork and literature reside; she brings her storytelling skills to her award-winning graphic designs and applies the reverse with just as much ingenuity and care.

Presently, she is working on two projects: Letters Adrift: A Postcard Poetry Collection and Utterly Loverly, children’s book of animal poems and art. https://panteatofangchi.com/

Danielle Ariano’s newly released memoir, The Requirement of Grief, is a meditation on the complexities of the sister bond and the grief that comes when that bond is broken by a sibling’s suicide. Ariano received her MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Baltimore. As part of her thesis, she wrote, designed, and published her first book, Getting Over the Rainbow, a memoir recounting her humorous and sometimes painful experiences coming out as a lesbian.

Ariano’s work has been published in Salon, Huff Post, Baltimore City Paper, Baltimore Fishbowl, North Dakota Quarterly, Cobalt Review, and Welter. She is a former columnist for Baltimore Gay Life, and she has been featured on WYPR’s radio show, The Signal.

When she is not writing, Ariano works as a cabinetmaker. She lives in Lutherville, Maryland with her wife, son, and dog. https://www.danielleariano.com

Judith Krummeck is a writer, broadcaster, and immigrant. She’s the evening drive-time host for Maryland’s classical music station, WBJC, and she holds an MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts. Her debut novel, The Deceived Ones, a contemporary reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, was published in spring 2024. Her biographical memoir, Old New Worlds, an intertwining of immigrant stories, was a finalist in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the 2020 National Indie Excellence Awards®. Her first book, Beyond the Baobab, is a memoir in essays about her immigrant experience. Her screenplay, Philida, based on the novel of the same name by André Brink, is in development in South Africa. Judith is the recipient of a Maryland State Arts Council grant.