Meet and Greet: Liz Rhodebeck

Book Giveaway Drawing! 
Read the details later in this post.


Liz Rhodebeck of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, has published poetry in state and national journals including The Penwood Review, Margie, Verse Wisconsin, Evangel, Wisconsin Academy Review, and others. Her latest poetry chapbook is What I Learned in Kansas (2010), following Benthos (1998) and The Book of Ruth (1997). 


In addition, she was the recipient of a Kansas Arts Commission Mini-Fellowship for poetry in 1997. An advocate of bringing poetry into the community, Liz facilitates workshops and readings throughout the area, including a benefit reading for the local food pantry for several years. She is a founding member of Grace River Poets, and co-editor of the project One Vision: A Fusion of Art and Poetry in Lake Country. Liz is also a freelance writer and regular contributor for Lake Country Publications in
Hartland, WI. Her writing is included in Passager Books' 2009 anthology, Keeping Time: 150
Years of Journal Writing.


Excerpt from the title poem:
What I Learned in Kansas 
by Liz Rhodebeck


I learned that my lips could
recite the words,
the secrets of the prairie's strength
and that I, too, could
swallow those truths,
feel them expand
rising and rising like the hills
to meet the clean line of horizon,
the moment of flight.
I learned in Kansas
the difference between living
and existing,
loving and emptiness,
that the heart can wander
from Olathe to Liberal
and still find its way home.

BRC: Thanks for a look at your poetry! How would you describe newest release?

My chapbook of poetry, What I Learned in Kansas explores the personal landscape of
friendship and an inner awakening against the backdrop of the prairies and wheatfields of
Kansas. It is about moving to a totally alien place and finding a wonderful friend and mentor,
Ruth, and learning some things about myself and life. Says Wisconsin Poet Laureate Marilyn
Taylor: “In this small collection of graceful, refreshingly candid poems, Liz Rhodebeck visits
those places of the heart and of the senses that are far too frequently overlooked. [Her] evocation
of a sense of place is, in fact, accomplished memorably throughout.…”

BRC: What prompted you to write it?

I didn't plan to write any particular collection of poems that became this chapbook. Rather, over
time I kept writing various poems and a thematic grouping of them began to emerge. Some of
the poems were written only last year, others over 15 years ago. When I lived there, the vast
landscape of Kansas and my friendship with Ruth left an indelible impression on me, and I
wanted to capture that in the imagery of poetry.

BRC: What's the story behind your identity as the Water Writer?

Well, that's part creativity and part marketing. I grew up on the East Coast and spent my
summers at the beach, so I've always loved the water. I now live near a lake in Wisconsin, so
that fit my identity. Plus, the name "Water Writer" has a memorable ring to it, don't you think?

BRC: You teach and speak quite a bit. What motivates you?

I enjoy encouraging young writers and sharing what I know, and well as doing readings of my
own poetry. I also want to bring poetry into the community more, and to provide opportunities
for other poets to share their work. I am on the board for a local arts council, and a fellow poet
and I co-chaired a project called One Vision: a Fusion of Art and Poetry in Lake Country. In
that project, we paired up artists and poets to create "ekphrastic" work, that is, poetry (or art)
inspired by another creative medium. Last October we had an unveiling of the results at a
lovely reception attended by over 130 people. In addition to providing an artistic event for the
community, it was a stretching and enlightening experience for the artists and poets to work
together. It's those kind of activities I love to facilitate.

BRC: What inspired you to become a writer?

That's a interesting question, because I don't think I "decided" to be a writer -- I feel I was born
to write, couldn't help but write things since I was about ten years old. Like most writers, I also
enjoyed reading. I had some encouraging teachers along the way, too. I've always been drawn
to being creative, whether through writing, art, or other avenues. There's nothing like the thrill
of creating something beautiful from your imagination!

BRC: Tell us about your writing process.

Most of the time I write to get something out of me (I've kept journals since I was 15), or
because I want to figure something out. Or, I may feel I have something to say that I think will
move and inspire other people. Sometimes that takes the form of poetry; other times it may be a
journal entry or an essay. As a writer, I want to connect with the reader, for them to understand
what I'm thinking. It's very satisfying to me to know my words meant something to someone or
changed their life just a little.

I also think writing is also about observation: what's interesting out there in the world? Much
of my "paid" writing is assigned for a magazine where I interview people in my community.
So I listen, try to understand who they are so I can present them to the readers. The practice of
observation is part of any good writing, whether poetry or an interview.

BRC: What are you working on now?

I write one or two articles a month for a local magazine about people in my region. I'm always
working on more poetry, submitting to journals and magazines, and putting together another
chapbook. I'm also marketing a memoir based on my journals. Ideas for articles are always
rolling around in my head -- I just need to find the time to write them! There's also plans to
do programs as part of the Grace River Poets, a group that brings poetry from a more spiritual
perspective to various community audiences.

BRC: What books do you enjoy reading?

Right now I read mostly nonfiction on theology and culture, writing, or other poetry books; perhaps a little history and occasionally fiction. My all-time favorite author is C.S. Lewis.

BRC: Where can readers buy your book?

What I Learned in Kansas is available from Port Yonder Press, www.portyonderpress.com, or if you live in the Milwaukee area, it's for sale or at Martha Merrell Books & Cafe in Waukesha and Books & Company in Oconomowoc.

BRC: Where can readers find you online?

My website is www.waterwriter.com. See you soon!

Book Giveaway Drawing: Liz Rhodebeck will give away a free copy of  What I Learned in Kansas to a reader of this blog. To enter, leave a comment to this post. If you are a follower of Book Readers Central and tell me so in a separate comment, I'll give you an extra chance to win. 

Please include a valid email address in an anti-spam format (example: youremailhandle[at]gmail[dot]com]) or your entry will become invalid. Entries will be accepted until this Thursday at midnight (Pacific Time/US). 

I'll announce the winner on Book Readers Central on Friday. The winner must respond within two weeks of notification. Detailed rules of giveaways on Book Reader's Central are located in the footer of this blog.

©2010 Janalyn Voigt, author of novel books

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