Her works of fiction are also non-traditional . In “ Curtain Creek Farm ” she weaves a series of shorter stories into an amazing tapestry of characters , problems , and plotlines . Her newest offering , “ Ever Yrs ” is a novel in the form of a photo album or scrapbook . It is the story of a family , seen through the eyes of the 99-yearold matriarch as she attempts to describe life in Butte , Montana , from the early 20th century to awaiting the Y2K meltdown in 1999 .
Van Winckel ’ s first book was , of course , poetry .
“ My first book was ‘ Bad Girl , with Hawk .’ It took about ten years from the time I completed my graduate work to get that book into the world . Many of those early poems have to do with growing up , with family , and with life in the Midwest ( Illinois and Wisconsin ) where I spent my formative years .”
A keen observer , Nance has a passion for writing . When asked what inspires that , she replied , “ I would say reading more than anything . I ’ m not sure I even quite believe in inspiration . Writing is just a part of daily life for me . I always have at least one writing project in process and every day I sit down with it .”
With that kind of dedication to her craft , it ’ s no wonder she is also a voracious reader .
“ I read about three to six books of poems every week . Many are books by former students and poet friends ; some are review copies I ’ ve agreed to ‘ blurb .’ And then I always have a novel or book of short stories I ’ m reading , too . Poetry-wise , lately I ’ ve been rereading Charles Simic ’ s poems ( since he recently died ). I return often to the poems of Wallace Stevens , Tomas Tranströmer , Louise Glück , and Jean Valentine . Jericho Brown and Laura Kasischke are a couple of brilliant contemporary poets . Fiction-wise , I believe I ’ ve read and loved all the short stories by Alice Munro . A couple of my favorite recent novels are ‘ Ill Will ’ by Dan Chaon and ‘ Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead ’ by Olga Tokarczuk , a recent Nobel Prize author .”
Between all that reading and doing her own writing , Van Winckel also teaches , and edits for other authors . It was a natural progression for someone as driven as Nance .
“ Yes , that ’ s my day job for sure . I taught in the graduate creative writing program at EWU [ Eastern Washington University ] for many years ( retired in 2007 ), but I still teach in the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA ’ s Writing Program , a low-residency grad program . I found my way into college teaching right after I finished my own graduate studies in creative writing . Later , after I ’ d published a book , I began to teach graduate students . I learn so much from them ! And I love helping them put their first books together : finding the best structure or order to stories or poems , building tension in a novel , etc . So often all they need is just an attentive reader who can encourage them and help steer when they feel they ’ ve lost the way . It makes me happy to be that person for them .”
Of course , helping other authors isn ’ t the only thing that makes Nance happy . Her website links her love of her pho-toems to her love of graffiti and I wondered what it was about that style of art that tugged at her soul .
“ I ’ m an urban walker , and I love to take photographs as I walk . I especially like the conversations on the walls between graffers and passersby . It ’ s an ancient practice . Graffiti
“ I ’ m not sure I even quite believe in inspiration .
Writing is just a part of daily life for me .”
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