We’re looking forward to introducing you to Stephanie Harper. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Stephanie, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ince breaker: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I am definitely in a long-term battle with finishing my essay collection based on my experiences with chronic illness. It’s been years in the making, starting with single personal essays that I would publish in various outlets, and then I began to feel called to create something bigger and more cohesive. It’s been the hardest work I have ever done as a writer, not only because writing about myself is challenging, but I am constantly reliving the pain of daily life with chronic illness and some of my most traumatic experiences every time I sit down to work on it. It’s been a cycle of stops and starts for sure. But little by little it’s coming together, and I hope to have a final draft soon.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Stephanie Harper and I am writer/author/poet who’s been based out of Littleton for most of my life, but am now in Wheat Ridge. I grew up in Colorado, where I graduated from CU Boulder with a BA in English. I received my MFA in Creative Writing from Fairfield University in 2012.
I am the author of Wesley Yorstead Goes Outside, winner of the 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, as well as a finalist for the Colorado Book Awards and the National Indie Excellence Awards. I am also the author of the poetry collection Sermon Series and I have just released a chapbook called Yearnings this summer! I’ve published narrative nonfiction in over 30 publications, including HelloGiggles, HuffPost, Living Lutheran, Healthline, and more.
As a writer of fiction, I often focus on quirky characters who get themselves into difficult situations. I’d say my work teeters on the edge of literary and commercial fiction, in that my writing style and focus on character development is more literary but my storytelling is a bit more commercial. And, I am a big fan of uplifting stories with mostly happy endings. My poetry often engages with spiritual topics about life, love, and how we are all connected to one another and to creation as a whole, as well as the divine. My nonfiction mostly focuses on life with chronic illness, though I have written about a lot of different things. I always try to balance humor and heart.
Academically, I am very interested in the concept of narrative generosity and how writing changes the world for the better. I am limited greatly by my chronic illness so my work flow has definitely taken a hit but I am also passionate about helping other writers and have worked as a tutor, writing coach, and developmental editor on a number of projects. I’m always open to new projects and collaborations.
On a more personal note, I love to sing and laugh and I have an iced coffee obsession. I spend most of my time with my handsome hunk of a husband (to be this October), his sweet angel pound pup named Lucy and my family. I love being an auntie to my two year old nephew and I am blessed with a fabulous community of friends. Life is good.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mother. I think I have always been a storyteller, but I think she recognized my talent and potential to turn this gift into something bigger long before the idea of being a writer ever crossed my mind. She is my biggest advocate and supporter, both in writing and in life, and she’s not afraid to crack the whip and tell it like it is when I am frustrated or feeling sorry for myself, something I do a lot more of than I care to admit when dealing with the more disabling aspects of being chronically ill. I would not be the writer, or human, I am today without her unwavering support and unconditional love.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I could literally write a book about this… oh wait, I actually kind of already am! But in all seriousness, I wouldn’t wish a debilitating chronic illness on anyone—being in constant pain and a state of unwell truly sucks—but I’d like to think that I’m making the best of a bad situation. One, it’s given me a lot to write about, not just in terms of content but also a sense of purpose in writing to help others living in similar circumstances feel seen and understood, and also to help educate those who don’t know what it’s like to live with chronic illness understand a bit more.
I also think chronic illness has changed me and how I see the world. I’ve always tried to live out of a mindset of love and compassion, but I have become more of an advocate and activist, not just in my own realm of health-related issues, but in general. I feel a sense of solidarity with anyone who is suffering, individually and systemically, and I feel an urgency to do what I can to contribute to alleviating suffering in any way that I can.
I also think that being chronically ill has heightened my awareness of my own in privilege and forced me to confront some realities about how my life has played out and the blessings I have that others do not, and I am acutely aware of that privilege in a way I’m not sure I would have been had I not gotten sick. I think that’s made me a better citizen of the world as well.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
This is such an interesting and layered question because I think, to start, we have to look at the sheer number of public versions of me that exist. There is writer Stephanie, friend and family member Stephanie, partner Stephanie, activist Stephanie, want to be influencer Stephanie etc. The number of intersecting identities we all bear is countless.
I think in both my professional and personal life, I try to lead with honesty and authenticity. I definitely try to put all of myself into my writing, regardless of whether it’s a poem, a personal essay, or a work of fiction. And, if you ask my friends and family, I think they’d agree that I don’t really have secrets and am open and ready to talk about anything, for better or worse. I try to maintain an “ask me anything” vibe in day-to-day life.
All that being said, while I do have a natural inclination towards openness and transparency, I think everything is curated to some degree. I temper the amount I talk about my chronic illness and how I approach it publicly (on social media for example) because I don’t want to come off as whiny or overly emotional, but I also recognize that it is both part of who I am and also, and it gives me the ick to say this but, part of my “brand.”
At the same time, I constantly worry about what people really think about my experiences. I’ve lost important people who didn’t fully understand or appreciate my situation and so it’s made me a bit more guarded in showing the ugly side of illness. I use humor a lot to deflect and also as a kind of personal armor to keep myself from sliding down the rabbit hole of anxiety over “what ifs.” And I definitely worry that sometimes I cross the line into toxic positivity. But I’m only human and doing the best I can. Grace has been a valuable commodity in writing and life.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I’d stop worrying so much about the future and be more focused on living in the now. My guiding word for 2025 is fittingly “peace,” and I chose it, not because I want to make peace with my illness or my life circumstances, but because I want to spend more of my time committed to the things that bring me a sense of peace or contentment. I think I’d work a lot harder at centering my life around those people/things/habits/etc.
I’d also stop finding so many ways to put off writing and get out as many stories as possible. It’s so easy not to write, even when I know that not writing makes me miserable! I have so many book ideas percolating and I feel like I’ve wasted a lot of time waiting for ideal circumstances—for diagnoses, for treatment, to feel better, to be in a better position financially and otherwise, and I’ve let all of that keep me from just sitting down and doing the work, one word after the other. I could use a sense of urgency to just let go of all those other worries and do the thing I know I was put on this planet to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stephanieharperauthor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephharwrites/
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephharwrites
Image Credits
headshot by Kyle Colby
