As writers, it seems our parents (read: our moms) are our biggest fans. They're the ones that encourage us to keep at our little "hobby." But what happens when our own loved ones make it into our pages? Whether we are writing our gut-wrenching memoir where we parse out our daddy issues, or simply tucking them into a short story or poem, our kin will seep in whether we like them or not (Freudian slip intended). In this presentation, I will share how I tackled this complex issue in my recent short story collection, Functional Families, and how I am leaning into it for future work, both fiction and memoir. I'll share ideas about navigating, embellishing, and rehashing delicate topics, and suggest tips for bringing your characters (read: you) to their new world, post family.

About Taylor Garcia

Taylor García (he/him/his) is the author of the novel, Slip Soul (Touchpoint Press, 2021), and the short story collection, Functional Families (Unsolicited Press, 2021). In addition to his books, García has published several short stories and essays in numerous journals, and is a weekly columnist at the Good Men Project. He holds an MFA in Writing from Pacific University Oregon. García is a multi-generational Neomexicano originally from Santa Fé, New Mexico now living in Southern California with his family.

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