hello there

Dear Daniel Borzutzky

Thank you so much for coming to our class. It is not often that I am able to listen to an author speak. Actually, I have never remembered ever having an author speak to my classes. In my life authors need more credit than they are given. They are at the same level as stars, so it was pretty cool that you were in our class.

I have always wanted to be a teacher. English had always been my favorite class because it always seemed to come so naturally to me. Now in college I am surrounded with a ton of opportunities and I’m starting to wonder if this is really what I want to do. It has always been a dream of mine, but I feel like a bunch of people are starting to try to sway my views of what I would like to do when I am older. How did you stay so focused in your profession? You talked about doubt in your writing; did you ever feel doubt with your future?

Ambience here is difficult. Construction starts at 5 45 in the morning across from my dorm, so that’s enough noise as it is, but I always feel like there is some drunk kid on my floor causing a lot of noise. You have to get over that though in college. Professors don’t care if you fall asleep in class because people kept you up. I have to do a lot of growing up here, and I have to realize that I’m on my own now, and need to keep focused.

Even though it might seem as if I’m saying this to make you feel less doubt, but I’m not. I loved your story you read in class. It was weird, I Actually felt like I was there, and felt like I knew that neighborhood forever. It kind of gave me chills. If you ever went through with writing more of that and publishing it I know you would at least myself as a fan.

I’m jealous that you can translate material. I took four and a half years of Spanish in high school and I still feel like I haven’t gotten the hang of it. It must have been hard living in Turkey. Not knowing a soul, not knowing the language. It must have been like you were in an outside world.

Do you just sit down and randomly write, or do you have planned times. Times where you want to have your material published by and so on, or does it all just come naturally and randomly to you?

I don’t know if I have any more questions. You did a wonderful job at speaking to our class, I really enjoyed your time. I wish you luck with your future work, I know it will be great.
Sincerely
Jessica Yorke