Patricia McMillen
Born: Illinois
Connection to Illinois: McMillen was born and raised in Illinois. She was an attorney in private practice in Chicago from 1983-1992. Biography: A student of Barry Silesky, Luis Alberto Urrea and the late Maureen Seaton, among others, Patricia (Patty/she/her) is a retired lawyer, folk musician and community activist. Born and raised in Illinois, she briefly practiced commercial law with Chicago-based firm Mayer Brown, throwing that over in 1992 for the practices of household and farm management, old-time (clawhammer) banjo, and freelance public advocacy. Patricia is a graduate of the University of Illinois (Chicago) Program for Writers (MA 2005); the University of Chicago Law School (JD 1983); Brown University (BA 1973-4) and Dana Hall School (1970). Her first full-length poetry collection, Running Wild, was published in March 2024 by Finishing Line Press; her chapbook Knife Lake Anthology* (Pudding House Press, Columbus OH 2006), treating the social ramifications of capital punishment, is out of print. Patty is listed in the Poets & Writers directory (https://www.pw.org/directory) and gratefully acknowledges the support of an Illinois Arts Council fellowship (2006) and residencies at Ragdale Foundation (IL) and Mary Anderson Center for the Arts (IN).
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patricia.mcmillen.37
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@patriciarmcmillen/
Twitter: https://x.com/@whitequeen6tova
Web: http://knifelakeworld.com
Selected Titles
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Running Wild ISBN: B0CXYQ5N9T OCLC: Finishing Line Press 2024 Running Wild collects Patricia McMillen's sonnets, free verse and experimental forms to outline one woman's life and ever-changing perspective: from a 1950's suburban childhood, through a harrowing (but privileged) young adulthood, to middle age and well within sight of "elderhood". Relatable narratives, especially for women, include surviving childhood, marriage (twice!) and infertility treatments; an abortive attempt to form a family with a widower and his reluctant adult children, in yet another Chicago suburb; and the continual emotional and intellectual work of being, well, a smart, educated white woman in America right now. Includes award-winning poems "Yang," "Dark Night," "Smelt Fishing"...and many more! |