Born in the small town of Webster City, Iowa, Elizabeth Evans grew to be not only a distinguished professor, but also a successful writer of fiction. With the recent publication of her sixth book, “As Good As Dead,” this UA professor continues to keep her love for writing alive, and will be doing a reading of the book at the UA Poetry Center today.
Rivalry, betrayal and twisted secrets are what one can expect to find in Evans’ suspenseful novel, “As Good As Dead.” While it is a riveting tale of friendship and bad blood, Evans explained how her novel also plays on societal issues experienced not only by characters of fiction, but also by real-world individuals.
While Evans does not identify with any particular writing style, her editor, Nancy Miller, of Bloomsbury Publishing, describes Evans’ writings as careful and effortless.
“She’s a very literary writer, very accessible; the sentences are deceptively simple,” Miller said. “She’s very good at creating psychological tension.”
While writing, Evans also maintains her position as a distinguished professor of 27 years at the UA, teaching in the highly acclaimed creative writing program.
A native to the American Heartland, Evans said she had always been a part of a creative family; the arts were highly valued in her Iowa home. Even with her hometown in Webster City, Evans is no newcomer to Tucson. Since she was six years old, she has traveled to marvel at the unsurpassed locale southern Arizona has to offer while on holiday with her family.
Evans said she knew she wanted to pursue fiction upon finding an early inspiration in the works of Vladimir Nabokov. While his artistry heavily influenced her writing, she said she now looks to famed author Alice Munro for constant inspiration. Enamored with how Munro breaks away from heteronormative culture, Evans said she incorporates similar themes in her newest publication.
“There are these pressures of women comparing themselves on the basis of how they look, and that really contributes to real-world concerns women still face,” Evans said.
Upon receiving her MFA from the prestigious Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Evans said she migrated to the UA to instruct aspiring writers.
Since the publication her sixth book, Evans continues to teach part time at the UA. She is currently on tour to promote her latest publication and will make an appearance at the UA Poetry Center at 7 p.m. today for a reading and book signing.
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