Writing and reading have been a part of my life ever since I was a child. I have fond memories of reading Anne of Green Gables until the middle of the night, hiding under my covers with a flashlight so that my parents wouldn’t tell me to go to sleep. I also remember my first poem that was “published” in the 5th grade hallway: “Larry the Leprechaun,” who was “a fine young lad and one day be became very sad. He was sad because his luck had gone blank. It felt like a submarine that just had sank.”
Since those early days, I have dedicated myself to writing and ready, graduating from Providence College with an English degree. After a brief stint in communications, I went back to school and earned a M.S. degree and a teaching certificate. I have been teaching in Connecticut high school English classrooms ever since. Working with the AP Literature and Composition curriculum, in particular, has brought me great joy and I have been lucky enough to engage with its robust community of educators.
While the language arts classroom has become the center of my professional universe, I have “practiced” the craft of writing throughout my life. After attending the Connecticut Writing Project in 2018, I decided to purse an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairfield University and graduated in 2022. Since then I have carved out a place in the Connecticut writing community through readings, writing workshops and writing groups. Lately, I have published in small online literary magazines and I have a piece to be published in the 2026 Connecticut Literary Anthology later this year.
My professional career is important, but I am also a doting mom. Like most working moms out there, I am also the residential taxi driver, cook, maid, office assistant, dog walker and occasional nurse. My vegetable garden has grown in scope since the pandemic and it brings me much joy to watch the garden change through the seasons. When I’m not in a classroom, dancing Zumba or hanging out with other soccer moms, I like to pretend I’m traveling around the world, but really I’m usually reading or writing.
I’m currently seeking representation for my first manuscript: The Situation of Bina Fjallkonan – A modern saga of an unlikely Icelandic heroine. The story is set during World War II in Iceland and explores the complexities of the Icelandic Ástandið (Situation). The novel embraces multiple voices and perspectives – from young Bina’s Icelandic family who love Bina but have significant troubles – to Nora’s “father,” Joe Marino, an American soldier who embraces the idea of being a stranger in a strange land.
The Situation of Bina Fjallkonan celebrates the great beauty of Iceland, its important myths and stories, and the traditions and fortitude of Icelandic women. Ultimately, it is the story of the young Ástandið women who, in spite of enduring great personal pain, steered the country to embrace a modern future.
If you’d like to get in contact with me, find me on instagram: v.e.nessa_anderson or message me via Linked In. My twitter, @Venessa_Writes, has been checked irregularly since “X” happened.
Venessa Anderson 