My TueNight 10: Elana Rabinowitz

Elana Rabinowitz is a self-described late bloomer. She was 24 when she learned to ride a bike; 45 when she published her first article. “After a failed attempt at fertility in my early 40’s,” says Elana, “I needed to ‘give birth’ to something, to change my life somehow, and writing did that.” She located a former professor, Susan Shapiro, and took her “Instant Gratification Takes Too Long” writing seminar. “She focused on humiliation essays, and when I read mine to the class, I was overcome with positive feedback — that became my first published piece. From there, I just kept going.” Elana has since had essays published in The New York Times and The Washington Post, and one story was just chosen to be in Chicken Soup for The Soul: The Power of Yes. By day, Elana teaches ESL at a middle school in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

1. On the nightstand: Zadie Smith’s Feel Free, an assortment of Malcolm Gladwell Books and my travel alarm clock.

2. Can’t stop/won’t stop: Searching for the perfect felt tip pen. I still believe my best writing comes from a pen gliding on paper.

3. Jam of the minute: Janelle Monáe’s “Tightrope” is always in heavy rotation, and I’m loving her brand new songs!

4. Thing I miss: The way Brooklyn used to be, well parts of it anyway. Smoking Newports.

5. 80’s crush: Roger Daltrey, lead singer from The Who

6. Current crush: Justin Trudeau

7. Will whine about: Gun control

8. Will wine about: Pinot Noir.

9. Best thing that happened yesterday: Watching company after company sever their ties from the NRA

10. Looking forward to: My very first reading at TueNight Live: Rise! Well, if you don’t count 4th grade in Ms. Fleischmann’s class.

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