Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce events manager Kyra McDonnell. Kyra (she/her) is a community engagement professional and proud resident of Baltimore City, Maryland. After moving to Baltimore from Rhode Island, Kyra quickly fell in love with the city and works professionally in various neighborhoods with residents to increase civic engagement and transparency with local government. After graduating with degrees in English and communications, she continues to explore her love of stories and is a passionate reader who is excited to connect Yellow Arrow authors with readers everywhere.
Kyra says, “Through working with Yellow Arrow, I’m looking forward to connecting with creatives in Baltimore. I have had the great joy of connecting with so many great neighborhoods and residents in my professional life, and I look forward to working with the creative communities through Yellow Arrow.”
Tell us a little something about yourself:
In my life, reading, stories, and creativity has always brought me a sense of peace. I find joy in hearing about others’ perspectives and experiences, and I particularly love the publications of Yellow Arrow that are so truthful and raw. I am so excited to join Yellow Arrow to combine my two longtime loves of books and community building through assisting in growing Yellow Arrow’s reach in Baltimore and beyond.
What do you love most about Baltimore?
There are so many things to love about Baltimore, the diversity of neighborhoods, amazing food, the joy of a community event, and more. My absolute favorite thing is that there is a little something for everyone here. Baltimore is a welcoming and exciting city that is always looking for new ways to create community while maintaining traditions. As summer approaches, I’m particularly looking forward to neighborhood and community festivals.
How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do for us? Why did you want to join the Yellow Arrow team?
A longtime fan of Yellow Arrow’s work, I am so eager to get started and planning some great events for this summer. I wanted to join the Yellow Arrow team to combine my two favorite things, community building and reading. As events manager, I am eager to plan some new events and try new approaches to being out in the Baltimore community and beyond.
What are you working on currently?
I am currently working for the city of Baltimore, engaging community members in the budget process. While this sounds like another world from Yellow Arrow, I find it to be surprisingly similar. Oftentimes, I am with residents throughout Baltimore sharing information about the budget and how it connects to their experiences as residents of the city.
What genre do you write or read?
I gravitate most toward fiction, both romance and fantasy. I think I love hearing stories of love, adventure, and particularly when world-building is central to the story. The universe that authors can create is my favorite part about reading, and I love diving into it!
What book is on the top of your to-be-read pile?
Yulin Kuang’s How to End a Love Story and Mona Chollet’s In Defense of Witches.
Who is your favorite writer and why?
My favorite authors are Emily Henry and Roxane Gay. Emily consistently takes romance tropes and puts her own unique twist on them, and I find myself gravitating towards her stories again and again. Roxanne’s Hunger is incredibly honest and sticks with me today.
Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?
My friends have always been my inspiration and support in my writing journey.
What do you love most about writing?
As a recreational writer, I love writing to see where it goes, not putting any pressure on the output, rather using it as a tool to process my experiences and the world around me.
What advice do you have for new writers?
Don’t overuse the delete button! I find that sometimes I delete in frustration, and I often wish I had that thought to go back to, for me pen to paper will always help with this.
What’s the most important thing you always keep near wherever you work?
My coffee, a good gel pen, and SO many sticky notes.
What’s your vision for Yellow Arrow in 2024?
As the events manager, I am looking forward to being a part of the amplified effort of the team to share Yellow Arrow’s incredible work with the world. Everyone’s story has a space for being heard and I am eager to find those spaces for Yellow Arrow’s authors.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we AMPLIFY women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
