Polished to Perfection: Blume’s ‘Spit-Shine’ Earns Recognition
Ӱ Creative Writing MFA candidate Rachel Blume has earned national recognition as her short story, Spit-Shine, has reached the final round of judging for the AWP Intro Awards. This prestigious competition, hosted by the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP), recognizes outstanding work by emerging writers enrolled in BA, MA, MFA, and PhD creative writing programs across the country.
Blume’s achievement places her among some of the most promising new voices in contemporary literature. The AWP Intro Awards serve as a launching pad for early-career writers, with winning pieces published in Intro Journals, a collection that showcases exceptional talent from academic writing programs. AWP, the leading national organization for creative writers and writing programs, also hosts the largest annual literary conference in North America and fosters a thriving network of writers, journals, and publishers dedicated to advancing the literary arts.
Blume’s finalist story, Spit-Shine, explores themes of familial responsibility, moral dilemmas, and the struggle for redemption. The narrative follows Mick, a man entrenched in the remnants of his past, as he grapples with his younger brother’s desperate decision to kidnap his own child. Blume was inspired by These Silent Woods and Southernmost, two novels that address parental child abduction but left her unsatisfied with their conclusions. “I wrote Spit-Shine as an alternative answer to the same problem,” she explains.
Blume credits Ӱ’s MFA program and its supportive writing community for shaping her work. “I owe Daryl Farmer a great debt on this piece. He looked it over in its infancy and offered feedback when he wasn't obligated. Those suggestions gave it more cohesive structure. I also had various MFA students give feedback, pressurizing it into building more efficient tension,” she shared. She also found inspiration through the Ӱ Midnight Sun Visiting Writers Series, where author Leigh Newman emphasized the value of early feedback during a craft talk. “I'd already long-implemented that advice out of necessity, but this piece is a way to visualize the result of sharing work early,” Blume reflected.
Beyond Spit-Shine, Blume’s writing journey continues with her upcoming MFA thesis defense, Blackwater Wolf, scheduled for March 21, 2025, from 1-3 PM AKST in Gruening 412, with a Zoom option available. The novel explores family complexities, identity, and the eerie mysteries of Blackwater County. While Spit-Shine and Blackwater Wolf are set in different decades, they share thematic elements of parenthood and the weight of personal history.
Looking ahead, Blume remains focused on a lifelong commitment to storytelling. “Writing is like breathing; I'll be doing it the rest of my life because living requires that of me,” she said. She also acknowledges Ӱ’s role in supporting mothers in academia, particularly through financial assistance that has enabled her to attend career-development opportunities such as the Orion Environmental Writers Conference and the Storyknife Writers Retreat in Homer for Women Writers. “Ӱ has been supportive of my career in ways that I think are particularly important for mothers in academia,” she explained. “Some institutions have a mindset of mothers being incongruous with academia (I've spoken to institutions like that), but Ӱ’s MFA program in particular has taken a hard lean in the other direction this past year, making parenthood part of the journey and not a disqualifier.”
The Ӱ Department of English offers a vibrant literary environment where students are encouraged to grow and hone their craft across a variety of genres. Through close mentorship, hands-on workshops, and unique opportunities like the Midnight Sun Visiting Writers Series, students receive invaluable guidance and exposure to the broader literary community. The department’s commitment to fostering creativity extends beyond the classroom, providing students with the tools and support needed to thrive as emerging writers in an ever-evolving literary landscape.