Erin Entrada Kelly

Erin Entrada Kelly is the author and illustrator of the Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey collection. Her New York Times bestselling work has been translated into several languages.  She is the winner of Newbery Medal Awards for her novels The First State of Being (2024) and Hello Universe (2017), a Newbery Honor Award for We Dream of Space, the APALA Award for Children’s Literature, and a Parents Gold Choice Award for Lalani of the Distant Sea. The First State of Being was also chosen as a finalist for the 2024 National Book Awards. Her work frequently appears on Best Books lists from the New York Public Library, The Horn Book, Booklist, BookPage, and elsewhere. Before becoming a children’s author, Erin worked as a journalist, magazine editor, and book publicist. She received numerous awards for community service journalism, feature writing, and editing from the Louisiana Press Association and the Associated Press.  She has a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies and liberal arts from McNeese State University and an MFA from Rosemont College. She lives in Delaware.

Q&A with Erin Entrada Kelly

How did you come to teach at Hamline MFAC? I visited Hamline as a guest lecturer. When I saw the quality of the program, I knew I wanted to join the faculty.
What’s your favorite part of residency? I love so many things about residency, but I particularly love listening to the lectures from faculty and third-semester students.
How would you describe your faculty advising style? I believe that the writer should ultimately be the curator of their work, so I approach each student with respect for their authorial voice. I ask lots of questions. I provide revision examples so students can visualize my suggestions. My editorial notes frequently focus on character development and pacing, which are two areas that often need the most attention.
What’s your favorite book to recommend to MFAC students? Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Dave King and Renni Browne
Image	We asked you to send a photo that represents a favorite Hamline memory. What's happening in your photo? Coe Booth was my co-workshop leader in winter 2023. This is a picture of me leaving workshop in the bitter (yet beautiful) cold, with Coe photo-bombing in the background. Coe brings joy and laughter wherever she goes, so it was a blast to workshop with her.

Middle grade