About
Erika (s/he, hi/hers) is originally from Morgantown, WV and moved to Washington DC to study history at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It was the study of history and its interrogation of sources and voices that triggered the serious pursuit of writing fiction and creative non-fiction. Currently, Erika and wife, Katie, live in Baltimore, MD with their menagerie of pets on a small urban farm (the wife is the farmer). While holding down a day job in college admissions, the real work is writing and being a solid literary citizen. Erika is also an aspiring roller derby jammer named Puck Daddy.
You can reach Erika via email at FranzFreelancing at gmail.com or on Twitter and Instragram under the clever handle ETFranz.
““Not at all what I thought it was going to be and then it became everything I needed!””
published works
UPCOMING: Live Reading with Writers and Words, February 11th, 7 p.m. at Charmington’s in Baltimore
FORTHCOMING: Emerging Writers Interview series of blog posts for SLICE Literary Magazine
“The Truth in Something Blue, An Art Lecture with Medieval Art Scholar Marc Laferne on R___berg ‘Marian’ Image,” X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine, September 20, 2019 (flash fiction)
Reading in Baltimore, “Writers for Immigrant Justice,” at Press Press as part of the national campaign, September 4
“The Gold of the Dutch Pirate Basil Thölde,” Queen Mob’s Teahouse, July 17th, 2019 (flash fiction)
“Meet the Neighbors: Q&A with Dave Ring of OutWrite DC,” Little Patuxent Review Website, April 3rd, 2019 (interview)
“Three Week Meal Plan,” The First Line, Volume 19, Issue 2, Summer 2017 (fiction)
Articles and department pieces for Rohous (non-fiction):
MyHous department: Volle Maan, Amsterdam Issue - August 2012
One Room Wonder feature: Reforma Vivienda en el Born; MyHous department: YLAB Arquitectos in Poble Nou, Barcelona Issue - November 2012
One Room Wonder feature: Banyan Drive Treehouse; MyHous department: P House L.A. Issue - December 2012
“Understanding The Electoral College" and “Presidential Issues: Where do the candidates stand?” PBS Learning Media for Election 2012 (lesson plans)
“How To Get Your Family Digging Into Maryland’s Past,” Chesapeake Family Magazine, April 2012 (non-fiction)
“Meeting more people in the literary community and helping to support literary events is one of the easiest and most joyful ways I can support literature, reading, and all of the other people who support the same—the book vendors, the authors, the local arts organizers, librarians, and the small local presses.”
WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2020
UPCOMING: Live Reading with Writers and Words, February 11th, 7 p.m. at Charmington’s in Baltimore
Arts & Entertainment District Editor, Maryland State Arts Council
2019
Attended and volunteered at Barrelhouse Literary Conference: Conversations and Connections - Pittsburgh, October 26th
Attended and volunteered at SLICE Literary Conference, September 7-8th
Reading in Baltimore, “Writers for Immigrant Justice,” at Press Press as part of the national campaign, September 4
Volunteer as a Manuscript Reader for Mason Jar Press
Attended Writing Workshops at OutWrite 2019, August 4
Volunteered at OutWrite 2019, August 2-3
Launched and organized the book club and events for the Queer Business Resource Network at my day job
Volunteered with Little Patuxent Review Website
Short Fiction Boot Camp with Barrelhouse, March 17th-May 12th
Attended Barrelhouse Literary Conference: Conversations and Connections - DC, April 27th
Volunteered with Old Town Books (Alexandria, VA) and Norther Virginia Fine Arts Association to host: Carmen Maria Machado in conversation with Nicole Chung, February 9th
Attended Setting is Character, Character is Setting - OutWrite DC, February 6th
The Common’s 10-week Weekly Writes, Volume 2, January 28-April 1st
2018
Volunteer with CityLit, Baltimore Book Festival, September 29th
Social Media Volunteer for BOPA, Baltimore Book Festival, September 28th
Attended SLICE Literary Conference, September 8-9th
ArtistsU Workshop, Baltimore, April 26-27th
Attended CityLit's 15th Annual CityLit Festival, April 14th
Master Class at CityLit Festival 2018 with Poet Yrsa Daley-Ward
GrubStreet -- Jonathan Escoffery’s “The Final Drafts: Revising Your Short Fiction (ONLINE),” Spring 2018
2017
Attended Baltimore Writers’ Conference, November 11th
Organized a Facebook group for writers, October 23rd
Attended Baltimore Book Festival, September 28-30th
Attended SLICE Literary Conference, September 9-10th