Congratulations to Hailey Andler, the current mentee of Aurora Poet Laureate Ahja Fox's Muse Mentorship!

Hailey's project is a memoir composed of micro-essays and poems surrounding the complex dynamics of relationships, grief and adolescence. She applied to the Muse Mentorship hoping that, through the support and accountability of a mentor, she would be able to gain traction on her project, which she had independently been chipping away at for three years.  

Already halfway through the mentorship, the pair has been conducting revisions, discussing related books, exploring potential submission calls and building packets for publication. They've also committed to library tours where they visit a different library each session. As part of the program, they will be hosting programs together in May hosted at Central and Hoffman Heights Libraries.

"The mentorship has given me the structure and confidence to commit to my project! Muse Mentor Ahja Fox's expertise in the poetic form has been invaluable as I work to learn and craft nontraditional writing forms." says Hailey Andler. "There are so many steps to the publication process for writers; having an expert in your corner to help walk you through the process has been pivotal. By the end of this mentorship, I am confident that I will have multiple pieces submitted to journals for potential publication, something I could not have said a year ago!"

The next Muse Mentorship spot could be yours! Apply at AuroraGov.org/Poet