Biography

Lena Judith Drake is the editor-in-chief of Breadcrumb Scabs poetry magazine. Currently 22 years old, ze has a Bachelor's of Science in Writing, and Women & Gender Studies, from Grand Valley State University, and will pursue a Master's of Arts in Social Justice and Human Rights from Arizona State University in Fall 2011.

Lena's been writing since the age of four, when ze crafted peer-acclaimed works about a reptile who solved murder mysteries. At the age of nine, ze began accidentally writing about adultery between a manservant and a queen, who had hundreds of illegitimate children while the king was away. The king never noticed, and apparently neither did Lena. Zir writing has gotten even stranger since.

Zir first official (non-school) publication was in 2007, at the age of 17. Lena has now been published in over 50 different magazines, writing in nearly every genre, including poetry, drama, prose, and non-fiction. Ze has also recently made forays into mixed media and collages. Zir current favorites/influences include Audre Lorde, Sarah Ruhl, Misti Rainwater-Lites, Vladimir Nabokov, and INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence. Zir reading list typically includes anti-oppression texts.

Future plans include a continuation of zir freelance writing/editing career, along with grad school, research, and community action. Current projects include: freelancing on oDesk, and getting ready to move to Arizona. Zir first poetry chapbook, The Edible Body, is pending for publication.

Interviews

  • deGraaf, Jamie. "Breadcrumb Scabs: A Trail to Poetic Honesty" in InWriting, Grand Valley State University Writing Department, vol. 4.2, Fall 2010.
  • Goettel, Diane. Feature Article (interview) in Sapling: A Writer's Guide to the Small Press Industry, Black Lawrence Press, issue 49, Oct. 2010. Available here.
  • Hollebrands, Nicole. "Not Your Typical Lecture!" in Feministing, 23 Sept. 2010, archived here.
  • "Editor Interview: Breadcrumb Scabs: a poetry magazine" in Duotrope's Digest, 7 May 2010, archived here.
  • Skowronek, Susie. "Student continues self-published poetry magazine" in The Grand Valley Lanthorn, issue 42, p. A6, 15 Feb. 2010, archived here.
  • "Calliope Nerve Interview Series: Lena Judith Drake" in Calliope Nerve, 22 Nov. 2009, archived here.
  • Manning, Ryan. "ryan manning v lena judith drake" in thunk: where interviews go to die, March 2009.

To request an interview, please contact Lena.