About scott
Scott Atkinson is a writer, editor, and teacher. His journalism and nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Writer's Digest, and elsewhere. His short stories have appeared in literary journals including Failbetter, Carve, and Hypertext. Scott cut his teeth in journalism in Flint, Michigan, where he's explored everything from dying factory bars to cemeteries holding the remains of long-lost orphans. He is the editor of Happy Anyway: A Flint Anthology from Belt Publishing and teaches writing and journalism at The University of Michigan-Flint and Michigan State University.
A collection of essays and personal narratives, Happy Anyway: A Flint Anthology captures a confounding, contradictory city, proving that Flint is far more than just an industrial town picking itself up after a big company has moved out or the site of a devastating public health crisis. The stories collected here delve into the actual lives taking place within the city―the crime, joblessness, homelessness, and hopelessness, but also the happiness and resilience.
“What a treat! Flint may have had tough times, but that history makes for tough people: good neighbors, brave physicians, hard workers, selfless earth scientists, and, as we see here, creators of a vibrant cultural life. The voices in this collection reveal the talent and scope of storytelling in and around the city. These pieces — by teachers and students, journalists and poets, recent arrivals and lifetime residents and homesick émigrés — stand as proof of the determination and optimism of a city that just won’t quit.” – Thomas C. Foster, author of How to Read Literature Like a Professor
“Thank you Scott Atkinson! This anthology touches every corner of this storied city and her inhabitants. The essays are tough and tender, always surprising.” – Betsy Lerner. literary agent and author of Shred Sisters