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Emily Rapp Raps
Author Emily Rapp with her son Ronan.
Santa Fe University is losing Emily Rapp, one of the most celebrated teachers in the Creative Writing Department, following fall semester. Rapp, author of the critically acclaimed memoir Poster Child, spent the last several years caring for her son Ronan, who died in February, 2013 from Tay-Sachs disease. The Still Point of the Turning World, Rapp’s book about the experience, received national attention and positive reviews, and also was chosen Best Book of the Month by Amazon for March 2013. Rapp recently learned she is pregnant with a baby girl. In the following interview, Rapp discusses her reasons for leaving and her plans for the future. Though she is leaving us, she will not be forgotten.
Jackalope Magazine: Why did you decide to leave SFUAD?
Emily Rapp: I decided to leave Santa Fe University because I wanted to focus more on writing. I taught the whole time my son was sick and dying and I felt I needed a change of scenery actually.
JM: Do you have any plans?
ER: Not so much for the spring, except for being in baby land. I have a lot of projects that are mid-completion that I want to work on. Not sure about the fall. We are just going to see what happens. Examine what comes in to the net and see where we go from there. Loose plans. Lot’s of “what ifs.”
JM: Any specific things you’re working on?
ER: I’m working on a novel. Oof. (laughs) That’s how I feel about that. I’m working on a couple non-fiction pieces. Sort of regular stuff I do on a monthly basis but mostly the novel. And sort of by default a screenplay, which is sort of a new thing for me.
JM: Do you see teaching in you future?
ER: Yeah I think so. I really love teaching. I just need some serious down time. Just a change of pace, so many things have changed in my life so I feel like I want to make a total change.
JM: Is there anything about SFUAD that you’ll miss?
ER: The students. You! I really love the people who work at SFUAD. The students are great. It’s not for any other reason than I think I’m starting a new phase in my life and needed a reboot. You guys are really lucky to have Matt, Dana, James, Liz, and Julia. They’re all really great people who could get jobs anywhere. I’ll really miss the camaraderie. I probably won’t miss the cafeteria that doesn’t exist. Or the non-existent Starbucks. Why isn’t there a Starbucks on campus?
JM: Was there anything you were excited about doing immediately?
ER: Reading. Working on my book. Just reading for fun.
Jackalope Magazine is the student magazine of Santa Fe University of Art and Design. Building on the interdisciplinary nature of our education, we aim to showcase the talent of our university and character of our city.
dear Emily,
first, to person who receives this. I have not been able to find an email address for Emily rapp.if you have one, I will retype what I am sending here.however, if you know her address and would be willing to forward my comment, I would greatly appreciate it.
emily, I just came across you.and I want to send the following observation to you.first, my condolences on the loss of your son.i can’t imagine the grief experienced.my comment is directly after your words in somewhat recent, I believe, writing of yours where you mention the atmosphere-cold/bleak at time of the death of your son,and the obsrve hohw shortl thereafter the sun rose and the sound of birds twittering.you commented on that to include the words:stunning and singular cruelty.i know I am afar and have absolutely no identity to you and your husband, but here is my offering.possibly, it is god sending to you a message of comfort that ronan is in a place of beauty and that the rise of the sun and the twittering of the birds is ronan’s message to you that he is in comfort.and that this knowledge would be of assistance to you whiel experiencing your grieving.success on the birth of your second child and first daughter.
sincerely, owen e. trainor 111
email:ispoke2000@yahoo.com