I’m most known as the author of the bi-lingual novel Numera negerkung (King of the Cannibals) (Kabusa 2009), written in Swedish and English. The novel won the dubious honor of being booted out of the Swedish national literary competition (Augustpriset) for not being Swedish enough.
But maybe getting the boot is to be expect from somebody born in the Rubber Capital of the World: I was born in Akron, Ohio 1971. During the 1980s and 1990s I wrote for the Akron Beacon Journal and Cleveland Plain Dealer, then worked as an artist and teacher in Philadelphia. I also wrote a few autobiographical stories for School Arts Magazine. I’ve got masters degrees in both Education and English Literature, both from the University of Stockholm, and my research work can be found at the Royal Library of Sweden. In 2009 I was one of the three founders of Debutantbloggen.se, still a popular Swedish blog which discusses issues concerning first-time authors. Our seminar at the Book Fair in Gothenburg that year was moderated by literature guru Jessica Gedin.
In 2012 I had two short stories published in the collective story cycle Avståndet mellan (X Publishing) which I initiated and helped structure. The book brought together 24 authors from Sweden, Norway and the States, including Gunnar Ardelius, Sara Bergmark Elfgren and Anthony Grooms. In the fall of 2012 I moderated and participated in a seminar at the Gothenburg Book Fair on the project together with other co-authors Jenny Jägerfeld and Anneli Jordahl.
In the fall of 2012 my short story ”Eleven” was published by Myrios novellförlag; and in 2013 I published a collection of stories and other texts in the form of a high school English textbook with Natur och Kultur, called Echo 5: Main Issues. The second book in the series is also out: Echo 6: Main Issues. And I’m currently writing short stories and other texts for additional projects with Natur och Kultur publishers.
In addition to my writing, I teach creative writing and narrative theory and the Novel Development Workshop in English at Skrivarakademin, Folkuniversitetet, Stockholm, as well as courses in English and writing at a music-oriented high school in Stockholm, Sweden. I also travel the country giving lectures on how to teach writing at schools and conferences, and I’m a member of the Swedish Authors’ Guild.
Interested in having your manuscript read and commented on? I occasionally do this type of work through Skrivarakademin, when time allows.
E-mail: kfrato@yahoo.com
foto: Ola Kjelbye
Reviews, interviews, news (all in Swedish):
I also have a Masters of English Literature and a Masters of Education from the University of Stockholm, and some of my theoretical work can be read at the Royal Library of Sweden:
1. Child-death and suffering in children’s fantasy: from Water babies to Unearthers / Kevin Frato
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november 9, 2011 den 8:55 e m
Angela
Very intriguing–I’m a published novelist living in Stockholm, and I’d love to meet more English language fiction writers. My first novel, The Queens of K-town, was published in the U.S. in 2007, and my second is nearing completion. I’ve been really wanting to find a literary community here, and this class sounds like a possibility. I’d be so grateful for a heads up on other writing groups and workshops too. I’ll keep checking back and hunting around town. Thanks for posting about it here.
november 9, 2011 den 9:53 e m
Kevin Frato
Angela, great to hear from you. I know exactly how you feel, searching for a community of writers. I’ll post more information on the class as it becomes available, and if I hear about any other group, I’ll spread the word!