Meet Our Writing Coaches

Barbie Cure

Barbie Cure is a proud native of Chalmette, Louisiana (yes, they exist) with a Bachelor's in English Writing from Loyola University. Because of her lifelong book fetish plus her affinity for word-wielding, she is currently pursuing her M.A. in professional writing. She wrote for Offbeat Magazine for one year and blogs regularly on the infinite abyss known as cyberspace. In the little spare time she has, Barbie is obsessing over comic books, singing in her band, and boxing/yoga-ing like a boss.

Jessica Deese

Jessica Deese is an English graduate student with an English BA, also from the University of New Orleans. Her concentration is in medieval British literature. She has one year of one on one tutoring experience outside of college, which included helping ESL students with English composition and literature. She is also working on editing a biography pro bono for an amazing New Orleanean who grew up in the depression era.

Kia Groom

Kia is probably 75% kangaroo.  She arrived in New Orleans from Australia in July of 2012 and is excited to answer all your questions about dingoes and whether or not they eat babies.  She earned her BA in Philosophy and Writing from Edith Cowan University in Western Australia and is now pursuing an MFA in poetry at UNO.  She likes horror movies, cats, and reading the graffiti on bathroom walls. You can read some of her creative whatnot at www.kiagroom.com.

Soleil Ho

They say that Soleil has the strength of two men; that she once roasted a deer with only a pool cue and a can of Pam at hand; that her grandparents are former Viet Cong officers living clandestinely in suburban America. She was forced out of New York City for unspecified crimes of a lewd and abominable nature, the details of which, one is assured, are unrepeatable in polite society. In her new life in the American Upper Midwest, she spent much of her time touching other people's food before she was expelled again. Her intentions are unknown at this time, but presumably present a threat to all of the values, principles, and morals that Americans hold dear.

Karen Jensen

After a year attending the American College in her home country of Norway, Karen decided to trade blizzards and hot chocolate for heat waves and crawfish and went to New Orleans. She graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English in 2011 and began taking graduate classes in January 2012. She loves American literature, especially William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, and Toni Morrison. Her favorite part of New Orleans is Mardi Gras and the fact that she can go out without a coat from March through October. When she's not in class, she likes traveling, swimming, and getting materials for an increasing amount of various craft projects that she rarely finishes. After an exciting first semester as a research assistant, Karen is ready for new challenges in the Writing Center.

Andrew Kooy

Andrew Kooy grew up in the small town of George, Washington where his early education consisted of lighting fires and digging holes.  These skills served him well as he meandered about the greater northwest, seeking his fortune but attaining a BA in English instead.  He was always told that an English major can do anything so he gave it a shot, holding down jobs in construction, finance, the food industry, and in art before swearing a vow of poverty and heading to New Orleans to pursue an MFA in fiction.

Laura Little

An experienced high school English instructor, Laura’s love for teaching began with tutorial work. While still an undergraduate at California State University, Los Angeles, Laura was employed at the school’s writing center. Following graduation, she pursued a career in business for several years before combining business with her love of teaching through Sylvan Learning Centers, where she was eventually promoted to the position of Center Director. Laura additionally volunteered her time as a literacy tutor for Pasadena Reads.  Laura also received a Certificate of Recognition from ETS for her perfect score on the Praxis II, a national examination for secondary English instructors. Current professional memberships include the National Council of Teachers of English and the Conference on College Composition and Communication. During school breaks Laura enjoys taking long walks around New Orleans, playing with her cats BC and AD, trying out new recipes, and adding to her stash of film noir on her YouTube channel. Laura also has a passion for ghost stories—the true ones, of course.

Rachael Smith

Rachael Smith is a Louisiana native who left her native land to pursue her B.A. in English at the University of Texas in Austin, where she privately tutored young'ins to help them pass their standardized tests. Upon finding no jobs in her field after graduation, she became an arch welder in production, where she met the characters who currently occupy her short stories. She is now pursuing her M.F.A. in Creative Fiction. She enjoys Thrash Metal, Doom Metal, Prog Metal, Black Metal, various cured meats, Dungeons and Dragons, and forcing people to listen to diatribes about plot.