• News
  • Student Life
  • Athletics
  • Faculty/Staff
  • Campus Portal Login
  • News
  • Student Life
  • Faculty/Staff
  • Athletics
  • Campus Portal Login

Salve Success: Leah DeCesare ’21, MFA in creative writing

salvetoday Posted On March 4, 2021
0


0
Shares
  • Share On Facebook
  • Tweet It

Leah DeCesare ’21, is currently a graduate student of Salve Regina’s Newport MFA in creative writing, but she is already an accomplished author and a model for other writers who aspire to be published.

DeCesare is the author of the Naked Parenting book series, which gives advice on how parents can raise confident children, and her debut novel “Forks, Knives, and Spoons” won nine awards during the first two years of its publication.

So what was her journey into publishing like? It was a long one, both rewarding and challenging.

Starting a blog, writing a book in a weekend

DeCesare graduated in 1992 from Syracuse University with a triple major in advertising, communications and marketing, and French. Right after college, she worked in event planning and as a child worker and parenting educator at hospitals. She began writing by starting a blog for the parents that she advised at the hospital, because she found that she was getting a lot of the same questions from parents.

Leah DeCesare ’21 (MFA)

DeCesare’s inspiration to turn her blog into a series of books came from an eBook that she read on how to write a book in a weekend. Her parenting blog acted as an outline for her idea, and the concept of “Naked Parenting” came from her parenting style of stripped down, open and direct communication. DeCesare’s ideals apply to kids at any age and any stage, and the theme is cultivating confidence in both kids and parents.

“By the way, I did write it in a weekend,” DeCesare laughed.

In fact, she started her very first book writing on a Friday morning, finished the first draft on Saturday night, and by Sunday afternoon she completed an entire first revision of “Naked Parenting: 7 Keys to Raising Kids With Confidence.” She self published the book, and she went on to also self publish “Naked Parenting: Guiding Kids in a Digital World.”

Diving into the writing process was a great way for DeCesare to learn about publishing while gaining the knowledge and confidence she needed to begin working on her debut novel. Because deep down, she had always wanted to write fiction.

Publishing a debut novel through the Newport MFA

“I always had it in the back of my mind to get a master’s degree and an MFA,” DeCesare remembered. “When I was little and I thought of myself as being a writer, it was novels.”

As DeCesare found herself in her forties raising her children without having accomplished that lifelong dream, she decided that she was going to regret it if she didn’t write a novel. She knew Ann Hood, founder of Salve Regina’s Newport MFA, from being a writer in the Newport community, and a friend told her about the new program at Salve Regina — which had been established in 2018.

“I went home that day, I looked it up, and I applied,” DeCesare recalled. “I literally didn’t look anywhere else.”

While the MFA was both rewarding and intense, she loved every bit of the two years that she’s spent studying with Ann Hood. In fact, Ann Hood wrote the blurb for “Forks, Knives, and Spoons.”

The novel is described as “a light-hearted, thought-provoking coming of age story that takes readers on a nostalgic journey back to the 1980s and 1990s” on its jacket. It’s a romantic, witty story about college girls growing up to find out what love really means. “Forks, Knives, and Spoons” has won nine awards, including the 2019 ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Award Semifinalist and the 2018 International Book Awards Winner in Fiction, General.

It took a lot of work, but with help from many editors, Ann Hood, and the Newport MFA, she accomplished her dream.

Writing advice to young writers

When she was younger, DeCesare might not have realized that all that writing would pay off so beautifully — eventually. To writers at Salve Regina and beyond, DeCesare urges the continuance of practicing and learning the craft. It’s about never giving up.

“Don’t wait to learn it all to write, and don’t write without trying to learn,” she said.

DeCesare also urges students to take advantage of all free opportunities to learn — whether it be online resources, workshops, or great writers and speakers that Salve Regina brings in to talk with students. It’s all about being willing to learn and accept criticism. When DeCesare showed her first draft of “Forks, Knives, and Spoons” to Ann Hood, Hood helped her work through many of the things that were bothering her about her writing.

DeCesare has shared her love for writing by participating in a TEDx Talk that emphasized the beauty in the lost art of letter writing.

That is why, according to DeCesare, the best advice for young writers is to practice and become educated about the craft of writing. This requires revision, revision, revision. A writer must also accept the reality that their writing, however great, will never be perfect — and that a writer is always growing.

“I even look back now, and I’m still really proud of my book that won nine awards,” DeCesare explained. “But there’s things I listen to and I go, ‘Oh, I would have changed that.’ ”

After reflecting upon all of her accomplishments, DeCesare has realized that her passion has always been about empowering people.

“I love being that cheer leader for other people and encouraging people to stand up for themselves, to be confident, to love themselves,” she concluded.

DeCesare has also been featured in the “New York Times” and its Tiny Love Stories series. Her 100-word story is the last one in the post.

Article by student writer Anna Downes ’22

Salve Success is a series of student success stories periodically featured on SALVEtoday. Check out the tag Salve Success for more stories. 

0
Shares
  • Share On Facebook
  • Tweet It




  • RSS Calendar of Events

    • Honors Senior Thesis Exhibition
      Date: Thursday, April 8, 2021 (All day) to Thursday, April 22, 2021 (All day)
      Dorrance H. Hamilton Gallery

      The Honors Senior Thesis Exhibition showcases the work of six outstanding seniors from the Department of Art and Art History: Victor Aguirre Williams, Samantha Gaudette, Jeremy Lukasiewicz, Ryan...

      Contact: Ernest Jolicoeur
    • Black Lives Matter community art exhibition
      Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021 (All day) to Friday, April 30, 2021 (All day)
      McKillop Library first floor

      The Black Lives Matter community art piece was created by local artists Nycole Marvelous and Jy-Tique Harris, adjunct professor Melody Gamba and students from Gamba's course Arts for Social...

      Contact: Gretchen Sotomayor
    • Stressbuster: Loaded study room raffle
      Date: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 (All day) to Thursday, April 22, 2021 (All day)

      Complete a short Earth Day quiz by noon Thursday, April 22 to be entered into a raffle for a four-hour study and snack session in the...

      Contact: Gretchen Sotomayor
    • TIAA financial counseling sessions
      Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 (All day)

      TIAA representative John Cislo will be available for virtual financial counseling appointments with faculty and staff.

    • Earth Day meditation
      Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 - 10:00am
      McAuley Hall lawn

      Join Jesse Harding, adjunct professor in the Department of Religious and Theological Studies, for an outdoor meditation focusing on easy to follow mindfulness-based stress reduction practices....

    • The "More Than" garden: Audio installation and sun prints
      Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 - 10:00am to 3:00pm
      O'Hare Academic Building front entrance

      Stop by the front of O'Hare to make a cyanotype sun print with Dr. Jen McClanaghan, associate professor in the Department of English, Communications and Media, and the students of her ENG224...

    • Adopt-a-spot launch and planting
      Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 - 11:00am to 1:00pm
      Ochre Court lawn

      Salve Regina is launching a new adopt-a-spot with the city of Newport, committing for two years to tend to this spot of earth for the common good. Join us on this Earth Day to begin plantings...

      Contact: Mary Pelletier
    • Things for Thursday: Ben & Jerry's
      Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 - 12:00pm to 4:00pm
      Gerety Hall

      Come grab some Ben & Jerry's ice cream at the Campus Activities Board's last Things for Thursday event of the academic year.

    • Study abroad information session
      Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 - 4:00pm

      Interested in studying abroad but don’t know where to start? Join the global ambassadors from the Office of International Programs for a crash course on everything you need to know to start your...

    • Arboretum tree planting
      Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021 - 3:15pm
      McKillop Library front lawn

      Join us outside of McKillop Library for the annual Arbor Day tree planting and dedication of two Elizabeth magnolias to add to our campus arboretum.

  • Browse Sections

    Salve Success

    Health and Wellness

    Mercy Mission

    Arts and Humanities

    Science and Technology

    Event Coverage

    Business and Economics

    Graduate News



Stay Updated

Latest news from SALVEtoday

 

  • Salve Regina University

    100 Ochre Point Avenue
    Newport, Rhode Island 02840 USA

     (401) 847-6650

    (c) 2021 Salve Regina University

  • SALVEtoday Archives

  • Social Media Directory

  • Mercy Emergency Relief Fund


  • News
  • Student Life
  • Athletics
  • Faculty/Staff
  • Campus Portal Login
Press enter/return to begin your search