Meet Alana King

After earning a BA in English from Texas State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Memphis, Alana King is currently working on a PhD in Literature at the University of Texas at Dallas. She’s currently the President of the Alpha Psi Nu Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta and the Associate Student Representative for the Southwestern Region. Her research interests include American Literature and History, the literature and history of marginalized and underrepresented populations, film studies, and war and genocide studies.

1. My favorite movie is The Godfather Trilogy.
   
2. I never leave the house without my noise-cancelling headphones.
3. If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be pancakes!

   

4. Growing up, I was sure I would be a daycare teacher.
5. I know every word to to the song “When I Was Five” by Clare Bowditch—this is the first song that comes to mind, but my brain is approximately 95% song lyrics and random pop culture/football factoids.
   
6. The best gift I’ve ever received was housing for my first two years of undergrad and the GAship/TAship that’s allowed me to afford grad school.
7. My nickname in high school was: didn’t have a nickname, but I was something like SpecialK88 on Xanga (#ThoseWereTheDays).
8. If you find me in the kitchen, I’m typically whipping up something microwavable or a smoothie—I don’t like to cook anymore.
9. I’m both a reader and a writer.
10. The best paper title I ever created was: can’t think of one . . . I’m too tired by that point of the semester to think of anything spiffy . . . just happy to press send by the due date.
11. The literary place I’d most like to visit is Paris or NYC.
12. My dream job is ultimately, one where I can help people while earning enough to pay the bills, but having a chance to be an intern/archivist for a Ken Burns film would be boss.
13. An author I truly admire is: I got the list down to Zora, Alice, Toni, and Maya, but I can’t choose between the four.
14. My go-to children’s book is Good Morning, Muffin Mouse by Larry Di Fiori—it was my jam when I was little.
15. The destination at the top of my travel bucket list are Paris and NYC.
16. My favorite part of being an English major is having the privilege to earn a degree (or two-going-on-three) doing what I’ve always loved to do.
17. The last book I read was Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
18. My favorite book is: Too many fave books to choose from, but American Girl, The Baby-Sitters Club, and Dear America are my favorite series.
19. My favorite place to buy books is Half Price Books‘ Flagship location in Dallas and Square Books in Oxford, MS.
20. In 10 years, I’m betting that the big trend in literature will be: God, I hope a lot more diversity in the publishing industry and in the literature that’s being published *knock on wood*.
21. My first job, officially, was a restaurant hostess at seventeen, but I sold candy at school, helped my mom with her Avon work, babysat, mowed lawns, and gave people rides for lunch/gas/spending money from age seven until then.
22. The last book I bought was Southern Women’s Writing, Colonial to Contemporary, and I have read it.
23. The celebrity I’d most like to spend a day with is: I want to say Audra McDonald, but I’d probably faint the second I see her and miss out on the experience.
24. If I could move anywhere in the world, I’d live in a nice cabin far enough from the city to see the stars at night and sitting on enough acres to have a couple of horses.
25. I’m a muggle!