Emily Bertholf

Location Milwaukee, WI
Website http://

About Me

Emily Bertholf's fiction and poetry have appeared in publications such as Litsnack, Postcard Shorts, 6S, Lyrical Iowa and vox poetica. She is a member of Wisconsin Writers Association, Redbird-Redoak and Fictionaut. She lives in Milwaukee with her husband, three children, and an old pug. She draws inspiration from the waves of Lake Michigan and is rumored to sometimes tango alone in her living room.

Why do you write?

My father is a great artist and carpenter. Growing up watching him work and admiring his creativity probably sparked the hunger to create in myself. I also grew up around family stories shared in living rooms and neighborhood stories overheard on front stoops along the ever-changing and awe-inspiring backdrop of Lake Michigan. Observing the world and trying to make sense of it in a notebook has always been natural to me. In college, I studied journalism and education, but always made my way back to poetry and storytelling. I think it's a craft as crucial and worthy as my father's carpentry. He built houses for our bodies, I try to build houses for our souls.

Any favorite authors? Books?

There are so many.... Maya Angelou was a great early inspiration. The Grimm brothers, Edgar Alan Poe, Harper Lee, Charles Dickson, Shakespeare, Bukowsi, John Cheever, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, D.H. Lawrence, Robert Bly, Ursula LaGuin, Anne Sexton, Diane di Prima, I could go on. More contemporary authors and poets I admire are Susan Firer, Dora Malech, Lidia Yuknavitch, and Fictionaut's own Robert Vaughan.

Emily Bertholf's Wall

Gary Percesepe – Mar 16, 2015

thanks for reading my poem, christmas, emily---i appreciate you taking time to read and comment. ciao---gary

Shawn Misener – Feb 18, 2015

Thanks for the kind comment, Emily. Blobfish forever.

Natasha Whyte – Feb 10, 2015

Hi, Emily!
Thank you so much for your mention of my poem "untitled" on Editor's Eye, it is very much appreciated! Looking forward to reading more of your work. :)
Cheers,
Natasha.

Glynnis Eldridge – Aug 28, 2013

Thanks too for your comment on May, Twelve!!

Glynnis Eldridge – Aug 28, 2013

Emily, thank you so much for your comment on April, Thirteen! I deeply appreciate it. I look forward to reading your work.

Charlotte Hamrick – Aug 02, 2013

I'm just seeing your comment on "Planet Gated Minds", Emily. Thank you so much for the compliment and for reading. :)

Con Chapman – Jul 18, 2013

Emily, thanks for commenting on Smoky Corners.

Elizabeth Kate Switaj – Jul 08, 2013

Thank you for your comment on "What the Doormat Said". Always fun to twist clichés!

Amanda Harris – Jul 08, 2013

Thank you for your kind words on "Practice" Emily. I'm not as confident a prose writer as I am with poetry, so your feedback means a lot.

Amanda Harris – Jul 01, 2013

Thank you for your kind words on "Violence, Interrupted" Emily.

Kenny Mooney – Jul 01, 2013

Thanks so much for your kind words, it's very much appreciated.

Kari Nguyen – Jun 28, 2013

Hello Emily! Thanks so much for seeking out my work. Very much appreciate the read and lovely comments on those short things.

Matthew Robinson – Jun 28, 2013

Hey Emily, thank you for the very generous comment on "The Understanding." Really appreciate the close read and kind words!

Barry Basden – Jun 28, 2013

Thanks, Emily, for your kind words about Breaking in Print.

Gary Hardaway – Jun 28, 2013

Kind thanks for the generous response to "Saturday Housekeeping".

Valeria Godines – Jun 24, 2013

Emily, thanks for the kind words and advice on third-person account. I love to write in both first and third-person fashion. Your comments were encouraging.

Amanda Harris – Jun 18, 2013

Thank you for your kind words on "Beware the Armed Man" Emily. Finishing it was definitely an ah ha moment.

Darren Cormier – Feb 10, 2013

Hi Emily,
Thank you for reading and commenting on 'Size Times New Roman.' I, too, might freak out if someone ripped apart my books. Well, there are a couple I might give someone permission to rip apart.

Barry Basden – Oct 30, 2012

Thanks, Emily, for your kind and perceptive words about my Neil Young poem.

Gary Percesepe – Oct 23, 2012

emily, hi--

thanks a million for your lovely & generous comment on my train poem!

much appreciated.

all best----g

J. Mykell Collinz – Oct 15, 2012

Hi, Emily. Thanks for reading 'Assiduity Two.' I greatly appreciate your comment.

Gloria Garfunkel – Oct 13, 2012

Great comment on What We Talk About. Thanks.

Meg Pokrass – Oct 11, 2012

emily - thank you so much for your kind words about my Big Bird piece. Warmly, Meg

Meg Pokrass – Sep 28, 2012

Emily - thanks so much for your warm comment on my story "Salty"!

Carl Santoro – Sep 25, 2012

Typo-on-me, my bad Emily. *Gloria*

Carl Santoro – Sep 25, 2012

Gloria,
Thank you for your comments on "The Red Slit". Yes, it creeped me out and jarred me as well!

Lillian Ann Slugocki – Sep 24, 2012

Emily, thanks so much for your note. Guess what I grew up outside of Milwaukee in Kenosha!!!
best, Lillian

Mary Lane – Sep 23, 2012

Emily! Thank you so much for reading and relating to my "Pool Toys." Truly, we've all met that girl at some point, haven't we? Nice to meet you. Best, HM

Roberto C. Garcia – Sep 17, 2012

Hi Emily! Thanks for your awesome comment on "Coltrane at The Guggenheim."

Bill Yarrow – Aug 09, 2012

Hi, Emily! Thanks for the great comment on "A Thousand Books."

Bill Yarrow – Feb 03, 2012

Thanks for faving "Eleutheria", Emily! I'm very pleased you liked it.

J. Mykell Collinz – Jan 27, 2012

Hi, Emily. Thanks for reading 'Life After Death.' I greatly appreciate your comments.

Barry Basden – Jan 27, 2012

Thanks, Emily, for your thoughtful and generous comments about 'Waiting.'

Beate Sigriddaughter – Jan 27, 2012

Emily, thank you for reading and commenting on "The Story of F." It means a lot to me.

Foster Trecost – Aug 25, 2011

Hi Emily, just wanted to give you a quick note of thanks for reading over The Pretenders - I really appreciate you taking the time. fos.

Bill Yarrow – Aug 13, 2011

Thanks for commenting on and faving "We Must be Carefully Taut." I really appreciate both, Emily.

Jack Swenson – Jul 26, 2011

Emily, thanks so much for your vote and for the fave for "Sisters."

Foster Trecost – Jul 26, 2011

Hi Emily, thanks for reading Cactus. I'm glad you liked it, and thanks also commenting. fos.

Jack Swenson – Jul 15, 2011

Emily, glad you liked my story "Old Age." Thanks for your comments.

Maura Fitzgerald – Jul 15, 2011

Hey Emily,
It was so good to be greeted by a familiar face. And thanks for reading and commenting on Snapshot. Looking forward to resuming Friday mornings!

Michael Parker – Jul 14, 2011

Thank you for your comment on "All the gaping mouths without a voice." It means a great deal. Peace, Michael

Bill Yarrow – Jul 13, 2011

Thanks for faving my odd tree poem, Emily. I really appreciate your comments and the read!

Susan Tepper – Jul 13, 2011

Thank you Emily for the beautiful comments on my story "afternoon" and wishing you welcome at Fictionaut~

Christian Bell – Jul 09, 2011

Emily, thank you for your comments on "Shoot"!

Bill Yarrow – Jun 24, 2011

Welcome to Fictionaut, Emily, and thanks for commenting on and faving "The Lost Boys"!

Jane Hammons – Jun 20, 2011

Emily, thanks for your comments on Mothering in Real Time. I feel fortunate to have children who like to talk--and even argue in a constructive way!

Charles Hale – Jun 18, 2011

Emily- thanks for reading. The line about the small cooler is probably my favorite sentence I've ever written. I'm stoked you picked that one out to comment on. cheers.

Mark Reep – Jun 16, 2011

Hi Emily, and welcome. Thanks for taking time to read 'Bukowski', and for your generous and encouraging comments. Much appreciated!

Gary Percesepe – Jun 02, 2011

hi emily,

thanks so much for reading and commenting on gaspar--

and welcome to FN--

cheers,

gary

Robert Vaughan – May 29, 2011

Welcome, Emily! So happy you have joined us at Fictionaut! Enjoy the journey!

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