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@mr.steven.petrow

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Brother, uncle, writer, dog dad🐶
Author of “The Joy You Make" and “Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old." Find me on Substack.

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We're so pleased to announce two recipients of VCCA’s Steven Petrow and Julie Petrow-Cohen LGBTQ+ Fellowship this fall: Javier Fuentes and Divine Byrd. Both are first-time #VCCAFellows at work on novels that aim to reverse queer erasure.

The fellowship recognizes and supports outstanding LGBTQ+ writers, providing them with time and space to pursue their creative projects within the supportive community of VCCA’s renowned artist residency program at Mt. San Angelo in Virginia.

With more than 175 applicants to the 2026 award and so many deserving writers, VCCA Board member and award funder @mr.steven.petrow felt compelled to sponsor a second fellowship this year. That means, Mt. San Angelo will be home to two Petrow Family Fellows over the course of VCCA’s current fall residency season, spanning September through December.

“At a time when LGBTQ+ people are under attack, I appreciated that VCCA had an unprecedented number of applicants for our family’s fellowship, and that these two outstanding writers could benefit from the magical gifts of the Mt. San Angelo campus. The act of writing is a form of resistance, and I know my sister Julie, an activist, would have agreed whole heartedly,” said Steven Petrow.

The fellowship is awarded annually and will next be available for VCCA’s Fall 2027 residency season at Mt. San Angelo. Online applications opened October 1, 2026, with a deadline of January 15, 2027.

Learn more at vcca.com 🧡🧡

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This Sunday at 8:30 AM, join me for a deeply personal and thought-provoking episode of "Rated G" with the incredible journalist and author Steven Petrow.

We'll be diving into his journey surrounding his sister's choice of medical aid in dying, exploring the emotional and ethical complexities of end-of-life decisions.

Don't miss this important conversation that challenges our perceptions of autonomy and dignity! Tune in and be part of the discussion! 📅✨

#RatedG #StevenPetrow #MedicalAidInDying #EndOfLifeChoices

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This week’s News of Orange County (in North Carolina) features an interview with me, written by friend, author and fellow journalist @mr.steven.petrow. The link to the story that promotes my upcoming exhibit is in the bio!

@thomasstevensgallery @artsorangenc @hillsboroughnc @hillsborougharts @alamancearts

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Another clickbait ageist headline from the New York Times. (Shocker!) This one from an article in last weekend’s Times titled, “Think It’s Cool to Wear Fancy Sneakers to Work? You Might Be Old” by Calum Marsh.

Use of the word “old” here reminds me of the denigrating expression, “It’s so gay” to denote something uncool.

Last January, I did a post about a similar article titled, “Does Your Winter Scarf Make You Look Old?” by Alisha Haridasani Gupta.

Same sentiment. Same lame lack of imagination in quest of a clickbaity headline.

Who are the editors OKing this slop?

In both cases, the same story could have been reported sans a reference to “old” or older people as the definition of uncool.

So, New York Times: Knock it off!

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Family is often where our most enduring stories begin, and where writing those stories can feel most complicated.

In "Writing Family: The Craft of Memoir", you'll explore how to transform lived experience into compelling personal writing through close readings, generative writing exercises, and guided workshops.

Taught by an uncle and his niece—two accomplished writers who have written about many of the same family experiences from different perspectives—this two-day intensive offers a rare opportunity to explore both the craft and ethics of memoir. Together, you'll consider questions at the heart of the genre: How do we write honestly about the people we love? How do we navigate conflicting memories, multiple truths, and the complexity of family while creating work that is both ethically grounded and emotionally resonant?

Participants will leave with the beginnings of one or more memoir essays, practical craft techniques, and renewed confidence to continue writing.

Instructor Bios: Jessie Petrow-Cohen is a Pushcart Prize-winning writer, editor, and educator whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Brevity. She is the winner of The Kenyon Review Short Nonfiction Contest and the Annie Dillard Award in Creative Nonfiction. She currently serves as Director of Strategy at The New York Times and Writer in Public Schools Fellow at NYU.

Steven Petrow is an award-winning journalist and author whose essays on aging, health, and civility have appeared in The Washington Post and The New York Times. His TED Talk, 3 Ways to Practice Civility, has been viewed nearly two million times, and his books include The Joy You Make and Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old. He is the 2024 North Carolina Piedmont Laureate and is currently writing a memoir.

📍 2-day in-person workshop
✍️ Transform family stories into meaningful memoir
🔗 Register now (link in bio)

#Memoir #CreativeWriting #PersonalEssay #Storytelling #WritingWorkshop #DukeCDS #ContinuingEducation

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It’s kinda chic over at The Sunday Paper. From our award winning journalism, our unique offerings like in person events and monthly zooms, first looks @openfieldbooks, and so much more! And don’t miss out on the chance to preorder our (more than) kinda chic 2027 Calendar, now in the link in bio. #kindachic

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After losing both parents, going through a divorce, and watching his beloved sister Julie battle Stage 4 ovarian cancer, all within the same year, Steven Petrow had every reason to sink into himself.

And for a while, he did. But he found his way back, and this week on the #HerMoneyPodcast he’s sharing his roadmap.

His biggest takeaway? Joy isn’t the fireworks. It’s not the big milestones or the New Year’s Eve celebrations. It’s in the small everyday things you’re grateful for. It’s the choice you make at every fork in the road.

Listen at the link in our bio.

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I can not believe it is half way through June and I am just now shouting HAPPY PRIDE!!!!!!! I am so immensely grateful for all the wonderful LGBTQIA+ humans in my own community and the world.

Thank you for your bravery and for the sparkle and joy you bring to this world!

Beautiful design cred to @mr.steven.petrow

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Today’s Musings:

I’ve spoken in metaphors for a few years, likely as a defense mechanism as well as my discomfort in directly acknowledging some of the tougher moments and chapters. What’s sprung forth tho are people, places and things that represent whole chapters, major life influences and far more than they mean in a literal sense. And frankly, I am grateful for this life outlook and prism as it reminds me of the depth, experience and importance of each and every person I meet. Someone is a someone’s son, dad, grandfather, uncle, child, husband, spouse, significant other, wife, daughter…the list goes on…boss, teammate, colleague…friend.

I’ve done my best to remain present in my interactions as I intentionally desire greater purpose and focus in what is in my immediate world rather than coasting on cruise control.

So today I’m grateful for so much:

First, and timely, I visited @skilletsrestaurants for my favorite Huevos Rancheros. Last time I was here I made a post asking for help. Not easy and in a way felt overdone and overly emotional. But, I posted anyway…and I’m all the better for it. When I go to #skillets I sit at the community table, and the conversations I’ve had the last few months have varied from political (yes, precarious!) to my future professional plans (I got a referral even tho I have months until all regulatory approvals even allow me to open) to the weather (no hurricanes please) and even the trend of cows/cattle replacing orange orchards in Florida. What’s been amazing is the vast diversity of these conversations at one singular table in a breakfast joint in a small beach town (#BonitaSprings). Today tho, I also bought two veterans their breakfast - while I know today is to honor those brave souls who lost their lives in battle to protect our country, I felt most connected to surprising a living veteran with breakfast. These guys both were at the community table - neither have any clue who covered their meal and I love that.

And that brings up the joy in my life and the book I am finishing “The Joy You Make” by @mr.steven.petrow . His novel inventories how joy can be found in the tightest, darkest of moments.

More in next post.

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You have to stop !

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It’s been a week since we moved into our new place in Atlanta and we have found several storage solutions through IKEA furniture (yes, we spent hours there last Sunday). We have a lot of books and less space than in our Nashville home. For now, I’m featuring books on top of authors that I know or connected with in some way. Yes, I recommend their books.

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In this week’s Sunday Paper, @mariashriver’s been thinking about how we can show up for each other, not just in the holiday season, but all year long. She reminds us, “At the end of the day, we are all family. God bless you all, and may your holidays be safe, healthy, and light.”

For more of what Maria’s Been Thinking, along with our architects of change, join The Sunday Paper community. Let us know what you’ve been thinking in the comments! #thesundaypaper

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