Meet Kathleen Krueger, Author and Poet

Meet Author and Poet Kathleen Krueger

Kathy Krueger has developed a strong literary presence in the Brainerd area through her freelance writing and published poetry, as a business owner, and association with The Crossing Arts Alliance.

Kathy grew up in rural Minnesota between Longville and Remer. She has lived in the Brainerd area since high school graduation. She and her husband Steve have two daughters and eight grandchildren.  After working as a book keeper for 25 years in the construction industry, Kathy began working as a full time freelance writer in 2011. Her business is called Crafter of Words LLC which provides content and copy for business in the form of blogs, website copy and email campaigns. She has contributed to several local magazines including Her Voice, Lake Country Journal, and national publications Her Life, Geraldine, Upscale Living and DyNAMC.

She has been a member of the Crossing Arts Alliance for several years working in the gift shop gallery as a volunteer. Through this organization she began to realize her poetry and creative writing as an art form of equal value to visual arts.

After a couple of impactful life events Kathy began exploring poetic verse in 2009. The freedom of free verse versus rhyme was a new concept to her allowing a broader understanding of what poetry is all about. She enjoys writing in both rhyme forms and free verse. She feels that the challenge of writing in traditional rhyme forms has improved her skills as a poet. Her participation in local writing groups, including Brainerd Writers Alliance and Heartland Poets has strengthened her writing skills.

Since Kathy views herself as more of a feeling based person, her thought process is based more on emotions rather than visual or verbal. She finds poetry rather therapeutic as it helps her sort through her feelings to express them in words. 

Kathy enjoys writing from prompts. She feels they draw things out of you that are unexpected. She finds pieces of art, something in nature, a photo, a word phrase or an idea presented by someone else provide the needed inspiration that say, “Give me a voice”.

One of her favorite ways to present poetry is through a visual image such as photography or other art forms.  

Kathy’s perseverance has garnered her several distinctions. She received first place for poetry in the 2010 BWA Writing Contest with Circle of Tears and her ekphrastic poem, Reflection was chosen for inclusion in an anthology, Ekphrastia   Gone Wild- Poems Inspired by Art.  Talking Sticks, a regional publication included one of her short stories in Vol 20 and a poem in Vol 21.  

Kathy’s deft touch with words has produced this lovely metaphoric poem

Laced Leather

By Kathleen Krueger

Sphere of youthful Spring

tossed across the years

settles on the closet floor

amongst an old man’s dreams.

For additional information about Kathy check out

Website Kathleenkrueger.com  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/crafterofwords/

Twitter @crafterofwords

 article submitted by Sue Ready May 2016 issue Lakes Area Living Brainerd, MN