Poet. Writer. Writing Coach.
Hey there! I’m Dawn, and I fell in love with writing and reading as a child. Words and the paths they take to form stories, both fictional and true, have fascinated me ever since!
While my career has taken a few unexpected turns, I’m thrilled that writing has always been at least a small part of it.
In past lives, I’ve worked as…
- an advertising copywriter and freelancer
- an admission director at an independent school
- a middle-school English teacher
- an adjunct instructor at local universities
- the associate director of the M.A./M.F.A. Creative Writing program at Wilkes University
- the assistant to the President at Wilkes.
In 2017, I left the 9-5 world to build my writing and coaching business, and I haven’t looked back!
Whether I’m putting one word in front of the other, working 1:1 with other writers to begin, revive or finish a writing project, leading online writing groups, or planning for an in-person writing retreat, my work happy place is surrounded by words.
I find the most peace when I am near sand and salt water. I find calm and excitement when I wander the neighborhoods of New York City. I’m the mom of grown sons who are off adulting – one in New York and one in Seattle. I love to run, walk, and Hula Hoop in my living room. I also don’t mind cleaning. These and other types of movement often shake ideas free and help me get words down on the page. I’m always ready for a road trip to give or attend a reading. I love live music, talking about poetry and writing, and swapping recommendations for movies and books.
Books
A Person Worth Knowing FootHills Publishing 
Take Something When You Go Winter Goose Publishing
Amazon 
Chapbook, I Know When to Keep Quiet Finishing Line Press Amazon
Anthologies
Anthology, River of Earth and Sky Edited by Diane Frank Amazon 
Anthology, I Am Strength Edited by Alyssa Waugh Amazon 
Anthology, My Body, My Words Edited by Amye Archer and Loren Kleinman Amazon
Journal Publications
I’m grateful that these journals are now home for some of my poems:
- SWWIM
- SoFloPoJo
- Cumberland River Review
- The Pedestal Magazine
- Southern Women’s Review
- Literary Mama
- and others.
Media
A video conversation with Kim about work and life.
Girls Talk Business with Kim Trathen Article about I AM STRENGTH Reading at Misericordia University
Dallas Post A Q&A with Curtis Smith
JMWW A Q&A with fiction writer Gale Martin
http://galemartin.squarespace.com/blog/2012/3/27/writer-wednesday-with-poet-dawn-leas.html
Listen to Dawn’s interviews with Erika Funke on WVIA’s “ArtScene.”
Release of Take Something When You Go
Release of I Know When To Keep Quiet
Library Express Reading – John Amen and Friends
Pages & Places Festival
http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/book-lovers-enjoy-scranton-s-pages-places-book-festival-1.1212164 Reviews of I Know When to Keep Quiet
PANK
Specter
