by Mallory Moad

Local writer Steven Church’s story begins in Lawrence, Kansas. His life’s journey has carried him from this Midwest city, between the Wakarusa and Kansas rivers, to Fort Collins, Colorado; Bristol, Rhode Island; and Fresno, California. Along the way, Steven established an eclectic resume that includes such illustrious occupations as newspaper delivery boy, house painter, grocery store clerk, tour guide twice (he must have really excelled at it), maintenance man, and conflict mediator. Somehow, in the midst of what sounds like chaos, he obtained a BA degree in philosophy as well as an MFA in creative writing.

Today he is known professionally as Professor Steven Church, instructor of creative nonfiction in the MFA program at Fresno State. Personally, he is Steven or Dad.

He also happens to be the author of six books that have received national acclaim. That’s a far cry from pitching the Lawrence Journal-World onto front porches.

Becoming a writer wasn’t a snap decision Steven made. It’s a calling he’s had since childhood.

“I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a kid,” he says. “I always loved books and libraries and bookstores. And I was a big reader growing up.”

He read anything and everything, not a bad way for a kid to spend time.

“I deeply loved biographies and memoirs. Sports stars, presidents, whoever and whatever I could find in our school library.”

But there was one book in particular that made a lasting impression on Steven’s young mind: My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craig George.

He says, “It was (and remains) a profoundly influential book for me just as a human being.”

He eventually found himself drawn to the short story form and the writers Raymond Carver, Joan Didion, Willa Cather “and many, many more.”

Steven’s work is best categorized as autobiographical nonfiction, in that it is based on his own experiences. Intimate and sharply humorous, his writing addresses themes such as work, love, morality, fatherhood, and pop culture. Associate Professor Brynn Saito, one of Steven’s colleagues in the CSUF Department of English, has this to say about Steven’s style:

“Steven’s writing is often a mix of memoir and reportage, mining daily life for existential insights” into his chosen topics. “His books and essays are often deeply personal and consistently witty, self-reflexive, and surprising in both form and content.”

Steven began teaching at CSUF in 2006. That’s what brought him to Fresno in the first place. He conducts classes in ways that are challenging and rewarding (both for himself and his students).

“I’m teaching a class this semester on Hanif Abdurraqib, a black Muslim writer of poetry and nonfiction. He does not shy away from hard truths, nor do we in class.”

Finding the youthful energy of his students to be inspiring, he says, “It’s thrilling and exciting to see their young minds at work, to just sit there listening to the hum of their discussions.”

Professor Saito observes, “He’s a beloved professor––a generous, funny, energetic educator who curates experiences and assignments that are rooted in wonder and play, two elements necessary for sustaining a creative life.”

Although Steven loves teaching, his involvement with education goes beyond classroom instruction. In 2007 he co-founded The Normal School, Fresno State’s “locally grown, nationally known” literary magazine. Staffed by graduate students of Fresno State’s Master of Fine Arts program, it features boundary-challenging works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and the occasional author interview. Originally a print publication, it has operated exclusively in digital form since late 2019. Its mission is to publish the work of groups and individuals who have been historically under-represented in the publishing world. The Normal School has received national recognition for inclusion and gender parity.

Unaffected and affable, Steven has rejected the controversy, scandal, and socially unacceptable behavior demonstrated by some well-known contemporary authors.

Professor Saito, agrees: “Steven is driven by curiosity, not ego, by a drive to understand himself and this wild, confounding, terrifying world we inhabit.”

More than happy to share his work with the community, Steven is a frequent (and popular) participant in Respite by the River, the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust’s monthly program that pairs local writers with musicians in a casual setting.

“Steven Church has read for Respite by the River many times,” says former organizer Megan Anderson Bohigian. “His connection with the audience is phenomenal. Steven is the one author I always knew I could call and ask, ‘What are you working on now?’ and he’d read from it for us in a heartbeat.”

Steven has a deep respect and appreciation for Fresno’s literary scene, particularly its poets. “You can have your Iowa City or New York or whatever, but give me Fresno for poetry, where it really does seem to be in the water or something. It’s truly unbelievable how much poetry has risen and continues to rise from this Valley every day. Fresno isn’t always an easy lover but when she gives you so much poetry and beauty, it’s hard to stay mad.”

In writing, Steven has truly found his bliss. He loves literally everything about it. “Writing isn’t easy, but it’s not digging ditches or fixing toilets, both of which I’ve done in my life. Writing, for me, is a joyful activity. It feels good to express yourself through art and I absolutely love the process. It gives me opportunities to obsess over language but also to do research and constantly learn new things.”

It has also given Fresno opportunities to experience the talent, knowledge, charisma, and skills of a remarkable author. That’s a win for Steven, but maybe an even bigger win for the rest of us.

My name is Mallory Moad, and I believe in the power of the written word.

To learn more about Steven Church, visit his website at steven-church.com. You can also follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

Steven’s books are available at Amazon but better yet, they can be ordered through Fresno’s downtown bookstore, Judging by the Cover. Shop local.

All photos provided by Steven Church.

Mallory Moad is a visual/performance artist, vocalist in the jazz band Scats on The Sly and a proud Central San Joaquin Valley native.

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