They sat side by side in literary classes at Western Michigan University, working toward an MFA. For Heidi Bell, her goal was to become an editor. For Bonnie Jo Campbell – to become a writer. Years later, their friendship thrives, as each has achieved her goal. Bell is an acclaimed editor, but now, she is ready to launch her debut story collection: Signs of the Imminent Apocalypse (Cornerstone Press, 2024).
“It started with a theory class I took at Western,” Bell says. “It was theory of grammar, and my professor said to me, you know, you should be an editor, because I loved that class. I loved grammar, and I loved everything to do with how a sentence is put together.”
Bell works with individual writers, from beginners to published authors and with publishers. Her clients have included Beacon Press, HarperCollins, Houghton Mifflin, The Learning Institute, McGraw-Hill, Simon & Schuster, Sourcebooks, University of Wisconsin Press, Wayne State University Press, and W. W. Norton. And – she has also worked as an editor with former classmate and Kalamazoo author, Bonnie Jo Campbell, on her newest novel, The Waters, and story collection, American Salvage.
With Signs of the Imminent Apocalypse, Bell switches sides and transforms into the writer. Having published her stories in literary magazines, she has now gathered many of them in this debut collection.
“A lot of things about editing do make me a stronger writer,” Bell says. “Although I have to say—editing is a lot easier than writing for me … With my own writing, I have many blind spots. I depend on people, an editor or a reader, someone who can come in with a critical eye.”
Bell’s story collection has been described as having dark and playful humor, at times taking on hot topics such as Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas, and at other times writing exquisite nature descriptions, surreal stories of a body made incandescent by bees, or how society may collapse because of cowl neck sweaters.
Bell will be in conversation with Kalamazoo author Bonnie Jo Campbell for her book launch on Saturday, November 2, 6:30 p.m., at Bookbug/this is a bookstore. Registration is required.
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