Cassie Premo Steele, Ph.D., is a writing and creativity coach with two decades of experience teaching in university and community settings. She is the author of four non-fiction books, four books of poetry, two musical poetry albums, and a novel. Her poetry has been nominated three times for a Pushcart Prize. Her coaching practice specializes in breaking through fears and blocks about writing to help individuals in the arts and the academy reach personal and career success. In her practice with individual clients, she models an experiential practice combining mindfulness, meditation, journaling, and emotional awareness to help clients achieve their writing and career goals while living a life of calm and balance.
After receiving her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and Women's Studies from Emory University in Atlanta in 1996, she has published hundreds of poems, short stories, and essays, as well as: Moon Days, an anthology from Ash Tree Publishing, 1999
We Heal From Memory, a scholarly study from Palgrave, 2000
Ruin, poetry from Finishing Line Press, 2004
My Peace, non-fiction from Word Clay, 2008
Easyhard, a creativity workbook from Word Clay, 2009
Shamrock & Lotus, a novel from All Things That Matter Press, 2010
This is how honey runs, poetry from Unbound Content, 2010
This is how honey runs, a musical poetry album with Russ Eidson from Unbound Content, 2011
The Pomegranate Papers, poetry from Unbound Content, 2012
The Pomegranate Songs, a musical poetry album with Russ Eidson from Unbound Content, 2012
Wednesday, poetry from Unbound Content, 2013
Charles R. Goldman, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at the
University of South Carolina's School of Medicine, attests, "Her teaching and group facilitation skills are outstanding. Her warm, supportive style encourages people to reach deep within themselves to express thoughts and feelings they were not even aware they had. Her knowledge of writing and of the psychology of creativity and healing is amazing."
Cassie Premo Steele's Co-Creating Coaching provides individual long-distance sessions with people in the academy and the arts. Call or text 803-420-1400 or click the secure
Contact link on this website to contact Cassie personally to discuss your writing coaching needs.
Photo by Susanne Kappler
"Hurricane Season" from The Pomegranate Papers was nominated for a 2012 Pushcart Prize.
"This is my disease" won The 2011 Archibald Rutledge Prize, sponsored by the Poetry Society of South Carolina. This award, honoring the late Poet Laureate of South Carolina, is offered for a poem of any style or nature descriptive of the Palmetto State. Judged by Eric Nelson.
"Spirit Lesson" won The 2011 John Edward Johnson Prize sponsored by the Poetry Society of South Carolina. Offered for a poem of any style or nature on a religious theme or subject. Judged by Young Smith.
"Writing is like this," from Cassie Premo Steele's poetry book, This is how honey runs, was nominated for a 2010 Pushcart Prize.
Cassie Premo Steele's poem, "The Poemgranate," which was published in Vox Poetica, was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2009.
Women’s Studies Program Excellence in Teaching Award University of South Carolina, 2007. "For her ability to mentor students and apply feminist theory and research methods to real-world experiences."
First Place Award for Best Essay in Cup of Comfort for Writers for “Hummingbird's Journey,” 2007. Sponsored by Adams Media Corporation.
First Place Award in the Recycled Words Nature Poetry Competition for “Walking with My Daughter,” Fall 2007. Sponsored by the Sumter County Cultural Commission.
Best of Literary Mama 2007 Creative Nonfiction Category for “My Wild Child.”
Honorable Mention in The State newspaper and USC Poetry Initiative’s annual poetry contest for “Her
Colors.” April, 2006.
Top Ten Finalist in the The State newspaper and USC Poetry Initiative’s annual poetry contest for “This
Bird.” April, 2006.
Finalist for the Rita Dove Poetry Award judged by Joy Harjo for “Findabair.” April, 2003.
Third Place Sumter County Cultural Commission Literary Award for “Three Years Down.” February 28, 2002.
Semi-finalist in the 1999 Finishing Line Press New Women's Voices Competition. Poetry chapbook, Caves of My Memory.
First Place for "The Reunion of Women" in the Carrie McCray Literary Award for Poetry sponsored by the South Carolina Writers Workshop. October 13, 1996.
SELECT PUBLICATIONS ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE
"Penciling It In." Women Writing on Family: Tips on Writing, Teaching and Publishing.
Edited by Carol Smallwood and Suzann Holland. The Key Publishing House, 2012.
"Our Real Mother: Reflections on the Mythic in Poetry." Women on Poetry: Writing, Revising, Publishing and Teaching. Edited by Carol Smallwood, Colleen S. Harris, and Cynthia Brackett-Vincent. Foreword by Molly Peacock. McFarland and Company, 2012.
"Daughters of the South, Rise Up: On Generation, Gender and Race in the 2008 Democratic Election." Who Should Be First? Feminists Speak Out on the 2008 Presidential Campaign. Edited by Beverly Guy-Sheftall and Johnetta Betch Cole. SUNY Press, 2010.
