Ann Holland & Kevin Dua (TheGreyHeart)

Ann is the short story writer; Kevin is the poet. They first met at City Year, an AmeriCorps program where adults volunteered mentoring urban youth. In 2009, the two commenced a six-year experimental literary endeavor: how to compose and articulate a narrative for two distinctive demographics: poetry enthusiasts and short story admirers. The composition development was as distinctive: Kevin would first write the poem, followed by Ann writing a short story, which served as a continuation, or back story to the initial poem. The two never communicated and/or advised each other how the direction of either piece should unravel. With creative freedom, the two friends continued to build upon their counterpart’s submitted work until the project concluded (the two agreed to end the story at six chapters).