Foster, Linda Nemec
1950—
Place of Birth: Near Cleveland, OH
Place of Principal Residence: Grand Rapids, MI
Biography
Linda Nemec Foster was born near Cleveland, Ohio to John and Helen Nemec, who were first generation Americans. All of Foster’s grandparents were immigrants from Poland, which has influenced her poetry, such as her book Amber Necklace from Gdansk: Poems. Foster attended Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, earning a degree in Social Science in 1972. She then went on to acquire a Master Degree in Creative Writing from Goddard College. Foster married Anthony Foster in 1974 and moved to Detroit, beginning her pursuit of a Creative Writing career. She began teaching poetry workshops as well as college level classes in 1980. In 1987 her first book, A History of the Body, was published. Foster is now the author of six books of poetry as well as many poems having been included in reviews, journals, and magazines. She and Anthony have two children, John and Ellen, and live in Grand Rapids, MI.
Selected Works
- A History of the Body (1987)
- A Modern Fairy Tale: The Baba Yaga Poems (1992)
- Trying to Balance the Heart (1993)
- Living in the Fire Nest (1996)
- Contemplating the Heavens (2001)
- Amber Necklace from Gdansk (2001)
Awards
- 2007 Chapbook, Ten Songs from Bulgaria, Cervena Barva Press Honorable Mention
- 2007 Second place for the Detroit Working Writers Annual Spring Writing Awards
- 2007 Finalist in the 22nd Annual ArtServe Michigan Governor’s Awards for Arts & Culture for the category of Michigan Artist
- 2006 Honorable mention and finalist status in National Poetry Competition
- 2006 1st runner-up in The Laureate Prize for Poetry
- n/a Finalist, Ohio Book Award in Poetry
- 2003 1st Poet Laureate of the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan
- 2001 ArtServe Michigan Creative Artist Grant in Literature
- n/a Nominee , Academy of American Poets Laughlin Award
- 2000 Nomination for a Book of Poems for Amber Necklace from Gdansk
- 2001 Outstanding Alumni Award, Aquinas College
- 1999 Fellowship National Writers’ Voice Project Poetry
- 1997 Finalist, Poet’s Prize for the book Living in the Fire Nest sponsored by the Nicholas Roerich Museum.
- 1997 Outstanding Alumni Award in the Arts, Trinity High School
- 1997 First place, National Women’s Poetry Competition, Oakland Community College
- 1996 Honorable Mention, The Atlanta Review, International Poetry Competition
- 1996 Creative Artist Award in Poetry, Arts Foundation of Michigan
- 1995 Second place, National Poetry Competition sponsored by Northwoods Journal
- 1995 First place, National Women’s Poetry Competition, Oakland Community College
- 1990 Creative Artist Grant in Literature, Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs
- 1984 Creative Artist Grant in Literature, Michigan Council for the Arts
- 1984 Pushcart Prize Anthology VIII Nominee
- 1982-2003 Over 20 poems nominated for the Pushcart Prize
Critical Reception
“Thousands of books set out to demonstrate the abundant wonders of the natural world. Listen to the Landscape is something special in that it weds the exquisite hand-colored photographs of Dianne Carroll Burdick with the elegant haiku of Linda Nemec Foster. The result is a meditative paperback that takes us gently by the hand and leads us into a fresh appreciation of landscapes.”
- Spirituality Practice
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work
Linda grew up in Michigan, where her parents were first generation Americans, and grandparents coming from Poland. She involves the immigration aspect in her poems.