He/him. Richard Leis’ poetry has been published in Impossible Archetype, The Laurel Review, and Manzano Mountain Review. His fiction has been published in Cold Creek Review. His essays about fairy tales and technology have been published online at Tiny Donkey and Fairy Tale Review’s Fairy-Tale Files.
He has a B.A. degree in English and Creative Writing from The University of Arizona. He is Downlink Lead for HiRISE at The University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona.
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You can also contact him using this form.
Published Writing
Poetry
Foolishly into the Ocean (self-published)
Divert the river from the ocean!
a haunting & Annular Eclipse
Published in Manzano Mountain Review Issue No. 2
01 May 2018
My Unbelievable Man
Published in The Laurel Review 50.2
24 April 2018
Nervous Bambi
Published in Impossible Archetype Issue 3
19 March 2018
Looking Ahead (self-published)
21 August 2017 Self-published on August 21, 2017, before the solar eclipse I’ve seen the eclipse already. I’ve seen how it begins: the radiant sun, the vanished moon. See how they are going to collide, the many decisions the moon made, the sun in its place and bright and not waiting, but willing. I’ve […]
Roadside Freak Show
Published in Impossible Archetype Issue 2
21 August 2017
Condemn (self-published)
13 August 2017 Self-published Condemn Condemn when necessary Condemn Condemn white supremacists kkk nazis whatever name gone by Condemn always family and friends Condemn when necessary yes parents siblings relatives grew up with them no blood loyality grew up with friends no loyalty friends and coworkers no loyalty Condemn who needs Condemning always Condemn no […]
A Poem Constructed at the University of Arizona Poetry Center (self-published)
Self-published on Hi
17 July 2013
Fiction
The Center of Dirty
Published in Cold Creek Review Issue No. 5
28 March 2018
If Everyone Was Standing Outside My Door (self-published)
18 November 2013 Self-published on Hi “If everyone was standing outside my door, there would be people six deep between my door and the brick wall that separates the apartment complex from the parking lots and roads of this suddenly populated land.”
Essays
Editor’s Note: Ancient Moments of Telling
Published in Tiny Donkey
6 April 2016
Editor’s Note: Magic Mirrors on Every Wall
Published in Tiny Donkey
6 January 2016
Cosplay Buffet
Published in Fairy Tale Review’s Fairy-Tale Files
co-written and edited by Jon Riccio
14 August 2015
What We Lose
Published in Tiny Donkey
12 August 2015
Once Upon a Microchip
Published in Fairy Tale Review’s Fairy-Tale Files
edited by Jon Riccio
5 June 2015
The Technologists Grimm
Published in Fairy Tale Review’s Fairy-Tale Files
edited by Jon Riccio
20 February 2015
A Haunting (self-published)
Self-published on Hi
14 December 2013
Why We Go to the Ocean (self-published)
Self-published on Hi
29 September 2013
7th Alcor Conference Recap
Published in Cryonics volume 29.1 [PDF]
1st Quarter 2008
Honors
Finalist, Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards 2018
1st Place, The Writers Studio 3rd Annual Write-to-Read Contest (2017) for “These Are the Animals You May Eat” | Judge: Ted McLoof
One of three winners, 2014 Hattie Lockett Undergraduate Student Poetry Award for “He can wear hats,” “The Talents,” and “The Divorce of Lilith and Samuel” | Judge: Karen Brennan | Learn more about Hattie Greene Lockett
Workshops & Classes
Tucson Festival of Books Masters Workshop 2018 with instructor Mary Jo Bang
The Writers Studio Tucson, Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Master Workshops and Craft Classes (2016 – present) with instructors Lela Scott MacNeil, Philip Ivory, Janelle Drumwright, and Reneé Bibby
The University of Arizona Poetry Center, various community workshops in poetry and screenwriting) (2016 – present) with instructors Ted McLoof, Laura Maher, and Rachel Mindell
The University of Arizona English Department (B.A. degree in English and Creative Writing in December 2015) with creative writing instructors Laura Miller, Joshua Marie Wilkinson, Brianna Scott MacNeil, Joel Smith, Kate Bernheimer, Susan Briante, Brent Hendricks, Kendra Mullison, and Farid Matuk
Appearances
2017
Room – A Literary Reading
hosted by The Writers Studio Tucson
at Antigone Books
20 October 2017
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
I read my poem “These Are the Animals You May Eat”
More information: Appearance Wrap-Up: “Room: A Literary Reading” at Antigone Books
2014
The Hattie Lockett Awards Reading
at the University of Arizona Poetry Center
20 November 2014
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
I read my poems “He can wear hats,” “The Talents,” and “The Divorce of Lilith and Samuel.”
Interviews and Mentions
- Mira y Lopez, Thomas. The Book of Resting Places: A Personal History of Where We Lay the Dead. Counterpoint Press, 2017, pp. 171-173.
- “Richard Leis, HiRISE Downlink Lead.” HiRISE. 10 December 2014. Web.
- Rose, Shari. “Cryonics believers alive and well in Scottsdale.” The Republic. 10 September 2014. Web.
- Gonzalez, Robbie. “See all the landing hardware that Curiosity scattered on the surface of Mars.” io9. 7 August 2012. Web.
- “NASA releases video of Curiosity’s descent, rover returns images of Martian mountain.” Fox News. 7 August 2012. Web.
- “Richard Leis Interview.” Immortality Institute. 15 February 2009. YouTube videos. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
- McGrath, Kelly. “With medical advances, many put faith in freezing.” Cronkite News Service. 8 December 2008. Web.
- Kaliher, Jerad. “Member Profile: Richard Leis, Jr.” Cryonics. 2nd Quarter 2008, Volume 29:2, p. 16. PDF file.
- Messina, Irene. “Can technology and science add to our human existence? Transhumanists think so.” Tucson Weekly. 14 August 2008. Web.
Negative Mentions
- Haas, George J. & Saunders, William R. The Martian Codex: More Reflections from Mars. North Atlantic Books (Random House), 22 September 2009, pp. 26, 38.
- Quinlan, Margaret M. & Bates, Benjamin R. “Bionic Woman (2007): gender, disability and cyborgs.” Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, Volume 9 Issue 1, pp. 48 – 58. 3 March 2009. Web.
