Shawna Kenney

Shawna Kenney is an American author and journalist born on August 4, 1969 in Auburn, New York

Kenney authored the memoir "I Was a Teenage Dominatrix" [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0867195304/] (Last Gasp) at the age of 29. The book developed an underground cult following, receiving a Firecracker Alternative Book Award [http://www.booksense.com/readup/bea2002/firecrackers.jsp#firecracker] in 2000, with translations published in Italy [http://www.numagazine.it/phpversion/viewrecensione.php?id=199] and the UK [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0552150258] . Kenney's personal essays appear in several anthologies, most notably "Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class" (Seal Press, edited by Michelle Tea) and "Thrills, Pills, Chills and Heartache: Adventures in the First Person", in which she wrote about surviving an abusive relationship.

Kenney has covered music and popular culture for numerous magazines including Juxtapoz, [http://www.herbivoremagazine.com/ Herbivore] , SG, AP, Transworld Skateboarding, Heckler Snow & Skate, Slap, Metal Hammer and Mix Mag UK, among others. She is a regular contributor to Roger Gastman and Shepard Fairey's publication Swindle Magazine, with her work spotlighting feminist and countercultural artists [http://www.shawnakenney.com/] .

Kenney promoted punk shows at the Safari Club in Washington, DC throughout the late 80s, while writing and publishing DC-area fanzine No Scene Zine [http://zinewiki.com/index.php?title=No_Scene_Zine] . She graduated from the American University in 1995. After moving to Los Angeles, she founded [http://www.laweekly.com/music/live-in-la/insane-clone-posse/9861/ Puppet Terror] (featured in Spin Magazine, May 2001) with authors Pleasant Gehman, Iris Berry, and Clint Catalyst [http://www.clintcatalyst.com/] . She also hosted literary events, including a monthly spoken word series entitled the Unhappy Hour, which was founded by punk poet/actress Lydia Lunch.

While primarily a nonfiction writer, Kenney has also written and published fiction [http://www.palehousepress.com/] . Her voice appears in filmmaker Steve Balderson's latest project, "Phone Sex". Kenney occasionally performs as half of spoken word duo [http://www.myspace.com/heavymetalgirlfriend Heavy Metal Girlfriend] with her husband, guitarist Richard Dolinger. Kenney and Dolinger's wedding ceremony was performed by Los Angeles poet S.A. Griffin.

Books & Publications

*Imposters (Mark Batty Publisher, October 2007)
*I Was a Teenage Dominatrix: A Memoir, (Retro Systems, Los Angeles, 1999)Reprinted: Last Gasp Books (San Francisco, 2002), Corgi/Random House, (UK 2002), Baldini Castaldi, (Italy 2004), Ulmeiro Press, (Portugal, forthcoming)
*"Serenity" - (short story included in A Pale House Collectiive, 2006)
*The Underground Guide to Los Angeles (Manic D Press, 2002)
* The Florida Review Special Edition, “The Wild Dogs of Nicaragua" May 2005
*“Joe Strummer: Still Punk, After All These Years?” in "Let Fury Have the Hour: The Punk Rock Politics of Joe Strummer" (Avalon Publishing Group), 2004, ISBN 1560256257
*Dorothy Allison (Author), Diane Prima (Author), Michelle Tea (Editor), "Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class" (Seal Press), May 2003, ISBN 1580051030
*Clint Catalyst (Ed.), Michelle Tea (Ed.), "Pills, Thrills, Chills, and Heartache: Adventures in the First Person", Alyson Publications Inc., March 2004, ISBN 1555837530

Appearances

*"Putting You Passion Into Print," (Workman Publishing, 2005)
*"Etiquette for Outlaws" (Harper Collins, 2001)

External links

* [http://www.chuckpalahniuk.net/interviews/authors/shawna-kenney] chuckpalahniuk.net interview with Shawna Kenney
* [http://www.salon.com/audio/2000/10/10/dominatrix/index.html salon.com interview w/Shawna Kenney]
* [http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Content?oid=27251&category=22148 Portland Mercury article]
* [http://www.bustedhalo.com/features/InMemoriam2006Page2. obituary for punk club CBGB written by Shawna Kenney]
* [http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20071021/NEWS/710210335] Decoration Day essay, written by Shawna Kenney, winner of the Star News' "Best Stringer" award, 2007
* [http://www.shawnakenney.com Shawna Kenney's website]