Native American Heritage Month Spotlight: Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. allowed writing to change his life beyond his belief. Van Alst grew up in Chicago, Illinois, where writing was the furthest thing on his young mind. Inner city life led to his involvement in gangs, which led to him spending in jail. His early troubled life led him to get a GED after a difficult time with the Chicago public school system. He did, however, have a huge appetite for reading.

His foray into writing didn’t begin until his 20s when he started reading essays and opinions at local bars. However, Van Alst didn’t take it seriously until his 30s when he gained encouragement from his wife and fellow writers. At the same time, his life was moving forward as he raised his family and pursued higher education, getting his Ph.D. in comparative literature and cultural studies.

He published his first work at age 50 as the editor of The Faster Redder Road: The Best UnAmerican Stories of Stephen Graham Jones. He co-edited the bestselling Native American horror anthology Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology with Shane Hawk. His other works have appeared in publications like the Chicago Review and Southwest Review. Since then, Van Alst has published two fiction works — Sacred Smokes and Sacred City — to rave reviews and commercial success. He even has his third novel, Pour One for the Devil, in the works.

Van Alst spread his creativity to other mediums throughout his career. He garnered recognition for his photography in notable publications like Unnerving Magazine and The Rumpus. While creative outlets are his focus, the fiction writer has worked in academia for years as an instructor and director of Indigenous Nationa Studies at Portland State University.

Theodore Van Alst overcame his circumstances to make the world see his Indigenous culture differently. His horror work created a space for upcoming Native American writers to see themselves. His words made him a beacon of hope for those looking for Indigenous representation. I will say, “Mr. Van Alst, we appreciate your ability to place your people’s narrative in unexpected places.”

But I had always been a good storyteller, like my grandpa, and a few people, including my wonderful wife, were like, “Maybe you should start writing some of this stuff down.” So, I did. I’ve always been a night person, and I started writing at night after everyone had gone to bed. Pretty soon I had enough for a book. And then another. The stories kept coming. I’ve been able to read as far back as I can remember, so that’s a lot of prep, I guess. And now, it’s my thing. I get to say, “I’m a writer.”

Theodore Van Alst Jr.

Originally published at http://adreonpatterson.net on November 14, 2024.