Gray Lee ’25 publishes debut poetry collection

In the summer of 2025, Gray Lee ’25 agreed to publish their first poetry chapbook, Becoming, a bold step in a writing journey shaped by mentorship, community and creativity. With guidance from professors, editors and fellow writers, the senior English major and creative writing minor at Lenoir-Rhyne University combined workshops, internships and dedication to make this defining accomplishment a reality.

“I write because I have to,” Lee explained. “Sometimes I feel like a soda bottle that’s been shaken up and can’t take the lid off. Writing removes the lid and lets me get my thoughts in order, to express myself the way I actually want to.”

Lee’s literary journey began in high school at University Christian Academy, taking classes at Lenoir-Rhyne and discovering poetry under the guidance of poet and adjunct professor Scott Owens. His mentorship helped Lee develop both skill and confidence — foundations for success through college and beyond.

“It’s one thing to think your own writing is pretty good, but it’s another to get encouragement from people who are writers themselves,” Lee shared. 

After one year as a wildlife sciences major at Lees-McRae College, Lee returned to Lenoir-Rhyne to focus fully on writing. 

“A lot of writing and moving toward publication is about confidence. Don’t talk down about your own work — other people might say those things, but you have to advocate for yourself,” Lee explained.

In 2025, encouraged by LR English professor and author Dale Bailey, Ph.D., Lee attended the prestigious Summer Writers Institute at Skidmore College. The two-week poetry workshop, led by Peg Boyers, professor, poet and co-director of Skidmore’s literary magazine, allowed Lee to work intensively on new poems and refine pieces for Becoming. 

Small-group workshops paired Lee with writers of varying ages and experience levels, while readings and discussions drew on insights from renowned authors, including Mary Gaitskill, Joyce Carol Oates and Jamaica Kincaid. Lee called the experience “generative and inspiring — getting to work alongside other writers and receive that kind of feedback really helped me find my voice.”

At the same time, Lee completed an internship with Redhawk Publications, a nonprofit publishing house in Hickory, affiliated with Catawba County Community College (CVCC). Lee gained hands-on experience with cataloging, organization, archiving and other tasks to learn the practical side of bringing books to readers. 

“I want to do community work, and Redhawk does a lot to make publishing more accessible,” Lee said. Patty Thompson, Redhawk’s acquisitions editor, encouraged Lee to pursue publication, and Lee chose Redhawk because proceeds from the sale of Becoming will support OUTRight Youth of Catawba Valley, a local nonprofit for LGBTQ+ youth. 

“Writing is my passion, but more than that, community is my passion,” Lee added.

Becoming is a contemplative collection that explores identity, growth, and transformation through rich religious and natural imagery. Lee began writing the poems years ago, with some of the earliest emerging in Owens’ class. “This collection has formed on its own since I began writing,” Lee shared. “It morphed my old and new writing as I grew into my own voice and gained confidence.”

Looking ahead, Lee hopes to continue writing and publishing, including a fiction project for their current graduate-level course and a full-length poetry collection. They are also considering living abroad after graduation to pursue a master’s degree in a Spanish-speaking country, potentially Argentina.

Reflecting on the challenges and joys of pursuing writing as a career, Lee offered this advice: “Writing is very daunting and anxiety-inducing, but it’s also thrilling. There’s no set path, and that’s both scary and freeing. But if you’re writing, you’re a writer. You just have to keep going.”

Becoming is available for pre-order and will be released later this fall.