Elizabeth Burton is a writer who has published in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. She teaches writing and literature at a rural community college in Kentucky.
FEATURED PUBLICATIONS
Fiction chapbook Of Love and Water
published with Appalachia Book Company
When Grace encounters the little horse at the market, she feels a connection. She’s come to western China to teach English — as far away from Kentucky as she possibly can get — but something about the horse reminds her of home, and she knows she has to help it. Adopting the horse stirs memories of her former life, and the man she left behind.
Told in a masterful braiding of past and present, Of Love and Water is a story of renewal from writer Elizabeth Burton. Burton brings her personal experience of living in western China to the story, sharing glimpses of Uyghur culture and language. Of Love and Water is a work of short fiction. 32 pages.
Flash Fiction “To the Woman Talking to Her Therapist on Speaker at Waffle House”
In this genre-bending flash fiction, a chance encounter at a Waffle House becomes a kaleidoscope of possibilities. Through a series of "what-ifs" and parallel timelines, the narrator weaves a tapestry of connection and missed opportunities with a stranger. As overheard therapy sessions blend with imagined scenarios, the piece explores themes of relationships, self-discovery, and the invisible threads that bind us. With its innovative structure and poignant observations, this work challenges the boundaries between fiction, poetry, and visual storytelling, inviting readers to reflect on the myriad ways our lives could intersect—if only given the chance.
Flash Memoir “Water”
In this lyrical micro memoir, a calculus lesson becomes a gateway to a flood of memories and emotions. As mathematical concepts intertwine with personal history, the narrator navigates the complex equations of family dynamics, self-discovery, and the passage of time. Through vivid water imagery and nonlinear storytelling, the piece explores the fluid nature of memory and the powerful currents that shape our lives. This experimental work challenges the boundaries between memoir and poetry, offering a deeply personal yet universally resonant meditation on growth, understanding, and the inexorable flow of time.
UPCOMING PUBLICATIONS
Flash memoir “Grief Writing” to appear in Mourning Pages: Working Through Grief the Write Way by Claudia Love Mair, published by Broadleaf Books, forthcoming fall, 2025.
This book is about writing your way through grief. My contribution is a story of what happened the morning after my father died and a discussion of how writing about it helped me work through some of the emotions associated with his death.
Poem “What We Learn in English 101” has appeared in
This poem reflects on the life lessons students learn while they are also learning about comma placement and writing skills.
REVIEWS
REVIEWS
“Elizabeth Burton writes about what is important, not just interesting.”
-Robin Lippincott, author of Blue Territory: A Meditation on the Life and Art of Joan Mitchell
-Avitus B. Carle, author of the flash fiction collection,
These Worn Bodies, winner of the Moon City Press Prize
"Elizabeth Burton is a master at crafting flash essays that weave the complexities of a life into unexpected forms. With every sentence she creates, Burton provides readers the tools to journey with her through the different stages of a life, gaining new knowledge along the way through her expertly crafted prose."
-Claudia Love Mair, author of Don’t You Fall,
Now and Mourning Pages: Working through Grief the Write Way
"Elizabeth Burton’s writing shimmers in an almost otherworldly way. She is a word magician, skillfully making worlds her readers want to disappear into, only to leave utterly transformed. Read everything you can by this radiant author. You’ll see what I mean"
-Elaine Neil Orr, author of A Different Sun: A Novel of Africa and Swimming Between Worlds