Shawna Kenney


Shawna Kenney is an American author and journalist.
Kenney was born in Auburn, New York. She authored the memoir I Was a Teenage Dominatrix at the age of 29. The book developed an underground cult following, receiving a Firecracker Alternative Book Award in 2000, with translations published in Italy and the UK. Kenney's personal essays appear in several anthologies, most notably Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class and Pills, Thrills, 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, 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.
Kenney promoted punk shows at the Safari Club in Washington, DC in the late 80s while writing and publishing DC-area fanzine No Scene Zine. She graduated from the American University in 1995. After moving to Los Angeles, she founded Puppet Terror with authors Pleasant Gehman, Iris Berry, and Clint Catalyst. She also hosted literary events, including a monthly spoken word series entitled The Unhappy Hour at the Parlour Club, which was founded by punk poet/actress Lydia Lunch.
Partnering with Cara Bruce, Kenney runs publishing house Pinchback Press. The two also co-edit the Shades of Truth anthology series.

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Books