If you could cook dinner for any author, dead or alive, who would it be? What would you make?
I would have to invite Eugène Ionesco and Samuel Beckett, both were members of the Theater of the Absurd. They took writing out of the norm and moved literature into human reality which can be harsh, mundane, and absurd. Escargot and asparagus comes to mind with toasted sesame oil and almonds with lemon on the asparagus, vinegar would be optional. Simple butter on the escargot. What scares you the most about the writing process? How do you combat your fears? That I’m not doing enough. I do more. Who is your biggest literary crush, author or character? Alain Robbe-Grillet has influenced my writing perspective the most in that he was initially a cinematographer. My first military occupation was a photo journalist. Blending the senses in a synesthesietical manner I found fascinating. Using language to strip societal definitions from objects and then using language to reassign meaning is what brought Robbe-Grillet’s writing in to the New Novel movement. He brought sociology into literature via Heideggerian philosophy. i.e. Theory of pure surface – phenomenology. What books are on your nightstand? I don’t read in bed. I have trouble sleeping as it is. However, on my coffee table where I do read many books at a time: Descent into Chaos, Like Light-Bright Hill Press Anthology, Ray Youngbear – Manifestation Wolverine, Complete Works of Ai, Gleason’s Oya, in Praise of an African Goddess, Randy Brown – Welcome to FOB Haiku, Kevin Power’s Letters Composed in a Lull in the Fighting, Sydney Lea’s I Was Thinking of Beauty, Plath’s Ariel the restored edition, Galway Kinnell – Strong is Your Hold, A Rough and Rocky Place about Methana, Greece which is an island of volcanoes. The newest book is The Kiss edited by Brian turner. Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you? The Natural World all around me no matter where I am or what environment. Spirit of place and people – good, bad, or indifferent. All has a voice in the conversation of the Universe. Favorite punctuation mark? Why? The hyphen – because it supports pause like the pause between inhale and exhale. What book, were you supposed to read in high school, but never did? I grew up poor. Every book and opportunity to read was sheer luxury. I read all books that were assigned to me, even the political ones I didn’t agree with. How can one make decisions if we only hear what we agree with? Knowledge is power. In order to make wise decision we need to hear the facts and be allowed to ask questions. One should always be leery of any society or government that does not allow or does not answer questions or hides / destroys the facts. What inanimate object would you thank in your acknowledgements? Chanupa Wakan, which is alive. Why do you write? The first 5 words that come to mind. Go. I was born this way. If you could write an inspirational quote on the mirrors of aspiring writers, what would you write? 1. Keep creating NO MATTER WHAT!!! 2. Do NOT secede to quitting! Quitting is silence. Create art LOUDLY! Think, Horton Hears a Who…. Comments are closed.
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