What current, recent, or upcoming projects are you excited about right now?
I am finally feeling that gorgeous thrill about bringing my book into the world. Now that I've been able to work through some medical issues this past year, I can begin to turn my attention inward &, in due time, outward with regards to the manuscript. The editing process is always a little daunting, especially with such an amazing press as Copper Canyon, but I want to be as present as possible with it—it deserves my softest & clearest self.
Who is an emerging or marginalized writer you'd like others to know about? Or a panel or a reading you'd like to share?
Sheila Dong. Their work is transformative, constantly doing the grief work of turning damage into a portal of healing. I heard them read once, at this little place in Portland, Oregon, back in 2019, & I've always found some charged shard of light in their words. Find them at Beestung, Rogue Agent, Stirring, and their chapbook, Moon Crumbs, was pressed at Bottlecap. So, so amazing.
Where is your favorite place to find updates and announcements about new titles, contests, writers, events, trends, and communities?
These days, I am not online as much as I used to be, but my dear friends & their updates on instagram & social media have been pretty fancy and up to date.
What is your go to Artifact/Artefact of Inspiration? When you need a little creative boost, what do you turn to?
I wear a bracelet that I made in Yakushima (island just south of Kagoshima) out of polished stones & a piece of Yakushima cedar with a lovely friend from Kyoto. I must've been 26 at the time. & I've worn the bracelet everyday ever since.
Oh, creative boosts are so slippery & unreliable for me, but let's see—I think I either open a window to hear the world, read something yummy, or go for a walk to feel even more lost.