1)How do you think you have changed as a writer and as a person over the last 13 years?
13 years ago I was 18 and my daughter was born. Hopefully, if you’re doing life right (in my opinion), over the course of 13 years you grow as a person. I don’t think you can grow as a person, be it physically, mentally, emotionally, or whatever other way you want to throw in there and not have that inform other parts of your life. I’ve always been a fairly self-confident person, but I feel more secure in that self-confidence. I’m less angry, or at least I’m better at processing the anger I do feel, and I think I’m a better communicator. I’m a better partner and friend and, hopefully, a better parent, as well as a better writer, because of these things. I think I’ve also been exposed to such a variety of different styles of writing, film, music, and art in the last 13 years and I like to believe all of that has made my writing stronger.
2)Do you think that the ability to capture reality or the ability to distort reality is what makes a great artist?
Well, I think that whether an artist is using their abilities to try to capture or distort reality, both become irrelevant in the end because the only thing that really matters is truth. I think that the thing all great artists have in common is their ability to tap into very raw, difficult truths about being a human being and the world around us and, in turn, deliver it to us in a way that connects us to our own emotions and personal experience.
3)Do you think that ‘cancel culture’ will effect literature in the future, or do you think it will be directed toward more mainstream creative fields, such as comedy, acting, music, etc.?
I think that when you attack any of the arts, you attack writing, literature included, by proxy, and I think that when you attack writing, you attack freedom of expression. I don’t think it’s proactive, constructive, or sustainable to attack freedom of expression the way that people seem to today. I’m not saying that there are some ways of speaking and behavior that are repulsive, I’m just saying that you don’t effect change by attacking, “cancelling”, or gaslighting the people who think differently than you, no matter how abhorrent you may find their ways of thinking. Any time you see something like a social, religious, or government move against art, pay attention to what’s being attacked. The way social media, and news media, have encouraged and profited on cancel culture and outrage culture is gross, and people should pause and reflect, but they won’t. At least not in a way that’s divorced from their ego. Anyway, my answer to the question is that literature is already under attack. Art and freedom of expression go hand in hand. Both have been and will continue to be under attack as long as there are humans. Look at the fact that only 5% of the population could read and write in the middle ages. Or the 1957 obscenity trial over the poem Howl. Cancel culture is just the new buzzword. The people who speak the most uncomfortable truths are the ones other people will try to cancel the hardest and we will lose out on a lot of great writers because when they write, they walk on eggshells for fear of being taken out of context and “cancelled.” Watch the artists on the fringe, keep an eye on who the collective “they” try the hardest to cancel, and pay attention to stand-up comedy.
4)Are there any future projects that you’re really eager to work on, or would you like to expand into any other kind of creative writing/art?
There are a few projects that I really want to work on, but for the most part it’s mostly notes and ideas that aren’t fully fleshed out yet. I want to work on more poetry and some interview projects, and Philip and I would like to start our own press. I’m very interested in collage art and I want to develop a postcard series as well. Otherwise I’d just like to dedicate some time to reading and studying essay writing and work on essays and opinion pieces, maybe work on a script one day.
5)What’s your favorite piece of writing you’ve created so far and what do you feel like it really reflects about you to your readers?
I don’t really know how to pick a favorite. I definitely treasure the poetry about my daughter in a different way, but all of it feels personal and important to me. I think if I had to pick just one piece though, it would be Illinois. I wrote that poem shortly after the incident and then carried around with me in a notebook for years. I saw it develop through a lot of drafts, so the final piece is something I’m proud of.
6)Do you have any ex-favorite books/writers that would make you cringe to read now?
To be honest, not really. For the most part, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read and I feel that it adds to my thought process and my vocabulary and understanding in most instances. Even the stuff I read when I was younger that I might not read or enjoy the same way now doesn’t feel cringe inducing. It just feels like what I was into at the time, which would have probably largely made sense for my age at the time.
7)Does your daughter ever read your work? If so, what does she think about it? Or if not, what do you think she would think about it later in life?
She hasn’t read much of my work, but she has read some of the poems about her. As far as any other poems go, I really don’t want to expose her to any themes she’s too young for and I also don’t want to assume she’s too young for something that she might be curious about. If there’s something she wants to see or read (my poetry included), I try to honest about what the subject matter might encompass and then try to let her make her own decision about whether or not that’s something she wants to consume. To be honest, she’s very good about making that decision for herself.
8)Would you say that your strict Mormon upbringing has influenced the way you view and create art, or does it play little to no influence in what you do now? Also, as you have branched away from that community, what literature/art/films were the coolest for you to discover?
It must influence the way I view and create art to some extent. I think how you’re raised influences your personality in ways that are probably both obvious and subtle. I definitely think that being raised Mormon gave me an appreciation for genealogy, and that being raised by two people born in the 1930s exposed me to older music, art, and movies that I may have missed out on otherwise.
9)What made you really want to become a writer? Like, how did it all start for you?
It probably all started with what would develop into childhood trauma and a general sense of instability. I loved to read and I think that reading was an escape, in a way, and that it was a constant I could always go to. I was also encouraged to journal from the time I was pretty young, which I think encouraged me to develop my own expression through writing. I love art of all kind, but writing was what I always gravitated toward. There’s something for me about language that is just so powerful for me, but that doesn’t mean that writing is the right creative outlet for everyone. I would encourage people to value setting aside time to indulge in some sort of creativity. I think it’s good for you no matter what your age is.
10)How would you describe the experience of writing your first (chap)book, and what has been your favorite memory while working for Horror Sleaze Trash?
The experience of publishing my first chapbook went so smoothly, to be honest. I had John D. Robinson (Holy& Intoxicated Publications) and Marc Bruseke (Analog Submission Press) in my corner and they made the entire process a breeze for me. John helped me select and arrange my poems, and he put me in contact with Marc, who is not only easy to work with, but he’s also published so many talented writers. I can’t say enough good about John and Marc, so please go support them if you’re able. As for Horror Sleaze Trash, I’m not sure what my favorite single memory has been. I like that I’ve been able to work with some of my friends and meet/connect with other really rad photographers, models, and artists. That’s been my favorite. I love collaborative creative processes, but I rarely seek them out myself so it’s nice to be a part of something that facilitates that in different ways.
Bonus:As a true crime junkie, which serial killer do you think could be turned into a great horror movie or biopic?
For me it would really depend on whether you wanted to do a horror movie or a biopic because I think some stories would translate better as one but not the other. I think the story of Danny LaPlante could make a good horror movie. I inititally thought of The Toy Box Killer, but I think the facts of that case might be too horrifying in a way that’s too real. As far as a biopic goes, I have to say Israel Keyes. That guy was so smart and such a monster and I want more good content that goes into that case because I’m obsessed. I will say also, I would like a really solid, in-depth, well researched documentary or docuseries about The Missing Panama Hikers. Look it up.
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