Pages Penned in Pandemic with Laurie Rosen

Perhaps one of the greatest lessons 2020 taught us was the importance of forgiving ourselves and allowing the space to rest and recover. Laurie Rosen discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

Most folks in the town try to maintain social distancing protocol and wear masks when venturing outside but there are many that do not. Schools are back in a hybrid situation and there are areas of town that masks are required.

What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, What You Have Heard Is True by Carolyn Forche, and The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout.

Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?

“Schitt's Creek,” “Better Things,” and “Mozart in the Jungle.” For podcasts, I listen to “The On Being Project” and “The New Abnormal.”

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

I've been writing and rewriting. At times I get flooded with thoughts and need to rush to get them down. Not everyday is productive and there is a lot of wasted time following the insanity of our world and its politics but I've learned to forgive myself.

Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?

Yes, I've been writing quite a bit. I would like to put together a chap book of poems that all take place in Vermont, where I have had a home for 31 years.

Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?

I have taken several poetry classes and I meet weekly via Zoom with a group of poets I met while taking a class last April. We critique each other's work and share thoughts on the pandemic and politics. I also attend via Zoom a monthly poetry salon offered through our local library.

Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?

I have a spot by windows in my bedroom. I was writing in my kitchen but the past few months this spot in my bedroom serves me well. It's quiet, sunny and uncluttered.

If you curated a playlist for writing life in the pandemic, what top 5 songs would be on your list?

1.) “Under the Table” by Fiona Apple

2.) “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” by Fiona Apple

3.) “ Spain” by Chick Corea

4.) “Hope is a Dangerous Thing” by Lana Del Rey

5) “Once in a life time” by Talking Heads.

Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite poem you've written since the pandemic began?

I am very happy with a poem I wrote in the form of a Triolet. It imagines Trump as rooster. A local journal published it along with an Auditory Esphrasis I wrote that imagined the day after the election.

While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?

I'm hoping I will get to see my son who lives across the country from me. My daughter lives closer and I will see her and her husband in December.

Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?

Keep reading, writing and revising. And never stop learning.

ABOUT Laurie Rosen

Laurie Rosen is a lifelong New Englander. Her poems appeared in Sisyphus, Tigershark Magazine, The London Reader, The Muddy River Poetry Review, Beach Reads, an anthology from Third Street Writers, Peregrine, and Oddball Magazine.

Thanks for chatting, Laurie!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Mary Sophie Filicetti

While 2020 forced many to step outside their comfort zones, some writers embraced this by tackling new genres. Mary Sophie Filicetti discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

I live in Arlington, VA; many people wear masks even outdoors; people are cautious and keep close to home where possible.

What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?

I've recently read Nicole Chung's memoir. I also enjoy mysteries, and have been enjoying Tana French and Josephine Tey. I've also been reading nonfiction and topical books related to racism.

If you haven't been reading, what are some books you're most looking forward to reading?

I have been buying books from local bookstores, and have several historical fictions waiting on the shelf for me!

Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?

The “Great British Baking Show” is calming!

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

Writing has helped me to block out some of the stress of living in this time; I can immerse myself and forget for a few hours at the time. My writing group now meets virtually, and we've been more active than ever.

Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?

I wouldn't say 'excited', but I've been working on new genres—creative nonfiction stories about my mother, who passed away at the beginning of the pandemic.

Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?

My writing group and online writing classes and workshops.

Is there anything that excites you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?

There are many fledgling online journals and new anthologies.

Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?

I am a confirmed pantser, though I am eternally trying to learn skills of plotters!

Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?

I used to write in coffee shops and libraries- I miss that, though I now have a little desk in my bedroom by the window, which is a nice nook.

If you curated a playlist for writing life in the pandemic, what top 5 songs would be on your list?

Anything by Florence + The Machine!

Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite scene you've written since the pandemic began?

I'm working on a ghost story...

While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?

A vaccine...

Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?

Just keep writing.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I think when life becomes more normalized, we will appreciate so many simple things, like eating out together in restaurants again!

ABOUT Mary Sophie Filicetti

Mary Sophie is a teacher of the visually impaired who once spent time writing stories in the myriad coffee shops around DC, and now writes at home. Her fiction has appeared in Montana Mouthful, Every Day Fiction, AEL press, Nightingale and Sparrow, 365 Tomorrows, and is pending in The Magnolia Review.

To learn more, follow Mary and her writing journey on Twitter.

Thanks for chatting, Mary!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Peter Trivelas

When faced with time to fill in ways they didn't before the pandemic, many writers recommitted themselves to the page. Peter Trivelas discusses just this and more in today's chat about his pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

Many people are respectful of the health guidelines, but the occurrences of new cases go up and down, roller-coaster-like. No discernible pattern.

What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?

The Handmaids Tale, Lolita, Ask the Dust, The Stories of John Cheever, Women by Bukowski, Jesus' Son, and The Glass Castle.

Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?

TV Series: “The Queen’s Gambit,” “The Good Lord Bird,” “Ramy,” “Ratched,” “Episodes,” “Grant.” Movies: “The Real Girl,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “Marshall,” “One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest,” “American Masters: Toni Morrison,” and “Hamilton” on Disney +.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

It's given me more time to write without the rigors of commuting to work.

Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?

I'm finishing up a book and a collection of short stories.

If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?

If you want to write, you can find the time.

Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?

Yes, my UCLA Wordcommandos creative writing instructor.

Is there anything that excites you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?

The pandemic has taught the writing community as a whole how to better connect in the world of quarantine living. I feel more connected because we're all in the same boat, all on the same playing field. It's become apparent that we're in a small community.

Is there anything that worries you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?

Some publishers are going out of business because their main source of income from a day job is gone. That's sad because it means less variety.

Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?

I've had to invent a new self-disciplines because I'm home alone all the time and the routines are not imposed from the outside. This is a change because previously I wrote only in the evening and weekends. Now I can fit it in here and there.

Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?

It hasn't changed. I write at my big desk with lots of surface area to spread out.

Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite scene you've written since the pandemic began?

There is a section in the short story, Bears Eat Persimmons, which blurs the separation of past and present.

While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?

Meeting in person with other writers.

Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?

If you have a persistent idea for a story, start writing, keep writing, keep revising until it describes the idea perfectly.

ABOUT Peter Trivelas

Peter Trivelas is a Vietnam Vet who has worked as a television writer/editor and is currently on staff at the David Lynch Foundation where he provides free Transcendental Meditation instruction for veterans. He's working on a first novel and collection of short stories. His work has appeared in Deadly Writer’s Patrol, Thema Literary Journal, The Sunlight Press, Dime Show Review, and he has two short stories in the Thank You for Your Service Anthology. Peter is a longtime member of the UCLA Wordcommandos creative writing workshop for veterans.

To learn more, follow Peter and his writing journey on LinkedIn.

Thanks for chatting, Peter!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Junpei Tarashi

As chaos attempted to prevail during 2020, the monsters of the world emerged from unlikely places. Junpei Tarashi's poems, "Thanatos Tales" and "Beast Beats," explore this notion, and are now available to read in the print collective! Until then, I'm excited to chat about Junpei's pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

Entirely dependent on where in the city you are - Baltimore City is one of the many locations in the country were the impacts of different structural resources and their availability by zip code has made itself all the more apparent during this pandemic.

What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?

I've been re-reading Banana Fish, so go figure.

Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?

Surprisingly, the “Magnus Archives!” It's an incredible horror podcast whose 5th season is surprisingly relevant to our current times.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

My consistent schedule of writing is gone with the wind :(

If you haven't been able to write, are there any projects you're hoping to work on next?

I've been meaning to write a queer chapbook for as long as I've known I can write, so I'm always determined to get started on that.

Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?

My friends (who are co-editors with me at our own publication) have been an incredible source of support.

Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite poem you've written since the pandemic began?

No one knows if the lynx ever died / or made the dying / way back home / it’s still chewing I / think we watch / wandering wonder / wait

ABOUT Junpei tarashi

Junpei Tarashi works as an Editor to the Agapanthus Collective, and thinks often about how much of a better life frogs lead. Their most recent work has appeared in Chambers, The Open Culture Collective, and After Happy Hour Review.

Thanks for chatting, Junpei!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Swati Singh

As writers, we are too often tasked with processing the most difficult moments by putting pen to the page. Swati Singh discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

Everything is open. Careless attitude is settling in.

What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?

Meaning of Life by Victor Frankl.

Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?

I tend to re-watch comedy TV series. That helps anxious mind to calm down. A movie that I loved was, “Ship of Thesus.”

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

Less focused.

Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?

All writing projects are exciting. Few nature stories are work in progress.

If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?

Stories heal. Both the writer and the reader.

Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?

Yes. Few people I met on Twitter even.

Is there anything that excites you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?

The fact that BIPOC voices are being encouraged is a good sign of inclusivity.

Is there anything that worries you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?

Small publishing houses need help to keep up with the COVID-induced losses that impacted writers as well.

Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?

Somewhere in between. No, it hasn't changed.

Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?

Across a window with nature outside. No, I need it even more now.

While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?

Few of my articles are scheduled to publish in 2021. I'm looking forward to that and hoping that we eventually get back to a huggable world without being miles apart from loved ones.

Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?

Write from your heart. That's what touches, that's what heals.

ABOUT swati singh

Swati writes of the world around us with a spirituality lens. Words in Stonecrop Review, New York Spirit, Science of Mind, Saevus Wildlife, Mind Body Green, Prank World and more. She's either lost in nature or finding nothingness while sprinkling happy-dust wherever she can.

To learn more, follow Swati and her writing journey at her website and on Twitter.

Thanks for chatting, Swati!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Tania Runyan

For many, the distinction between personal life and writing life is doesn't exist. So how do we carry on with those lines blurred? Tania Runyan discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

Right now, we are at pretty high levels of infection while transitioning into colder weather. It's worrisome, but people are adapting. I get together with a friend once a week to drink wine, socially distanced, in her open garage with space heaters.

What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?

The Library Book, The Hilarious World of Depression, I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, Migrations, Hidden Valley Road, Know My Name, The Great Alone, Factfulness, Dog Medicine, The Hate U Give, The Most Fun We Ever Had, and Where the Crawdads Sing.

Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?

“Malcolm in the Middle” is my go-to happy show these days.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

It's been a little more challenging to write with everyone home. All the time.

Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?

I completed my book How to Write a Form Poem earlier in the pandemic, and now I'm just waiting for all the permissions (for the sample poems) to be finalized.

If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?

It's okay to listen to yourself and do what you need to do emotionally. That can mean great spurts of writing for a period of time or great swaths of quiet as well.

Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?

Yes, I am part of a close-knit group of like-minded writers. We chat, post, and Zoom often to offer support in our personal lives and writing lives (not that those two can always be separated).

Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?

In order to get some space from the rest of the family Zooming all over the place, I have had to move upstairs to write in my bedroom window, all Emily Dickinson-like. I have gotten quite good at identifying Midwestern backyard birds.

If you curated a playlist for writing life in the pandemic, what top 5 songs would be on your list?

1.) "I'm a Stranger Now" by the Tallest Man on Earth

2.) "Don't Worry" by Alright Alright

3.) "Little Mercies" by Von Bieker

4.) "2020 Vision" by Danny Schmidt

5.) "Orpheo Looks Back" by Andrew Bird

While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?

Living mindfully.

Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?

Do whatever you need to get words on paper (or screen): lists, letters, journaling, blogs. It all counts!

ABOUT Tania Runyan

Tania Runyan is the author of the poetry collections: What Will Soon Take Place, Second Sky, A Thousand Vessels, Simple Weight, and Delicious Air. Her guides How to Read a Poem, How to Write a Poem, and How to Write a College Application Essay are used in classrooms across the country. Her poems have appeared in many publications, including Poetry, Image, Indiana Review, Atlanta Review, and The Christian Century. Tania was awarded an NEA Literature Fellowship in 2011.

To learn more, follow Tania and her writing journey at her website and on Facebook.

Thanks for chatting, Tania!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Judith Alexander Brice

As many found escaping the realities of the pandemic to be necessary, diving into fantastical stories instead, others found comfort in putting their truest experiences on the page. Judith Alexander Brice discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

This is hard to answer as I am immunosuppressed, so I have stayed away from much of the city. The areas that I have frequented initially looked very quiet and subdued from the outside, and now are open but there seem to be fewer people on the streets. In some areas where I have driven, some people. despite the mask requirement, although fewer and fewer, still go without masks. Strikingly, many people, like me and like my husband have taken this opportunity to avail themselves of the parks and the other day, the day after it was clear that Biden was elected, a plethora of people were out and about in one of our lovely parks, Frick park, so much so that the park trails were over-run with people outside, celebrating the day. As I am handicapped and need to use a walker, it was striking that even the widest trails which I generally can use with no problem, and generally might see 2 or three people in a two hour walk, were completely over-run with walkers and runners. It was amazing!

What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?

I have been focusing on poetry: M.S. Merwin, Michael Simms, and Billy Collins.

If you haven't been reading, what are some books you're most looking forward to reading?

I can't wait to read Obama's memoir.

Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?

I have watched a couple of live Metropolitan opera broadcasts, and some historical movies about important American heroes, for example, John Lewis.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

I have been writing more and have focused a lot on writing about how the pandemic has affected my life.

Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?

I am finishing up a chapbook on Living with the Pandemic.

If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?

I hope that I will be alive in 10 years, it being that I am 76 years old now!!! I think I have learned how to focus, and throw caution and the usual daily chores to the wind. When you need to write, you need to write; messy house aside!

Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?

I am very lucky. My husband is a wonderful poet and we are our own first and best editors. Besides that, we love our work, and find that it is incredibly stimulating to talk about what we have read and what we are thinking about our craft. In addition we are in two different poetry groups, one that meets through zoom, weekly--the other that meets monthly, and each is different, the one focusing on the initial creative process in response to a prompt, the other that focusses on the finished process--both with honest and reciprocal discussion. These are treats and keep me going, in addition to the delight of almost daily discussion with my husband about our work.

Is there anything that worries you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?

My husband and I have participated in some delightful zoom readings, but without the live readings, I fear it will be more difficult to sell our books, and with the number of book stores dwindling down to the level of minuscule, (even before the pandemic, and now even worse,)it is even more difficult to share the books, and the excitement and the joy of poetry, let alone to sell the books. People won't buy books, and enjoy the books and spread the word, if they can't hold the books and read the books.

Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?

I write at my desk on my computer in a corner of our sunroom.

Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite poem you've written since the pandemic began?

Check out my poem "Fledgling Times."

While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?

I have only one son, now age 40, and I can't wait till the time it is safe for him to make the trip from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh.

Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?

Write down words you like, and use them in your poems. Don't worry about not writing a lot or not having a career in writing; life takes circuitous paths, and each of those paths will make you a better writer, add depth to your thoughts.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Thanks for asking these questions. Something to think about. Something to write about in my next poem!!!

ABOUT Judith Alexander Brice

Judith Alexander Brice is a retired Pittsburgh psychiatrist whose love of nature and acquaintance with illness inform much of her work. She has had over 80 poems published in journals and anthologies, including The Golden Streetcar, Voxpopulisphere.com, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Magnolia Review.com, The Piker Press and Annals of Internal Medicine. On two occasions, Judy received awards in The Allen Ginsberg Poetry Prize, sponsored by The Paterson Literary Review. Judy has authored three poetry books: Renditions in a Palette, Overhead From Longing, and Imbibe the Air, the latter, forthcoming in January 2021. Her poem, “Mourning Calls,” from her second book, Imbibe The Air, was set to music by Tony Manfredonia, and can be heard on his website.

To learn more, follow Judith and her writing journey on Facebook.

Thanks for chatting, Judith!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Barbara Rady Kazdan

Throughout the last year, each of us has lived our own unique experience. With this comes the reminder that often writing from experience creates the most relatable and authentic stories. Barbara Rady Kazdan discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

The number of cases has risen sharply in recent weeks.

What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?

Where the Crawdads Sing, The Yellow House, Olive Again, and The Gown.

If you haven't been reading, what are some books you're most looking forward to reading?

Rodham.

Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?

“The Great British Baking Show.”

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

More time to focus on writing.

Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?

A book of collected essays on widowhood.

If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?

Keep writing! Continue weekly writing workshops with authors who are kindred spirits.

Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?

My family and friends.

Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?

Pantster. Unchanged.

Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?

My bedroom. Unchanged.

Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite scene you've written since the pandemic began?

Describing what I wore and what it was like to wade through the paperwork, thank you notes, and other tasks required of a new widow.

While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?

Traveling to see far-flung family.

Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?

Take advantage of online workshops and write, write, write!

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Write about what you know best - your thoughts, your life. You have an exclusive on that!

ABOUT Barbara Rady Kazdan

Always asking, “Why?” and “What’s next?” solo, sassy, Barbara Rady Kazdan loves back roads travel and forward thinking. Find this lifelong change agent and nonfiction author enjoying weekly writing workshops, close friends, and her snuggly mini-schnauzer in Silver Spring, Maryland.

To learn more, follow Barbara and her writing journey at her website and on Twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for chatting, Barbara!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with SM Colgan

No matter the distance and isolation, there are those who continue to be a beacon, allowing us to feel connected despite difficult times. SM Colgan discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

Where I am we're in a state of semi-lockdown with non-essential retail closed as well as pubs and restaurants. Non-essential travel outside of 5km is forbidden, but the schools are open though university is all online. The capacity on public transport is down to 25%, which makes is nerve-wracking on the days that I do have to go to my place of work in case there isn't space on the bus when it comes time for me to go home. It's a low-level hum of constant anxiety and I realize I'm more fortunate than many for the fact that I live in a rural area and have a small woodland within my 5km where I can go to walk and think.

What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?

I've read so many books it's a job to keep track of them. Most of them have been history books, and two of my favorites have been History's Daughter by Máire MacSwiney Brugha and Terence MacSwiney: The Hunger Strike that Rocked an Empire by Dave Hannigan. I've read some novels as well, with two standouts being Valiant Gentlemen by Sabina Murray and The Art of Dying by Ambrose Parry. I've been reading some poetry, and the collection that's stuck with me the most has been The Apprentice of Fever by Richard Tayson.

Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?

I find it difficult watching films and tv shows at the best of times, but I did rewatch “Wynonna Earp” in anticipation of Season 4. The biggest thing that has kept me going has been a range of hyper-fixations over the last few months, ranging from different aspects of Irish history to WWI medicine.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

The pandemic has given me space to explore ideas I wouldn't have had time to before. With both my university and most of my work having moved online, I found myself with a lot more time to read and think about different ideas which has fed into my writing. In July I gained the confidence to submit to lit journals and it proved somewhat more successful than I expected which has encouraged me to keep submitting. I have more confidence in my writing than I did before and have become more experimental with style and form. In some ways I feel freer than I used to, and have grown into my identity as a writer.

Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?

I have several projects at different stages of development, with the main two being novels. One is on the 4th draft, the other is tentatively in the planning stages, and as it is a piece of historical fiction grounded in real events most of the work on it will have to wait until I can physically access the archives which hold the documents I need for research. The one that's on the 4th draft is coming on very well though!

If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?

The fact that I've forgotten about being self-conscious. I've learned to write what I want to write and to do it in the way that I want to do it and not how I feel someone else thinks it should be done. Basically, I've learned the necessity of doing my own thing, and I'm happy to keep doing that for as long as possible.

Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?

I have a very dear friend who lives a very long way away with whom I've been in daily contact thanks to the internet. She's been an endless source of encouragement to me, especially with my creative projects, and it means the world to have someone with whom I can talk openly about these things.

Is there anything that excites you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?

All the new lit mags! It's so so exciting to see how many have blossomed at this time and the rich variety of them delights me.

Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?

I'm somewhere in between when it comes to long projects. I plot a certain amount and see where it takes me and I'm never afraid to chuck an idea in favor of something else. This hasn't changed but I've definitely become more confident at doing it. For short projects I normally start with a line or an idea and see what happens. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?

I can write anywhere—I'm easy like that!—but one of my favorite places was always the café in the university library, which is lost to me now, as well as a particular pub. Who knows when I'll ever be back to them, but with the loss of them my favorite place to write has become my bed.

If you curated a playlist for writing life in the pandemic, what top 5 songs would be on your list?

1.) “epiphany” by Taylor Swift

2.) “Orpheus” by Sara Bareilles

3.) “The Iolaire” by Skippinish

4.) “The Windmills of Your Mind” by Sinne Eeg

5.) “If I Needed You” by Townes Van Zandt

Most of these are songs and artists I've only discovered during the pandemic so I'll forever associate them with it.

Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite scene you've written since the pandemic began?

I've written several little scenes about non-sexual intimacy and serious illness and I love each of them deeply.

While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?

I keep dreaming of making a pilgrimage to the Connemara Gaeltacht, and I'll keep dreaming of it until such a time as it is possible.

Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?

If you feel like you should put words down, then put them down. They might not turn into anything right then, but once they exist on paper you can always come back to them.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

It's great to get a chance to reflect about these things!

ABOUT sm colgan

SM Colgan (she/her) is a bi writer living somewhere in Ireland. Her work focuses on emotion, history, sexuality, and relationships, romantic and otherwise. She writes to understand people who are and have been, and to ease the yearning in her heart. Her most recent prose pieces have been published with October Hill Magazine and The Lumiere Review.

To learn more, follow SM and her writing journey on Twitter.

Thanks for chatting, SM!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Ashleigh Weaver

For many, the way to fill the days during the pandemic consisted of finding comfort in writing. Ashleigh Weaver discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

Maskless people lined up at the crosswalk waving their Trump signs in my face, claiming that it's all a hoax. Six feet apart means nothing to them when they approach me to say how they love my shirt. (a picture of a Shih Tzu that says "I Shih Tzu not.) Locked away inside because I'm too scared to go to the Dollar Store. Finally convinced to go, with all protection in mind, and there's trucks with confederate flags driving by. They always give me a dirty look.

What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?

I buy many books to fill the void but read none of them.

If you haven't been reading, what are some books you're most looking forward to reading?

Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict, and all of the books I bought that judge me every day for not reading them.

Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?

Romance movies that I would never have watched such as “My Best Friend's Wedding,” as well as “Emily in Paris.”

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

I've actually written more because of the pandemic, since it is now plainly obvious that writing helps me in more ways than I imagined.

Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?

I'm currently writing a story inspired by Taylor Swift's “The Last Great American Dynasty.”

If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?

Finish the story. You have so many in your bones, waiting to be put on paper. Write them before you regret it.

Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?

Unfortunately not.

Is there anything that excites you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?

Of course, the publishing world needs to open their horizons.

Is there anything that worries you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?

Not really.

Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?

I was always a plotter but I have turned into a plantser—a combination of a plotter and pantser. In fact, I write an outline then a chapter. When I reach the end, I write the outline further. I like to live life on the edge.

Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?

With two kids, I don't have an office or a desk, so I write on the couch with my laptop.

If you curated a playlist for writing life in the pandemic, what top 5 songs would be on your list?

The entire Taylor Swift folklore album and nothing else because I am doing my best to distract myself.

Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite scene you've written since the pandemic began?

I can't say that I enjoy anything that I write. I'm a perfectionist and if I think too hard about my writing, I over-analyze and fall into a spiral of self-loathing. So, literally ANYTHING that I have written in the pandemic (because I didn't write for a good 7 years!!) is a victory for me.

While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?

My husband and I wanted to visit somewhere so I could see snow for the first time. I've lived in my home state of Florida my entire life, and have led a very sheltered life. (not by choice.) I don't think we will be able to go, but that was our hope for the year.

Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?

Write what you love, what you are passionate about. And keep writing.

ABOUT ashleigh weaver

Ashleigh Weaver believes in the darkness in the world, the shadow that stands at the end of your bed and watches as you struggle to sleep. She believes in these things because she has lived a life full of turmoil. Despite wanting to see the bright side of things, she knows that the darkness is always there—lurking. She has won several underground short story and poetry contests. When she's not taking care of her children as a stay at home mother of two, you can find Ashleigh weaving (see what she did there?) words and creating little worlds of her own. She is a writer of young adult fiction and poetry.

To learn more, follow Ashleigh and her writing journey on Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks for chatting, Ashleigh!

READ MORE ABOUT THE PAGES PENNED IN PANDEMIC!