Pages Penned in Pandemic with Dot Dannenberg

During the last year, the monotony of every day has left the concept of time as something altogether strange. Dot Dannenberg's poem, "We Are Living," explores this notion, and is now available to read in the print collective! Until then, I'm excited to chat about Dot's pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

The Washington, DC metro area is delightfully mask-compliant. In my neighborhood, everyone has a dog or a baby, so we're all outside, desperately clinging to the normalcy of outdoors before winter sets in. In some corners, brunch is still happening, I guess, but I am not ready for any of that.

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

The Dutch House (Patchett), Writers & Lovers (King), and All Adults Here (Straub).

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

I write a lot more about resilience than I did before, for one. (Mostly for work.) Mostly, the pandemic has resulted in my own voice being the only thing happening in my head. I miss all of the surprising, stimulating things that I would stumble upon when I was traveling, or just out in the regular world. I miss surprising conversations and the ways they could work themselves into my writing.

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

Forget the romantic vision of the writer in the garret. Your Notes app is just fine.

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

I'm a pantser who at some points has masqueraded as a plotter. Planning is higher-level brain function that isn't really attainable for me in These Trying Times TM. I'm more pants than ever.

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

I have a baby, so basically my favorite place to write is anywhere that it's quiet. This has changed during the pandemic because now we are both at home together all the time, and nowhere is quiet!

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

Probably just a bunch of moody Adrienne Lenker stuff. She gets it.

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

I wrote a poem as a gift for a friend upon the birth of her daughter. I haven't seen her in over a year, or met her baby--words as gifts feel more important than ever.

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

Vaccine distribution.

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

Take good notes. One day, you will forget what this really felt like. In three months, you'll forget what you were thinking about right now.

ABOUT dot dannenberg

Dot Dannenberg lives outside of Washington, DC. She holds an MFA from Pacific University. One of these days she's going to get her act together.

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

Thanks for chatting, Dot!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Catherine Lee

Distraction is often the biggest difficulty writers must deal with when attempting to put words on the page. Catherine Lee 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?

Our mayor has done an excellent job of counteracting federal and state government carelessness. We have had one-third the infection rate of the rest of the state and country. But after Labor Day, we have gradually increased testing, positivity rate, hospitalizations.

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

I'm not reading books so much as watching videos and taking workshops online.

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

Works by James Baldwin and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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

“Saturday Night Live” and “Seniors In Play” acting classes.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

I'm writing more and different pieces.

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?

Hoping to interest a publisher of (or win a contest to release) a multimedia book of jazz poetry and short essays.

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

Perfecting a website where I offer writing/editing services to others.

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

Be inspired to rewrite others' stories or enact them yourself. Read aloud the same piece multiple times with different voices.

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

Online friends and sister/fellow actors.

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

More creatives using meeting software apps that record collaborations help the average person better appreciate self-published media projects.

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

The quality bar has been enormously raised by exponential increases in online publishing. All the misspelled, ungrammatical, badly lit, incompetent projects that are posted discourage those who value quality from slogging through the muck. This causes viewers to limit rather than expand horizons.

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

Sometimes pen to paper. Then transcribe a second and later drafts on laptop.

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

Anything composed by Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Jon Hendricks.

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

“Tongue," which appears on a poetry bot in association with the Robert Indiana exhibit at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio Texas.

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

Helping others while supporting myself with writing/editing.

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

Write an insight down the instant you think of it. If you don't, distractions everywhere will kill it.

ABOUT Catherine Lee

Catherine Lee explores poetry as a percussive voice either as a soloist reading at poetry events or with jazz musicians when sitting in “on poem.” Jazz-Cat's multimedia pieces—radio specials, original poetry, commentary, and videos—are archived on Soundcloud and Vimeo. Lee blogs research about master performers on Padlet and Facebook/Jazz Ovation Inn. Her jazz-related poetry was featured in the July 2020 "Music" Issue 5 of Northampton Poetry Review, pages 63-74.

To learn more, follow Catherine and her writing journey at her website and on Facebook, Vimeo, and Soundcloud.

Thanks for chatting, Catherine!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Kate Levin

Having a community of writers to provide encouragement and support means so much when we're too often faced with our own thoughts and a blank page. Kate Levin 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?

Low number of cases but increasing.

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

Brit Bennett: The Vanishing Half, Tommy Orange: There There, Emma Straub: All Adults Here, Stephen King: On Writing, and Hermione Lee: Virginia Woolf.

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

Can't wait for the next Philip Pullman!

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

Rewatching all of "The West Wing" and watching new episodes of "Last Week Tonight" helped me survive the election season. The new season of "Great British Baking Show" (sad it's over!). Just started "The Crown"—better late than never. Enjoying "Dash and Lily" and the new season of "This is Us" with my daughter.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

It's both given me plenty to write about and at times made it harder to focus.

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 working on a story about an encounter between strangers at an NYC yoga studio.

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 important to be part of a community of writers who give you feedback and encourage you.

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

Yes—I take a weekly class (now via Zoom) with Laura Zinn Fromm, who attracts wonderfully talented and supportive people to her classes.

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

Worried about the continued consolidation of publishers.

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

Somewhere in between (I usually throw myself at the page and then start to plot once I've seen what's there). And no it hasn't changed.

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

I can write just about anywhere as long as there's a comfortable chair (or bed). I prefer laptop to paper. And no change!

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

Anything classical (I find it hard to concentrate to anything with words).

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

The inauguration of new president. The vaccine. Seeing my family in person. Being able to attend shows and concerts again. Hugging my friends.

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

Hang in there—this isn't normal. And it's ok if you feel like you can't get any work done right now--thinking is part of writing.

ABOUT Kate Levin

Kate Levin is a former English professor. During the pandemic she has been writing, playing violin, doing yoga, and cooking new foods like brisket. She just roasted her first turkey, which got good reviews from the critics.

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

Thanks for chatting, Kate!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Caroline Taylor

While chaos and unknowns can certainly bring out the worst in humanity, there are those who surprise even themselves. Caroline Taylor's short story, "Indispensable," explores this notion, and is now available to read in the print collective! Until then, I'm excited to chat about Caroline's pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

It appears to be getting worse because a large number of people here consider that wearing a face mask is a violation of their personal liberties.

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

Mick Herron's Joe Country, Ruth Ware's One By One, Lee Child's Gone Tomorrow, and Ian Rankin's A song For Dark Times.

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

Reruns of baseball and golf helped in the early days, and live sports are helping now.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

It gave me time and solitude to work on revisions to several novels-in-progress and to start a new one, which is set in a time before 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?

Solitude and time are vital to the process. Too many distractions make it difficult to focus; too little time makes the process move too slowly.

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

Yes, a colleague with the local chapter of Sisters in Crime who has generously critiqued several of my works-in-progress and given extremely helpful feedback.

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

A pantser definitely. This has not changed.

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

My home office. This hasn't changed during the pandemic.

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

q.) "If It Makes You Happy”

2.) "Gimme Shelter”

3.) “Just a Little of that Human Touch" "

4.) “Hey, Jude"

5.) "I'm So Afraid” (live with guitar riff)

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

A scene where the protagonist, who dislikes classical music, discovers that her boyfriend is a percussionist in a symphony orchestra

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

Finally getting a little of that human touch from friends and family through hugs and close gatherings.

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

Use the time to write as much as you can, and don't let the rejections get you down.

ABOUT caroline taylor

Caroline Taylor's short stories have appeared in several online and print magazines. She is the author of five mysteries and one short-story collection

To learn more, follow Caroline and her writing journey at her website.

Thanks for chatting, Caroline!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Lori Fontanes

In a world bombarded and overloaded with constant information, we often forget what can happen when we allow empty space to exist. Lori Fontanes 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?

We live in Westchester County, New York, the epicenter of the first wave, and even though we have learned to navigate the uncertainty with masks and courage, the memory of sirens and images of body bags stacked in refrigerated trucks still persists.

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

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin, almost perfect pandemic reading, to be honest. Also, The Bear by Andrew Krivak. Stunning.

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

On my nightstand (among others): Silence is My Mother Tongue by Sulaiman Addonia, as well as several back issues of Paris Review and McSweeney's. I can barely handle non-fiction right now but look forward to deep-diving again.

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

Late night comics saved my life. When they briefly paused the shows that first week, I lost it. Layer our crazy election on top of Covid and you can see why defiant laughter is my preferred coping strategy.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

Had grand plans for revising my thesis and pitching a climate book but settled for a few genre short stories and a couple of poems. Replaced literary writing with activism. Seemed appropriate for the moment.

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

The food and climate book should be next. It's the most relevant and, hopefully, useful to the world.

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

Leave space for emptiness that can be filled with words.

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

I used to hate Zoom and now I still hate Zoom but see its value for writers workshops. Oddly, Twitter turned into a warm place where fellow food and ag folks shared words and comradeship as well.

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

Dining room table still best place. Continuity helped.

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

Your work is important. Act accordingly.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Thank you for memorializing this moment in human history.

ABOUT Lori Fontanes

Lori Fontanes (pronounced Fon-tán-es) grows things to eat and writes about the joys of food as well as the downsides of the industrial agricultural system. She honors her Latinx/BIPOC and European ancestors through stories and activism that elevate the centrality of feeding people. Her work has appeared in The Willowherb Review, Flash Nonfiction Food, Countryside, Acres USA, EcoWatch, and other publications. An alumna of the Sundance Film Festival and the Bread Loaf Environmental Writers' Conference, Lori received an MFA in Creative Writing at Manhattanville College where she is an adjunct professor.

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

Thanks for chatting, Lori!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Judy Darley

Though the excitement that comes from finishing a written piece can trick us into thinking the hard wok is done, often it take a little time and distance to give us fresh eyes. Judy Darley 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?

Numbers are rising, which is scary, but the increase is slowing, so we're hopeful. My husband has had it, but has recovered, thankfully.

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

Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and Don’t Tell The Bees by Mary-Jane Holmes.

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

“Life by Mike Bartlett” (BBC), “Unorthodox” by Anna Winger and Alexa Karolinski (Netflix), and “The Umbrella Academy” by Gerard Way (Netflix).

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

I've been writing masses, but have been very worried as my paid work has diminished enormously, which is distracting.

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 editing my MG novel 'Windstruck', and currently seeking an agent. I've been painting a lot too.

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

That early mornings are my best time for writing with focus. That writing offers pockets of peace I need.

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

My husband, friends and family have all been wonderful in difficult times—we've all supported each other. Some are writers, some are not. I had some excellent mentoring through Lindsay Galvin via WriteMentor.

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

I enjoy being able to attend literary events all over the world with international participants without leaving my home!

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

A: Publishers are having to be more careful financially, which means fewer new authors are being taken on and given a chance.

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

Somewhere in between. I'm spending more time between thinking I've finished a piece and actually sending it own. Putting it aside for a while and then looking with fresh eyes definitely sharpens my editing skills.

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

In bed, or cozied up on the living room couch. That's the same as before the pandemic.

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

Sorry, I don't listen to music while writing. I have been listening to a lot of podcasts while walking though, including “The New Yorker's The Writer's Voice,” “BBC Radio 4's A Good Read,” “The Penguin Podcast,” “Desert Island Discs,” and “The Guardian Books Podcast.”

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

I'm really proud of a story I wrote called “Self-defence Against Yesterday” which blends Greek myths and the #MeToo movement.

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

Embracing my friends. Hopefully getting a regularly paying job and writing and publishing many more stories.

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

Develop a habit of writing, editing, sending, and keep doing that alongside lots of reading. You'll get there, but probably not before you define where 'there' is.

ABOUT Judy darley

Judy Darley lives and writes in Bristol, UK. She has been widely published, including by The Mechanics' Institute Review, Spelk, and The Cabinet of Heed. She’s the Flash Fiction Editor at Reflex Press. Her collections are Sky Light Rain (Valley Press) and Remember Me To The Bees (Tangent Books).

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

Thanks for chatting, Judy!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Joe Quinn

Too often the only way for writers to make sense of events in the world is to commit them to the page. Joe Quinn's poem, "barbara walters, why have you forsaken us?" explores this notion, and is now available to read in the print collective! Until then, I'm excited to chat about Joe's pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

Quiet, smaller and cut off.

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

Les Miserables.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

It's given it focus, the issues of the modern world seemed to have come to a head in the form of the pandemic/quarantine.

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

Spoken word video poems, since open mics are gone for now.

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

To let things flow, worry about cleaning it up later if at all, just get the idea out while you can.

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

I don't know what I am.

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

The night, if that's a place.

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

We Are Plague.

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

I'm looking forward to living.

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

Let it all out, don't hold back and don't wait.

ABOUT joe quinn

Joe Quinn is a poet from Kentucky. His newest collection, We Are Plague is now available for purchase.

To learn more, follow Joe and his writing journey at his website and on Instagram.

Thanks for chatting, Joe!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Gary Beck

Sometimes all we can do amidst darkness and chaos is to keep writing. Gary Beck 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?

More people than previously are wearing masks, but very few are distancing.

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

Herodotus the Persian Wars and Hamlet.

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. A novel and a poetry collection.

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!

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

Yes. Simon and Schuster was just sold to Penguin Books and they will dominate the publishing world.

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

On my sofa. No.

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

Publishing my book of plays.

ABOUT gary beck

Gary Beck has spent most of his adult life as a theater director and worked as an art dealer when he couldn't earn a living in the theater. He has also been a tennis pro, a ditch digger and a salvage diver. His original plays and translations of Moliere, Aristophanes and Sophocles have been produced Off Broadway. His poetry, fiction and essays have appeared in hundreds of literary magazines and his published books include 28 poetry collections, 11 novels, 3 short story collections, 1 collection of essays and 2 books of plays. Published poetry books include: Dawn in Cities, Assault on Nature, Songs of a Clerk, Civilized Ways, Displays, Perceptions, Fault Lines, Tremors, Perturbations, Rude Awakenings, The Remission of Order, Contusions and Desperate Seeker (Winter Goose Publishing. Forthcoming: Learning Curve and Ignition Point). Earth Links, Too Harsh For Pastels, Severance, Redemption Value and Fractional Disorder (Cyberwit Publishing). His novels include Extreme Change (Winter Goose Publishing) and Wavelength (Cyberwit Publishing). His short story collections include: A Glimpse of Youth (Sweatshoppe Publications). Now I Accuse and other stories (Winter Goose Publishing) and Dogs Don’t Send Flowers and other stories (Wordcatcher Publishing). Collected Essays of Gary Beck (Cyberwit Publishing). The Big Match and other one act plays (Wordcatcher Publishing). Collected Plays of Gary Beck Volume 1 and: Plays of Aristophanes translated, then directed by Gary Beck (Cyberwit Publishing). Gary lives in New York City.

To learn more, follow Gary and his writing journey at his website and on Facebook.

Thanks for chatting, Gary!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Claire HM

Language, as in love, can be both searing and safe, a refuge, a home, or a destination. Claire HM's poem, "slowly then all at once," explores this notion, and is now available to read in the print collective! Until then, I'm excited to chat about Claire's pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

The UK is currently in a month long country wide lockdown with only essential shops and places of education open with no mixing of households. In the past 8 months there have been two months where limited mixing of households have been permitted in my home city of Birmingham.

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

Sascha Aurora Akhtar’s 199 Japanese Names for Japanese Trees, Mary Gaitskill’s Veronica, McKenzie Wark’s Reverse Cowgirl, Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay’s Panty, Anne Walsh Donnelly’s The Woman With An Owl Tattoo, and Anne Sexton’s Live or Die.

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

“Ghost of a Podcast with Jessica Lanyadoo,” “The Spiritual Gayz,” and “The Secret Library Podcast.”

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

My writing has been an anchor in my life during the pandemic, as it usually is. It helps me to process and to heal in ways that I've found no substitute for.

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 continuing to adapt and submit my first poetry pamphlet, 'Stirred for a Bird'. It's a sequence of poems where encounters with birds, winged creatures, and their association as messengers from the spiritual realm, is the central motif. The title, taken from GM Hopkins' 'The Windhover' was chosen to reflect the sequence's playfulness with tone, gender, sexuality and spirituality- taking a phrase from the canonical poem and playing on its British colloquial meaning. The poems, like 'Slowly then all at once', often show breakdowns of form, where gaps and silences hold their weight against words. In theme, the poems explore dynamics within heterosexual sex, and the declaration of artistic and spiritual authority from the embodied experience of the ‘othered’.

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

Continue to write to process your life, heal in your life, anchor into your life.

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

The online Poetry School courses I've taken with Sascha Aurora Akhtar, Stav Poleg and David Caddy and the awesome community of writers they've held space for to come together have been central to my writing experience in lockdown. As have the Sunday night online write-ins generously hosted by Dal Kular for her magical She Howls writing pack. Oh and Caroline Donahue's 'Dream to Draft' program and all the aspiring and inspiring novelists I've gathered with there. There has been such a range of support offered online to writers during the pandemic, both free to the writer and those that give compensation to the tutor/coach too.

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

It seems like an expansive time for the small presses and I'm excited by a frequent stream of news of writers being published for the first time. I've seen an increase in open calls by publications and presses to give voice to writers who have experienced being marginalized too, which is encouraging for the future of diversity in small press publishing at least.

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

I let things bubble and rise. Longer works of fiction often start as poems for me. I'll write a few on a similar subject and I'll start to see a larger story emerge that I want to explore in prose.

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

I love to coffee shops to avoid the siren call of folding laundry or doom scrolling on my phone. If I've paid for a soya flat white then I want the equivalent value of writing time. At home it's so much easier to get distracted, but that's the only option I have at the moment so I've had to work on my 'not being distracted by chores or my phone' muscle instead.

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

1.) “Witch” by the bird and the bee

2.) “Breathe” by The Prodigy

3.) “My Favourite Game” by The Cardigans

4.) “Count Your Blessings” by Mattiel

5.) “Divine Hammer” and The Breeders,

ABOUT claire hm

Claire HM teaches English and literacy to migrant communities in Birmingham, UK. She's recently had poetry published in Black Flowers, streetcake, and on Mooky Chick. In October 2021, her debut novella How to Bring Him Back will be published by Fly on the Wall press.

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

Thanks for chatting, Claire!

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Pages Penned in Pandemic with Elizabeth Reed

Despite darkness and unknowns, we can find strength in looking toward the brighter moments of life. Elizabeth Reed's essay, "The Picnic Table," explores this notion, and is now available to read in the print collective! Until then, I'm excited to chat about Elizabeth's pages penned in pandemic.

What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?

COVID-19 cases are decreasing in Boston, MA.

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

The Hate You Give by Angela Thomas and The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd.

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

We don't watch TV but we watch movies: Parasite, Knives Out, and Bridge Jones Diary.

How has the pandemic affected your writing?

I've had longer uninterrupted blocks of time because I'm not going to concerts or social events.

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?

Working on my memoir, Life with Uli!

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

You have to be persistent.

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

Catherine Parnell and Tony Amato.

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

I'm glad to see more space being made for POC (I am not a POC).

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

Plotter. No changes.

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

In my office. No change.

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

Any piano piece by Chopin.

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

“How the Pandemic Brought Life Back Into Our Living Rooms” (Boston Globe Magazine).

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

Travel, hopefully, after getting vaccinated!

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

Be selective about where you submit. 1 good match is what you need.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

As a musician, I love exploring the similarities between music and writing.

ABOUT Elizabeth Reed

Elizabeth Reed is an author, musician, political activist and traveler. Her essays have been published in The Rumpus, Entropy, Mothers Always Write, and other journals.

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

Thanks for chatting, Elizabeth!

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