Interview with Rachel Swirsky author of “Black, Red, White”
For the author poetry is deeply personal, for the reader it is highly subjective. What do you hope readers experience or gain from your poetry?
Interviews with our writers and artists
For the author poetry is deeply personal, for the reader it is highly subjective. What do you hope readers experience or gain from your poetry?
Your fiction seems to defy characterization. The stories are a seamless blend of many genres: horror, sci fi, and mystery. How would you classify your work?
The first image in “Twilight of the Eco Terrorist” is haunting. “I bent down to kiss his lips but they weren't there. The air was in confusion; my body sank into his as if he had become honey, and then steam.” This sets the tone for the story, creating a lifetime of loneliness and exclusion for Long.
The protagonist in “Ghosts of New York” jumps from the North Tower in an attempt to escape the flames. She is then forced to repeat those ten seconds over and over. “History only makes ghosts out of those who try to fly.” Why do you feel only the “jumpers” are forced to exist in a purgatorial state?
In “Close Your Eyes” published in Apex Magazine 21, Amber’s writing ability is described as being innate, instinctual, “The stories had possessed her. They emerged beneath her pen, flowed like a fountain.” Is your writing process similar to the character or are you more of a structured writer?
If you piled the awards and nominations attributed to Gary A. Braunbeck, Jay Lake, Nick Mamatas, and Catherynne M. Valente on the interview table, it would surely implode under the weight of accolades. Suffice it to say, these are four writers at the top of their game.
The genre of Post Apocalyptic fiction has had a resurgence of popularity in recent years. Thematically, many of your short stories fall in this realm. What do you feel is fueling this resurgence?
B.J. Burrow co-wrote the screenplay, The Monster Hunter, which premiered on the Sci-Fi channel and starred David Carradine. The Changed is his debut novel.