Hanna Andrews, all the way from Paris, tagged me to be a part of The Next Big Thing-- a series of
self-interviews that travels from poet to poet. Her interview is
here.
It seems like I may have waited long enough that this thread is no longer cool, which is perfect for me.
What is the working title of the book?
The working title of my new book is
Gray Market, though it has been other, stupider things. I just learned the phrase "Gaper's Block" today; it means the traffic jam resulting from rubbernecking at a car accident.Maybe it will change to that.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
There isn't so much an "idea" behind this book. I've debated with myself (and sometimes others) about whether it's necessary for a book of poetry to hang together thematically or stylistically. I've wondered why it isn't cool anymore (unless you're John Ashbery or Sherman Alexie maybe) to just write 50 poems and call it a book. If you write quickly enough, a central idea might be adorably unavoidable.
These poems are about language and teaching, and all the hierarchical dynamics of teaching writing, particularly at a school where you are ostensibly working to help raise people up into the middle class (this happens to be something I am employed at). But it is not mostly about teaching; it is mostly about how sneaky language is. It is also about sex and creeps and money.
What genre does your book fall under?
Poetry! The poetry of thinking and process rather than the poetry of knowing-it-all.
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
The guy (ok I looked it up, his name is Wiley Wiggins) who played Mitch in
Dazed and Confused would be me (I mean THE SPEAKER). Picture the scene where he says, "How do you know I haven't already?"
Um, of course it is poetry and there aren't really characters. There is maybe a Helpful Friend and maybe an Authority Figure and every book has a Love Interest Who Is Really Not Such A Good Idea.
James Franco could play all of those people that would be fine.
What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
What if you dreamed you went to school naked but it wasn't a dream?
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
About a year and a half.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I wanted to keep going after my first book.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
It's influenced by Mei-Mei Berssenbrugge's I Love Artists and Lisa Robertson and Juliana Spahr's work.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Only time will tell.
Next up:
Anyone who wants it! Let me know and I'll link to you.
