I just published a great nonfiction flash at The Forge – “The Forgiving Kind” by Kirsten Reneau. And I got to do a Smash Lits interview too. Please enjoy.
1) What would your superhero power be?
I would like to talk to animals because I want to be able to chit chat with my dog about why she keeps trying to chase squirrels.
2) What is your favourite biscuit?
Red lobster cheddar bay biscuits. They have a hold on me.
3) You are wallpaper. What is your pattern?
Something dramatic and ornate, ideally with herons.
4) What is your default pub/bar drink?
Lately it’s been the local tavern near my house, which is cash only and does country music nights every Monday. My go-to drink sounds nasty (or at least, that’s what I’ve been told) but I promise it’s really good—it’s Jägermeister and coke. Some bartender in West Virginia always got it and I started getting it to and now it’s just my easy go-to. If I’m feeling fancy though, my default is a side-car.
5) What was the last text you sent?
“It’s SO good, right” which was to Shawn Berman about a poem we put up on Final Girl Bulletin Board.
6) Do you have a poster/picture on your wall? Describe it.
We have many posters and pictures on our walls but the one I most recently hung up is a line drawing of my very southern grandparents on new year’s (circa 1970 something) with multiple wine glasses in their hands. It’s so cool.
7) Your writing is music, what style is it?
Sad bluegrass.
8) Have you ever had a nickname?
My nickname in high school was Toast and no one could ever remember why, including me.
9) Do you have a favourite pen?
I wish I was the kind of person who had a favorite pen but mine is really just whichever one is closest.
10) Do you believe human beings can spontaneously combust?
They Might Be Giants has never lied to me before.
11) How much money did you spend yesterday?
$42, which was spent on coffee, king cake, beer, and churros.
12) What’s your worst habit?
Probably staring. I am always people watching, and sometimes I forget that people can see me watching.
13) Did you have an invisible friend when you were younger?
No, but my sister had two and we all played baseball together in the living room with balloons.
14) Who is your writer crush?
Brenda Miller.
15) What are your windows like?
Long and lovely. It’s always bright in our home.
16) Do you have any writing rituals?
My ritual is that there is no ritual. I write when I am ready and in a frenzy, which could be at any time of the day with any amount of preparation. My writing just pours out of me, which can be both good and bad.
17) What sandwiches would you make for a picnic with Roxane Gay?
Something fancy that would pair with the massive amount of champagne I would also bring.
18) What question should I have asked you?
About my pets! I can talk about my dog forever.
19) Write me a question for the next Smash List interview I do
If you could do a writing retreat anywhere in the world for one week, where would you go?
20) What was the last gift you gave to someone?
A copy of Matt Mitchell’s “The Neon Hollywood Cowboy.”
Sara Crowley 