#prose interview

What exactly does Impluvium Studios do?  What's its story?

Well, Impluvium Studios is largely a conceptual umbrella under which I gather my work--whether it be my own individual creative projects, my collaborative efforts, or the professional design and editing services I offer. I founded it back in 2012 when I moved back to Michigan from Indiana, and it was a way for me to begin communicating with others about the kind of work I really love to do. 

In "Sparks on the Tongue", what attracted you to a maritime setting?

I visit the shores of Lake Michigan fairly often, and my extended family hails from one of those little tourist towns near the water. You know the kind--the ones that have unique shops with big picture windows and sunset views. I grew up with the imagery of white sails, barges, and tugboats imprinted on my imagination. In places like that, fantasy, leisure, and indulgence exist side-by-side with grit and hard work. There's a tension in that kind of setting that echoes the core dilemma of Daniel's life. In the story, he has to decide whether or not to lose himself completely to the fantasy or to grab on to something more real. 

For me, there's also something immensely attractive about the expanse of a large body water; but also something terrifying about its depth and power. It's a great symbol for human emotion and any kind of confrontation with the unknown.

The protagonist, Daniel, through his cynicism comes to a hopeful conclusion.  What about his chance meeting is able to conjure up that revolt in his personality?

I think what interests me the most about Daniel is that he's not a particularly likable character, but he doesn't really know it (or if he does, he's convinced himself it's because he doesn't want other people to like him). He's lost himself in the idea that he's both the hero and the victim, and he uses that idea to drive a wedge between himself and other people. 

Enter Professor Trelles. She's intrusive, bordering on rude, but her intrusiveness comes from a place of genuine interest and caring. Like most teachers, she knows that a student needs challenges in order to grow. She's not afraid to make people uncomfortable if she thinks it's in their best interest, so she squeezes right inside Daniel's walls. She forces him into a position where he has to make a choice between doubling down on his barricade or tearing it down. 

Professor Trelles is offering him genuine kindness, even if her methods aren't entirely "polite," and I think in the last moment Daniel recognizes that kindness for what it is--and he recognizes that he'll never have another opportunity like this again. Instead of using the opportunity to lash out, which is his gut reaction, he takes the time to say what he's kept bottled up for years. By owning his feelings of failure out loud, he gives himself permission to start over. 

In the story, it's very interesting to read this conversation between these two very different types of people.  What was it like writing this?  What were the challenges?

Writing the story was an entirely cathartic process for me. Daniel represents aspects of myself I contend with on a regular basis. I enjoyed having the chance to isolate those characteristics inside a straw man and take a stab at getting him to see reason. The hardest part was getting Daniel to a point where he was worn down enough to engage with Professor Trelles on a somewhat companionable level. Those two could have talked circles around each other all day, so what it took was a moment of actual, physical pain to upset his mental equilibrium. Isn't it funny how things like that really throw us off? Stubbing your toe or biting your tongue can really ruin your whole day. Burning himself was what it took for Daniel to admit that he was, in fact, a vulnerable human being capable of making mistakes just like everybody else. 

The cycle that Daniel is stuck in at the beginning of the story is something that I find is easy for millennials to get stuck in.  Was this tale a reminder for you, a caution for your peers, or inspired by something else?  Do you have any advice for people like this outside of the bounds of your narrative?

In large part I wrote the story for myself, but I'd love it if readers see something they can relate to as well. This story is especially for anyone who feels like they're stuck and they can't swallow their pride and move on. To them I'd say: we all make mistakes. We're all human. It's important to allow ourselves to embrace being fallible and give ourselves permission to make changes when things don't work out. The temptation to disconnect can be strong, especially when you don't always see eye-to-eye with the people around you, but there are gifts that come from taking risks and making those connections, too. 

Who do you consider to be major literary influences on you and your own artistic development?

Two of my all-time favorite stories are children's stories: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip by George Saunders and Lane Smith. They're simple, funny, but have incredibly profound messages about what it means to be human in a sometimes sad and frightening universe.

In hindsight, I feel like I was also conjuring echoes of Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Mellville as I was writing Daniel's story. Bartleby always kind of fascinated and vexed me as an undergrad because you simply couldn't pin him down on anything. He "wasn't particular" but "preferred not." Daniel may be my own personal answer to Bartleby. Daniel is a version of Bartleby who wakes up enough to take control of events around him before life sweeps him away. 

I love the dream that Daniel has at the beginning of the story.  It's such a whimsical yet telling part of the story.  Is there a story behind the woman he dreams about?  What does she mean to you?

I used to have daydreams about standing on cliff sides, looking out over the water. It all seemed very dramatic and magical. So I guess in part she's an idealized version myself and her confrontation with Daniel is me confronting my own flaws. In a larger sense, I think she represents the fairytale moment we all want to have in our life--whether it's romantic or not. That moment where everything clicks and makes sense. Of course, we don't always get that moment or it happens in ways we weren't at all expecting.   

Professor Trelles is a great wisdom-giver in the story.   Is she reflective of anyone you personally know; of any professors you personally had?

Oh, definitely. She might be largely inspired by one of my Latin professors in undergrad who was a tough but very caring teacher. Also one of my folklore professors who gave me a run for my money when I thought his class was going to be a breeze. In both of their classes I remember feeling completely out of my depth, but by the end of the semester I was so grateful for the challenge they presented and I felt like I came out a better person for it. 

On one of your Impluvium Studios pages, you identify yourself as a "creative anomaly".  How did your artistic persona come to this self-identification?

Well, I've always considered myself a bit of an oddball and I like exploring paths outside the norm (both literally and figuratively). I like to take circuitous routes to get to where I want to go, mostly just for the fun of it or to see if I can. Creativity is my way of communicating my experiences off the beaten path. The "creative anomaly" label seemed like a good way to own my personal perspective and present it to the world.  

In your Artist's Statement on the Impluvium Studios page, I sense a lot of similarities between our artistic selves and ideals at Sunset Liminal as well as your own.  Was that part of what drew you to submit?

Definitely. I'm drawn to using creativity in all its forms as a way to process experience and continually search for meaning.  

Do you consider yourself a "Michigan" or "Midwestern" writer/artist?  What does that mean to you?

I've never really put a label on it before, but I do try to write out of my own experience, which primarily involves getting myself lost on long walks through the wilderness in both Michigan and Indiana. Using my real-life experiences in my creative work is a way of bringing things full circle for me. I like the idea that photos or a writing inspired by my Tuesday morning ramble might make its way across the internet to someone halfway across the world. There's something important about that to me, the sense of an experience growing beyond its perceived real-world limitations and becoming something new and more expansive each time it's shared. 

In your bio, it states that you spend a lot of time trying to help other artists and writers with their endeavors.  What does this include?  Who else have you worked with?

I work collaboratively with friends on various writing and art projects, I co-facilitate monthly art groups and annual creative retreats, and I also offer professional editing, design, and illustration to individual clients and businesses. That means I get pulled in a lot of different directions; but I love being able to talk to people about why their creative work is important to them. You invariably get different answers from each person; but what it boils down to is the ability to express oneself and connect with others. I think that's exciting. 

Is there anything else that you want the Sunset Liminal community to know about you?

As much as I can happily get lost in esoteric realms of thought and self-expression, I like to think I also keep it down to earth. I'm an unashamed fangirl for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and my happy place is being snuggled on a couch with my friends.