Age: 24
Boulder, CO
MFA Candidate in Writing & Poetics
The Writer
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing in various forms for the past 10 years or so, but didn’t start writing poetry until a few years ago.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I tend to write poems from a place between research and the personal.
What is your greatest challenge as a writer?
Balancing writing, work, and life.
The Work
Tell us about your work in Crack the Spine.
“The Ear” is about Glenn Gould, a 20th century pianist, recording artist, and composer, who saw and heard the world through a lens I can only dream of.
Anything else you’d like to share about your work in Crack the Spine?
This poem was part of a larger collection about Gould, called Scansioned Music.
What else are you working on right now?
Right now, I’m working on a collection about Hurricane Sandy and the LGBT community of the New Jersey coastline called Sandblast.
What inspired this work?
Asbury Park, NJ is located about 60 minutes south of New York City on the shore of Central New Jersey. Its notable residents include an amalgam of entertainers such as Wendy Williams, actors like Danny DeVito, business entrepreneurs, and even Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Margaret Widdemer. Founded in 1871 as a residential resort, the city of Asbury Park, with its boardwalk and venues such as The Stone Pony, has since become a beach-town destination. The Asbury Park LGBT community has grown since its initial rise in the 1950’s which led to the rejuvenation of the city. And, in 1999, DJ Shep Pettibone opened The Empress Hotel, home to Paradise Nightclub and the culmination of Sand Blast Weekend, the biggest gay road trip on the east coast. In October of 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast and New Jersey was devastated. During this time, I was living about 10 minutes north of Asbury Park, only 5 blocks from the ocean, and we were under a mandatory evacuation notice. This collection of poetry outlines my whirlwind journey through the city landscape, the Jersey Shore, and the hurricane.
The Methods
How often do you write?
When I’m inspired.
What time of day or night makes you most productive as a writer?
I’m most productive and inspired at night.
What are your thoughts on writing at a computer vs. writing longhand?
I always write with a computer – I can type faster than I can write by hand.
The Madness
What is your favorite book?
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Who is your favorite author?
Mary Gaitskill
What is your favorite word?
Crepuscular
Additional Reading on Jennifer