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“THE NEXT BIG THING” asks writers to self-interview about their books
with 7-8 designated questions, post somewhere in the blog-o-sphere and then
“tag” (3-5) writers for the next week to do the same. Cristina M. R. Norcross (http://www.firkinfiction.com/)
has been tagged by Mary Jo Balistreri (http://maryjobalistreripoet.com).
What is the working title of your book?
The Lava Storyteller
Where did the idea come from for the
book?
I was
asked to consider writing a chapbook with the theme of what it means to have a
love of the earth from the female energy perspective. I translated this idea into not just having a
love of the earth, but of life itself.
To be fully alive (to me) means to savor and enjoy every experience and
to be thankful for this gift. When I
looked at my files of hundreds of poems, I saw a pattern emerge and realized
that the book was already written, hiding in my continuum of life-charged
poetry. The first poem that came to mind
was, “The Lava Storyteller” (first published in Verse Wisconsin on-line, as a
written poem and an audio file). This became
the title of the book. My grandmother
was born on the island of Saba, an island in the Caribbean, which at one time
was an active volcano. Saba has many
stories to tell. My family from this
island comes from a rich history of loving and appreciating the earth. I wanted to celebrate this spirit.
What actors would you choose to play the
part of your characters in a
movie rendition?
My collection
of poems has many speakers, so this might be a tough choice. It would need to be a woman of magic and
passion – a woman who rejoices in the sights, smells, tastes and upheavals of
life. The narrator/actress for most of
the poems wouldn’t necessarily have to be from the West Indies, but she would
need to have an affinity for island life and have a passion for the ocean. (With a wink) I welcome scripts and actor
resumes.
What is the one sentence synopsis of
your book?
These poems represent my barefoot
rootedness to lake sand, farmers’ fields, rugged hills, jagged mountains and
the undulating rhythm of ocean waves on beaches.
How long did it take you to write the
first draft of the manuscript?
Without
knowing that these poems would be gathered together for a book, most of them
were written over the course of two years.
Who or what inspired you to write this
book?
On childhood
trips to the island of Saba, I sat at the kitchen table and watched the women
of the village come together for a circle of conversation and sewing Saba lace,
an old art form. Laughter came in
bursts. I felt as though I was
witnessing a sacred ritual, but also engaging in a coming together that
celebrated life itself. Not all of the
poems are about Saba, but I chose only poems which I thought reflected that
spirit of passion – of joining together with other women to experience the
sheer delight in being alive.
What else about your book might pique
the reader’s interest?
This chapbook
is truly going to be a work of art, not just because I consider poetry to be
art, but also because each copy of this limited edition print run will be hand
sewn. Each cover will be printed using a
hand-carved wooden block, created by the publisher of Red Mare Press, Su Zi,
who is also a visual artist. It will be
an artistic experience from beginning to end. I can’t wait to feel the paper!
Will your book be self-published or
represented by an agency?
The Lava
Storyteller will be published in June 2013 by Red Mare Press in Florida, as
part of the Red Mare Chapbook series.
Find Red Mare
on Facebook:
At Big Bridge:
And also at
Thread Bare Art:
The Lava Storyteller
Island of
clay, sand and earth –
liquid
lava now silent.
You are
the land of trees dripping mangoes
and goats
clinging to cliffs.
Bare feet
read braille –
ancient
explosions –
black
crumbs and dust from when earth
was the
only inhabitant.
Island of
Saba –
the earth
speaks of ancestors –
still
humming the old stories –
still
laughing over a bottle of sweet Malta.
Cristina
M. R. Norcross
Copyright
2011
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