LC: I honestly never thought in these terms. Because I wasn’t encouraged to “be” anything more than a wife and mother, growing up I went in whatever direction my interests called me. After graduate school, I was employed with the American Red Cross in the public relations department. I worked with a great team and loved the goodness of the organization, but the projects were awfully organized and exact to my way of thinking. From there, I moved to an editorial position at a vegetarian magazine, both writing articles and gathering and editing them from freelancers. And still, I didn’t think of myself as a writer. Then, life took a turn and—and I relocated to New Mexico, where I spent a decade as a visual artist. Somewhere within that, I began writing poetry.
JRW: What subject are you most passionate about?
LC: Oh, this is a hard question! I’m passionate about many things: cacti, the desert, writing, kindness… but I guess, if I had to narrow down, right now I’d choose my students. I’ve been teaching adults (and especially elders) in my community for more than a dozen years. With the pandemic, I led the workshops through Zoom and opened them to any individual anywhere. These workshops focus equally on teaching craft, encouraging self-expression, and building a supportive community setting in which to arrange words.
JRW: What is one of the most surprising things you learned while publishing your work?
LC: Over the years, I’ve learned and re-learned that the best part of writing is… quite simply, writing. I love the messy drafts, the cross-outs, the complications, and re-directions. The active unknown. Publishing is so validating, but it is a much more temporary pleasure than the work and comfort of shaping a poem over months or even years.
JRW: What advice would you offer new writers?
LC: Be patient as the work unfurls; be brave in what you reveal; stay with it. Listen to your voice, both inside your head and spoken aloud. Instead of rushing to finish, learn to appreciate the process. Give the work and time to build layers and depth. You will be more fulfilled by what results.