April 14th, 2022

WS: What genre do you write in? Why?
KPL: Poetry, plays, lyrics, and libretti. All of these give me the opportunities to write about topics that fascinate me using language that is influenced by the topics themselves.

WS: What is your favorite book or writing craft book? Why?
KPL: Matthew Salesses's Craft in the Real World is one of the most influential books on writing and on teaching writing I've read recently. It asks writers to consider the history and practices of traditional writing programs as outgrowths of white supremacist and pro-Western and Global North policies, and to consider how to change the way we teach writing and approach writing ourselves, specifically focusing on the concept of craft as a series of expectations, and on the writing workshop model.

WS: What are your tips for submitting writing?
KPL: Research the venue and follow the guidelines.

WS: What inspires your writing?
KPL: History of all kinds--global, local, personal--and language, social justice, the natural world, and the mythopoeic. My novella-in-verse Protectress places the mythical gorgons in the modern world, and the research I did for it included reading about the Emperors Diocletian and Constantine, Native American lore, the history of eyeglasses, the Völkerwanderung, alligators as food, and much more. It was enormous fun.

WS: Where are you from and does that place ever enter into your writing?
KPL: I was born in New Orleans and grew up in Western North Carolina, and have moved a lot. Almost every place I've lived makes an appearance in my writing somewhere, albeit sometimes in a veiled way. Since moving to Texas almost eight years ago, I've written about it in poems including "The Texas Water Code," "Blackjack Agitato," and "Hurricane Season." I love learning new places and their stories, both small and large.

WS: Do you do research for your writing? If so, what are some unexpected resources you've found?
KPL: I do a lot of research for my writing, and I use everything from scholarly articles and books to historic newspapers to Wikipedia. I've found unexpected resources in visual art, early sound recordings, and folk songs.
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WS: Drop any links or promos for your recent work, include your social media links
KPL: My book Protectress is out in both hard copy and as an ebook on Amazon.