ICW
a.k.a. In Conversation With
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In conversation with Sophie Riley: self-publishing and character-driven storytelling in ‘It’s Not the End of the World’
Writers get inspiration from a variety of sources: their personal lives, the news, movies, television shows, or even writing prompts. Sophie Riley got hers from a 2014 Tumblr post. “I had saved that [post] so long ago and just put it in my brain,” Riley said. “I just got this idea for a book about…
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In conversation with Mike Chick: turning mistakes into meaning
It all started with a gifted cake—and a misspelling. A small yet thoughtful gesture from family after Yawn Mower released their album To Each Their Own Coat. But instead of “congrats,” the icing read “congarts.” It was the kind of mistake most people would get mad over and soon try to forget, but Mike Chick…
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In conversation with Julia Esperanza: ‘There’s Always A Second Act’ and the healing nature of poetry
“I didn’t know that I wanted to be a writer,” Julia Esperanza admitted with a smile. “If anything, I tried my hardest to avoid it.” Born and raised in South Florida, Esperanza grew up writing stories to go along with the pages in her coloring books, letting her imagination run wild with ideas. As she…
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In conversation with Chiara Maria: finding her way back to music
“Since I was a little girl, I have always loved singing. I started songwriting at the age of seven. The first song was ‘The Hamster Song,’” Chiara Maria confessed, laughing. “After that, it was just like a way for me to process my emotions, but I never told anyone about it. I didn’t want anyone…
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In conversation with ‘Beneath the Garden Magazine’: unveiling inspiration as the heart of storytelling
If you visit the website of Beneath the Garden Magazine and click on their mission statement—as most writers who are eager to submit their work do—you will meet a quote from Audre Lorde’s collection of essays, Sister Outsider: “I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must…
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In conversation with Claire Martine: stepping out of the comfort zone
“A little grunge, a little dreamy, a little kitschy.” This is the description of the sound that Claire Martine, Milwaukee native-turned New York transplant, has been cultivating and creating for herself. “With leaning into the grunge side of things, with having the shoegaze-y grunge distorted guitars, but I also do really love having digital glitchiness…
