Season Eight Launch Party!
Here’s a collection of videos put together to celebrate the launch of Gap Riot Press’s Eighth Season of Gorgeousness! Check out the fabulous rapid-fire interviews we recorded with our Season Eight authors! We hope you have as much fun watching them as we had making them!
Monday, April 4th: Rapid-Fire Questions with Brian Dedora!
Wednesday, April 7th: Rapid-Fire Questions with VII!
Monday, April 11th: Rapid-Fire Questions with Gina Lynee Rose!
Wednesday, April 13th: Rapid-Fire Questions with Nisha Patel!
Monday, April 18th: Rapid-Fire Questions with Natalie Simpson!
Wednesday, April 20th: Rapid-Fire Questions with Penn Kemp and Sharon Thesen of P. S.!
Saturday, April 30th: Italian (!) Rapid-Fire Questions with Angela Caporaso
Rapid-Fire Interview with Brian Dedora
Rapid-Fire Interview with Gina Lynee Rose
Rapid-Fire Interview with Natalie Simpson
Rapid-Fire Interview with VII
Rapid-Fire Interview with Nisha Patel
Rapid-Fire Interview with Penn Kemp and Sharon Thesen
Rapid-Fire Interview with Angela Caporaso
Responses translated from Italian by Dani Spinosa.
Do you write in book margins?
Si… qualche volta. [Yes … some times.]
What was the last great film you saw?
“Il Sorpasso” directed by Dino Risi.
What is the song you sing most in the shower?
Io non canto. Sono stonata. [I don’t sing. I’m tone deaf.]
Name one poet who has been a major influence on you.
Emily Dickinson. Le ho anche dedicato una mostra di collage. [I also dedicated a collage exhibit to her.]
What is your favourite word right now?
Pace. In questi giorni credo che sia la parola più importante. In Europa avvertiamo molto il pericolo di un allargamento del conflitto tra Russia e Ucraina. [Peace. These days I believe it’s the most important word. In Europe, we are very aware of the danger of the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine.]
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Al mattino bevo un caffè… come tutti gli italiani. [In the morning I drink coffee … like all Italians.]
What’s the last thing you do at night before you fall asleep?
Spengo la lampada che ho sul comodino. [I turn off the lamp I have on my bedside table.]
Do you consider putting together your visual poetry “writing” or do you use another word for it, like creating?
Io creo sia scrivendo che disegnando. [I create by both writing and by drawing.]
What time of day do you get most of your writing done?
Generalmente di pomeriggio. [Usually the afternoon.]
What is the Italian visual poetry scene like right now?
In questo momento il panorama italiano della poesia visiva è molto ricco e variegato; purtroppo però, pubblicare poesia visiva in Italia è molto difficile. [At this moment, the world of Italian visual poetry is very rich and varied; unfortunately, publishing visual poetry in Italy is very difficult.
What are you reading right now?
“Una donna” di Sibilla Aleramo.
Pen or pencil?
Penna e matita. [Pen and pencil.]
Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?
Si. Una fiaba per bambini. [Yes, a children’s story.]
Do you consider yourself to be a routine person?
Credo di si… però io sono soprattutto una persona che ama la solitudine. [Yes, I think so … above all, I am a person who loves solitude.]
Name one word in Italian that doesn’t have an effective English translation?
Donzelletta. [I literally have no idea. It seems to be a word for young girl. Impossible to translate.]
Name one book you think everyone should read.
“I Fiori del Male” di Charles Baudelaire.
What was the last thing that made you cry?
La pandemia di coronavirus. [The coronavirus pandemic.]
What was the last thing that made you cry from laughing?
“Amici miei “, un vecchio film italiano diretto da Mario Monicelli. [“My Friends,” an old film directed by Mario Monicelli.]
Have you ever been to Canada?
No… mai. In Canada ci sono stata solo con la fantasia. [No … never. I’ve only been to Canada in my fantasy.]
What’s the best thing about putting together these lovely poems?
Osservarli lentamente e con grande attenzione, penso. [Observing them slowly and with great attention, I think.]
What made you want to publish a chapbook as opposed to a larger manuscript?
Volevo creare qualcosa di assolutamente sintetico. [I wanted to create something that was absolutely synthetic.]
Are you working on a larger manuscript?
Si, ho incominciato da poco. [Yes, I’ve just started.]
What made you want to make this chapbook?
Recentemente, durante la pandemia, ho incominciato a pormi molte domande alle quali non sono riuscita a dare una risposta. E allora è nata la raccolta “Il Dubbio”. [Recently, during the pandemic, I started to ask myself many questions that I have not been able to answer. And so, the collection “Il Dubbio” was born.]
If you could describe this chapbook in three words, what would they be?
Fantasia, sintesi, originalità. [Fantasy, synthesis, originality.]