For many, thoughts can seem overwhelming, weighing on the day-to-day. Shannon Frost Greenstein's essay, "Faith," explores this notion, and is now available to read in the print collective! Until then, I'm excited to chat about Shannon's pages penned in pandemic.
What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?
Philadelphia is purportedly the best city in the country in terms of mask-wearing. That being said, it is quite easy to venture outside and notice the lack of precaution, particularly in the trendy or older sections of the city. The restaurant industry has also been hit quite significantly. Philly is very much a foodie town, and restaurant closures have skyrocketed. Consequently, an entire subset of people who work in the restaurant industry to fund their artistic pursuits are now stranded, unable to move forward. There is a large homeless population in this city, individuals who probably fly under the radar of contact tracing and mortality rates, so I feel certain this is also disproportionately impacting those without a voice.
What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?
Hanya Yanagihara's The People in the Trees, Stephen King's If It Bleeds, Jon Krakauer's Missoula.
If you haven't been reading, what are some books you're most looking forward to reading?
Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone in the Dark and Haruki Murakami's After the Quake.
Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?
Lovecraft Country; I, Tonya; I'll Be Gone in the Dark HBO miniseries; The Mandalorian; Hamilton; Handmaid's Tale; Wrinkles the Clown. (Seriously, Google that last one; it's a Hulu documentary about a clown-for-hire who frightens children into behaving for a nominal fee. It is unexpectedly hilarious.
How has the pandemic affected your writing?
After being laid off in April due to Covid, I have had far more time to write creatively than ever before. It has actually been a pretty prolific time for me. Complicating things, however, was my husband's cancer diagnosis in May. The necessary treatment rendered him seriously immunocompromised, and the entire family was forced to strictly quarantine for months. Further complicating things, but much more exciting, is the progress my nonverbal son has been making since the onset of the pandemic. He is five years old and on the autism spectrum; he has had a sudden language explosion over the past few months. I feel we are morally obligated, then, to provide him with as many resources and as much speech therapy as possible. This logically cuts into my writing time, as does the mom-guilt when I am torn between writing or playing word games with my brilliant child.
Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?
I am currently editing my first full-length book. It is a memoir about my time in residential treatment for Anorexia; it portrays the illness and the effects of treatment in real time. I hope to have it serve as a layman's guide for how friends, family, and loved ones can support those in their lives with eating disorders.
If you haven't been able to write, are there any projects you're hoping to work on next?
I someday hope to flesh out a novel from the concept of lucid dreaming and its philosophical implications. It will explore the life of a chronically suicidal woman who gains the ability to dream lucidly. It will question quality of life, the value of lived experience, and how reality is perceived.
If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?
Discipline is the most important tool a writer has in their arsenal to achieve further growth; one's voice should never be compromised even if it is usually misunderstood; writing is a form of privilege, and is not possible without basic necessities, health, or peace; and the best is yet to come.
Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?
Fellow writers have been a lifeline and a source of inspiration during this time. I have been sharing and swapping work with a growing digital circle of writers. I am reading new authors whom I am also lucky to be getting to know. I am buying from local indie bookstores and shops; I am exploring local writers and genres I would have never before considered.
Is there anything that excites you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?
Accessibility, accessibility, accessibility. Smash the patriarchy. Black Lives Matter.
Is there anything that worries you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?
I feel, as always, that underrepresented voices will continue to fall by the wayside. As a disabled writer illness, I have found my work is often judged because of my mental illness and its prevalence in my work. While I do not pretend to know the struggles of the BIPOC or LGBTQIA communities, I do believe that everyone deserves to be heard; I do believe everyone is entitled to basic decency.
Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?
I am very much a pantser. The pandemic has not changed this tendency; the pandemic will not change this tendency. I doubt the apocalypse would change this tendency.
Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?
My favorite place to write is sitting on the living room floor next to my children, occasionally getting kicked in the kidneys or kneed in the face.
If you curated a playlist for writing life in the pandemic, what top 5 songs would be on your list?
1.) "This Year" by the Mountain Goats
2.) "Sinnerman" by Nina Simone
3.) "Midnight Radio" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch
4.) "Ode to Joy" by Beethoven
5.) "My Shot" from Hamilton
Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite poem you've written since the pandemic began?
My favorite poem is entitled, "The Fall of Aleppo," and is surprisingly uplifting, given the title. It is actually a statement of gratitude and joy for life, and I am attempting to place it as an audio poem for a multi-media publication.
While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?
Nothing is more exciting to me than my son beginning to talk when no one thought he would; therefore, I look forward to every day and each new word. Also, CHRISTMAS.
Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?
See comment about discipline above.
ABOUT Shannon Frost Greenstein
Shannon Frost Greenstein (she/her) resides in Philadelphia with her children, soulmate, and cats. She is the author of Pray for Us Sinners, a collection of fiction from Alien Buddha Press, and More, a poetry collection by Wild Pressed Books. Shannon is a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, a Contributing Editor for Barren Magazine, and a former Ph.D. candidate in Continental Philosophy. Her work has appeared, or is forthcoming, in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Pithead Chapel, X-R-A-Y Lit Mag, Cabinet of Heed, Rathalla Review, and elsewhere.
To learn more, follow Shannon and her writing journey at her website and on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Thanks for chatting, Shannon!
