Established in 2018, TBR [to be read] is a semi-regular,
invitation-only interview series with authors of newly released/forthcoming,
interesting books.
Echoes Carry is a
collection throughout which familial and ancestral echoes weave through each
poem in subtle and stark ways. It raises the question of how much we are
influenced by our families and friends, including ancestors or distant
relatives we’ve never met face-to-face. Tangentially, it seeks to understand
the connections humans have with one another.
What boundaries did you break
in the writing of this book? Where does that sort of courage come from?
I wouldn’t say I’ve broken any
boundaries per se, but I wanted to create a collection that could speak to
readers, not just academic readers. I wanted my audience to see the
possibilities in their own lives and the connections they may have to family,
friends, ancestors, without really knowing that their influence has been
present since the beginning. It’s something I’ve thought a lot about. The human
condition and where we get the impulse to choose one action or feeling over
another and how much of that can be nature and how much can be nurtured. Even
things that seem unique to us, like writing poems, can be something that our
ancestors did before us, and we may never know. The possibilities are endless.
Tell us a bit about the highs
and lows of your book’s road to publication.
The high is seeing a print copy
in a box that you open at your house with your child videotaping the unboxing.
Yes, I did this social media craze. Why? Because I want to share that joy, if
not with the internet world, at least with my child. Definitely a fun moment:
videotaping goofy mom. The lows are the length of time between when you’ve
finally got the manuscript where you want it and you send it out over and over
and over ad nauseum to places that reject it. You have to put your energy into
another creative project or that process will depress you.
What’s your favorite piece of
writing advice?
I think Billy Collins once said,
“Write the poem only you can write.” That’s probably the best advice you can
have with regard to poetry. But I’ve also taken Stephen King’s advice to heart
about manuscripts. In On Writing, he mentioned that manuscripts should
have a period of rest in a drawer. I believe he says six weeks, but sometimes,
my poetry manuscripts have needed far longer than six weeks.
My favorite writing advice is
“write until something surprises you.” What surprised you in the writing of
this book?
It wasn’t the writing that
surprised me or the collection of poems or the ordering of poems. What
surprised me was the fun I had creating a book cover on Canva. Yes, I had help
with the design, but the vision is all mine. I loved that creative part of the
process. It was unexpected. Thinking about all the possibilities suggested by
others and by the publisher, but knowing what I wanted to see and then being
able to create it was the biggest surprise.
How did you find the title of
your book?
The title of the book is a
modification of a line in one of the poems. I’ll leave that mystery for readers
to uncover.
Inquiring foodies and hungry
book clubs want to know: Any food/s associated with your book? (Any recipes I
might share?)
Food is everywhere in this book,
and you might find part of a recipe in the collection.
*****
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
THIS AUTHOR: https://savvyverseandwit.com/
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
THIS PUBLISHER:
Here's the publisher's website: https://www.beltwayeditions.com/new-releases/echoes-carry
ORDER THIS BOOK FOR YOUR OWN
TBR STACK: https://amzn.to/4kBoBsM or https://bookshop.org/p/books/echoes-carry-serena-agusto-cox/e70f1a6b6a9abb6f?ean=9781957372204&next=t
READ THIS AUTHOR’S SUBSTACK: https://savvyverseandwit.substack.com/
