12 or 20 (second series) questions with Micah Ling

Micah Ling earned her MFA in poetry at Indiana University. She has three collections of poetry, published by Sunnyoutside Press (Buffalo, NY): Three Islands, Sweetgrass, and Settlement. In 2011, she won the Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Emerging Author Award.

"I was born a Buckeye, but now I'm a poet. As a kid, I moved around a lot, so I don't feel connected to a home, but I like living in the mountains more than in the city. When I was 10 years old, I started running with my father. For a long, long time, I ran every day. Now I run and bike and swim and row and box, just to keep things interesting. Maps impress me. I like to see people helping other people, and dogs in cute outfits. My twin brother inspires me. Large bodies of water and great expanses of trees make me feel calm."

5- Are public readings part of or counter to your creative process? Are you the sort of writer who enjoys doing readings?
I love giving readings. I think poetry especially comes alive when read aloud. I have a reading persona—kind of the most sarcastic version of myself—I can really get into the performance of it all. But, I’m also a firm believer in short performances.

11 - What kind of writing routine do you tend to keep, or do you even have one? How does a typical day (for you) begin?
I don’t have a writing routine, per se. I get ideas for poems and essays from all kinds of different places. Mainly things I read. I’ll read a book or an article about something and get obsessed. I love research.

I begin each day by running or cycling. Something is very wrong if I’m not running or biking at sunrise. That all enters into my writing too, of course. The other day I did a long ride and collected all kinds of details that will end up somewhere in my writing.

13 - What fragrance reminds you of home?
Sage.

16 - What would you like to do that you haven't yet done?
I always have a list of short-term and long-term goals going. Right now on my short-term goals is, “ride a century” (100 miles). And on my long-term goals, “Climb Long’s Peak.” Generally, my life is motivated by trying new things. I just moved to Colorado, so I've got a lot to do.

19 - What was the last great book you read? What was the last great film?
I just finished We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler and Patient H.M. by Luke Dittrich. Both were incredible. Both were about brains, in different ways. I'm really interested in neuroscience.

I liked Creed; I’m a sucker for Rocky.

12 or 20 (second series) questions;