12 or 20 (second series) questions with Ross McMeekin

Ross McMeekin is author of the upcoming novel, Pepperleaf, out in 2026 from Thirty West Publishing House, as well as a story collection, Below the Falls (Thirty West, 2024), and a novel, The Hummingbirds (Skyhorse, 2018). His short fiction has appeared in publications such as Virginia Quarterly Review, X-R-A-Y, Vol.1 Brooklyn, and Shenandoah. More can be found at www.rossmcmeekin.com.

1 - How did your first book change your life? How does your most recent work compare to your previous? How does it feel different?

My first book, a neo-noir novel called The Hummingbirds, changed my life in that it helped me to see and accept myself as a writer, more so than I had before. It was also gratifying to get the chance to hear people respond to the project I’d been working on for so long in relative solitude.

That first novel, though told from multiple perspectives, had the same overriding tone and style throughout it, where my story collection, Below the Falls, is more of a crowd of different voices, and the styles vary. Another difference is that the stories were written over a much longer period of time than the novel. For me, stories conjure up memories from the time and place I wrote them, so the story collection brings forth a lot of different times and places, where the novel is less disparate in the memories it brings up.

2 - How did you come to fiction first, as opposed to, say, poetry or non-fiction?

In a high school English class, I was introduced to stories from James Baldwin and Franz Kafka, among others. Through those two writers in particular, the teacher opened my eyes to how complex, nuanced, and powerful fiction could be, and that’s when I started to read a lot of literary fiction—and why I was drawn to write it, too.

3 - How long does it take to start any particular writing project? Does your writing initially come quickly, or is it a slow process? Do first drafts appear looking close to their final shape, or does your work come out of copious notes?

My process is one of fits and spurts. I write every day and have now for years, but for me that’s no guarantee I’ll be inspired. I’ve come to see the daily ritual as part of the process, even the times where it’s dry. Sometimes it’s more important to spend time pacing and thinking about a piece before tapping the keys. At some point, the ideas come, and I write them out.

I think because I move slowly through the first draft, it tends to resemble a final draft more than some other writers I’ve known, who fly through their first drafts knowing they might throw it all away and not just revise but rewrite the project altogether.

4 - Where does a work of prose usually begin for you? Are you an author of short pieces that end up combining into a larger project, or are you working on a "book" from the very beginning?

I’ve found that a work of prose begins with an image in my mind of a place. That sparks the wider story. Another way of saying that is place comes first, setting. From there the characters emerge and the scene is set into motion.

I have a novel, Pepperleaf, coming out with Thirty West Publishing House in Spring of 2026, and that book started as a short story and then the seeds of it spread out like roots into the ground. I’m becoming better at getting a sense of how long a story will be early on, but it’s still kind of mysterious. Once I start writing, and the inspiration comes, there’s no knowing what it might turn into. That’s part of the fun of it, I think.

5 - Are public readings part of or counter to your creative process? Are you the sort of writer who enjoys doing readings?

I’m a pretty quiet, solitary person by nature, so public readings can feel overwhelming, especially the time leading up to them. But once I’m there, I tend to relax a bit enjoy them. I think reading one’s work in front of others can be a help in the revision process, because there’s a live audience and you get a sense of what they respond to and what they don’t, in real time. But for me, I have a few trusted readers whose feedback is most important, and that’s usually the crowd I rely on.

6 - Do you have any theoretical concerns behind your writing? What kinds of questions are you trying to answer with your work? What do you even think the current questions are?

I tend to be interested in character psychology, more specifically how human beings contradict themselves. If examined, our contradictions can tell us a lot about ourselves, and our world. In that way, I’m also interested in honesty, and how it reveals complexity. The more honest I can be in writing, the better. I don’t start with questions I’m trying to answer, and often I can finish a draft or two of a piece before understanding what questions the story is grappling with.

7 – What do you see the current role of the writer being in larger culture? Do they even have one? What do you think the role of the writer should be?

I can only speak as a fiction writer, but I think our role can—maybe should—be honesty. Through fiction, writers have a chance to illuminate the nature of humanity and what isn’t being said, or realities that people are afraid to say for various reasons. The cloak of fiction allows writers to illuminate aspects of humanity and culture that might otherwise remain unsaid. 

8 - Do you find the process of working with an outside editor difficult or essential (or both)?

I think having an outside editor has been helpful to me over the years. It requires me to re-examine my work and make changes when appropriate. Though I tend to be very perfectionistic, I’m also deeply aware that there will be parts I’ve missed or haven’t thought through. Editors force me to look at my work more dispassionately, which in the later stages can spur me toward a fuller realization of what I’d expressed in a less effective way. So you could say it leads me toward greater specificity in my work. 

9 - What is the best piece of advice you've heard (not necessarily given to you directly)?

Show up to write every day. I’ve heard it from a lot of places, and while it’s not true for everyone, it’s true for me. It helps me see the process as one of seasons. Through experiencing the ebb and flow of it, I’ve been able to be less anxious when I’m less “productive”—in terms of actual word count, page count, etc.—and feel more enjoyment when I’m writing profusely. I’m at a point in life where my schedule varies a lot each day, so having a solid writing time that won’t change has helped me be more creative and have a more enjoyable time through all aspects of the process. 

10 - How easy has it been for you to move between genres (short stories to the novel)? What do you see as the appeal?

I’m always writing short stories, even when I’m focusing on a novel. Stories are the primary tenants of my apartment building. I think rather than distracting from larger projects, they come alongside them and, in some cases, help move them forward. Both short stories and novels have a lot to teach each other, and often intersect. For me, for whatever reason, going back and forth between them feels natural.

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 wake up around one in the morning, work until four-thirty when my wife gets up, then rush through the day of responsibilities from there. I wake up without an alarm. It’s not rushed. My most creative times are in the late night/early morning.

12 - When your writing gets stalled, where do you turn or return for (for lack of a better word) inspiration?

A professor from grad school told me he reads poetry before he sits down to write fiction. I don’t always do that, but when I’m feeling stuck, I do, and it helps. I also have found that researching helps get me inspired. But most often I pace around, and that seems to help, too. 

13 - What fragrance reminds you of home?

Evergreens, wet soil, rotting branches and leaves. I’m fortunate to live in a place where I’m surrounded by trees, which I love, save the cloud of pollen hovering over us every spring. Small cost, though. I wish I smelled it more often, the smell of home…it’s funny how a person gets used to a smell and ceases to smell it, then leaves and comes back a few days later to discover that smell again. 

14 - David W. McFadden once said that books come from books, but are there any other forms that influence your work, whether nature, music, science or visual art?

Music influences my writing, for sure. Language is music. I studied jazz as an undergrad, and I know its rhythms are a part of my writing, as are many other forms of music. A sentence is a melody and often also a harmony.

15 - What other writers or writings are important for your work, or simply your life outside of your work?

So many! Flannery O’Connor, Tom Drury, Pinckney Benedict, Elizabeth Strout, Charles Portis, Graham Greene…these are just a few on my all-time list of writers who’ve inspired me.

16 - What would you like to do that you haven't yet done?

What I’ve been doing over the last couple of months: writing a True Grit-esque novel taking place in the late 1800s in the Pacific Northwest. I’m drawn to that period because it was a time of great societal change, and I’m drawn to the place because I’m surrounded by the land and its history.

17 - If you could pick any other occupation to attempt, what would it be? Or, alternately, what do you think you would have ended up doing had you not been a writer?

I’d love to teach fiction writing again someday. I’ve always harbored the fantasy of being a fly-fishing guide, though I don’t think I’m anywhere near talented enough to do it. Overall, I would say someplace where I could help people learn and get joy from an artistic pursuit (which fly-fishing can be, too).

18 - What made you write, as opposed to doing something else?

I think because it’s what I enjoy most. I love to write…even the difficult parts, in the end, I enjoy. Before my grandmother passed, she told my father that she thought there was going to be a writer in the family. That stuck with me, and I’ve become that, and I feel a satisfaction that I’m doing good by her. But in the end, I do it because it’s what I love.

To go a bit further, I think there is something to the way that I experience the world that lends itself towards creative expression. Writing is a way of thinking, and something like a story or novel is the expression of a long, intense period of thought, strung out (usually) over weeks or months or years. I read that once the poet Robert Lowell was described as, “thinking in metaphor.” I think that’s true of a lot of fiction writers, too, but maybe more so that we think in story.

19 - What was the last great book you read? What was the last great film?

The last great book I read was Suttree by Cormac McCarthy, which I’d read years ago and then returned to. I remembered it as a dark, serious book—which it is—but was surprised by how funny parts of it are. I think the comedic elements of his writing are sometimes overlooked. The last great film I watched was another revisit: the original Rocky. The character development and rising action are superb, and the quieter parts of the film can be gentle and sad in a very satisfying way. And no one does a montage scene like Sylvester Stallone.

20 - What are you currently working on?

I’m drafting that PNW period novel I mentioned, and I also have a short story without an ending, or at least a satisfying one. I’m also beginning to think through minor changes to Pepperleaf in anticipation of the editing process before publication.

12 or 20 (second series) questions;

12 or 20 (second series) questions with Shome Dasgupta

Shome Dasgupta is the author of The Seagull And The Urn (HarperCollins India), and most recently, the novels The Muu-Antiques (Malarkey Books) and Tentacles Numbing (Thirty West), a prose collection Histories Of Memories (Belle Point Press), a short story collection Atchafalaya Darling (Belle Point Press), and a poetry collection Iron Oxide (Assure Press). His first book i am here And You Are Gone won the 2010 OW Press Fiction Contest. His writing has appeared in McSweeney's Internet Tendency, New Orleans Review, Jabberwock Review, American Book Review, Arkansas Review, Magma Poetry, and elsewhere. He lives in Lafayette, LA and can be found at www.shomedome.com and @laughingyeti.

1 - How did your first book change your life? How does your most recent work compare to your previous? How does it feel different?

I still very vividly remember receiving the email about my first book winning a contest. I had a very basic flip phone at the time, but it was able to receive notifications. I saw it as I was driving home, and I pulled into the parking lot of the movie theater, and read the email in disbelief. I read it over and over and over again, and then the tears came. I don’t know how it changed my life—I can’t explain it, but if anything, I know it certainly gave me the encouragement to keep going. Atchafalaya Darling was really fun to write—there weren’t any obstacles or challenges as I drafted each story. It was the most relaxed and at ease I had felt as I put together this collection. There are some darker toned stories in this collection, but even then, I didn’t feel burdened by them, but rather my burdens were being released as I journeyed through these pieces.

2 - How did you come to poetry first, as opposed to, say, fiction or non-fiction?

Poetry was definitely my first form entering the world of writing, and I think this was mainly because of the music I was listening to, which was heavily lyrically oriented, and I just wanted to create those same sensations with my own words.

3 - How long does it take to start any particular writing project? Does your writing initially come quickly, or is it a slow process? Do first drafts appear looking close to their final shape, or does your work come out of copious notes?

Starting a project—I don’t think it takes too long because I have a general idea of what I’d like to do with language or the characters or the plot, but only a general idea that floats around in my head. Initially, it arrives quickly, but every new project has a new experience and process—some being quicker than others. I’d like to think that the first draft of Atchafalaya Darling was one of my quickest, but after that—the rewrites and revisions definitely require more time and attention. While there are several versions of each story, I don’t think there is anything all too majorly different; however, one simple sentence, especially at the end of a story can remarkably change the whole tone.

4 - Where does a poem or work of prose usually begin for you? Are you an author of short pieces that end up combining into a larger project, or are you working on a "book" from the very beginning?

It usually begins with a line—most likely an opening line that just kind of pops into my head, or an image, and with either, I explore or consider how to create a sound and rhythm out of it—this is for both poetry or prose, and then from there, I’ll see if I can continue with it and find out what happens. I've used both processes with different books, but I don't know if it starts off as intentional.

5 - Are public readings part of or counter to your creative process? Are you the sort of writer who enjoys doing readings?

I dread give a public reading (or even recordings of any sort). The anxiety that comes with it is overwhelming. I think the actual reading part is fine, mainly because it is all a blur, but the thought of giving a reading or waiting to give one—the days leading up to it and on the actual day itself really gets to me. Conversely, I love to attend readings—whether small or large venues, I find them to be magical as a spectator.

6 - Do you have any theoretical concerns behind your writing? What kinds of questions are you trying to answer with your work? What do you even think the current questions are?

I don’t think I’m keeping in mind any kind of theoretical practicalities in my writing—at least not intentionally. Perhaps, it can be analyzed in such a way, but I’m not focusing on it. I don’t know—I think I write on the surface level, and maybe there’s a deeper meaning that can be found, hopefully, an engaging connection to which readers can relate. I’m not sure if I’m trying to answer any questions—or maybe once I finish a particular piece or poem or manuscript, questions arise, which might lead to go back and see if there’s some kind of answer, but for the most part, I just kind of write and then write and then write some more.

7 – What do you see the current role of the writer being in larger culture? Do they even have one? What do you think the role of the writer should be?

I think this varies from writer to writer—each having their own intentions. I don’t know what the role of a writer should be—I know that for me, it’s trying to connect to the world in hopes that readers might be able to find the same kind of relationship. I love the elements that surround writing—such as language and imagery, and I try to keep it as simple as that. Perhaps, the role is given from the reader rather than the writer. I do know that there are writers who have impacted society in meaningful and powerful ways, and I admire them so much in their courage to share their voice to provide a magnifying glass, hovering it over our lives, past, present, and future. So much change and progress, I think, has been created by literature, much like any other form of art and creativity, and it’s quite clear how reading and writing and writing and reading are so important these days, regardless of a potential role of a writer.

8 - Do you find the process of working with an outside editor difficult or essential (or both)?

I have been very, very fortunate and lucky to have nothing but amazing experiences with previous editors—whether it’s for a journal or a publisher, there’s so much insight to learn from what they can offer for their writers. I find it engaging and the various perspectives provided, I always take into consideration. I think that anything I’ve written which has gone through the expertise of an editor is stronger because of it.

9 - What is the best piece of advice you've heard (not necessarily given to you directly)?

About writing? Or life in general? I guess for either one or both—be happy with what you’re doing. I say this coming from a privileged way of living, though there was a large part of my life, even though I had all the necessities for a life, when I was nowhere near feeling any kind of joy, whether it was related to writing or pretty much anything else. I think self-care has much to do with it, and finding a way to love yourself and others and sharing your experiences and emphasizing and sympathizing with others and encouraging each other to keep going. These are bits and pieces of advice, whether directly or indirectly over the recent years, and I always keep that in mind day to day.

10 - How easy has it been for you to move between genres (poetry to fiction to creative nonfiction)? What do you see as the appeal?

I feel like it’s generally a smooth transition because it only happens when an idea pops up, whether it’s for a poem or fiction or nonfiction—I think the trickiest part is writing in one form, and an idea for another form comes to mind, and trying to make the decision of diving right into the new idea or stay with the original one, mainly because of impatience on my part, but I’m also worried about losing momentum if I were to move from one piece to another without having completed the current work-in-progress. If I’ve finished one form, though, it seems to be a nice switch if there’s something else I’d like to write in another form.

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?

Oh the writing routine definitely changes—I guess it changes with whatever works best with what’s going on at the time. Some days, I like to write in the mornings or afternoon, other times—at night, or ideally, at all times of the day. It all just kind of depends on what’s going on in my life. In the summer though, as I have the time do so, I try to write every day—it doesn’t matter what time of day, but at some point, every day, though I don’t think it’s necessary.

12 - When your writing gets stalled, where do you turn or return for (for lack of a better word) inspiration?

I don’t think I turn to anything for inspiration, at least not intentionally, but rather, I just wait it out or just force myself to put words down even though they aren’t the words I want, and hopefully, I’ll find a way out of it.

13 - What fragrance reminds you of home?

Oh gosh—any kind of Indian cooking.

14 - David W. McFadden once said that books come from books, but are there any other forms that influence your work, whether nature, music, science or visual art?

Oh definitely—all those mentioned: music, art, science, nature, movies, TV, sports—I try to soak it all in from anywhere I can.

15 - What other writers or writings are important for your work, or simply your life outside of your work?

All of it, to be honest. I try to read as much as possible—whether it’s books, journals, social media, brochures, manuals, anything and everything that can be read. There are a million writers, too—but I guess I don’t want to only mention a few of them because I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out.

16 - What would you like to do that you haven't yet done?

I would love to ride a horse, or at least be friends with one.

17 - If you could pick any other occupation to attempt, what would it be? Or, alternately, what do you think you would have ended up doing had you not been a writer?

Writing is always a side gig for me—meaning, it’s not my way of living so I think no matter what I would be doing as a profession, I’d still be writing. Any occupation to attempt? Perhaps being a farmer or a mechanic, or maybe a computer programmer even though I have no clue how to perform in any these realms.

18 - What made you write, as opposed to doing something else?

I think because I was always surrounded by it—I was very lucky to have access to books, and everyone I knew, especially in my family, were always reading.

19 - What was the last great book you read? What was the last great film?

I recently read Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s American Daughters, and I was mesmerized by it, and I’ve still been thinking a lot about Katy Simpson Smith’s The Weeds. It was on TV the other day, and I really enjoyed Unstoppable.

20 - What are you currently working on?

I’m working on some shorter pieces, whether it’s fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction, but it looks like I’m focusing a bit more on poetry right now, while somewhere in the back of mind, and I’m letting some possible ideas for a novel simmer.

12 or 20 (second series) questions;

12 or 20 (small press) questions with Josh Dale on Thirty West Publishing House

Thirty West Publishing House was founded as a passion project when our editor-in-chief was an undergraduate at Temple University. Since 2015, the hand-made aspect of the chapbook has been paramount, augmenting the reading experience with common and unique materials. Every book project comes with new responsibilities and new expectations; they grow legs of their own and can go anywhere. Our award-winning authors become family from Day One and go on to expand the contemporary literary canon. From the moment you read this, Thirty West is growing alongside you and values the community at large with more than just publishing. Peruse our catalog and past events to see all that we’ve accomplish and all that is to come. We will save a seat for you. See a recent interview over at Entropy here.

1 – When did Thirty West Publishing House first start? How have your original goals as a publisher shifted since you started, if at all? And what have you learned through the process?

Thirty West was founded late in 2015 as a class project. My professor, Brian Teare, had us research some New York and Philly-based small presses and we were tasked in designing our own logo, mission statement, and develop the first publication (in my case, it was a single short story printed in a chapbook). The rest is history.

While I’m looking to establish a chapbook and full-length division, I will always take initiative into binding books. Virtually every chapbook has passed through my hands and the hands of many volunteers over the years.

I’ve held close to the DIY aspect of binding books, with anything from a full-length, perfect-bound book, to a single broadside. I’ve learned many things since that first book was created, but the main thing is that I’ve seen how many other independent presses there are and the even larger number of authors that take the indie route.

2 – What first brought you to publishing?

Essentially that course I mentioned was a gateway. Things really have evolved since then, regarding how the books look, the work we publish, and how we market our wares/ourselves, but I find it both a noble and needed pursuit in publishing. While the gatekeepers of the Big 5 and their imprints keep rolling through a digital age, there is still a large market for books and those that are not able to publish through those avenues. That is, primarily, why I am here.

3 – What do you consider the role and responsibilities, if any, of small publishing?

I can see small press as a voice for the underrepresented and also unrepresented. It’s not like we are reinventing the wheel. People have been publishing for centuries in varying capacities. While our eyes get pulled to the books with the limitless marketing budget, it is the foundation that matters. The books that get traded amongst authors, similarly how some athletes trade jerseys after games. The book that are sold at open-air festivals and flea markets. One may not think they matter, but they do, for they exist.

4 – What do you see your press doing that no one else is?

Our limited-edition chapbooks seem to have the most unique edge our press can offer. We’ve done many things to the texts. From burning pages, making a vellum dust jacket, rubbing charcoal on the pages, spattering fake blood, and even building a cherrywood box from scratch. It takes an immense amount of labor, but, for the most part, our authors are blown away at the sentiment and craftsmanship.

5 – What do you see as the most effective way to get new books out into the world?

Social media is the easiest, low-cost option. However, these platforms constantly tweak and tinker with algorithms and layouts to make things worse for those selling wares. Using a combination of word-of-mouth and social media is the way to obtain validated promotion. Because if someone is willing to spend their money and talk about it, others are more compelled.

6 – How involved an editor are you? Do you dig deep into line edits, or do you prefer more of a light touch?

Me personally? I like to deal more with concepts, themes, and character development (so more with prose, but I’ve edited poetry as well). Our editorial team is a mixture of students, teachers, and readers, so we all bring our own platter to the table. Most poetry chapbooks, we comb through mostly with grammar and metaphor, but won’t rewrite pieces unless requested.

7 – How do your books get distributed? What are your usual print runs?

We do a lot of in-house processes, including distribution. We’ve done some workings with Amazon (regretfully) and most recently IngramSpark for longer titles. Some nice bookstores also run consignment and even buy some of our books, so that is a plus! Our print runs can range from 50-100 and easily print as needed if demands spike. Sometimes you never know what may happen when a book takes off.

8 – How many other people are involved with editing or production? Do you work with other editors, and if so, how effective do you find it? What are the benefits, drawbacks?

Keeping up with the in-house mantra, our editors are essentially commissioned staff. They would also be considered my first employees if we end up making that next step up to incorporation. We are friends first, coworkers second and focus greatly on communicating via email, text, and phone. I’ve never liked having more moving parts then necessary, so we take pride on our camaraderie. Every so often, we open our workshop (apartment) to those looking to help bind for the day. All of the volunteers enjoyed the experience and some free food & drink for their time. If our team has fun doing it, we should show others how exciting it is, too.

9 – How has being an editor/publisher changed the way you think about your own writing?

Now this is a question…I’m not sure sometimes. Publishing takes a lot of time out of my already loaded workday (and night class), so there’s one argument about taking the dedicated time to write. But, on a positive side, reading all of the stellar manuscripts we get brings some hope into my own work. I’m paraphrasing here but our creative works are the sum of all things we experience/read. Some fiction writers really move me to try and just pick up my pen and see what happens. It also gives my writing time a stronger priority. When I do it, I do it with intent, keeping distractions to a minimum. Nothing a blank desk and noise-cancelling headphones can’t fix.

10 – How do you approach the idea of publishing your own writing? Some, such as Gary Geddes when he still ran Cormorant, refused such, yet various Coach House Press’ editors had titles during their tenures as editors for the press, including Victor Coleman and bpNichol. What do you think of the arguments for or against, or do you see the whole question as irrelevant?

That was my method at the beginning. Not only was I obligated to provide content for Thirty West, but I also was interested in self-publishing. For once, it felt accomplishing enough to say, ‘I made this and I am proud’ but it’s been since 2016, so I haven’t considered it anymore. Like authors who submit to us, I, too, submit my work to other venues. The press is for the people now.

I think it’s an option for founders of small press to do such a practice at first, unless you have enough contacts and influence to sign someone else.

11 – How do you see Thirty West Publishing House evolving?

The next thing I wish to do is publish longer works of poetry and prose. We have a handful of titles, but I want a whole lot more. I wish for TW books to be in more bookstores, utilized fully in SPD, and to be viable, tangible goods for avid readers. While chapbooks will still be going on, it will be a slice of the pie and not the whole thing. There have been brainstorming talks about significantly upgrading our infrastructure, business model, and even considering some sort of storefront business. My motive is once I’ve completed my Master’s, I will be able to spend more time with the operations of the press and start plotting out such ambitious goals.

12 – What, as a publisher, are you most proud of accomplishing? What do you think people have overlooked about your publications? What is your biggest frustration?

The inherent joy of turning a novelty into a brand identity that gets international hits is something to be proud of. It’s a nice conversation starter and a way to make friends with other publishers and writers.

Ultimately, I hope more people that don’t identify as writers/academics/publishers take some more chances with small press books. The quality can be there, just not the outreach capabilities. In that regard, I want chapbooks, and even the short story, to obtain more prominence. You don’t necessarily need a novel or a poetry collection to ‘make it’, at least not today.

13 – Who were your early publishing models when starting out?

In that class I mentioned earlier, I was assigned to research Fact-Simile Editions, a press that specializes in eclectic paper products and limited-edition chapbooks. Their rationale behind that gave a basis for TW in the hand-made aspect, yet I’m still bewildered by some of their designs and can only dream of doing such projects. There are a myriad of others that I could mention but I think I can do some name dropping in a future question.

14 – How does Thirty West Publishing House work to engage with your immediate literary community, and community at large? What journals or presses do you see Thirty West Publishing House in dialogue with? How important do you see those dialogues, those conversations?

I’ve published a good number of Philadelphia-area writers and continue to do a couple per year. That alone fuels a local writer economy, with book release parties, stocking books, and overall awareness of the scene at the time. For a couple of years, I used to host Thirty West Presents every month, which brought in a huge number of people. Even some travelled out to come to them. I host them when I can now, but it’s essentially on hiatus while I focus on other things in my life.

I’ve made some close connections with presses. For starters, I’m tabling with Hoot Review & MMPP at AWP this year, so that alone pays its weight in gold. I’ve done tables with Rhythm & Bones Press & Writely Me. I’ve seen the efforts of other Philly-based presses like Empty Set, Lanternfish Books, Moonstone, Toho, and so-so many more. Then, there’s plenty of others in many states that I could itemize at this point. Overall, it’s good to communicate on trends, philosophy, the “grind” of bookselling, and so-on. It’s a way to build community and also be supportive of mutual endeavors.

15 – Do you hold regular or occasional readings or launches? How important do you see public readings and other events?

I do my best to treat launches like an ‘auxiliary birthday party’. It’s a very personal moment, seeing one’s creation being brought into the world. It’s an extension of their self, so we should celebrate it! Readings, too, can be special. It humbles me to see someone give an anecdote about it being ‘their first reading’ and subsequently overcoming the anxiety of doing it.

Any variant of the reading should be accompanying any literary community. I’m fortunate enough to have one downtown that captures nearly everyone, but not everyone has such a privilege. If you see there isn’t one, I implore you to try starting your own. Libraries are inherently perfect, but also coffee shops and some bars that want to spruce up a random Tuesday night. It’s possible and out there, just need to tap into the resources at hand.

16 – How do you utilize the internet, if at all, to further your goals?

Using ‘The Big 3’ of social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) helps out significantly. Mostly, the goal is to throttle traffic to the website and each platform is a different challenge in itself. We rely heavily on online sales, so the easiest route of getting people to our site, the better it is for us.

17 – Do you take submissions? If so, what aren’t you looking for?

Right now, we have plenty of open calls. Our chapbook contest, which is now on its fourth year, looks for poetry and prose that fits our guidelines for a chapbook. We also have both our online journal, The Weekly Degree, and our imprint/print journal, Tilde~ open for submissions at the same time. Both are pretty fluid in both genres accepted and how many individual pieces per, so make sure to take a look there.

thirtywest.submittable.com

18 – Tell me about three of your most recent titles, and why they’re special.

We’ve had quite an interesting end of 2019/start of 2020. It all ended by last year’s chapbook contest winner, Ting Gou, and her stellar chapbook, The Centrifuge Brain Project, which is reticent of the mini-documentary of the same name, but with themes such as marriage and cyclical existence peppered in. It was quite a decision, and we were amazed by the cover.

The last chapbook of the year, Not Great/Thanks for Asking, was by Cody Roggio, a local author that I first met, funny enough, at a soft-release of another author last summer (sounds like a confusing timeline, but it’s not!) His work is delicate, humorous, and, at times, fantastical. He’s big on magical realism, so that really shines in his debut.

Lastly, the start of 2020 features the return of a previous author, Jules Archer. We were blessed to come across her unsolicited chapbook, All the Ghosts We’ve Always Had, sometime in 2017, and have since fostered a great working relationship. So much so, that we asked for more! Little Feasts, which at the time of writing this will be out officially in a week, is flash and traditional short stories collection about femininity, weird men, and an ancestral iron skillet, among other eccentric things. We are so glad to have here first two titles through our press and hope you enjoy her work, too!

12 or 20 (small press) questions;