Linda Marie Hilton, Honorable
Mention Award Winner in the Mythopoeia Chapter for
WHAT WAS WOVEN WILL
BE EVER WORN UNIVERSALLY
under the pen name Annelise
Preble
Biography
A native New Englander, Linda Marie Hilton moved to NYC in her early twenties, dreaming of becoming an orchestral musician. Starving, she worked as an accounting clerk, studied accounting, eventually working in public accounting. Displaced by computerization and starving, she became a poet.
BAM: Linda also has a story under her real name in
the anthology’s Poetic Prose Chapter called SHE TAUGHT NAÏVE NOAH THE ERRORS OF
HIS WAYS. Linda, you sent a photo of a rose with your interview responses. Why
don’t you tell me about it?
Linda: The photo is of the last rose of the season,
taken the third week in October. I planted this rose bush, a peace rose, in
2015. A few days after this photo was taken, I lost my apartment. I am greatly
saddened at the loss of the garden I worked so hard on. It was very healing for
me to nurture a garden.
BAM: It’s never easy to leave somewhere when you call
it home. I’ve lived in the same house in Itami, Japan for four years. It’s
actually the longest I’ve ever had a home. In a few years, my fiancée and I
will move to America. So, I understand your feelings. Where are you located now?
Linda: Idaho.
BAM: Oh. Heard it's peaceful there. Okay, let’s start with some icebreaker questions so that
readers can get to know you. What’s your favorite color?
Linda: My favorite color is blue.
BAM: Blue? They say imaginative and creative people like blue. However, I’ve had some teachers who’ve said a color is a color
and nothing else. Sometimes, you can tell more about someone by what sweets
they enjoy. Tell me about those.
Linda: My favorite sweet is anything chocolate.
BAM: Yummy. Are there any places you favor?
Linda: My favorite places are hiking in a hill forest
and in Acadia National Park: Sand Cove.
BAM: Oh? I’ve hiked throughout Japan. If you ever get a chance to come
here, as a hiker, you should definitely check out any famous trails you happen
to be nearby. There are tons of them. Okay, let’s talk about music. What’s inspired
your writing? Any favorites come to mind?
Linda: My favorite popular group is The Moody Blues.
Favorite classical composer is a tie: Haydn and Mozart.
BAM: Mozart had a sad background, as did other
artists in his situation. He’s a classic case of helicopter parenting. On
tortured souls, are there any artists you like?
Linda: My favorite artist is Vincent van Gogh.
BAM: The ear guy. You know, van Gogh was apparently
addicted to drinking absinthe. In his defense, it was a popular drink at that
time. What’s your addiction, coffee or tea, in between?
Linda: I do not function without caffeine. I drink
both coffee and various kinds of tea.
BAM: There’s nothing like Japanese Matcha. Highly recommend. All right. Let’s
talk about writing. Why do you do it?
Linda: I write because I am inspired to express something in words.
BAM: Makes sense. Do you play any music to inspire
your writing further?
Linda: When writing I may listen to music, but often I
am totally quiet, or sitting under a tree somewhere listening to birds sing.
BAM: Interesting you should say birds "sing." Some
cultures hear sounds from animals and insects as songs, and English is one of them. It’s why westerners
get annoyed by sounds they dislike, such as cicada cries. Other cultures in the
east hear creatures' sounds as languages, and many of them respect that animals and insects are communicating with each other. For example, a bird might make a certain hum sound to call a mate or find its parent, and humans hear it as a song. Food for thought. Let’s get more in depth about your
writing. Is there a theme that perhaps appears in your work where you elaborate
on something you want people in the world to stop doing?
Linda: Since I was in junior high school, I have
passionately wanted peace, true lasting peace on earth. Because, as the last
page in my second book of poetry, "Swans of the Boundary Waters" says: "Earth is our Sol Home". Sol
being the name of our sun.
BAM: I immediately thought sol was Spanish for the sun when you mentioned it. Fascinating sounding book. I’d love to read it.
As an experienced author, do you care to help other writers with strategies on
how you handle story rejection?
Linda: It takes a tough person to deal with having
one's creative output rejected. I sigh. If I feel angry, I go for a long walk. I
find a cheap novel and read it. I go about my life and the feelings pass, and then
I write some more.
BAM: It's great to take a break and jump back in. Plus, reading is a wonderful resource to deal with almost any issue in life. Solid advice. Tell me, what types of reading inspires your writing? What else inspires your creativity?
Linda: I read all kinds of stuff: magazines, poems a
day, poetry blogs, books I find used for a pittance. I walk. I bicycle. I hike
in beautiful places. I garden. I listen to music (mostly classical but, also, some
jazz and blues, folk music and bluegrass). I love to watch dance performances whether
it be Nutcracker or modern dance that is being choreographed as they dance. I seek
art that mimics or expands on the natural beauty of our planet. I focus on what
is and what may ensue.
BAM: Thank you for your time. Readers can find Linda’s work
on Amazon and other outlets. And of course, she’s also in 42 Stories Anthology
Presents Book of 42², where you can read her award-winning story.
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