What was the inspiration for the piece published in the issue?
This poem originated when I challenged myself to write multiple drafts about the same subject: eating an unholy amount of shrimp with my family in Gulf Shores at our favorite spot, the Shrimp Shack. I was doing research on shrimp, including their antennas, and learned about how they use them as feelers for sensing. In some way, our time at Shrimp Shack was always about getting a feel for each other, as well, and breaking down those barriers with food and drink.
Why did you feel like After Happy Hour would be a good home for this piece?
Everyone let their guard down during these dinners, drinking and eating heavily, and letting each other see a less rigid version of themselves. A vacation-version, if you will. We lingered. I thought it would be a good fit for After Happy Hour because it was the conversation after the shrimp that sticks with me, and how seeing my family in this setting taught me about who they were and what mattered to them, much like what happens with a group of friends who keep hanging out after happy hour.
What is your “white whale”?
My white whale for the last few years, ever since I graduated from the University of Montana’s MFA program, is to get my chapbook published, followed by my full-length. 2024 is the year I started submitting to manuscript contests and indie presses, which has been a big learning process for me. Every single time I send it off (usually with a submission fee I struggle to afford) it feels like such a shot in the dark. As I keep revising and submitting, it has become a daily practice of believing in myself, and that’s something I’ve learned to cherish. That wild wish inching into a reality.