Where and when were you born?
I was born in NYC in this century – a lady never tells
her age!
Could you tell us something about your background?
I was a high school dropout who studied and received a General
Equivalency Diploma, which at the time entitled me to a regular high school
diploma. Later, after a century of bad karma, an angel settled on my shoulder
and offered to assist me. Following her instructions I attended an ivy-league
university for free and received my BA in anthropology from Columbia. While
there I took a variety of writing courses since writing had always been my
first love. In addition I took painting and film studies. As a single mom who
needed to make a living and since I have a natural propensity to helping the
under-dog survive and flourish, I continued my studies and received my Masters
in Social Work at Columbia as well. My father was a pharmacist who was also a
violin player and he was forced to go to work to help support his family when
he was 11 years old. My mom was a book-keeper whose family abandoned her and
sat shiva (prayers for the dead) for her when she married my dad. Although
my dad was Jewish too, my mom was orthodox and since dad had been married
before, he was unacceptable. My Mom died alone and in pain, having become ill
with cancer directly following my birth. By sheer will she lived to my 17th birthday.
These events have helped inspire my poetry.
Were either of your parents or grandparents (or any other relatives) writers? If not, were any of your relatives actively interested in literature?
My dad wrote music and lyrics and my mother was an avid reader as am I. My sister, (the teacher) taught me to read when I was 4 years old. The things one does for love…
Are any of your siblings writers or involved in a
creative profession?
One sister had an IQ of superior standards and was considered genius. She also attended The High School for Art & Design. My brother was a dance instructor. My other sister taught English in high school.
What was the first poem (or who was the first poet) that turned you on to poetry?
Joyce Kilmer, Trees and Robert Frost.
What age were you when you first began writing poetry, and did you receive any encouragement
I received encouragement from everyone around me since they were all amazed that someone so young could write so well. One teacher told me she won a prize for my writing when I was in fourth grade. I even wrote the lyrics to the school play. I only had one teacher, who had had my genius sister some years earlier and apparently they hadn’t gotten along, and this teacher claimed my sister did my writing for me. I was so afraid of this teacher; I used to ask my sister to exchange the big words for little ones before handing in my work. It was horrid and absurd!
When you started writing poetry did you have dreams about becoming a "professional" poet? If so, did anyone advise you against this course of action?
My first dream was always to be a writer; I just feared I wouldn’t be able to make a living of it. My entire life I’ve always kept journals and written stories and poetry. Well of course, everyone told me I better do something I can make a living at.
Did you ever get a poem published in your school magazine? (If so, please tell us the title and the year of publication).
In elementary school I was published but it was so long
ago, who can remember? I’ve been published in Poetry
in Performance 34, City College of New York,
2006. This year they are
publishing another poem of mine.
When did you first start submitting to poetry magazines? And can you tell us how many rejections you received before having something accepted for publication?
It was strange, because I got published as soon as I made an effort and that was back in 1993. Of course I’ve also received rejections. My work is rather strong and people have strong reactions to it.
What was the worst rejection you ever received?
I first applied to City University for writing as a non-matriculating student and was refused by the chairperson who - when I spoke to him - would only say he had his doubts. I merely wanted to wet my feet and take a class; I wasn’t even considering matriculation at that point. I then spoke to the head of the department who was rather kind and advised me to send several types of writing, not just poetry. I then sent an academic paper, a short story, part of a play and a lot of other stuff requested. My overnight express mailer, which even had delivery confirmation, was lost. This happened twice. This piqued my curiosity and I reapplied for matriculation using my husband’s name, which is Lambert, and was accepted immediately! Is this a crazy story or what?
What was your first published poem? Which poetry magazine published it? And what year was it published?
Round about the time that you started seriously writing poetry, who were your literary heroes? And would you say they had an influence on your writing style?
This was very strange. When I first began writing and reading at venues- I was accused of being post modernist. I had never read them and so then of course began reading Ginsberg and Sylvia Plath. Of course I had read On The Road many years earlier.
Have you ever attended a creative writing course or been involved in a writers' group? If so, did you find it useful?
I really didn’t find it helpful but I wanted that 2nd
masters degree just in case I’d like to teach as an adjunct. The male students
would argue about my characters as opposed to doing criticism. For example - I
wrote a short story from a man’s point of view about his relationship with a
female - he was from D.R. and she was from Mexico. They are new-age people. In
the story they have anal sex, which tears her, and she ends up getting sewn in
hospital. The men in the class argued that a Mexican woman would never let a
man have anal sex. How utterly ridiculous! Still, I made a few friends and that
made it worth my while.
When did you put together your first collection of
poetry?
My first collection was a chapbook published in 1994 called "Insights of Joy". My husband footed the expense of copying and we designed it together. I sold 100 copies at $3 a piece. I have 1 copy left for myself.
How long did it take to get it accepted for publication? And, if appropriate, how many times was it rejected?
My 2nd book, "A Spot Of Bleach and other
Poems & Prose", was published by Big Foot Press in 2005. My professor
and friend offered to publish it for me.
How long did you have to wait between acceptance and
final publication?
I had free reign over the entire process except for the must haves for the professor, i.e. 3 title pages and an urban cover, which I also designed. I studied adobe in design and created the entire book there with his blessing. The entire process took about 5 months.
What sort of critical response did you receive?
People seem more prepared now for my narrative style then they did in the early 90’s since it is a more acceptable type of poetry now in 2007. One woman who runs her own website where she features poets and does reviews, offered to review my book and then later backed out. When I asked her why she said she’d have to write some negative stuff too since she didn’t like some things at the end of the book. I have a pretty risqué’ love story at the end so maybe that turned her off, I don’t know – what I do know is that I told her I could handle a mixed review. She said she hadn’t slept the night before and to call her later. I called her several times and I just didn’t get anywhere. This type of stuff on the poetry scene is rampant. But then you meet a lot of great poets and a lot of great people too. Like the poets I meet on your site and Jim Bennett’s, because I have contacted some of the poets there. I know because I check out your site and read other poets and go to their sites. Many people are willing to share resources and time, and that makes me feel so good, poetry and life together – what better combo. Life is a poem extended…
Would you say that your publisher actively promoted the
book?
Not really, but I sold over 220 copies on my own. Since
then, this year, I also had a short story published in an all-female anthology
called "Lipstick Diaries" by Augustus Publishing, and that book is in
Barnes & Nobles and other stores. The publisher gave me 2 boxes as payment
and I sold them like hotcakes at $10 apiece. After selling the 72 books I asked
for more and was told I had to pay $108 for the box. So far, I’ve sold 98 of
the anthology and have gotten very good feedback. This has added new life to my
poetry book too as I usually try to push that at the same time.
Did you do readings and signings at bookshops to help promote the book? If so, did you organise these yourself, or were they organised by your publisher? And would you say that they had a significant effect on sales figures?
I had quite a few signings with my poetry book and probably sold about 30 books like that at half a dozen readings, in-other-words, not too many. I’ve actually sold more just carrying one or two with me wherever I go and I usually sell one.
Is it still in print?
Both books are available, the anthology is available at B&N and the poetry book is available at Amazon.
At the beginning of your writing career did you enter any poetry competitions? Did you enter a lot or just a few? Did you have any success? And, with hindsight, what are your thoughts about the relative merits or demerits of poetry competitions?
I’ve only entered a few, not really any success. I think it mostly has to do with who knows who and who’s heard of who. You can’t be hidden away and win anything – you’ve got to be out there and open and vulnerable which is difficult of course.
Have you won any awards for your poetry?
I won a couple of slams out on Long Island some time back and got a few dollars that paid my fare. More recently, I also recently won a footpaths writers residency in the Azores.
Do you make a living out of poetry?
I’ve won a few slams and I’ve sold a couple of poems, and aside from the few dollars from features, I’ve now won a Footpaths Residency plus I’ve earned about $3500 in book sales. Hey, it’s a labour of love - what can I say? I’m going to write whether I get paid or not. But now the novel that Augustus is waiting for, once I finish that, I’ll get 15% of what is sold in the stores and 10% of what’s sold on the street plus 200 copies to sell - and I will get out there and sell them. I find that poets are not great buyers and that people I just meet on the train are more likely to buy. In the schools where I worked, I went into the kitchens and sold to the cooks and workers there - It’s just amazing who will and won’t buy. People who have less buy more and will appreciate it and get back to you to talk to you about it. I love being with people.
If not, do you make an adequate living through poetry related activities such as teaching creative writing workshops? Or do you have to supplement your income through unrelated activities?
Things are wide open at this point and I’m trying to decide what to do. I just retired from my job as a school social worker and I’ve done this for the past 21 years. People always say, how do you have time to write and work full time. With difficulty and sometimes I’ve been forced to scratch down ideas and get back to them later. But back to black - I can teach English or writing as an adjunct at a college or I can continue working as a social worker part time, I am certified to do early intervention (work with children 0 to 3 years old and their parents) and a day or two a week would cover me. Or I can search out my dream job, where I’d get paid to write and edit.
With the benefit of hindsight, are you glad that you pursued your dream of being a poet? Also, if you could turn the clock back, would you do anything different?
I would have begun sharing my work earlier and not just writing for English, academic and writing courses; I would have written more poetry as opposed to only keeping logs and journals.
If a young would-be poet approached you, which poets would you recommend as vital reading?
Read what appeals to you. That is the most important. As you grow and develop more things will appeal - just read!
Which poetry magazines would you recommend him or her to
subscribe to?
Poets & Writers and any university publications.
Assuming that this would-be poet showed some promise, would you advise him or her to pursue a "career" in poetry?
I would advise them to get a PhD and to pursue teaching or editing. Poets don’t get rich.
If so, what further advice would you give him or her?
Stay where your heart is, write about what you know and feel.
Finally (and extremely hypothetically), you are selected to appear on the hit reality TV show, "Desert Island Poets", where you are marooned on a tropical island for three months with a typewriter and several reams of paper. You are provided with all necessary provisions, but you are only allowed to take three books with you. Your appearance fee is more than you could hope to earn in a decade and the show is so popular that all previous participants have become best-selling poets. So, would you participate? And if so, which three books would you take with you?
Who wouldn’t participate? I would probably take Somerset Maugham because he has these long epic tales and I’d want something to keep me going. I’d probably look for a book of stories or an academic literature book with a couple of thousand pages. The 3rd book would be what ever I’d been looking forward to. I love mystery stories – like Raymond Chandler. I’d probably take my notes scribbled everywhere so I could put them together. In 3 months with nothing else to do I know I’d finish my novel plus complete many poems.
See:
Joy Leftow's website
See:
Joy Leftow's Wikipedia Entry
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