I think so. Like the Girlfriend in “Hotmouths” -– that’s her role. It made it easier to identify who’s who…
It’s hard to say. I liked title-names. I liked how they were slightly impersonal, but somehow became emblematic of their personalities. I like how it allowed me to get that on the page…that every man, every woman, every person sense –- I liked that about them. “Danguy Weck,” “Honky Sticky” –- I liked those names. I like rhythm in sounds and the percussiveness of certain consonants.
It’s often said of writers that we know we’re onto something good when we feel uncomfortable writing the passage. As beautiful as Drenched is, it contains quite a bit of disturbing/unsettling material. Did anything in particular cause you to squirm a bit while writing it?
Definitely. Some of it felt really uncomfortable. In “Fisty Pinions,” the part about the roach babies felt physically uncomfortable; it taps into that fear of insect eggs under one’s skin. You have that physical repulsion, and the emotional distress of wanting to save something vulnerable.
The molestation in “Cataplasms”…it’s looking at how he reacted…you’re grabbed by the discomfort, but you don’t have to walk through the event…
Writing about sex overtly…it’s fun to write, but it makes me blush, and that’s exciting…if I have to look over my shoulder…
Looking back over the stories, most, if not all, of the lovers depicted appear to be fairly young, in several cases, very young indeed. Thoughts on that?
I think I was writing from my age or younger. It comes from my perception…not trying to imagine what it is like to be 50 and in love; I don’t know yet.
It seems like love and sex are available to us as humans. Young people get to participate as well.
Drenched is subtitled Stories of Love and Other Deliriums. I have to ask, what is your personal take/philosophy/ feel regarding love?
Oh, that’s a big one…I don’t know…My philosophy –- love is great. It’s magic. It causes the brain to produce drugs that our bodies are in pursuit of.
Marisa Matarazzo’s philosophy regarding love well describes her work –- something that we didn’t even realized we craved until it was there.
Article comments