Monthly Archives: December 2020

Author Interview – Montrell “Chillin the Poet” Goss

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What compelled you to tell the story/stories in your most recent book? (And specifically, why this genre?)

I wrote this story because a lot of the stories I listened to growing up were negative. They dealt with bullying and deaths. They had darkness. For example, the big bad wolf in The Three Little Pigs bullied them so he could eat them. In Goldilocks and the Three Bears she was responsible for breaking and entering and who looked bad? The bears. Those are just a couple of stories read to me over and over as a child. Hearing these stories put me in a place and created negative thoughts and from those thoughts, I became a bully. I found myself replaying what was read and taught to me. 

What obstacles—either inner or outer—did you encounter while writing the book?

When I was younger, a lot of my teachers judged me for not having a dad and labeled me a statistic. But I saw that what I learned was not right. So, with writing Chillin the Courageous Coyote Meets the Young Kids I was able to learn about myself, break the barriers and overcome the obstacles of judgment, and treat people who looked different than me or did not have as much as others may have had in a better way. 

How has writing your most recent book changed or added value to your life?

My book is not a traditional children’s book because my characters do not represent a certain race. They are multi-colored because I want every child to relate to the book. I have seen people not carry my book in their stores because I am a black author. However, through writing this book I have also gained a lot more respect and understanding from people that do not look like me. 

Did you self-publish, or did you go the traditional route? Why did you choose the route you chose, and what was that process like?

I chose to self-publish this book because I believe in myself, and I believe that people seem more genuine when you are self-published and trying to become more in life and become successful because they have seen my struggle and all the hard work it took to publish my books.

The process is easy for me because I have a team. I write the book and the team works on the other areas of the book before it can be published. For example, an illustrator from Forever Tattoo, a tattoo shot in Portland that sponsors me, helped me with the art for my first children’s book. I also have an editor I’ve worked with for the past few years

Are you friends with other writers? If so, how do they influence your writing? 

I am friends with other writers. We feed off of each other’s energy. We share thoughts and learn different writing styles from one another. It also helps see different views and brainstorm ideas. 

Do you maintain a regular writing practice? If so, what does it look like? If not, how do you stay engaged in your writing projects?

I stay engaged in my writing projects by writing the book. I go full force writing and completing it to have it out for people to purchase. My process for writing can be different, depending on the day. Sometimes I write every day. Other times, I write when I feel inspired, like when I’m watching a movie or a show and hear a word that inspires me to write. I also like to do free style where I just listen to music and say what is in my mind.

How many other books or stories do you have in progress right now?

I am in the process of writing my second book in a five-book series. In this story, we’ll find out if Triple C (Chillin’ the Courageous Coyote) will go to school. Stay tuned to find out.

Do you view writing as a spiritual practice?

I don’t view my writing as a spiritual practice, but I do believe that writing is a gift from God, and I use writing as a tool to speak. 

What would your life look like if you didn’t write?

Without writing I feel that my voice would not have been heard as much. Writing is a platform for me to speak to people in ways to share my story. Everyone has a story, and sometimes, they need to hear someone else’s story to help them speak. I believe that I do that for people. 

Why do you write?

I speak to people. I show people no matter the challenges in life they can overcome them. For me, I could not read or write well. I did not have any help from my teachers, so I taught myself and pushed myself. I took my pain of not knowing how to read or write well and turned into my passion. Now I am a published author.

Montrell “Chillin’thePoet” Goss grew up in a single-parent household. He is the youngest child among five siblings: three older brothers and a younger sister.

Growing up illiterate, Montrell made it his passion to teach himself how to read and write. Throughout his life, Montrell “Chillin’thePoet” Goss has experienced different adventures and achievements. Working as a coach, summer camp counselor, behavioral specialist with the school system, and now full time author “Chillin’thePoet,”  he has found himself in many positions that have allowed him to act as a male role model, and mentor to the people, especially youth, around him. Now the author of six books, Montrell’s mission is to try and help change stereotypes and statistics within the school system and his community through his writing. 

To learn more about Montrell and his work, visit his website: https://chillinscreations.com/

Lewis Spears – Author Interview

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What compelled you to tell the story/stories in your most recent book? (And specifically, why this genre?)

Working with the young men in Jersey City through my non-profit, I saw how they made bonehead decisions when they weren’t in my presence. They saw a lot of the hard work that I was doing but they didn’t understand the why behind many of the decisions I made for the organization. I really wrote the book, You’re the Answer to the Problem: From the Hood to Harvard and Back Again, so that they could have access to the information I thought was pertinent. Like, growing up in the same environment as me or navigating the same streets or even having the same teachers in their classrooms. 

All of those played a role in why I decided to write the book, and the genre was very clear. It had to be non-fiction. It had to tell a story. The young men had to be inspired by it, and they had to know what to do in order to be successful. So, I thought that I would lay the blueprint out so that they could know: 1) that we have similar stories, and 2) that if I did it, they could as well. 

What obstacles—either inner or outer—did you encounter while writing the book?

When I first started writing the book, I learned that my wife was pregnant. I didn’t understand at all what that meant. I knew that the baby was coming. I knew that there was an expectation for me being a dad, but I didn’t understand how tumultuous it would be, especially for me. So, basically, the outer struggle was navigating the life of a dad and also working full time. 

The inner struggle came from a lot of stories from my past that I either forgot or put on the back burner. Writing the book with the help of a book coach and therapy, allowed me to put things into perspective and really hone in on who I am as an individual. So, the inner work was difficult in that I was unable to, by myself, unpack it. But I had a team. A book coach and a therapist to help me unpack and make sense of my experiences. Some things that I allowed to remain unseen on purpose or hadn’t spoken about on purpose, surfaced again, and it caused a lot of strife and discomfort, and sometimes sadness, because I had to relive it again. But the one thing I learned is that I’m not the same helpless young man I was back then. Although I have these memories, I don’t have to be victimized. I am victorious.

How has writing your most recent book changed or added value to your life?

So interesting because I was just talking about this the other day. I have a cohort of individuals who are like, “Oh, wow, you wrote a book! That’s amazing!” The point of that is that I’ve been amazing, if that’s the case. The book doesn’t validate. It just magnifies. And so, the added value is that I have a title as an author now. And people really understand my story, so they know it was difficult for me. 

People see me in these boardrooms. People see me connected with CEOs and presidents of organizations, but I started out as a kid who had very little resources and worked really, really hard to obtain what I thought the American Dream should be. 

Did you self-publish or did you go the traditional route? Why did you choose the route you chose, and what was that process like?

I chose to self-publish, and I self-published because I wanted to create a publishing company under my son’s name just to pay homage to who he has helped me become. And you know, when we talk about legacy, it’s making sure that we put those systems in place to begin the process of legacy. And not just with morals because we’re going to leave productive citizens who are morally conscious—we’re going to build those types of kids (because we have two children now)—but also, at this juncture in my life, I feel financially obligated to set them up in ways that I wasn’t. 

Are you friends with other writers? If so, how do they influence your writing?

No, I’m not friends with other writers, per se. The majority of my friends are teachers because I was a teacher for fourteen years. I also have friends I’ve been connected to since childhood. I am inspired and influenced by my circle. I have so many amazing people in my life who are doing great, great, great things, and I’m inspired by the work they do, in general. The social, emotional learning and the cultural competence type of work educating young people… I’m inspired and attracted to that type of work. 

Do you maintain a regular writing practice? If so, what does it look like? If not, how do you stay engaged in your writing projects?

Yes, when I’m inspired, I have my notes in my phone, a big chart of poster board paper on a wall at my house that I doodle on. It starts with many ideas that come based on experiences. There are times when I think about privilege. Then, I examine the privileges that I’ve had, and then I’ll write a note about privilege. The other day, I wrote about meritocracy. I started writing about that. Then, I started writing about my life as a man, as a husband, and as a father. Then, I’ll look to see if there are any themes in all of my thoughts. Typically, there are, and I try to string them together with quotes or transitional sentences to create a robust piece. 

Writing isn’t my strong suit, so I am the big-picture guy, and then, I have support in terms of editing and connecting things, having someone read it and ask probing questions, so that the project continues to build.

How many other books or stories do you have in progress right now?

That’s so funny because people are asking me about another book. The experience with the first book, and my only book, has been interesting. When I think about the process, there’s trepidation there. I’m trying to work past that. But, yes. The short answer is “yes.” And I need to write something around young men and how to educate them appropriately, how to discipline them. Something in that arena, because that’s the place I occupy with my non-profit. I can rise as the thought leader in this space because I’ve had so many experiences with the young men and edifying them, developing them. I really look forward to the project because I’m excited about this. This will be a how-to book. 

Do you view writing as a spiritual practice?

Absolutely. I think the work that writers do is to hold a mirror to society in many ways, and push society into a better place. I find it to be very spiritually edifying in many ways because you’re speaking to the masses, and the work that you do is going to enhance the lives of others in a tremendous way. 

What would your life look like if you didn’t write?

Interestingly enough, I thought that teaching was going to be something I did for the rest of my life. I thought that because it was something I love, that I would never let it go. But since writing the book, I decided I wasn’t going to teach anymore, that my life’s purpose was going to pivot me in a different direction. So, I would still be the founder and executive director of my non-profit, Kismet of Kings, but I probably wouldn’t have the notoriety or the spotlight for writing the book. It would probably be about being a trailblazer in this arena with young men of color, particularly in urban settings. 

Why do you write?

I write because it is therapeutic for me. There are social ailments that make me think, “This could be better,” and so I write about it because I know that if I have an issue, or if I see that things could change, it’s probably something someone else has thought about or someone else needs. So, I write so that I can change the trajectory of the next generation so that they can dodge pitfalls that might cause them to fail. I think that my parents did the same for me. I think it’s our duty as a generation to do it for the next generation.

To learn more about Lewis, visit his websites: thehoodtoharvard.com and www.kismetofkings.org. To purchase his book: http://www.thehoodtoharvard.com/

Julia Stoops – Author Interview

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What compelled you to tell the story/stories in your most recent book? (And specifically, why this genre?)

Parts per Million is a story of loss and transformation. While there’s quite a fast-paced plot, on an allegorical level the novel is about passing through a crucible and emerging changed. The alchemy of transformation has always fascinated me, how seemingly bad experiences can push people to new levels. I was also fascinated by environmental activists, particularly those who put their bodies on the line to blockade logging roads and sabotage operations they consider disastrous for ecosystems and animals. I wanted the novel to explore that place where commitment and self-sacrifice intersect. When I wrote the first draft, the US was freshly post-9/11, establishing the surveillance state and gearing up to invade Iraq based on a false narrative about weapons of mass destruction. Huge protests were happening in Portland and worldwide, but the war went ahead, anyway. At the time, I was teaching media studies at the Pacific Northwest College of Art and was hyper-observant of the way the build-up to war played out in the media. It was a bizarre and frightening time, and it all came together as material for Parts per Million. The plot involves a crew of environmental/media activists — small voices in the cultural wilderness — trying to hold it together while their country heads for war, they uncover the biggest scoop of their careers, and they grapple with personal tragedy. So there’s quite a bit happening on the interpersonal level. We watch the crew struggle and evolve, and that plays out against the backdrop of history.

What obstacles—either inner or outer—did you encounter while writing the book?

Well, the initial obstacle was that I knew nothing about writing fiction! I’d written a first draft in a sort of obsessed state. I hadn’t heard of the NaNoWriMo challenge, but I essentially did something like that on my own, just madly typing out the story over the space of a few weeks. It was a relief to get the plot down, but I knew my writing technique was green and that the manuscript was not something I’d ever show anyone. So I joined the Pinewood Table critique group and that opened up a new world for me. I spent several happy years taking the novel through several revisions as I learned about voice and point of view and writing in scene and so on. 

As for inner obstacles, I was vaguely aware that I wasn’t overburdened by them. Occasionally I had doubts but I just seemed to plow ahead, because I felt like I had nothing to lose. My creative background is in the visual arts. I have an MFA in painting, I have a 30-year exhibition history, and I taught art at the college level. On the other hand, my writing practice felt very different from my art practice because I was so green — the lack of baggage turned out to be a creative asset. I was sort of free-floating with it, unattached to an outcome. In joining the critique group, I was just following a call to improve the writing, and doing that in a non-academic setting was perfect for what I needed right then. 

How has writing your most recent book changed or added value to your life?

The Pinewood Table introduced me to so many wonderful writer friends, and I love being part of that community still. I also really valued getting a handle on fiction writing as a craft. I write a lot for work, always have done, so I knew how to write in an academic or formal way, but fiction writing was a new adventure. I think it’s made my everyday writing stronger. 

Did you self-publish or did you go the traditional route? Why did you choose the route you chose, and what was that process like?

When the manuscript was shortlisted for the PEN Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, I thought I’d have a little better luck querying agents, but after a couple of years of rejections I seriously considered self-publishing. Yet I hesitated, because while the query process is arduous and fraught with anxiety, the self-publishing process seemed to be that plus learning a lot of technical and promotional skills. The sheer workload involved was intimidating, a learning curve I didn’t want to climb. I was almost ready to put the manuscript in a drawer when Portland publisher Forest Avenue Press turned everything around for me by acquiring the manuscript in 2016!

Are you friends with other writers? If so, how do they influence your writing?

Writer friends are the most supportive, generous people I know. I learned so much from not only the Pinewood Table teachers Joanna Rose and Stevan Allred, but also my peers at the table, many of whom have gone on to be published authors. Jackie Shannon-Hollis, Scott Sparling, Yuvi Zalkov, Kate Gray, Harold Johnson and too many others to list here. And the Pinewood Table is where I met the amazing Laura Stanfill of Forest Avenue Press — years before she founded her publishing house. So yes, my writer friendships have positively influenced every aspect of Parts per Million.

Do you maintain a regular writing practice? If so, what does it look like? If not, how do you stay engaged in your writing projects?

These days my writing practice is simply a personal journal that I keep as the mood strikes. The desire to write Parts per Million was initially a surprise to me — I couldn’t fathom why I felt so compelled belt out that first draft. Then, as I revised the manuscript over several years, the cadence was structured by the Pinewood Table’s dynamic of working on a few pages each week, which broke the project up into manageable chunks. But I’ve never had a strict routine. I’ve always fitting writing around working, so it’s more been a matter of being flexible and adapting.

How many other books or stories do you have in progress right now?

My creative focus visual art, which is my first love. My current studio practice is a painting series that’s been in process for about 18 months. I’m exploring acrylic polymers and how they interact with each other under certain conditions. I feel like a chemist, or maybe mad scientist is more accurate — I barely know what I’m doing! But in truth that’s a bit like what writing Parts per Million felt like — fun and alchemical, stumbling about a lot but I just flowed with it.

Do you view writing as a spiritual practice?

Yes, indeed. All creative activity is a spiritual practice. Writing, painting, building computer programs, gardening, cooking — it’s all a dialogue between what we know and what we don’t know, always opening up to what’s next, what’s possible. It requires an openness and a willingness explore, perhaps to fail, and always to try again.

What would your life look like if you didn’t write?

If I may, I’ll change that question to “if you didn’t create”, and the answer would be, rather sad. Sometimes life gets very busy with work and other obligations and I don’t get into my studio for a couple of weeks. Then start to feel a little nuts, and question the meaning of everything. Creating is medicine. The output doesn’t have to be anything fancy or even something for other people to “consume”, but it has to happen. I need to enter that dialogue on a regular basis or I start feeling lost and lonely.

Why do you write?
This is a question I asked myself over and over when I went through the blast of the first draft. I was baffled! I was a visual artist, why was I writing? What business did I have doing this? I had no ambition to be a writer, and yet I kept at it through the first draft, and I kept at it through the years of revisions. In retrospect, I realize that I had the story in me — the story of loss and transformation — and it needed to be told in words rather than painting. Why, I don’t know. But my body knew that writing was the way to get the story out. The fact that it later got published was a different process, and while the eventual publication was a wonderful outcome after so many years of work, it wasn’t connected to my initial impulse to write the first draft. At that time in my life my creative expression shifted from visual to verbal, and I simply followed along. It was a strange and wonderful experience.

Julia Stoops was born in Samoa and grew up in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Washington, D.C. She is a native of New Zealand and has lived in Portland since 1994. Her Portland-based novel, Parts per Million, was shaped by her experiences in community radio journalism and anti-war activism, and was shortlisted for the PEN Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. A visual artist as well as a writer, Julia Stoops is a recipient of Oregon Arts Commission Fellowships for visual arts and literature, and was a resident at the Ucross Foundation in 2016.


Creative hub: http://juliastoops.com
Parts per Million novel: http://partspermillion.net
Visual art portfolio: https://www.juliastoops.net