Cindy wrote the poems
DON’T DISRESPECT TOMTE, and
THE MISUNDERSTOOD AGROPELTER
Gnome & UnGnome Facts About Cindy:
As a child, Cindy (she/her) wanted to be Shel Silverstein. a kindergarten art teacher, or the president of the World Bank. While not on track for any of those, she loves to write poetry and picture books and make things.
Cindy helps non-profits with strategy and metrics, works on issues of racial justice, and spends loads of time with her fun family. She spends much of the day laughing.
Cindy’s poetry is in the Writers’ Loft Anthology FRIENDS & ANEMONES, and on a concrete sidewalk in her town.
Absol’s Q&A with Cindy:
Hello Cindy! Thanks for being our LEGEND of the WEEK!
Tell us what magical or legendary creature you’d be if you could, and why?
This is hard. Truthfully I’d be Grover (I look like him) but I don’t think he counts as mythological. So how about the six-legged fire-breathing dog that represents the Eni brand (while I don’t love that it’s associated with an oil and gas company, its origin story is interesting). Dogs have a lot of fun, it would be great to be able to breathe fire for smores any time, and imagine how fast you could run with 6 legs!
Yes, I’ve ridden a dog, (not a six-legged one though). Most dogs have pretty good lives.
Can you tell us a little about how you came to be a part of Gnomes & UnGnomes? I know you had some terrific poems in the last anthology.
I have long been a fan of the Loft – the people and programming are amazing! I was lucky enough to be part of another Loft anthology (FRIENDS & ANEMONES) so I jumped when I saw the call for Gnomes & UnGnomes.
Tell me how you came to write about Tomte & my favorite Agropelter?
My mother-in-law comes from a long line of Swedes, so I have been lucky in my married life to learn about and celebrate Swedish traditions. How could I resist writing about a Tomte? I hoped by writing about them, one might come live with me. Tomte is like the secret sauce of things working well, and I love that he exists in several countries.
Being from Massachusetts, I wanted to find a mythological creature that lives (or supposedly lives) in New England. In college, I was often labeled a “tree hugger,” probably because I majored in Environmental Studies and Math, so I knew the Agropelter was right for me. I was taken by the fact that Agropelters attacked lumberjacks. Could they have been early environmental activists?
What’s something writing-related you are grateful for?
I love the kidlit community so much!
If you were to make an omelet, what would its disposition be?
Mean. Because I make a mean omelet.
Hahaha! Thanks for your time, Cindy!
writersloftpress.com 