Karen wrote the poem
CENTAUR OF ATTENTION
Gnome & UnGnome Facts About Karen:
A native New Yorker, Brooklyn was my home borough for six years.
I grew up in the historic hamlet of Tappan, where George Washington had headquarters during the Revolutionary War. I then went to college in Boston and later lived in Arlington, MA, both of which also had key roles in the birth of our nation. I suspect living in these locales fueled my interest in historical fiction.
I write picture books and middle-grade, and occasionally dabble in poetry, usually free form, about nature. Since centaurs are “freaks” of nature, I guess it’s fitting that my haiku celebrated this particular mythological creature.
I’m a member of SCBWI, and have participated in workshops at the Highlights Foundation, Iowa Summer Writers Festival, and Grub Street’s MUSE and the Marketplace;
I recently joined the Writer’s Loft to be able to take part in workshops and other opportunities that are offered. And I’m thrilled to have my haiku selected to be a part of this magical, mythical anthology.
Although she’s mostly a writer, Karen’s illustration “Reflections: The Ugly Duckling” (below) was displayed in an art exhibit coordinated by SCBWI Westchester.
Absol’s Q&A with Karen:
Salutations, Karen. Thanks for being our LEGEND of the WEEK!
Tell us what magical or legendary creature Ahem…besides a mermaid), who or what would you be?
I’m going to say a mermaid…
Sigh…just kidding, mermaids are great.
…because I’d really like to be a stronger swimmer and I do love seafood. And just now I’m recalling the scene in “Splash” where Daryl Hannah eats the lobster. I would have loved to do that scene, and I’d have messed up the takes just to have more lobster!
You know you can get lobster at 90% of New England restaurants? No fin required. Just saying. Gnomes like lobster…lobster mushrooms. 😉
How did you hear about the Loft and this project?
Our SCBWI chapter was fortunate to have Karen Boss present a workshop to us and, in reading about Karen’s background, it mentioned she has done workshops for the Writers’ Loft. I immediately checked out their website and decided to become a virtual member. Then I saw the notice about the opportunity to submit poems for the mythological creatures anthology.
Wow, that’s great. Karen Boss’ classes are legendary. And you wrote a very clever poem with a punny title. Gnomes love puns! What inspired this poem?
The pun for the title–Centaur of Attention–came to me first and it made me smile. I then thought about the creature’s attributes and the words flowed onto the page. It’s actually a bit ironic that I selected the centaur with the title that I wrote; although I’m a Leo, I don’t like to be in the spotlight.
Ha! That’s funny. What’s great in your life right now that you want to share, personal or professional? Some wins?
Well, there is having my haiku selected to be in the anthology. Getting the email was exciting because I didn’t expect it. I decided to submit some poems because they seemed like fun topics.
Also, although I’m a writer, I’ve had two pieces of art in exhibits this year. This past summer, I had an illustration “Reflections: The Ugly Duckling” in an art exhibit coordinated by SCBWI Westchester that was on display from June through August at The Black Cow Coffee Company, in Pleasantville, NY. It was a thrill to see my collage among the works of so many talented artists. Our illustrator coordinator Lizzie Savanella is very encouraging and I’m glad I accepted her invitation to submit a piece. I’m also grateful that she offered me the opportunity to participate.
And in June, another collage, “Safe Haven?,” was selected to appear in an exhibit called Show Us Your Activism curated by the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, in the Bronx. Among the works on display, there was amazing art about gun violence, the environment and climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Mine focused on the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Lastly, after too long of a hiatus because of multiple factors, I’ve been able to get back to my writing, taking workshops, honing manuscripts, and getting them ready to submit. I’ve met some wonderful fellow writers who have been so supportive and have offered tremendously helpful feedback. And I’m excited to be with my characters and get their stories on the page.
Wow. That’s a lot of exciting stuff. Thanks for your time! I’ll let you know of any mermaid openings. 😉
writersloftpress.com 