Terese Svoboda's first novel, Cannibal, was chosen as one of the ten best
novels of 1994 by Spin and hailed as a "woman's Heart of Darkness" by
Vogue. A Drink Called Paradise, her second novel, has just been published
by Counterpoint Press. Her poetry books include the award-winning Mere Mortals,
Laughing Africa and All Aberration. Cleaned the Crocodile's Teeth
is a book of translations from the Nuer. Ms. Svoboda's work has appeared in
the New York Times, New Yorker, Spin, Bug Lite, Paris Review, Harper's,
The Nation, Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and The New Republic
. Svoboda has taught writing at Williams, Sarah Lawrence College,
and San Francisco State, The New School and the University of Hawaii. Her
documentaries and poetry videos have been exhibited at the Museum of Modern
Art, American Film Institute and PBS. Margot Early read a review of A Drink Called Paradise, bought and read it, and promptly searched for
everything else she could find by Teresa Svoboda. She is honored to
interview this talented poet, author, and filmmaker.
MARGOT: When in life did you recognize that you were a writer, and how has
your relationship with language evolved since that time?
TERESE: In retrospect I was destined to be an artist of some kind but not in medias res. I didn't think of myself until years later when it occurred to me filling out something at customs, but then customs laughed at me and said I should just put down typist.
English courses intimidated me, writing and art courses did not. I kept a notebook of my own fairy tales in grade school--how much harder could it be? My chemistry essays received D's for waxing poetic on Heisenberg. When the seventies matured, a great wave of doctors and lawyers removed the very cleverest of artists--what we all were then--and I and a few others were left. Teething on Ars Povera, I never expected to make money on anything. Experience was the reward. However, despite the lack of remuneration, there was never any playing at being an artist. I am always extremely surprised when somebody quits because it's too hard. Hard defines art.
I hope my relationship with language is ever-evolving.
MARGOT: What are the aspects of the craft of writing that you find yourself struggling with repeatedly?
TERESE: Boredom. Clarity. Surprising myself.
MARGOT: Who are some dead poets, authors, playwrights, philosophers, artists, etc., who have influenced your craft? How and why?
TERESE: Do they have to be dead? Poets: the Silver Poets, Auden, Ovid, Marlowe, Thomas McGrath, Rich, Russell Edson, Derek Walcott. Novelists: Hardy, Shandy, Robbe-Grillet, Calvino, Tom McGuane and Muriel Spark. Filmmakers: Chris Marker and Peter Greenaway. (I also make experimental videos)
Sex and surrealism were primary influences.
MARGOT: Do you do much revising, and do you enjoy the process of revision? What are your feelings about revision?
TERESE: It isn't worth writing if it isn't worth revising.
MARGOT: Which practices in your lifestyle do you believe help you with
your writing? (Reading poetry or plays, no t.v., walks)
TERESE: My lifestyle: no tv, lots of walks, naps, no newspapers. I stare at the headlines on subways and read monthlies. I resist reading on the web. I throw out junk mail. I have kids.
Look for Teresa Svoboda's new book, Trailer Girl and Other Stories, to be released by Counterpoint in September 2000.