To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries.
~ A.C. Grayling
This Succeed and Soar series invites writers to answer questions about their artforms and special inspirations.
Welcome Jess Simms
“Ascending, Mt. Ararat,” Photo [c] 2014, Sandra Gould Ford,
Route 30, Pennsylvania
Visit Sandra’s Fine Art America Collections
Jess, what phrase inspires your writing and life?
I find that my best writing comes out of a place of joy and fun. This quote is an excellent reminder that sometimes the best way to approach a serious subject is to find a place to inject something light—even if it’s in the form of gallows humor, or even if it’s just a small moment of levity in the midst of something heavy.
I also find this quote helpful in a broader, life sense. There’s no shortage of serious things happening on a daily basis, from the personal to the global level. If I let myself take all of them seriously all the time, I end up so drained of motivation and energy that it’s hard to keep moving forward.
How these words inspired Cryptid Bits
When I set out to write Cryptid Bits I wanted it to be fun, first and foremost. My main inspiration was to play with the thought experiment of “modern society plus fantasy creatures.”
Using the modern world as my starting point inevitably meant I would have some serious topics at play, but by tweaking the world to include things like brownies and bigfoot, I could treat these real-life details with a wink instead of tackling them straight-faced.
It must have been a full moon last Saturday because I ran into a werewolf at the night market. He was at one of the produce booths, a bag of arugula hanging from his right foreclaw and a head of romaine in his left palm. He was comparing the greens as though his paws were scales.
About Jess Simms
Jess Simms is a co-founder of Scribble House and the managing editor of After Happy Hour Review. They’re the author of the micro-chapbook Shapeshifter Diaries (Rinky Dink Press, 2023) and their short fiction can be found in MockingOwl Roost, The Oakland Review, and HOOT!, among other publications. They live in an old house in Pittsburgh with two humans and four cats.
Web Site: https://www.jesssimms.com/
Keep in mind,
Succeed and Soar!
Sandra Gould Ford
Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire.
NEXT WEEK: Heroic Hearts
On Saturday, September 7, LaToya Ruby Frazier’s Monuments of Solidarity show ends at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. Her awesome exhibition includes special selections from several of her works, including “The Last Cruze,” “Flint is Family,” and “On the Making of Steel Genesis,” which presents my artistic life. Here’s a 2-minute video.
The Museum of Modern Art is offering some complimentary admissions. My “Steel Genesis” tour and conversation starts at 10:30 am on Saturday, September 7.
To join the Guest List, RSVP here.
I’m delighted to share this precious experience with you.
