Jennifer Litt

Tell us the story of your Accents Publishing book, Strictly From Hunger

My book, Strictly from Hunger, took shape from listening to the expressions and idioms my parents used in conversations with my sister and me. For example, “for the birds” and  “from hunger” inspired me to capture both humor and poignance in my poems, to understand that poetry is a life and death matter. Both of those phrases refer to people and/or situations that are less than desirable. See “Mother Superior Gets Porked Again” and “River Bend, Year’s End.”

What do you like most about it?

One of the things I like the most about my book is the lushness and music of my poems, that I believe captures the essence of me in words and certainly reveals my love for the Irish poets, especially William Butler Yeats. An example of this would be “Plenty of Fish.” I also love the layout of Strictly from Hunger. Accents Publishing produces distinct, beautiful books. Who doesn’t want to be part of “an independent press for brilliant voices.”

What did you have to overcome in order to finish and publish a book?

I tried to approach the isolation and potential loneliness of the pandemic with an intact spirit and a creative flourish to be able to complete the manuscript. I channeled my language muse and that’s all she/I/we wrote. I’m not sure I could summon that fortitude again. Reentry to the world of people was as difficult as it was vital to my emotional well-being. I also consider myself lucky that Katerina Stoykova appreciated the evolution of my writing over the years and was interested in publishing my first full-length collection.

What do you hope people learn/receive/experience from reading your book?

Although I’ve been writing creatively and publishing my work in journals for 30 odd years, I only published my first chapbook at age 59, followed by Strictly from Hunger at age 65, in time for a literary Medicare tour. While our time here is limited, we each realize our dreams and potential at different ages for many reasons. Katerina understands that. Her brilliance and empathy are her magic powers that lift others up.

What was your favorite interaction with a reader and/or a fan?

My favorite interaction with a fan/reader was with my now deceased Uncle Dick. “The Great Fire of February 1928” chronicles the fire that destroyed Fall River, Massachusetts, while my father and his mother (pregnant with Uncle Dick) look on with foreboding. Uncle Dick’s mother died giving birth to him, and my father was a devoted big brother to him. The poem always made him cry. That’s the power of emotional truth.

What are you working on now?

I recently completed my second full-length poetry manuscript, Shellbound, and I’m hoping it finds a good home. In September 2023 I reconnected with a recently widowed college boyfriend, and we’ve been developing a lovely friendship, a bicoastal relationship because he lives north of San Francisco and I live in Fort Lauderdale. We met at the University of Rhode Island.

Optional bonus question: Is there anything you want to get off your chest about writing or publishing?

A poem that I’ve labeled my ars poetica can be found in my new manuscript. It’s called “The Gulf of the Poets” and pokes good fun at the world of po biz. I let my writing do the talking.