Interviews
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"Art is the antidote to suffering. If it wasn’t worth our time, we wouldn’t do it."
Power Profile by Laraine Herring
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"I break a rule when I’m writing: I don’t think about audience. If I did, I would never be able to really dig into the darkest depths of what it is that I’m writing about."
WOW's The Muffin, September 22, 2018
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"I learned early on in my life that if I stay quiet and don’t speak out about my feelings or ideas, then I will live a peaceful life. I was raised that way. Don’t make a fuss; don’t talk back; don’t disagree; don’t fight. But inside, I was screaming. I had so much to say. My feelings were, and are, valid. Everyone’s are."
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"I'm always surprised when aspiring writers tell me they would rather write than read. But reading is a part of the writing process."
Book Excellence Awards, August 2018
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"To me, the writing in [I Don't Belong Here] is more of an invitation to a conversation than it is attempting to make any kind of solid argument. It’s an exploration of my lived experiences within the forbidden, one where I invite the reader along on the journey."
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"I’m fascinated with the way that seemingly good people can be just awful to those they love (myself included), and so when I write, I’m sharing intimate moments to investigate the 'why' of it all."
Temenos ​Literary Journal, April 2017
“It becomes abundantly clear to a reader when you’re holding something back,” she says. “You have to tell yourself, 'I’m going to crack myself wide open on the page, because I’m doing this for something bigger than myself' — and that’s the art and craft of writing.”
NPR at WMU with Zinta Aistairs, November 3, 2016
"Thematically, my work is often focused on relationships, identity, belonging, and health, so once I make connections between scenes and theme, an essay can start to come together. I write slowly and revise extensively, reconsidering structure and purpose with each review of the piece."
Chat About Books, August 17, 2016
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"A good story isn’t just a well-written experience; it’s a universal truth that connects with individuals on all levels and seeks answers to unanswerable questions."
Linda K Sienkiewicz's Blog, June 9, 2016
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"I adore imagery and am fascinated by the way writers can play on denotative and connotative meanings of words to add new meaning to a descriptive paragraph."
The Writer's Treasure Chest, April 21, 2016
"After college, I took a ten-year break from writing. It wasn’t planned or intentional. I just didn’t have the compulsion to craft anything new. Honestly, I think I needed those ten years to live."
