The PoArtMo Anthology Series: Interview with Lorraine Horsley

Hello everyone!

Welcome to our PoArtMo Anthology Series, which celebrates the artists whose work appears in The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: 2021 Edition.

Today’s guest is Lorraine Horsley, who contributed flash fiction titled “The One-Buck Blessing” to our anthology.

Auroras & Blossoms: Hello Lorraine. Congratulations for being a featured artist in our anthology! How does a story begin for you? Does it start with an image, a form or a particular theme?

Lorraine: All of the above! 😊

Sometimes it’s a whole scene that just pops into my head, it means nothing on its own, but I’m forced to explore it. Other times, it’s just seeing someone do something simple and I go on to play the ‘what if’ game. Sometimes I see the ending of a story and the characters take up residence in my head and nag me until I give them space on the page. They can be relentless!

A&B: Tell us all about the inspiration behind your piece “The One-Buck Blessing” that appears in The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: 2021 Edition.

Lorraine: I wanted to craft a flash fiction piece. I sat down with no ideas and then the first line came out. I followed it to see where it would take me. It took me to Hope Street and to Evie. I went to school with a kid like Evie, I think we all did.

A&B: Who are your biggest influences in the writing world?

Lorraine: Such a big question! So many people. I belong to the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, (SCBWI – Australia West) and the Children’s Book Council of Australia (WA Branch) and there are many writers and inspirational people there. I’ve felt encouraged and supported by them for many years. I read so many different types of books and there is inspiration in each of them. My family are a big influence – they keep me going and cheer me on when self-doubt tells me to stop.

A&B: What is your relationship with your speaking voice and your written voice?

Lorraine: Sometimes it is hard to tell them apart, sometimes it is a stranger that takes over, making their presence felt on the page. I don’t know where those voices come from.

A&B: Has your own opinion or idea of what writing is changed since you first started writing?

Lorraine: I used to put writers on a pedestal and tell myself that could never be me. I used to believe I needed massive blocks of time to write. I now know neither of those things are true. All writing, when it comes down to it, is just words on a page written by people, and even a novel can be drafted in stolen minutes.

A&B: Does your work have any specific themes or social commentary we should identify with?

Lorraine: I write stories for children and adults, as well as poetry. Many of my stories have characters who want to make a difference in the world and who come to realise it is often the small things that mean the most. My poetry is more inward looking, searching for self, questioning labels and expectations, ponderings on identity.

A&B:Tell us the most positive and uplifting advice you have been given while working as a writer.

Lorraine: Trust the process, the words will come. And write for the joy of it.

Bio:

Lorraine Horsley is an Australian author who writes across genres. She has a love of children’s literature and is currently working on an adult novel. Her non-fiction book, You’ve Got This: Tips for the uncertain student, is due for release at the end of 2021.

Website: https://lorraine591.wixsite.com/wordonawire

Lorraine, thank you for answering our questions and supporting Auroras & Blossoms! We know that people will love your writing as much as we do!

Cendrine & David