The exquisitely talented (not to mention charming) Christina Cooke
tagged me in a blog post that - despite reminding me of those forwarded emails - requires me to answer four questions. Although I had initial reservations, somehow Chris and her dimples convinced me to reply
(call me a sucker, you wouldn't be wrong). I've been doing more freelance work of late (shoutout to
BUST Magazine, look ma, I'm in print!!!) and I had somehow disassociated the fact that I
enjoy writing. A tiny respite from the wear and tear of living in the modern world, I had conveniently forgotten how much relief and release I get from words on a page (or screen). It's nice to have that back.
1. What am I working on?
Lots of things! I'm still working full time at a local shop so my daytime is hanging out with clothes, ha ha. My freelance work has been largely articles for
Autostraddle (I'm the current style/fashion editor), posts for
HER Collective and every now and then for
PowderDoom. It's a mix of content, mostly based in fashion and personal style, with bits and pieces of personal commentary in there.
2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
Perhaps it differs because it's from my point of view, one that is from a very specific and minority angle. I'd like to think that I'm adding a voice that I couldn't find when I was younger, someone who could relate to my experience.
3. Why do I write what I do?
I'm a Norwegian-born Canadian of Ugandan descent, a queer woman of
colour in a city that has very few people of my specific minority. I
grew up moving from suburb to suburb and many parts of my experience thus
far made me feel isolated and alone. I didn't know how to deal with that. So writing is always, in a sense, cathartic. I think this expression would be inevitable, whether the end product was a journal entry or an published article. In order to survive, I need to write. If people engage with it and enjoy it, it's an added plus!
4. How does my writing process work?
It always differs a bit, but usually there are a pile of scrap papers with lists, notebook scribbles, multiple browser tabs opened on my desktop and long documents filed with links. Eventually it gets pared down and edited, typically late at night while I sip a cup of tea.
Christina, I did it! I suppose in the tradition of forwarded emails, I have to tag people to also answer these questions. I nominate Zoe (of
Lion Heart Vintage), Celia (of
Ceedling), and Emily (of
The Closet Feminist).
RE: this outfit - Unsuprisingly, I'm still riding the wave of duster coats
hard. Can't seem to get away... not that I'd want to!
Thrifted duster coat | Gap shirt
Old Navy jeans | Cooperative wedges | Clearly Contacts glasses
