Adrian’s Bio
I begin most creative sessions without a notion of what I’m crafting. Since I write both verse and prose, the line separating them often becomes obscure. “Meditation on Meditation” started as a flash fiction piece. Since there was no true plot, I gradually converted it into a prose poem, and then a free verse poem. This process wasn’t derived from any textbook guidance, but it’s a tactic that has served me well. Decent poems can grow from a descriptive paragraph that’s trapped inside a failed short story; similarly strong fiction can sometimes be birthed by a vivid line in a scrapped sonnet.
I am a believer of writing as a vehicle for catharsis, confession, and change. In other words, you won’t find any odes to butterflies or cheesy fairytales authored by me. My inspirations are varied; I can’t pinpoint what defines my manically changing style. I’m definitely stirred by classic African-American writers such as Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and Zora Neale Hurston. I’ve also been influenced by emerging small press poets and short fiction authors. I have much to learn about writing, so I read all I can in order to notice what works (and what doesn’t).
I’m also highly impacted by music, whether it’s hip hop, jazz, R &B, blues, or occasionally even rock. I often listen to music while brainstorming and editing, which is in conflict with the traditional approach of working in silence. Usually I can read one of my poems or stories and recall that its “rhythm” was fostered by the furious refrain of a Tupac song, a melancholy Miles Davis solo, or a bland guitar riff from the latest overplayed band on the radio.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot my shameless plugs. My first fiction chapbook, Survival Notes, is forthcoming through Cervená Barva Press. I will have poetry in future editions of The Arabesques Review, Cherry Bleeds, the I-70 Review, and Prairie Poetry.
Additional propaganda can be found at my website/blog.
