Spotlight On Writers
Kindra M. Austin
@AustinKindra
- Where, do you hail from?
I live in Chesaning, a village in mid-Michigan. Chesaning was once a popular tourist town for those who enjoy crafts, and quilts, and country music. I’m not a native; Lapeer was my home until my parents divorced. My mother, sister, and I relocated to the Chesaning school district when I was twelve years old. We lived in a trailer park squatting on some farmland; the park was nameless, so I dubbed it Contaminated Manor. It was so gross, the tap water wasn’t fit for consumption. We had to fill rinsed out milk jugs from a spigot inside the community building. Thank fuuhhh we only stayed two years.
- What is the greatest thing about the place you call home?
Chesaning is mostly quiet. I like quiet; I’ve never lived in a big city. I love visiting my friend in Chicago, but after a week, I’m thankful to return to my unhurried life in this village. I like that the cashiers at my local grocery store know my first name; and when I go into the pub for a beer and burger after a long absence, the bar tenders say, “Hey, Kindra! How’s life been treating you?” I like that I still run into my former high school teachers, and we can spend hours catching up over shared cigarettes. The greatest thing about the place I call home is the trust and friendship that thrives in my community.
- What turns you on creatively?
The world within me, and all around me. My writing mostly comes from the pit of me. Music is good for sparking memories, and memories serve as a strong foundation. But I absorb everything. I love people-watching. I love being outside and inhaling the breath of nature.
- What is your favorite word, and can you use it in a poetic sentence?
I love the words colossus, labyrinthine, excise, and distension. Here is a sentence using distension: I hold a wake with a devastated rib cage, fractured from the distension of a lamenting heart.
- What is your pet peeve?
Unfortunately, I’m easily irritated—I have too many pet peeves. I guess my main bitch is that so many people are just plain fucking mean-spirited. I cannot, and will not abide a person showing aggression or disrespect toward another.
- What defines Kindra M. Austin?
My unapologetic voice. I say and write what I feel in my heart without the fear of consequences. I speak my truths, perverse as they may be perceived. My voice is my own; my voice is equal to my name.
- My Death Is a Great Red Pen, Correcting - June 9, 2020
- Heavy Mental - April 29, 2020
- I Peel Paper - March 17, 2020
