Spotlight On Writers
Maria Lorenzana
- Where do you originate from?
I originate from many places and many people. While I was born in Guatemala and carry those memories deep in my soul, my formative years were spent in Chicago. The city that will always be home. The people, the culture, the food, I wouldn’t be me if it weren’t for those years growing into adulthood. Presently, I live in Santa Monica, CA. A beautiful place with perfect weather, beautiful beaches and a culture all its own, which has given me a whole different set of experiences. I originate from my father who gave me a love of reading and writing. From my mother who gave her whole self to give my brother and me opportunities she never had. From my brother who gave me an artistic perspective. I originate from my travels and the people I have met wherever I’ve been. We all carry worlds inside each of us.
- What do you cherish most about the place you call home?
I cherish the quiet and the peace. I love how different it is from anywhere I have lived before. The community I have cultivated here is like no other. I am where I am supposed to be at this moment. Whether that is forever or for the foreseeable future, I will always love my little corner in this beach town.
- What ignites your creativity?
I am not particularly sure what it is. Ideas might come from overheard conversations, a line in a film, a description of a place in a book, a song, a picture. A woman wearing a wide brimmed hat while walking down the street, dogs playing on the beach, people cheering at a sporting event. A squirrel running along a cable in the alley behind my place. The afterlife. Ideas can come from the most mundane places and things.
- Do you have a favorite word, and could you incorporate it into a poetic phrase?
Petrichor
The sweet petrichor brought me back to a time of infinite joy and innocence. The place I most longed to be. A childhood filled with love, laughter, and playing in the summer rains.
- What is your pet peeve?
I either have none or way too many. Truth be told, I can easily get annoyed over small, insignificant things like poor spelling. But, as I’ve grown older, and hopefully wiser, I’ve learned not to let such things actually upset me. And when something does annoy me, I tend to move past it fairly quickly.
- How would you describe the essence of Maria Lorenzana?
This is a tough thing to answer. But if I have to pick something, I think it would be my lifelong love of learning new things and exploring new places. When I was young, I read a lot because I loved getting lost in whatever adventure was part of the book I was reading. When I got older, I explored different majors at school and began traveling on my own. That’s when I realized that what drives me is having new experiences and learning everything I can about the world around me.
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