Interview with Casandra Lopez

As we’ve been working to get Plume out into the world, we have been thinking a lot about how arduous the process of writing and publishing a book can be. To get a recent firsthand account of this process, we conducted a mini interview with Casandra Lopez, who will be an upcoming featured writer with Plume.

Plume: Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

Casandra Lopez: I always loved to read, but I didn’t know I wanted to be a writer until later in my life. Now I can’t imagine not being a writer. 

P: What has the process been like getting your books published? How long did it take from writing the first book to holding it in your hands?

CL: I began writing what would become my poetry collection, Brother Bullet, my second year of graduate school, which was in 2010. I first started sending my poetry collection out to contests in 2015, but I don’t think it was ready. I spent another year revising and then sent it out again.  I will have my first book in my hot little hands in January 2019. That will have been 9 years!

P: Were there any surprises or unexpected aspects?

CL: I’d originally queried the University of Arizona press in 2015, but I was intimidated by the academic review process and did not submit until a whole year later. It wasn’t until 2017 that I heard back that they were interested in sending it out for review. This process involves the press sending the manuscript to anonymous reviewers who can either recommend that the manuscript be rejected, accepted with minor revisions, or accepted.   During this time I was sort of at a standstill. However, I had submitted to a couple contests that I had previously made it through as a finalist. I was glad to take a break because I had spent hundreds of dollars on contests over the years for both chapbooks and full length collections. I also didn’t want to revise until I received the reviews and I needed a break from the book. I was tired of my own voice and didn’t know what direction I should take with revision. During this time I started a new project, which helped me not think about the waiting.

My manuscript was accepted with minor revisions. I was fortunate to receive some great feedback from my reviewers, which has helped me revise. I cried when I read the reviews because of how thoughtful they were. It felt very validating to hear what my words were making people think about and feel. The reviews also helped me see my work with the context of Latinx and Native American literature.

P: How did you feel when your first book came out?

CL: Previously, I had a chapbook published and that was exciting. I was able to work closely with the editor on revisions. This time the process has  been a bit different. It has been such a long process that I haven’t let myself get too excited, but it is finally seeming real. I will be happy to have this book published because it speaks to an important period in my life.  

P: Where can readers find your books and other publications?

CL: You can check out my website https://casandramlopez.com/ and you can also find me on twitter @casandramlopez

We look forward to sharing some of Casandra’s stunning work with you this summer!