Q&A with Andrea Simon

 

 

 

Andrea Simon is the editor of the new anthology Here's the Story: Nine Women Write Their Lives. Her other books include the novel-in-stories Floating in the Neversink. Also a photographer, she is based in New York City.

 

Q: What inspired you to create this new anthology?

 

A: When I saw the roster of students who signed on for my online course, “Writing about Your Mother without Guilt,” sponsored by the Story Circle Network, an international writing organization, I was excited.

 

Three of the women were friends and well-published authors from my writing group (living in Washington state, North Carolina, and New York). The others included my cousin, an ER doctor from Idaho; a multi-talented artist from Australia; a business executive and linguist from California; a used-book seller from Texas; and an award-winning author and native of New Mexico.

 

Even as I write this, I realize I am leaving out so many of these women’s accomplishments.

 

What did we all have in common besides an interest in exploring our mother/daughter bonds?

 

I was able to answer that question when the course ended, and we continued to meet on Zoom and explore our writings in other areas.

 

What emerged was provocative, original material. Many who were already well-known authors delved into previously unexpressed personal territory. Others found new creative avenues for familiar themes.

 

I was delighted by the output and wondered what it would be like to unite these pieces into one volume. And so, the birth of our anthology.

Q: Do you see particular themes that link the pieces in the anthology?

 

A: The book is divided into categories: Growing Up, Adulthood, Our Mothers, Literary Life, Singular Passions, People and Places, and Pandemic Life.

 

Although these topics are certainly varied, certain similar themes emerged: childhood angst, genealogical discoveries; self-actualization; the value of friendships; and, of course, the influence of our mothers. Mainly, we explored what we had been and where we wanted to be.

 

Q: Professor and writer Mary Caputi said of the book, “This is a highly enjoyable and thought-provoking read that celebrates the female experience even amidst stories of pain, loss, and heartbreak.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: This is a very apt description. We strove for honesty and didn’t shy from painful subjects. Hopefully, we added humor when it was needed.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: I think it takes a lot of courage to put your feelings onto the page. I hope readers will be inspired by our stories, and perhaps be motivated to record their own.

 

I also hope that readers recognize how important it is to have a supportive and safe space to explore significant issues.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I am fine-tuning a collection of humorous and serious personal essays (called Nobody Sprays Me in Bloomingdale’s) that I have gathered from many years, some of which won awards in creative nonfiction from the City College of New York, where I received my MFA.

 

I am also in the process of editing a novel I wrote exploring the issues of fulfillment and regret.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: As a longtime feminist, I am proud to be part of a project that again proves what I wrote in the book’s introduction: “Women are capable of generous and congenial support .… We lift each other during life’s trials and rejoice in our successes.”

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Andrea Simon.