Katrina Denza is the author of the new story collection Burner and Other Stories. She lives in North Carolina.
Q: Over how long a period did you work on the stories collected in Burner?
A: I wrote the majority of these stories during the pandemic. A version of “There’s No Danger Here” I drafted in 2015 and then revised several times after attending the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and I wrote early versions of “In These Dark Woods” and “Here In The Jungle” immediately after my residency at Vermont Studio Center in 2018.
Q: How was the book’s title--also the title of the first story in the collection--chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: The title came from the story’s premise: the main character tries to seduce a man she has a crush on using a burner phone. Her method of seduction is to reveal herself through random photos rather than sexy photos of herself. The title also speaks to the kind of disposable, impersonal connections that are pervasive via social media and the internet today.
I wanted all of the stories to involve technology is some way, small or large. Technology has transformed the way we communicate with each other, enabling us to reach others across the globe, but also, in some cases, inhibiting connection. I also wanted to explore power dynamics between men and women.
Q: How did you decide on the order in which the stories would appear in the book?
A: The order of the stories was an intuitive decision. I knew I wanted to begin with “Burner,” a story featuring both connection and power dynamics, and end with “In These Dark Woods,” which, for me, is an answer to one of the book’s question: can women ever truly feel safe or empowered?
Q: The author Louise Marburg said of the book, “Delightfully inventive and large of heart, Burner is a collection that reveals, and revels in, every facet of what it is to be human and fallible.” What do you think of that description?
A: Louise’s description encapsulates exactly what I wanted to achieve. I so admire and appreciate books that show us humanity in all of its forms and show readers it’s okay to be fallible and imperfect. I wanted this book to be part of an honest conversation about what it is to be alive with appreciation and acceptance.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m working on a novel and I have a second collection.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I’m so grateful to the talented writers who offered their endorsements for Burner, and I’d like to encourage people to read each of their books. They’re all amazing!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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