Author Q&A with Marlene Olin

Marlene Olin was born in Brooklyn, raised in Miami, and educated at the University of Michigan.  Her short stories and essays have been published in journals such as The Massachusetts Review, Catapult, PANK, and World Literature Today. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of The Net, Best Small Fictions, and for inclusion in Best American Short Stories. Her flash essay, “The Percolator,” appears in our autumn issue.

Tell us about yourself.

I’m seventy-two years old and have been part of a writing group here in Miami for the last twenty years. I’ve always loved to write but being part of a group has disciplined me to write regularly. 

What unique or surprising detail can you tell us about the origin, revision process,  and/or final version of your piece appearing in this issue? 

The line often blurs between my fiction and nonfiction. “The Percolator” is broadly based on the life experiences of me and my friends. When I really want to spill my feelings, I dive into fiction. In fiction, you can hide everything.

What did you learn (about yourself or craft or life in general) through writing and revising it?

I try to set aside time to write every day. The next day, before I write anything new, I go back and revise what I wrote the day before. It’s a life lesson, I suppose. To review your behavior, critique it, analyze room for improvement.  

What do you hope readers take from the piece?

I am trying to write more pieces that deal with getting old. Literary journals are youth-oriented. I feel it’s important to share my voice, my experiences.

What fuels your desire to write (or engage in other creative outlets)?

I’ve long been a collector of handmade objects, crafts. I appreciate the time and effort put into one-of-a-kind things. I have a Haitian voodoo flag hanging on one wall, a painting of a Catholic saint hanging an another. I’m an admirer of the creative process. 

What has drawn you to writing creative nonfiction and/or what other genres do you write? 

I have two novels, several children’s books, and multiple collections of my short stories incubating inside my computer. I’m very good at producing literature but very bad at seeing it published. 

What have been the biggest influences in your writing? 

I constantly read. Books of fiction and nonfiction are always piled on my nightstand. 

I also have subscriptions to The New Yorker and The New York Times. Since I’m housebound a lot, these subscriptions expand my world. 

How do you make expression a part of your daily life or how do you find a balance between your writing and other responsibilities?

Finding time to write has been a challenge lately. But writing is very therapeutic. My stories get 100% of my attention. All of my problems fly out the window. Poof. Gone. 

What do you think when you hear, “the good life?”

I think a good life happens when you meet life’s challenges with dignity and grace. 

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Thank you, Marlene, for trusting us with your poigniant and heartfelt essay and for spending extra time on this Q&A. We appreciate you being a part of our growing literary community and wish you the best with writing and all life’s endeavors!