Each week we will be connecting with our contributors showing where they have been, where they are now, and what’s up for the future.
Name: Cynthia Atkins
Title of Piece published in Sweet: Imaginary Friends
Issue: 9.3
Cynthia is based out of Rockbridge County, VA, and teaches at Blue Ridge Community College. You can find out more about her at www.cynthiaatkins.com.
What are some major accomplishments you have had since your Sweet publication?
I’ve had some publications I am really proud of: Apogee Lit, Cleaver Magazine, Los Angeles Review, Prime Number Magazine, The Rise Up Review, Rust + Moth, Zocalo Puboic Square and also a few anthologies: “Who Will Speak For America” Edited by Stephanie Feldman and Nathaniel Popkin (Temple University Press, 2018) and “The Elegant Poem” (Persea 2019). I was also asked to appear as an Editor on the masthead of American Microreviews and Interviews.
Can you tell us about a current/ongoing project that you’re excited about?
I am working on my manuscript-in-progress–“Still-Life With God”—a book that attempts to take God back from religion and look at the mental health and psyche of the culture in this new crazy age of social media, bots and all.
Who is your favorite author?
Dickinson/ Plath / Ferlinghetti / Winterson / Eliot /Baldwin
What is your favorite poem/essay/book?
Too hard to name just one—-
What inspires you to write?
The pain of being human and trying to order, sort and ask the
big questions of LIFE—
What is your favorite sweet?
My son’s name is Eli and I am from Chicago and I love Eli’s CK—and here is the recipe and a blog.
The Original Recipe-Make It Better:
1. 1 cup granulated sugar.
2. 1/4 cup cake flour.
3. 2 large whole eggs, room temperature.
4. 1 large egg yolk, room temperature.
5. 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature.
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
7. 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Super yummy looking! We are totally going to try this one.
Thank you, Cynthia, for taking the time to reconnect with us. We look forward to seeing more of your work in the future!
