An essay, Chelsea Hodson tells us, should be an attempt at clarity. That may be true for a writer, but clarity is the last thing that comes to mind when reading Chelsea's words. Instead, we are swept away by her striking prose, repetition, digressions. Chelsea's words pulse with desire, fear, and hope. Readers walk away from the page, not always knowing what to think but feeling something primal just the same.
The words, in this case, are from Chelsea's debut essay collection, Tonight I'm Someone Else, which was published in 2018 and received widespread praise. Aside from gifting us her own prose, Chelsea has made it her business to help others write their truth. Through projects like her Morning Writing Club and private coaching and editing services, community has slowly become a part of Chelsea's world. Most recently, this culminated in the launch of her latest literary endeavor. Enter Rose Books, her new press.
In this interview, Chelsea shared more about the inception of Rose Books, her process as a writer and editor, and the questions on her mind. This episode also opens with a story from musician (and Rose Books author) Geoff Rickly.
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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/chelsea-hodson/
Learn more about Chelsea's work: https://chelseahodson.com/
Follow Chelsea: https://www.instagram.com/chelseahodson_
Purchase Chelsea's book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/tonight-i-m-someone-else-essays-chelsea-hodson/9844494
Learn more about Rose Books: https://www.rosebooks.co/
Follow Rose Books: https://www.instagram.com/rosebooks.co
Follow Geoff: https://instagram.com/geoffrickly
Purchase Geoff's novel: https://www.rosebooks.co/store/p/someone-who-isnt-me-by-geoff-rickly-paperback-preorder
Meredith Westgate — ”Being a writer can often be empathy overload.”
Larissa Pham — ”I think everyone woke up to just how impossible it is to survive.”
Jen Spyra — ”How much doubt attends every stage of your writing?”
Melissa Febos and Forsyth Harmon — ”Writing is the very solitary room where I practice articulating things that feel unspeakable.”
Jen Batchelor — ”I take it very seriously when a word gets hijacked out of our vocabulary.”
Suzanne Koven — ”Literature opens the conversation.”
Courtney Marie Andrews — ”Poetry is asking you to get beneath the surface.”
Lesley Thornton — ”My self-care is preparation for community care.”
Dina Nur Satti — ”Art is really asking people to listen to the process.”
Jessica Manning — ”Your vision for your future changes.”
Zak Williams — ”You need to be engaged with your environment and the people around you.”
Deja Foxx — ”We should be making statements about who we are.”
Becky Cooper — ”What is the story that I should be the one to write?”
Nicole Caputo — ”I really see design as a lifestyle.”
Elizabeth Walton Egan — ”Where speed can hurt is when you are out of control.”
Mélanie Masarin — ”You never remember the time you spent on the internet.”
Lindsay Adams — ”Slow storytelling means giving yourself the grace and the space to evolve.”
Orion Carloto — ”Slowing down is the most beautiful thing you can do for yourself.”
Makenna Goodman — ”I do think that we want to escape, but I don’t think we want to flee.”
Taylor Sterling — ”I want to be more empathetic to how I can help versus how people can help me.”
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