Ask the Author: Erica Goss
Answered Questions (6)
Erica Goss
My latest book, Night Court, is a collection of poems written over the past ten years and up to the present. The title of the book comes from the title poem. “Night Court” is my nickname for insomnia, a condition I have endured all my life. The poem represents the many nights I’ve lain in my bed, wondering why I was awake when the rest of the world slept. One night the idea came to me that I was being tried in a court of law. Bored, awake, and lonely, I imagined having to testify about my “tragedies” – i.e., the fact that I can’t sleep like normal people – in front of a judge and jury at a real night court, a criminal court that holds sessions at night.
I recently learned that New York City’s night court is a popular tourist attraction, and that until a few years ago, the court was open until 1:00 a.m. I’m often awake at 1:00 a.m. Coincidence?
A weird kind of honesty pervades the sleepless brain. In the poem, I write that “(my tragedies) have sworn to tell the truth / and nothing else” and that after midnight, “I am never more awake.” Perhaps there is some wisdom in holding court at 1:00 a.m.
I was a fan of the TV show Night Court, starring Harry Anderson and John Larroquette, which ran on NBC from 1984-1992. Memories of the show influenced the poem, especially the random, sometimes funny, sometimes dangerous nature of things that happen late at night.
The poems in Night Court deal with many other issues: for example, parenting, mental illness, and politics, as well as food (one of my favorite topics) and nature.
I recently learned that New York City’s night court is a popular tourist attraction, and that until a few years ago, the court was open until 1:00 a.m. I’m often awake at 1:00 a.m. Coincidence?
A weird kind of honesty pervades the sleepless brain. In the poem, I write that “(my tragedies) have sworn to tell the truth / and nothing else” and that after midnight, “I am never more awake.” Perhaps there is some wisdom in holding court at 1:00 a.m.
I was a fan of the TV show Night Court, starring Harry Anderson and John Larroquette, which ran on NBC from 1984-1992. Memories of the show influenced the poem, especially the random, sometimes funny, sometimes dangerous nature of things that happen late at night.
The poems in Night Court deal with many other issues: for example, parenting, mental illness, and politics, as well as food (one of my favorite topics) and nature.
Erica Goss
Sitting down and starting the writing process is what it takes, or applying one’s backside to a chair for as many hours as needed. I read more than I write, and part of my brain is always alert to something that will trigger my writing. So I guess you can say that I rarely read passively – I’m on the hunt for ideas all the time. That said, I often get ideas on long, boring car rides.
Erica Goss
A new collection of poems, which is almost finished and ready to edit; a memoir about my childhood as the daughter of a World War II survivor; a bunch of personal essays; articles and blog posts.
Erica Goss
Try everything. Try poetry, even if you’re not a poet and have no intention of publishing your poems, because it’s the most creative and liberating genre. Write short pieces based on memories from your childhood, and see what possibilities they have: could you create an essay, or an article, or a poem from these memories? Write every day in a journal. Remove distractions. Don’t worry about what other people will think about what you write.
Erica Goss
There are so many good things about being a writer, it’s hard to choose just one, but here’s my attempt: being a writer means that I can follow my interests and curiosities as far as they will take me, and that I’m always learning new things.
Erica Goss
I wish I could answer that I never get writer’s block, but it does happen from time to time. It’s an unpleasant place to be, and for me, it usually means that I’ve become over-focused on one project. Like many writers, I have more than one writing task going on at a time. If I get blocked on one, I switch to the next. For example, at the moment I am working on a memoir, creating content for my website, writing an essay, and writing two or three poems. If I’ve run out of energy for all of my projects, that’s a sign it’s time to quit for the day and rest, or take a walk, or work in the garden.
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