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Paper Fort Has Your Sunday Planned

B.T. Shaw has been the poetry editor at The Oregonian for 10 years. She is a previous recipient of an Oregon Literary Fellowship, and her first book, This Dirty Little Heart, won the Blue Lynx Prize from Eastern Washington University Press.

B.T. will be reading this Sunday, December 7, for Beyond Vernacular, a new reading series that takes place in Portland at The Secret Society, 116 NE Russell. This venue is for 21 and older! She will be joined by Carl Adamshick and Robert Bruce.

I asked B.T. the following questions, and if they sound suspiciously close to the questions I asked Kerry yesterday, that’s because — they are.

Do you have a writing schedule?
B.T.: No. Though for a while now, anytime I’m scheduled to drive someplace,
words urgently ask to be written. Also, the shower. Anywhere that’s
inconvenient.

Do you write to music or have any other rituals or “tricks” that
help you settle in to your writing time?

Again, no. And where music is concerned, absolutely no. I can’t
concentrate if there’s much going on other than the dog snoring.The best “trick” I have is reading before bed, then going to the writing
before the rest of my day overwhelms me. For me, words lead to
words. Particularly Science magazine. Also listening to Science
Friday
on NPR. And there you go…I usually hear that show while I’m
in the car.


Also on Sunday, from noon to 5:00 p.m., the Oregon Historical Society hosts their 41st Annual Holiday Cheer: A Celebration of Oregon Authors and Artists. More than 60 Oregon authors and artists will be on hand signing books.