Nina Goes on the Radio…And Reads a Book—In English AND Spanish!

A short while ago, I was invited to The World Poetry Café on Vancouver’s Co-op Radio to talk about my short stories, novels and the first of several guidebooks I’m writing in “The Alien Guidebook Series”, entitled The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now! (coming out in early 2009 with Starfire World Syndicate).

Vancouver Co-op Radio (CFRO 102.7 fm radio) is located in the funky part of downtown Vancouver’s east side; not a place I often visit… Little did I know what adventure lay before me. It was a dark and stormy night… Okay, it was dark, though. After getting lost then parking on the wrong side of the street, I found my way to the art-deco building and met co-hosts Alejandro Mujica-Olea and Lucia Gorea at the door. They explained to me that Lucia would interview me in English and Alejandro would translate into Spanish in tandem.

Lucia Gorea and Alejandro Mujica-Olea also read from their published poetry collections, both very sensual and evocative images of love, memories, home and relationships.

For instance, Lucia read this poem of hers, entitled “Allergy”:

So much I wanted to tell you about rainbow and hills, but my words froze on my lips before they were spoken.
And instead I took your hand and painted the moon.
In its softness I found thin blades of grass and sun-blazing wheat. With your fingers I drew larger than body rivers, streaming in all directions, an infinity of arms embracing everything.
In your eyes I stood motionless to reflect of myself, a nightingale song in the kingdom of light and shadow.
I saw a herd of lashed horses running simultaneously, their race to the core of the heart then stop. I shall run from yours I said but my translucent soul played tricks on me. And suddenly in such agony of the movement I ran over to you evading your incomprehensible simplicity, changing rivers, hills and winds. I found the rainbow sprouting of the grass of your palm, in your moons. I painted your eyes with the mist of my silent cry.

You can listen to the broadcast here (25-Nov-2008 21:42; World Poetry Café is half-way through; and 25-Nov-2008 22:42).

The interview was great fun and had us laughing for a great part of it (no need to translate, Alejandro!). I was particularly amused when, after I read a good several paragraphs from my short story Virtually Yours (by Bundoran Press)Alejandro summarized with two very succinct sentences in Spanish. I would have loved to know what he said, because maybe he should be my editor! (Sly grin)…

Lucia asked some great questions, like how long does it take to write a story? But her first question set the tone of the interview: “When did you start writing and what inspired you to write science fiction and not comic novels, gothic fiction or erotic literature?”

Lucia then led me through some great topics from my passion for science fiction, my short stories, my work as an ecologist, my latest book Darwin’s Paradox, and eventually to aliens, of course.

My answer, by the way, to Lucia’s first question was: “Who says I didn’t write all that and maybe it’s stuck in a drawer somewhere or somewhere else!” I went on to say, “Well, Lucia, I started writing when I could write. As soon as I could write, I was writing stories with my sister, I was telling stories about … well … aliens…” I guess, it all started with me.

My guidebook, The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now! is currently available in major bookstores and Amazon.com.

Nina Munteanu is an ecologist and internationally published author of novels, short stories and essays. She coaches writers and teaches writing at George Brown College and the University of Toronto. For more about Nina’s coaching & workshops visit www.ninamunteanu.me. Visit www.ninamunteanu.ca for more about her writing.