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Writer's pictureKaecey McCormick

Author Interview: Jen Payne on Sleeping with Ghosts

I'm thrilled to bring author Jen Payne to the blog today in an interview to discuss life, writing, and her new book, Sleeping with Ghosts. Earlier this month, I hosted a Community Poetry & Prose Night with the theme "The Ghosts We Carry," and Jen's book is a wonderful example of how we can be "haunted" by so much and how these "ghosts" show up in our writing.


You can win a copy of Sleeping with Ghosts by visiting the following sites and filling out the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win!


 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Before we get to the interview, I want to take a moment to introduce you to author Jen Payne and what it is she's all about. Jen Payne is a multifaceted individual whose work transcends the boundaries of conventional storytelling. Here's what you need to know:

Jen Payne is inspired by those life moments that move us most—love and loss, joy and disappointment, milestones and turning points. When she is not exploring our connections with one another, she enjoys contemplating our relationships with nature, creativity, and spirituality. Ultimately, she believes it is the alchemy of those things that helps us find balance in this frenetic, spinning world.

In addition to Sleeping with Ghosts, Jen has published four books: LOOK UP! Musings on the Nature of Mindfulness, Evidence of Flossing: What We Leave Behind, Waiting Out the Storm, and Water Under The Bridge: A Sort-of Love Story.

 

Her work has been featured in numerous publications including the international anthology Coffee Poems: Reflections on Life with Coffee, the Guilford Poets Guild 20th Anniversary Anthology, Waking Up to the Earth: Connecticut Poets in a Time of Global Climate Crisis, the 2024 Connecticut Literary Anthology, and The Perch, a publication by the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health. 


Jen is the owner and operator of Three Chairs Publishing and Words by Jen, a graphic design and creative services company she started in 1993, based in Connecticut—where she keeps house with a cat named Molly.


You can find the author online at:

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

To help set the stage for the interview, here's a bit more information about the book and what other people are saying about Sleeping with Ghosts!


"Known for her meditations and musings about our outside world, Connecticut author Jen Payne takes readers inside this time…into the heart and mind of a poet, where memories wander, hearts break, and ghosts appear in dreams. Those ghosts—her lovers, soulmates, and muses—reveal themselves slowly, one at a time, chapter by chapter, in this wistfully reflective, time-traveling memoir."

From the publisher

“Beautifully crafted and luminous, these poems take the reader on an intimate and unforgettable journey of love found and lost, the joys of creativity, and the power of memory.”  — Judith Liebmann, Ph.D. Poet Laureate of Branford, CT

“Sleeping with Ghosts is not an ordinary ghost tale. Jen’s latest collection of writings is a poignant meditation on a life of love confronted.” 

— Mary O'Connor, author of Say Yes! to Your Creative Self


Publisher: Three Chairs Publishing

ISBN-13: 979-8990152311

ASIN: B0DDYSK5XM

Print Length: 182 pages


Enter the giveaways above for a chance to win a copy, or you can purchase a copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and Etsy. And be sure to add Sleeping with Ghosts to your GoodReads reading list!


 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Now, on to the heart of today's post, my interview with Jen:


Kaecey: Jen, welcome! I’m thrilled to chat about your new book, Sleeping with Ghosts. The way you blend genres in this collection is fascinating. Sleeping with Ghosts is described as a ‘time-traveling memoir’ into the heart and mind of a poet. What inspired you to choose this format, and what challenges did you face in crafting such a unique narrative?


Jen: Hi Kaecey. Thanks for being part of the Sleeping with Ghosts blog tour!


Like you, I’m not only a writer and poet, I’m also a blogger. I’ve been writing and creating at Random Acts of Writing (randomactsofwriting.net) since 2010. That name, it turns out, was spot-on! My creative work shifts from poetry and flash nonfiction, to essay and photo essay.


As readers will find in Sleeping with Ghosts, I also write a lot of memoir pieces.


The poems in the book have been written over the past 10-15 years, but they cover a time span of 40! From that perspective, time traveling becomes a natural consequence! (It helps that I’m also a closet Trekkie and a bit of a sci-fi nerd.)


I find I have an acute memory for what I call “defining moments” — those places in time when something shifts or changes, times that you bookmark to remember. I am easily able to slip back into those moments and recall the feelings, the conversations, my surroundings. And then I write!


As happened in my previous books of poetry, Evidence of Flossing and Waiting Out the Storm, the poems in Sleeping with Ghosts gathered themselves quite naturally. As soon as I set the intention to create this book, the poems and chapters, and their organization was very clear. The biggest challenge, I suppose, was making sure that the ghosts each got their own say, and that their stories were told to completion.

 "I have an acute memory for what I call 'defining moments' — those places in time when something shifts or changes, times that you bookmark to remember." 

Kaecey: I can imagine that covering a time span of 40 years meant some "ghostly" challenges! You did a wonderful job making sure each voice was heard. Much of your writing in this collection reflects on past relationships or experiences. I’m wondering, was there a defining memory or experience that sparked the creation of Sleeping with Ghosts? How did it start and how did the concept evolve from that initial inspiration?


Jen: Indirectly, yes.


I’ve been a writer all my life: journalist, copy editor, freelance writer, marketing wordsmith. I started my own graphic design and marketing business, Words by Jen, when I was 27, and spent a great deal of time writing for other people. 


But the year I turned 40, I reconnected with someone I had been deeply, crazy in love with. We hadn’t spoken in 15 years, and our reconnection felt monumental and…karmic.


When it didn’t work out (again), everything broke wide open for me. I had to find a way to write from that place, from that broken-hearted, emotional, vulnerable place. That’s really when I began writing the good stuff!


(Actually, you can read about the whole experience in my book Water Under the Bridge: A Sort-of Love Story.)

"I had to find a way to write from that place, from that broken-hearted, emotional, vulnerable place."

Kaecey: It's amazing how those difficult experiences can spark our creativity. And speaking of difficult, your work often explores themes of memory, creativity, and loss. How do you navigate writing about such personal experiences while still making them resonate universally? What advice do you have for poets and other writers who are tackling big themes like grief?


Jen: I think I write about my own experiences because I have to — it’s how I process things, how I connect with the world. Not to be cliche, but writing is my love language. 


I’m a bit of an introvert, so writing and storytelling are my way of sharing, of having a conversation, of participating.


I’m not sure I intentionally try to make my work resonate universally, so much as the stories are universal. We all experience these moments —right? The broken heart, the unrequited love, the death of a friend, the relationship we need to leave.


But not everyone has the courage to talk about their experiences. It’s hard work talking about disappointment, broken hearts, loss, and grief.


What inspired me most to write from the heart, to be brave about it, was Brené Brown’s book Rising Strong. In it, she writes, “When we deny our stories, they define us. When we own our stories, we get to write the ending.”


So my advice to writers tackling the big life themes would be a) read Brené’s book, and then b) be brave and write!

"I write about my own experiences because I have to — it’s how I process things, how I connect with the world."

Kaecey: Love that. I'm a Brené Brown fan! So yes! And I appreciate what you just said about our stories as universal human experiences. You’ve also written about our connection to the natural world, and in previous interviews, you mentioned the "alchemy" of emotions, nature, and creativity. I’m hoping you can elaborate on how this idea informs your writing, whether that’s in the language and imagery itself or as part of your process, particularly in this new book, Sleeping with Ghosts?


Jen: There is a certain kind of magic that happens when we can step out of our day-to-day and let new information come in. For me, that very often happens when I walk in the woods or on the beach. For others, the magic happens in meditation or after physical activity. 


We’re all so busy these days. And when we’re not busy with actual work — job, house, family, life — we’re regularly seduced by technology and our scrolling, binging culture. Creativity requires us to get away from all of that. How can we hear our Muses when everything else is demanding our attention?


I think it’s important for writers and artists to find those things that let them reconnect with their creative voice. One poet I know recently went on a week-long silent mediation, and when I marveled at that to his wife, she said “That's him. I prefer moving meditation, like tai chi or yoga.” 


For me, being in nature is a critical component of my writing. Whether it’s a regular walk at my favorite nature preserve or a week-long writing retreat by the water — I need that time away to process through the stories and the things I want to say.


And yes, very often there is an overlap of my connection with nature and the imagery and language in my writing, including Sleeping with Ghosts. Of course! 


My book Waiting Out the Storm was a very personal tribute to a dear friend who died suddenly. I found the most comfort being in nature, and witnessing how life and death and rebirth play out all around us. Nature was my solace.


That’s what I mean by alchemy — we are part of a much larger universe than our day-to-day. If we can be open to that, give ourselves time and space to come back to our awareness of that, it can infuse our writing and our sense of self in pretty amazing ways!

"... we are part of a much larger universe than our day-to-day."

Kaecey: Beautifully put, Jen. And so helpful for other writers to read about that part of the process. Speaking of process, I feel like, as writers, we’re often surprised by something in our work or in the process itself. Maybe you start a poem about the lipstick case you lost and end up writing about the death of your cat. Maybe you want to write about the sunlight and you end up writing about your toddler’s whining. (Or maybe that’s just me!) In looking back at your journey with Sleeping with Ghosts, what has been the most surprising or rewarding aspect of creating this collection and sharing it with others?


Jen: This is a great question. Our writing can come as a surprise sometimes, can’t it?


One of the most surprising things about Sleeping with Ghosts for me has been how these poems assume their own personality, and almost innately tell the story of each particular ghost…despite the fact that they were written at different times over the past 15 years.


The ghost in I Am a Rock/I Am an Island is unrequited loved no matter when I write about it — in the moment or 10 years later. The ghost in Seeing Red is angry all the time — then and even now.


The other surprising thing — and probably my favorite part about writing this book — is that the ghosts found ways to speak to me. They often showed up to remind me about a moment or a conversation that should be included. Sometimes they needed a final say — and they would chime in while I was on a walk or they’d show up in a dream. “Sleeping in Truro” was one ghost’s final say-so, and “Dear Jenny” was a ghost who appeared just months before the book went to press. When I asked the ghosts to give me a final poem for the book, they sent my Dad who asked, “Did you love?”


I did, I have…and now I get to share that with my readers!

"... the ghosts found ways to speak to me. They often showed up to remind me about a moment or a conversation that should be included."

Kaecey: "Did you love?" What a beautiful question and how wonderful to be able to answer in the way that you did! Jen, thank you so much for being here with me today. It's be a joy to talk to you about writing, life, and your inspiration!


Jen: Kaecey, thank you for these thoughtful questions and the chance to dig a little deeper into the inspiration and ghosts in Sleeping with Ghosts! I appreciate it!


 

READ MORE FROM JEN PAYNE AND SLEEPING WITH GHOSTS


What a treat to have Jen here today! Come back on HALLOWEEN (10/31) when I'll share my review of Sleeping with Ghosts.


And if you want even more, be sure to check out the other stops on the WOW blog tour:


October 24th @ The Faerie Review

Ready to dive into something new? Try a book of poetry that captures the ghosts of Jen Payne's past.


October 26th @ Anthony Avina

Curious about the ghosts in Sleeping with Ghosts? Author Jen Payne writes about them today while Anthony gives his review of her new book.


October 27th @ Chit Chat with Charity

Hear from poet Jen Payne about the Importance of Storytelling. Second chance to win Jen's latest book, Sleeping with Ghosts.


October 27th @ Shoe's Seeds and Stories

Read a review of  Jen Payne's latest book, Sleeping with Ghosts


October 30th @ Beverly Baird

Jen Payne writes about Listening to Your Ghosts and shares one of her poems. Beverly also tells us her thoughts on Jen's new book, Sleeping with Ghosts.


November 1st @ Hook of a Book

Stop by for a guest post on How to Read Like a Writer by Jen Payne, author of Sleeping with Ghosts and enjoy one of her poems.


November 2nd @ A Wonderful World of Books

Last giveaway of Jen Payne's Sleeping with Ghosts! Also, learn the story behind the book's amazing artwork.


November 5th @ Choices

Never seem to have enough time to write? Learn a few secrets from poet Jen Payne.


November 8th @ Jill Sheets

Learn more about poet Jen Payne in today's interview.


Have you read Sleeping with Ghosts? Or do you have thoughts on the interview? Let me know by sending me a message!


Happy reading and happy writing!



1 Comment


Words by Jen
Words by Jen
Oct 26

Hi Kaecey! Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me about Sleeping with Ghosts! I am loving this WOW! Women on Writing tour and so happy you could be part of it. Also: I can’t wait to read more of your wonderful blog! Nice work!❤️

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