This week we ask poet, Mark O’flynn about his piece ‘Fragment from a Western’ which appears in Landmarks, the latest anthology curated by Spineless Wonders. During this interview we discover Mark’s favourite Australian landscape, who inspires his writing and what inspired his mirco-lit poem, ‘Fragment from a Western.’
Tell us about a landmark that is significant to you
The Carrington Hotel chimney in Katoomba. From a wide radius around town you can usually see the chimney.
What inspired you to write ‘Fragment from a Western’?
I really can’t remember, but I think it has something to do with Flann O’Brien, who took the western genre out of context and placed it in the Irish countryside. Very funny.
How do you find the experience of writing to a theme?
If the theme grabs me then it can be quite inspiring, even liberating. If the theme doesn’t grab me then I don’t do it.
Describe your writing space
A desk in a room full of books with a window that is a constant distraction. However I am not restricted to this space, I can write anywhere if needs be.
Tell us about a writer or work that has inspired you as a writer
A writer that inspires me is too large a question. The answer this week will be different to last week or next.
Mark O’Flynn has published five collections of poems. His novels include Grassdogs (2006), and The Forgotten World. He has also published a collection of short fiction, White Light, (Spineless Wonders, 2013). His latest novel The Last Days of Ava Langdon is published by UQP, 2016.
Feature image via Unsplash.com