Micro-interview with Devan Barlow

Devan Barlow, author of the poem “A Moon Witch Seeks a Shell” in The Future Fire #71, joins us for the first in this season’s micro-interviews.

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Art © 2024 Melkorka

TFF: What does “A Moon Witch Seeks a Shell” mean to you?

Devan Barlow: This poem is part of a series of lunarpunk pieces I’ve been writing about these moon witches. Each piece helps me sort out a little more about the setting and the characters, and in this instance gave me the chance to combine two of my favorite things—lunarpunk and sea creatures.

TFF: What is the most important thing to remember about writing?

DB: Keep reading—and reading things that aren’t the genre you’re working in.

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Extract:

On the opposite shore, I hope
another moon witch
convinces a mollusk our cause is just
Sometimes, the most difficult conversations are those
between witches upon the same moon

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Reminder: You can comment on any of the writing or art in this issue at http://press.futurefire.net/2024/10/new-issue-202471.html.

New issue: 2024.71

“Europeans brought with them the view that men were the absolute head of households, and women were to be submissive to them. It was then that the role of women in Cherokee society began to decline. One of the new values Europeans brought to the Cherokees was a lack of balance and harmony between men and women. It was what we today call sexism. This was not a Cherokee concept. Sexism was borrowed from Europeans.”

—Maria Mankiller

Issue 2024.71

Short stories

• ‘Whiskey Mud’, Jonathan Olfert - art by Cécile Matthey
• ‘Deep Sea Baby’, Faith Allington - art by Sebastian Timpe
• ‘That Small, Hard Thing on the Back of Your Neck’, Vanessa Fogg - art by Ellis Bray
• ‘In the Field’, Shelly Jones - art by L.E. Badillo
• ‘Deirdre’s Skin’, Amalie N. Ingham - art by Sarah Salcedo

Poetry

• ‘A Moon Witch Seeks a Shell’, Devan Barlow - art by Melkorka
• ‘Two Hybrids’, Rachel Rodman - art by Fluffgar

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