Adjusting The Antennae (Ep. 1)

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Oh, looks like you’re just in time. I’m glad you could join us for the first episode of “Adjusting The Antennae.” I’m your host, chromeantennae and it appears as though you’ve tuned in to a pretty good show ‘cause we’re having a wonderful, wonderful first guest today, by the name of Caitlan Zufelt.  Otherwise known as  LionesseRampant. Caitlan here has a multitude of honors to her name. First off she’s a 4-time Daily Literature Deviation Recipient, a 2-time Daily Deviation recipient, as well as a DLD Poetry and Prose Administrator, and a literature editor at the great The Alliterati Magazine (Congrats again on that. You absolutely deserve it).

She’s made a great mark here in the literature community here on dA and it seems as those her pull here gets stronger and stronger by the minute. She’s truly a lovely person (Glad to call this girl my friend), amazing writer, and a hard worker to boot (As if you couldn’t tell by all the accolades). I know Caitlan is most certainly an inspiration to me and I am absolutely ecstatic to have her as my first guest on Adjusting The Antennae.

 

 

Before we start is there anything you’d like to share with us? How your day has been, how’s writing going as of right now, an interesting tidbit here or there? Just, anything! From a shout-out to a deviant or a controversial declaration. Ha! Anything that pops into your head that you wish to share before I start this interview. 

Hmmm. Anything? Okay, sounds good to me. Haha. Well, first, I’m doing NaNo WriMo this year, for the fifth year in a row, and I turned into a NaNo Rebel. The novel I’m working on wasn’t clicking for a couple of days, so I started writing something else (.....fan fiction.....) and now I’m ready to write my novel again, haha. Guess I just had to get those other scenes out, and they wouldn’t have fit in my novel. I’ll stop rambling now. Haha.

 

So, Caitlan, my first question for concerns your part at Daily Lit Deviations. I’m sure a lot of us on the outside looking in would love to know how you became involved with this movement, the frequency in which you receive suggestions, what you look for specifically when giving out features, as well as how you’re enjoying the experience. So can you tell us a bit more about that?

I got involved in DLD when LiliWrites noted me and asked me if I wanted to be a part of it. Apparently a few of the other admins had recommended me for the job. (If I’m remembering correctly, I don’t have the best memory, lol. But I’m pretty sure that’s how it happened.) :D At first, I was just a Poetry Admin who sent in suggestions for the articles, but when they needed a General Admin, I stepped up for the job. As a General Admin, I can suggest both prose and poetry, and I post a weekly DLD article as well as helping SilverInkblot, and now betwixtthepages, with Saturday Spotlight.

 As for the frequency of suggestions, I’ll just say that it’s not too frequent. I’ll get a few every once and a while, such as when I updated my Suggestions Guide journal, and things like that. I still have a LOT of suggestions from betwixtthepages’s Suggestion Contest, so I’m good for a while. But that doesn’t mean don’t suggest. :stare:

 

You’re also an admin for a lot of different groups on dA (A couple of groups I’m involved in, too), as well. From what I’ve noticed over my 11 months here, a lot of the younger writers here haven’t truly experienced and gotten to figure groups out yet (Both how to run them or really use them effectively), so what can you tell us about some of the groups you admin and any tips for young deviants on how to really use these groups for more exposure?  

First off, the tips. Really, I would just suggest going out and finding groups that fit your taste and/or writing style, your different interests, people who are similar to you, etc. and then start participating. There are some really great critique groups for people who love receiving good feedback, some awesome groups for those who like to be partnered with someone for feedback, and a bunch of groups where you can post your writing so a lot of people will read it. Jump in feet first, and you’ll eventually learn how to swim. (Oh dear, that was horrible. No more attempts at coining phrases for me.)

As for running a group, I would first figure out what exactly you want your group to be about. There are a lot of really redundant groups (hence why I closed my first group, TheWritingHaven) and it only hurts the community when you add more to the list. Then, once you’ve figured that out, you should definitely find people to help you run the group. Make sure you can count on them. After that, it’s kinda just trial and error. :giggle:

 

You’re also a 2-time Daily Deviation recipient (Congrats again)! Please, tell us, how did it feel to receive the second DD and did it feel any different from the first you received? That’s quite the honor to have to your name as you know most people don’t even have one!

To Us- Synesthesiai.
every sound
excites a burst
of color; an
exploding
firework,
dancing and
twirling.
ii.
your voice
tastes of mangoes;
sticky
and sweet,
caressing my senses.
your flavor is
personal.
iii.
the letters
all become a
different personality.
"T" is crabby
and "I" worries.
"J" is strong
and mighty.
iv.
closer and
farther away;
each number becomes
its own plane
and point
in space;
perfect details.
v.
all the numbers
form lines
becoming an army
of curvy rows,
swirling round
and round.
a perfect pattern.
vi.
letters take
on colors,
each and every one
a different hue,
a different shade,
forming rainbows
of words.
how to become a writerhave parents that separate
when you’re in high school;
a father filled with unused anger
and a mother too busy to care.
pretend it doesn’t hurt.
let your friends treat you
      like dirt;
      after all,
everything is your fault.
listen to their problems with a fake smile
all the while crying out because
everything hurts and no one can see.
press a knife to your skin,
but be too cowardly to
draw your own blood.
fall in love with people
who could never notice you,
because you’re
                just. not. good.
                enough.
chew on the multicolored
strands of your hair.
      (you can’t stop running
      from who you really are.)
carry around a notebook
and scrawl eve

Thank you very much. :D It felt really wonderful to receive another DD. I really never thought that I would get another one, and I was blown away by the response to the piece. I’m STILL replying to comments and thanking for faves, haha.

As for comparing it to the first time I received a DD, I’d say it was similar, but very different. The first time, I was so overwhelmed with excitement that I literally danced around the house for a good thirty minutes. I also told everyone I knew. Even if they didn’t know what deviantArt was, haha. The second time, I kinda just stared at the screen for a little bit, because I thought that I was dreaming. I honestly didn’t think I’d get another one, but to have it happen again is such an honor.

(thanks so much to sincebecomeswhy and DorianHarper, again. :heart::heart:)

 

And with you being a person who consistently puts out literature gold out for the world of dA (It’s true, folks), what is your writing process? What really gets those juices flowing to write? What’s your muse? 

 Oh. :blush: :faint:

Honestly, I have a few different writing processes, depending on what I’m writing and what it’s for.

For example, with how to become a writer, I locked myself in my room and poured everything out onto a piece of paper (well, more like six pieces of paper…it’s so long :P) and then I fell asleep because I was so exhausted. In the morning, I took it, typed it out and organized it, cutting a few things, adding a few things, and rearranging a few things. Then, I formatted it, which took SO LONG, and posted it

In contrast, with a super nova’s roar, I spent a little over a month working on it. I had the general idea in my head, but for some reason, whenever I tried to write it out, it wasn’t working. I trashed all of the first drafts of it. I decided to let the idea stew in my mind for a while, and I mean really stew. I was thinking about the prompt 24/7. Finally, the night before the deadline, something inside my brain clicked, and I started writing. Even then, the first draft looked totally different than the last draft, and it took me hours to get from point A to point B, the poem that I posted.

 

We’re also curious to know; how long have you’ve been writing for? And is there anything different to writing now, than what it was back then?

Technically, I’ve been writing for twelve years. I was seven years old when I wrote my first ‘novel,’ using the term in the loosest way possible. After that, I wrote a few poems a year, and developed a lot of ideas for other novels. I did that until around 8th grade, when I had the WORST English teacher ever. She was a witch with a capital B.

Anyway, long story short, every time I turned in a poem for an assignment she would fail me and tell me it was the worst poem she had ever read in the history of the world. (she did this to everyone else, too.) Needless to say, I stopped writing.

I got back into writing towards the end of freshman year, beginning of sophomore year. I was in a really bad place, and I turned to writing to help me figure things out. I’ve been writing ever since. Things are definitely different. For one, I’m not as bad as I was back then, and I’ve learned a lot from really great artists on deviantArt.

 

For some of us, writing is merely a hobby, but for others they really want to take their literature to the next level and have it published. Where do you find yourself on that side of the writing fence?

It’s been a dream of mine to have a novel published some day, but, since I’m still working on manuscripts, I’ve been submitting my poetry to different literary magazines. I’ve had a few published, and I’m working on getting more soon. :D

 

Okay, so we all have our literary inspirations and we’d love to know who yours are. Both on dA and outside of it! 


Inside dA, there’s LadyLincoln, LiliWrites, SilverInkblot, betwixtthepages, CelestialMemories, your-methamphetamine, PoetryOD, toxic-nebulae, intricately-ordinary and DearPoetry. They’re all AMAZING, and if you’re not watching them, you should be. :eyes:

Outside dA, there’s J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan, Colleen Houck, John Flanagan, Eoin Colfer, and Scott Westerfeld. Among others. A lot of others. :giggle:
 

One of the main things I would absolutely love to do with this interview series, is highlight both the well and lesser known users, so I ask: Who, on your watchlist, do you feel doesn’t get as much attention as they deserve?

91816119, birdsongs, ithaswhatitisnt, sleepysheepdog, grew-up-a-screw-up, Tyrison, and Zingaresa. :D They are all wonderful writers and definitely deserve to be watched by all of you. :iconupsidedownstareplz:
 

With you playing such an integral part in the literature community, both receiving and giving features, you’ve seen a lot of different writers over your time here. And with that being said, what writer(s), given the perfect circumstances, would you like to collaborate with? 

:iconcannotevenplz: Oh my gosh, there’s so many! DearPoetry, ithaswhatitisnt, brighteyes25, disrhythmic, birdsongs, grew-up-a-screw-up, LiliWrites, FuzzyHoser, hypermagical, intricately-ordinary, SilverInkblot, HugQueen, Lady-Yume, OfOneSoul, pomohippie7, sleepysheepdog, Sammur-amat, vespera, and your-methamphetamine, among others. :lmao:
 

We would also love to see what some of your favorite deviations are from your own gallery! What are some of the pieces you’re most proud of?

a super nova's roaryour breathing comes heavy
as you whisper in my ear:
        "veni, vidi, vici,
        mi amor."

your fingers tangle themselves
into my mane, sending
trapped stars careening into
the depths of the universe.
your mouth meets mine.
we explode into dark matter
as i caress your butterfly skin,
my unsheathed claws gliding down
your rope-tied spine.
                dulce periculum.
constellations dance across my body
and super novae bloom in the cracks
beyond time where lips and skin meet.
we roar at the night sky
as we rise from the lapping waves.
    omnis vir tigris,
but we are lions, ascending
to take our place among the stars.
, Winter Wanderlust    i.
Last winter you held me
under the light of your
favorite constellation;
our entwined "I Do's"
floated up to become
diamonds
lodged in the sky.
Every morning I woke
to a warm cup of Earl Grey
and a passionate kiss
on the counter top,
hoping the marred wood
wouldn't give way beneath me.
I even let you look
over my shoulder
as I poured my soul
onto a piece of paper,
handwritten memories
tinged with sepia
and wanderlust.
    ii.
A whirlwind of postcards and
newspaper clippings.
That's what you called me.
    iii.
Our walls
were painted
with verses of
my favorite poets.
From Eliot's
wasteland
to the simple,
beautiful
lines from the
threadbare man
we met
on St Rose
bridge.
I taped his poem above
the bathroom mirror. I still remember
the way his face lit up when you
handed him that hundred dollar bill.
He thanked us with his written words.
    iv.
We never did come home
from our honeymoon, did we?
Whenever you kissed my paper cut
fingers, my spine sang with
, Midnight Dancea necklace of clouds adorns the moon,
silken strands supporting its weight.
you are a streak of light tearing
through the sky, swallowing every
star you blot out. you store them
in your evanescent eyes, making
them a beacon on the darkest night.
your lips are cold
when they meet my lips,
and your skin
tastes of
copper and adventure.
the sun sits in the hollow
of your throat as you sway
to the music drifting through
sickly sweet air.
your feet are heavy on mine --
the tug of the ocean,
drowning me in your
metallic curves.
our quicksilver tango cuts
through the night, leaving a trail
of acidic pleasure and
elated misery.
i believed you were human
       but you have
g
  e
    a
  r
s
whirring
              instead of a heart.
your hum is soft,
mechanical,
as i teach you to dance
under midnight's glow.
, the failed escape artistshe is a snowflake-skinned sigh
floating on the winds of Eurus,
playing tic-tac-toe on her skin.
she always comes out the loser
standing on the road between
two worlds, she wonders when
she started to read the map wrong,
     because this isn’t the
     second star from the right.
she can burn the pictures,
but she can’t burn her memories.
               and damn it,
her wanderlust is trying to
pull her up, up, and away
but the desolation is keeping
its slimy tentacle wrapped
around her ankle and
it
      won’t
                      let
                                go.
, and the stained masqueradei have a red-line-rash from scratching too much;
you always rubbed me the wrong way, but i guess
that's what i liked about you, wasn't it?
you could go on for days about how girls
shouldn't wear powder foundation
while you dabbed it on your own nose.
i hated the way your rain boots would squeak
after you jumped into a puddle of mud.
you never cared about "intended use," and
i guess that's why you liked me. you could use
me any way you wanted and i just wouldn't care.
the ballroom inside your mind is cracking, though,
because i took off my mask when i wasn't supposed to.
it's not time to play make believe any more:
"you need to grow up, earn your own bread and butter."
but you couldn't take the reality of the world
so you hid inside your mind and used me as your puppet.
i'm leaving marks on my arm again, as i lie on your bed
without pajamas, because if i turn up
dead i want the world to know what happened to me.
i want them to know that a girl acting like a train
crashed into my life an
are the pieces that I’m the most proud of at this moment. :)
 

Finally, Caitlan, if you don’t mind sharing, can you tell our viewers where else they can find you? Twitter, Facebook, Skype, Instagram?

No problem! I love connecting with people.

Facebook: Kat Zufelt
Twitter: @DrippingW0RDS
Skype: caitlan.zufelt
Instagram: sepia_memories
Tumblr: follow-the-wanderlust.tumblr.com
Goodreads: Kat Zufelt
Wattpad: DrippingWords
Pinterest: Kat Zufelt
Etsy: Caitlan Zufelt or KatsKadoodles
Youtube: Kat Zufelt
Steam: psych-enthusiast
NaNo WriMo: kirileefeyhycanth

And if anyone wants my email and/or address you can note me! Pen pals are my fave. ;)

 

 

And to everyone who tuned in, I want to thank you all for joining us for the first episode of “Adjusting The Antennae,” where we try to shift the focus of dA to the greatness of poetry and prose. I sincerely hope that this is the first of many episodes, highlighting writers from all over the deviantART spectrum. I also would like to thank LionesseRampant for taking time out of her busy schedule to tell us a little bit more about herself and her lovely artwork.

On one last point, if you know of a writer who deserves more attention or a writer you believe would make for a good interviewee, please comment below or note me with your suggestion(s)! You're also more than welcomed to add questions along with your suggestions, too. Also, if you enjoyed this interview, please show Caitlan some love, spread the word on my new series, or just let your thoughts be known on this with a comment!

 

© 2013 - 2024 chromeantennae
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imaginative-lioness's avatar
A wonderful interview, Ricky. I love your questions!

=DrippingWords, I am definitely going to have to give you some suggestions for the DLDs, I haven't done that in so long and have always enjoyed doing it. I enjoyed getting to know you more, especially since you are such an integral member of the literature community. And wow, NaNo five times? I haven't had the inspiration to even attempt one time! How are you going with it? Have you completed the challenge?

:heart: