Ask The Author: Kimberly Lojewski
[admin / March 17th, 2010 / Interviews ]Kimberly Lojewski brings us in the February issue of PANK “An Arctic Mirage Sounds A Lot Like Rusty Crickets“.  She talks with us today about narwhals, sacrifice, and  pageantry  in warm places.
1. Would a lot of rusty crickets sound like an arctic mirage?
2. I noticed you are a fellow Floridian (I’m in Orlando). Â What kind of research did you do to ensure the authenticity of “An Arctic Mirage Sounds A Lot Like Rusty Crickets”?
I  met a throat singer in Newfoundland and became  fascinated by Inuit culture. It is so different from what I am familiar with that it is  easy, probably too easy,  to imagine things.  My fidelity to the actual culture is  tenuous at best.  They don’t  drink  screech and jump through the ice on any regular basis. The real  version of the Arctic Games  does not include narwhal beauty pageants. I  did read everything I could find on the hunting practices and listened to a lot of sound bites.  Paul Nicklen just put out an amazing photography book  full of his rare and wonderful experiences searching for narwhals.
3. How would you evoke intangible forces to aid you?
In theory, something cool like dancing in the swamps on moony nights. In practice, I am a big fan of stumbling, blind luck.
4. What price are you willing to pay for ultimate success?
I have a temperamental, old pick-up truck that I think would make a very nice trade. I would sacrifice it in the blink of an eye.
5. What do you think the Caribbean Queen competition would consist of? Â What would those contestants have to hunt?
I just keep picturing cruise ships of oiled up people on holiday. It would be  a bloodbath of gaudy jewelry and aging hormones hunting for money-stinking mates. My animal kingdom choice would be Snow Monkeys. They are my new favorite animal and it is  an ethically sound plan.  They would be very hard to catch if the contestants had to shoot their rifles all the way to Japan.
A wonderful interview with a wonderful writer!
Kimberly is on the rise! A true talent!
Very awesome interview. I liked the way the story blended accurate cultural practices with some invented ones. Also, both the interview and the story did a fantastic job of handling the (amazing, incredible, miraculous) creatures that are Narwhals.