Ask the Author: Matt Mendez

In the November issue, Matt Mendez writes the story of A Girl More Still and in today’s interview with J. Bradley, he is a man of few but mighty words.

1. Do you find the cursive handwriting system still useful and relevant to today?

Handwriting is thoughtful and personal, not quickly done and forgettable like most email and texting, updated Facebook statuses.  There is a special  privacy, immediacy, a writer can get to writing longhand.

2. What have you had to hide from your parents?

Like Lena I hid writing, not going to the lengths Lena did but never sharing it, either.  I still have trouble handing over work to those closest to me.

3. Who or what was your inspiration in creating Lena?

Lena is a character who popped up in another story and was in real danger,  someone getting attention and being ignored at the same time.  The tension needed its own narrative.

4. What are some songs that you can’t resist listening to?

I can’t resist hip-hop and tunes that are unapologeticly badass. “Don’t Sweat the Technique,” Erik B. and Rakim; “The Choice is Yours,” Black Sheep; “I’m Bad,” LL Cool J.  I listen to Gnarls Barkley’s “The Odd Couple” and the soundtrack to “Where the Wild Things Are” non-stop.  I’m currently a little nuts for Jay-Z’s “DOA.”

5. What motivates you to write?

It’s a way for me to figure things out.  The same goes for why I read.