Ain drew : An Interview

PTM: How are you doing?

Ain drew : I’m excellent.

PTM: Tell us about yourself and the book.

Ain drew : Well, I was born in Nashville, and raised in Detroit. I graduated with a BA in English from Grand Valley State University. I did a stint as a teacher’s assistant and then I worked at PETA. I now reside in Atlanta. I freelance and assist a dope graphic designer full-time. I’m also working on a line of purses—coming soon.

The poetry book [If] Life’s Rotten, Write to the Core, is a collection that’s been nearly ten years in the making. I sat on it for a long time, revised some pieces, and completely trashed others, until I got to this point where I was comfortable letting other people in.

PTM: I love the title. How did you come up with the name? Where did you get the idea for this book?

Ain drew : Thanks. The name is pretty basic. Life is rotten. There are so many ugly things that we have to deal with that it’s important to find an outlet to escape it all and vent freely. [If] Life’s Rotten, Write to the Core is also a journal with 25 writing prompts. I want to inspire people to write, because that’s what helps me get through certain moments.

PTM: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Ain drew : Once I hit middle school, I started writing rap lyrics. I was listening to hip hop poets like Tupac and Queen Latifah, and I wanted to be a rapper. “U.N.I.T.Y.” was a great record about female empowerment that made me want to do what [Queen Latifah] was doing. Unfortunately, I realized that my flow isn’t record-worthy. So I started writing poetry. The first piece that I still know by heart was written when I was 15.

PTM: Was there something in particular that got you interested in writing?

Ain drew : I was blessed enough to be surrounded by great literature at an early age. My parents have the most incredible books. In junior high, my teachers had us reading James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Maya, and other great writers. So it was a combination of reading work by great writers and listening to hip hop that really moved me.

PTM: How difficult was it to get your first book published? How did you go about it?

Ain drew : I’m always disappointed by the poetry aisle when I go to the bookstore. A lot of major publishers, or even little guys, aren’t checking for poets right now. So I decided to research self-publishing sites, and I came across Lulu.com. I had a professional copyeditor go through the book, formatted it, and published it myself. In that sense, it’s pretty simple. I’d still like to get picked up by a publishing house, though. I’m not counting anything out right now.

PTM: Who are some of your favorite authors, and which one has influenced you the most?

Ain drew : Langston Hughes is a great poet. When it comes to my poetry, I’m more influenced by spoken word and hip-hop artists. I love Saul Williams, Gil Scott-Heron, The Last Poets, and Talib Kweli. A lot of people don’t count emcees when you’re talking about poetry. But cats like Kweli, Nas, Mos, Common, and ‘Pac are better poets than your classic poets, if you ask me.

PTM: Are you currently working on a new book?

Ain drew : I’m slowly putting together a second poetry collection, but what I’ve learned is that you can’t force poetry. There used to be times where I’d sit with a pen and pad and say to myself, I gotta write a poem, I gotta write a poem. That’s not conducive to being creative. Poems hit you when you least expect. That’s why I carry my pen everywhere I go. I may be in the middle of a restaurant and write a line or two on a napkin. So the second collection may come out years from now or next week.

I’ve also been sitting on a novel idea. I’ve completed one already, but I’m more connected to the project that’s been brewing in my head. Now all I need is extra time to get it out on paper.

PTM: What’s the title?

Ain drew : Black December Running. That’s a very tentative title.

PTM: What is it about?

Ain drew : It’s about revolution and people reaching a breaking point in dealing with our shitty government and shady politics. It’s going to be very gritty and literary at the same time.

PTM: Besides writing, what else do you like to do?

Ain drew : I’m greedy. I love to eat. I’m vegan, so people assume that I eat carrots and celery all day [laughs]. But I love food, so eating is a hobby. I also love searching for new music. I’m a Hip Hop head, but I love all kinds of music. Nina Simone is one of my favorite artists. She was a poet, as well.

Other than that, I’m pretty much a homebody. I dig going to Little Five Points here in Atlanta, and going to a party or cultural event every now and then, but I’m really plastered on my couch if I’m not working.

PTM: Do you have any advice for writers with dreams of being published?

Ain drew : Be gutsy. Don’t wait for an agent or publisher to recognize your potential. If you know you have a talent for writing, by all means write, and if you can’t wait to get your art out, don’t be afraid to self-publish.

PTM: What’s the one thing that you want readers to know about your writing?

Ain drew : I’m not Emily Dickinson. My poetry is not academic or pretty.

PTM: What do you hope to provide your readers with through your writing?

Ain drew : A fresh take and poetic approach to issues that we talk about on a daily basis.

PTM: What are your goals as a writer?

Ain drew : My goal is to inspire people and to make them think. My writing covers a lot of social issues: racism, relationships, violence, religion, AIDS, etc. I think what I have to say is very relevant to what’s going on today. I think that’s the goal of any poet.

PTM: Is there a side of you that you didn’t know existed until the pen hit the pad?

Ain drew : I’m usually the one joking around. At one point, my mom thought that I would try to be a comedian. There were no epiphanies on my part when I started writing. If anything, when my friends started reading, they discovered my other side. I even had a friend call me and say, “I didn’t know your vocabulary was so vast.” That made me laugh. People assume that I’m never serious because I don’t really talk about social and political issues. My poetry gives me a chance to step up on my soapbox and vocalize things that I normally wouldn’t.

PTM: Who has been your biggest influence outside of the writing world?

Ain drew : My mom and both of my dads provide inspiration. They are all very involved in their communities, and were all very involved in various movements pertaining to equal rights.

It may sound generic, but I’m also inspired by life in general. I believe in Yin and Yang, or the unity of opposites that exist in all things. For example, the shitty situation in Jena, LA really shed a light on how much racism still exists in our world, and how ugly people can be. At the same time, what resulted was a peaceful protest of thousands in that itty bitty town. I was blessed enough to go, and it was beautiful to see so many people united for a worthy cause. That’s inspirational. I’m sure there’s something beautiful that will come out of Bush’s tenure in office, as well. After eight years of dealing with his “Bushit,” people are awake now. We have a great chance of having a female or a black president. That’s dope.

PTM: Where do we go to buy the book and check out some of your work?

Ain drew : You can go to Lulu.com and just type in my name, Ain drew. You can also search by the Content ID: 1391582. You can also check me out on my Myspace page at www.myspace.com/afroveg.

PTM: Anything you want to tell the fans?

Ain drew : “Fan” is a heavy word. I haven’t made it to that level, yet. But to anyone who enjoys my work, thanks. I always appreciate feedback, positive or negative. I can be contacted at ain.h.d@hotmail.com