Alcohol. His work uses a spoken style of language to blend social criticism, philosophical reflection, explicit prose, and black comedy. Lafleche is the editor of Gravitas Poetry. He was awarded an MA in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Gloucestershire in 2019. Follow him on Twitter: @AndrewLafleche or visit AndrewLafleche.com for more information.
Statement: I began writing as a way to think clearly, to work out my thoughts on the page—it’s also what I believe is so important about writing, sharing your writing, because like so many of the books I picked up in my youth, their words reminded me I wasn’t alone. In these current days—of which will pass—these thoughts continue to hold true. We are a community, of voices and persons, and our words keep us bound.
MacQuarrie, Andrew
Bio: Andrew MacQuarrie is an Air Force veteran and a doctor. A native of Canada, he now lives in Los Angeles. MacQuarrie has previously published in The Montreal Review, The Write Launch, Lit Rally, Military Experience & the Arts, and On The Premises.
Statement: I write to make sense of things. Or at least to try and make sense of things. It’s a complex world we live in. Sometimes things happen that leave me thinking, “Wait… what?” I find that exploring these challenges through stories helps me to be a little more perceptive and a lot more human.
These days in particular, as our collective lives have been turned upside down, I think it’s so important to stay grounded. Many of us are working long, challenging hours as “essential personnel” with little time to take care of ourselves. Others are cooped up at home with so much time it only amplifies how lonely and scary this world has become. It’s tough, no matter how you spin it. While writing can’t exactly fix this, a good story can certainly go a long way in maintaining that human connection we all need now more than ever.
Markley, Elizabeth
Bio: Elizabeth Markley is a writer living in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been previously published in The Write Launch, The Mighty Line, Cleaning Up Glitter, The Feminine Collective, Haunted Waters Press, Castabout Literary Magazine, and the Raw Art Review. When she is not writing she is kept busy by her children, two rambunctious boys under the age of four.
Statement: I write because it allows me to do two things at once - I can simultaneously engage with the world, and escape it. It is a beautiful contradiction, bringing both excitement and peace, thrills and calm. I am alone, and yet the opposite of lonely. The same, I have found, is true for reading as well. If the current situation with the pandemic has proven anything, it is that stories are imperative for healing, coping, and understanding the world. They connect us during a time when we cannot be physically present with one another. If there is a silver lining to the crisis, I hope it is this – that we appreciate and encourage the joy of this beautiful contradiction.
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