30 Questions with Thirty West
Featuring David Estringel
In November of 2023, Thirty West Publishing House embarked on its most ambitious #AntiWriMo project to date: The Ternion. This three-novel series is written by 9 authors, all written in one month. The Ternion is an experiment in creativity, community, adaptability, and stress; and it was successful.
Today, we are proud to take a moment to highlight one of the many people behind the pen involved in this incredible collaboration
David Estringel is a Xicanx writer/poet with works published in literary magazines and journals, such as The Opiate, Azahares, Cephalopress, and Sledgehammer Lit. He is the author of multiple books, including Indelible Fingerprints (Alien Buddha Press, 2019), Cold Comfort House, (Anxiety Press, 2022), Blind Turns in the Kitchen Sink (Anxiety Press, 2023), and numerous chapbooks, PeripherieS (The Bitchin’ Kitsch, 2020), Eating Pears on the Rooftop (Finishing Line Press, 2022), and more.
1. How old were you when you first started writing?
I believe I was around 40 years old when I started writing regularly for a literary pub called Specter Magazine. It was my first go as a columnist, which pretty much got me hooked and interested in the online platform.
2. In your opinion, what is the best piece you’ve ever written?
Hmm. That is a toughie. Overall, I would say my short story, “Roadkill.” I do think my poem “Cajeta (Gimme Some Sweet!)” comes in a close second.
3. What fictional character would your best friend compare you to?
My BFF Brian says that I remind him of John Jarnydace from Bleak House by Charles Dickens. He says, “He was level-headed. He took care of others. Smart. Had presence. Was the ‘go-to’ for when shit hit the fan, but never a know-it-all. Supportive. Self-sacrificing if it served a greater good. Big picture thinker.”
4. What is the biggest challenge you've overcome as a writer?
Fear of rejection. I pretty much take it on the chin like a pro now.
5. What is your third favorite dinosaur?
Megalosaurus. Not as sexy as the T-Rex and not as impressive as the Brontosaurus.
6. What was your first publication?
My first published piece was my poem “Blue Sky through Bare Branches” (Foliate Oak Magazine) and my first book was Indelible Fingerprints (Alien Buddha Press).
7. What does your drafting process look like?
I sit and obsess over a piece until it is done. Lots of cigarettes and caffeine are involved with Pandora constantly streaming in the background.
8. What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I wanted to be a priest. I changed my mind after I reached puberty.
9. What book do you wish you could read again for the first time?
Maruice by E. M. Forster. I first read it 30 years ago and still reread it to this day. His use of allusion and allegory is amazing.
10. What was the fastest you ever decided to DNF a book?
I finish what I start, but it did take me seven years to finish Proust’s Swann’s Way. The narrator is so unlikable I would pitter out around page 26 every time I tried to take another stab at it. Finally finished it, but haven’t picked up the next volume.
11. What kind of writing is your favorite? Why?
I am a big fan of dirty realism. It is relatable and often exposes the beauty in the dark and tragic.
12. Do you have one word that you always misspell?
Restaurant.
13. Are there any major themes that span your work as a whole?
Love and loss, life and death, intimacy, and duality
14. What are some of your favorite writing-related resources, that you would recommend to aspiring writers?
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. A classic.
15. What is your least favorite part of being an author?
Self-promotion. It’s a necessary evil but it still feels narcissistic.
16. What are the top five books on your TBR list?
Within a Budding Grove by Marcel Proust
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
Death on Credit by Louis-Ferdinand Celine
Cancer Ward by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Vampires in the Lemon Grove and Other Stories by Karen Russell
17. Is writing your full-time job?
Yes and no. I teach composition to college students, so writing is my ‘bread and butter’ in that respect.
18. What is the best fun fact you know?
Cow burps are the leading cause of the Earth’s greenhouse effect. Not so much a fun fact as much as it is funny.
19. How does writing intersect with your personal life?
It is very much a part of my life. If I don’t write, I feel like shit. I feel it helps me process ‘life’ and my brain needs that. Being Editor-In-Chief of The Argyle also lets me tap into that creative space, just in a different way. I teach composition and literature also. At this point, words are like oxygen.
20. What does your editing process look like?
Quick and dirty. I stop writing when it “feels right” and then obsess over it for a few days. If I keep looking at a piece, I will always want to change something, which is why once I decide it is done, I start submitting it to places. Generally, I never lay eyes on my pieces again, unless I am putting together a manuscript or something.
21. What was your biggest fear when you were 8?
My parents dying.
22. What does “made it” look like to you?
I don’t think that will look just one way. I will know I made it if:
My work is taught in colleges
I make a ton of money
I win a major literary prize
If I had to pick one, though, I would want my work taught in colleges.
23. When do your best ideas come to you?
Driving or listening to music. Both put me in a ‘zone’.
24. If a witch was going to turn you into an object beauty-and-the-beast style, what would you want to be?
A book
25. Who is your go-to character in Mario Kart?
I actually cannot stand Mario Bros. Next!
26. What was your first writing rejection like?
I don’t really remember, but I am pretty sure I was butt-hurt. I was probably more embarrassed than anything. Letting someone read your stuff takes some bravery, and to have said work rejected is pretty harsh.
27. What was the hardest part of working with multiple authors for the #ANTIWRIMO project?
Getting schedules synched (if that is even possible) is pretty tough, especially when you are in different time zones. Plus, with add-on work and other responsibilities, it can be a bit frustrating to navigate.
28. Do you have any future projects you're excited about?
I have a bilingual, hybrid chapbook called Brujeria coming out from Anxiety Press. It is a collection of English/Spanish poems and short stories that center around Mexican witchcraft and Santeria. On top of that, doing the E.I.C thing for The Argyle.
29. Do you like poetry? If so, do you plan on submitting to next year's Wavelengths Chapbook contest?
I have mainly written poetry, actually. I would definitely submit.
30. What was the first book you ever truly loved?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Do you have more questions for David? (Like what on Earth he has against the Mario Bros?!) Find him on social media @The_Booky_Man and his website www.davidestringel.com. Keep an eye out for ESCAPING EMILY, part of The Ternion, coming June 2024.
Want more #AntiWriMo content? Stay tuned for more interviews, events, and announcements about The Ternion. Can’t wait that long? Westies get exclusive behind-the-scenes content, early access, and invites to special online and in-person events.
In the meantime, peruse the shelves of the Thirty West Book Shop and find your next favorite read.
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