A chat with Jason Stocks about his poetry collection, ‘Laughing is Forever (MindStir Media, 2024)
How would you describe the book in one sentence?
'Laughing is Forever' is gritty, musical, inquisitive, ironic poetry composed for folks who are tired of the same old thing.
When I interviewed you after your last collection ('Blameforest'), you described that book as ‘haunting, rhythmic, and vulgar’. How is ‘Laughing is Forever’ similar or different, do you think? The titles seem to have quite different vibes?
I didn’t edit myself to death while working on 'Laughing'. I spent more time saying what it was I needed to say, or ask, in the most straight forward way possible. I went back to some old poems that didn’t make the cut for 'Blameforest' and unpacked and polished them up. And I was in a different mindset. Life was good, had been good for a while, so with the depression, etc., fleeting I added a little comic flair . . . and a child’s inquisitiveness to the mix and 'Laughing is Forever' was born.
How long did the book take to write?
Off and on the book took 5 years to complete.
How did you structure the collection?
At first, more than structure, I cared about arrangement of the poems by theme. I wanted the transition from poem to poem to be seamless and logical so that it would read more like a short story or a novel. I take liberties with structure, as in how the poems appear on the page: lineation, white space, etc. The truth is, poetry is first differentiated from prose by its appearance of the page. I want readers to look at it and be intrigued. But the structure is absolutely dictated by the moment the poem was written in. In 'Laughing' chapters divide the speakers’ growth and movements towards reconciliation/redemption in easily consumable segments that build towards an awesome conclusion.
How did you choose a publisher for the collection, and how much editorial input did they have with the book?
I didn’t have any luck with major imprints and wasn’t really worried about landing a big deal so I stuck with small/independent publisher MindStir Media. Mainly because they make it so easy. I retained control over just about all aspects of production, from cover design and interior to marketing, etc. They had very little editorial input. I did work with an editor though, who knows me well, and who knows and understands the direction I was trying to go in. Which was/is far away from everyone else. We worked on our MFAs together in Boston and over the years she came to understand the desire I had to keep my characters authentic, from belief systems to accents, and everything in between.
What has been the reaction to the collection? Have there been any individual reactions that have surprised you?
Yes, I have been getting good reviews from sources like Kirkus and Independent book review, but also Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes and Noble reader reviews have been positive for the most part. And I’m so grateful. Truly grateful that readers are getting it. Some of my high school students have read and enjoyed it. Probably because it’s violent and vulgar and relatable to the immediacy and pressures of being young. Young and in love, young and hurt. Young and yearning for independence . . . and answers. Or maybe they were just being nice:) Sales matter, of course, but only so much as it’s a reflection of how many people are reading your book. I want people to read and be inspired by the book. Since 'Blameforest' was a finalist in the American Legacy Book Awards it’s drawn some attention to 'Laughing is Forever'.
Do you have a favourite poem from the collection?
Yes, I do. It’s called “My Father’s Ghost.”
I don’t like labels for either poets or poems, but many of the ones in this collection – such as ‘Here We Are Again’ seem confessional, can you talk a bit about that?
Some are confessional. I have a lot to confess. And while admitting that may at first seem a bit selfish, the things I’m working through, processing, and making accessible for others are absolutely universal. The fact that I often use the first person shouldn’t negate that. But some personas and situations are wholly invented, too. I’d like to think it’s a good mix. But to say I’m not in the poems, or that I’m not desperately trying to communicate something vital, that’s dying to get out, is untrue. And yeah, labels are silly. But as humans, thinking man, right, we seem to have a collective need to file things (and people) in a specific folder (now more than ever). I don’t recommend it. One day pick up a book without knowing anything about it and give it a go.
Talking of confessional, I was intrigued by the repeated references to Anne Sexton – can you talk a bit about this?
I love Anne Sexton. I studied her work deeply for many years, and to some extent I emulated her voice until I found my own. I felt a kinship to her after reading “Her Kind.” I love and can appreciate the female struggle. The struggle mothers with dreams know while they have hungry babies writhing on both hips. She wanted to be loved, yearned to be beautiful, heard/seen. There’s depth, sexuality, music and . . . control in Anne Sexton’s poems. Maybe the only thing she could control. Yes, I love her.
As an independent author myself, I’m always interested in how other people feel about the self-promotion involved in putting out a book and I wonder how you feel about this?
It’s so hard, but so rewarding. And you have to do it otherwise your book, your baby, will fall into obscurity before it got a chance to live. I spend a lot of time and money putting myself out there. Money I’ll never see again. But it’s about legacy not a paycheck.
Have you done any readings from the book or do you plan to do any? If so, which poems would you choose to read and why? Linked to this, are there any poems that you think are specifically ‘page’ poems?
Now that I’ve finished the 2 books I’ll do readings. My agent Jen Debellis will be working hard on getting some readings lined up in the next few months and I’m presently doing a 10-stop virtual book tour with my publisher. I’d love to do a reading with you, Sam. Say the word and I’ll hop on a plane. But I’m looking to do events, happy and grateful to do events. If anyone is interested, get in touch through email (jasonsinferno@yahoo.com), Facebook and/or YouTube @ Sunnyvale Reject.
When I reviewed your last book, 'Blameforest', I said I was reminded of early Eminem and I thought this again with this book. I wonder what you think of the link between rap (or musicality more generally) and poetry?
Oh yes. It’s there. I learned to count syllables, line-length, line breaks and so much more from old-school hip hop masters like LL Cool J, NWA, House of Pain, N2Deep and Das EFX. I marinated in the anger, the lack of restraint, the raw unschooled nature of it all. And since Eminem made a major comeback recently and is #1 on almost every chart, for the time being, the comparison is appreciated.
What are you working on now?
Currently I’m putting a lot of work into my YouTube channel Sunnyvale Reject. It’s dedicated to books and big ideas. Soon though I’ll get back to work on my novel. It’s a YA thriller called 'Sing Like a Bomb'. It’s projected to be released in mid 2025.
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