Yellow Arrow Publishing recently hired several new readers for our chapbook submissions (round 1 reading is currently taking place!) and would like to introduce each of them in a blog series over the weekend: Anna Leonard, Jillian Tremblay, and Natalie Wollenzien. Spring publications intern, Mel Silberger, also decided to stay on staff and has joined our new readers during our first-round selections; we’ll reintroduce Mel later in the year.
We are excited to have fresh eyes on this year’s chapbook submissions and to hear what they have to say about the beautiful voices shared with us. Thank you Anna, Jillian, Natalie, and Mel, for taking the time to join us this summer.
Next, we would like to present Jillian Tremblay. Jillian is a recent graduate of the University of Scranton, where she received her degree in English, with minors in political science and philosophy. She is an aspiring writer, and her short stories have been published in her university’s literary magazine, Esprit, on which she also served as an editor and assistant production manager. Jillian is constantly in pursuit of knowledge and hopes to continuously do work that elevates the voices of those around her while also developing her own voice.
Jillian says, “I am looking forward to learning more about the process behind the Yellow Arrow publications and reading all the submissions! I cannot wait to work with the staff and just to fully immerse myself in the role.”
Tell us a little something about yourself:
This past academic year, two of my short stories have been published in my university’s literary magazine, but I have been working a lot more on my creative writing and feel much more confident in my abilities. I hope to eventually publish a collection of my own short stories.
What do you love most about Long Island?
Living on Long Island has given me the privilege of being near New York City and the busy life of it all but also distanced me enough to find solace in a slower paced life when necessary. The first time I left home was for college, and while I will be returning home after graduation, I am most excited at the possibility of traveling in the future and seeing wherever I land.
How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do for us? Why did you want to join the Yellow Arrow team?
I got involved with Yellow Arrow after finding them through Instagram and going through the application process to join the staff as a reader. I was especially drawn to the team because of Yellow Arrow’s mission to uplift women-identifying voices.
What are you working on currently?
As I am completing my undergraduate degree, I am currently looking further into graduate programs and generally working to see what best suits my goal to change lives through literature.
What genre do you write or read the most and why?
One of my favorite genres to read is fantasy, but I have yet to write any fantasy of my own. When I think of my favorite fantasy books, I largely credit them for the quality of worldbuilding and how committed the work is to immerse the reader in that world. As I continue to write more contemporary fiction, I hope that down the line I can develop a confidence in my writing that will allow me to explore that level of creativity.
What book is on the top of your to-be-read pile?
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The length is daunting, but I’m determined to get through it!
Who is your favorite writer and why?
Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite contemporary authors. I find his prose to be breathtaking, and evidently reflects the care with which he handles every single character in his works. I also find myself most inspired to write after reading something of his.
Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?
One of the greatest inspirations for pursuing creative writing has been an English professor at my university who is the moderator for the literary magazine I have been an editor on. I have also had the privilege to take two of his classes, and he entirely changed the way I write, both critically and creatively, for the better.
What do you love most about writing?
Something I love about writing is the ability for a piece to take on an entirely different shape in its execution than when the idea originally formulated in your head. I love to hand write my first few drafts of a piece in my journal, so I can look back and see how a sentence I initially wrote to be the concluding line actually works better as the opening line or how the seemingly inconsequential bullet points of an idea grow into a pivotal plot point. As rewarding as it is to see a piece in its completion, I revel in the step-by-step planning.
What advice do you have for new writers?
Invest in a journal and write out all your ideas as they come to you! Writing is a process and going straight to typing out your stories sometimes forces you to feel like your piece is finished too soon. Writing out your ideas lets you be messy and unfinished without the intimidation of a blinking cursor and an imposing word count.
What’s the most important thing you always keep near wherever you work?
Headphones are always a nearby necessity when I am doing work. Listening to music helps me drown out the overwhelming input of the world around me and gives me the ability to focus solely on what is in front of me. I also just love listening to music and glean a lot of inspiration in my own creative process by listening to different songs.
What’s your vision for Yellow Arrow in 2024?
When I think of amplifying, I picture a lit stage in need of a spotlight. While some may be attentive to certain voices, others willfully overlook these people and ignore what could possibly enrich them. A spotlight is what forces people to stop, watch, and listen. I think that using the tools we have to project other’s voices is one of the most important things we can do as humans.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we AMPLIFY women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.