A Friday special for you, dear readers: our first Issue 044 author interview! Join us as we chat with Pamela Love about our circus theme, and Pamela’s story “Come One! Come All!”
LSQ: This issue’s theme is the circus. What drew you to that theme?
Pamela: My family went to the circus back in the 1970s. Acrobats, animal acts, clowns—
everything I expected to see. I enjoyed it all. Yet when I saw Luna Station Quarterly’s call for submissions about the circus, what I remembered most wasn’t a trapeze artist or clowns piling out of a tiny car. Instead, it was all of the lights. Spotlights on performers, souvenir flashlights in the audience, sparkles reflecting off sequined costumes…I was dazzled back then, and in a way, I still am.
LSQ: Millicent could have done anything with her newfound powers, but she chooses to stay in circus advertisement. What were her motivations? Do you think she’d ever have adventures outside the circus?
Pamela: Millicent won’t limit herself to circus advertising, but recognizes that it’s a great way to publicize her abilities. More importantly, she owes something to O’Hanrahan’s Circus. In a sense, it’s the source of her powers, and she did accidentally damage their tent.
It’s entirely possible she’ll have more adventures outside the circus. (Seriously, if Luna Station Quarterly is interested, I’d love to tell another story or two about what happens when Millicent heads to Hollywood, and then runs into her father on Broadway…)
LSQ: Millicent wants to be in the circus, but is stuck with poster duty. What would your dream job in the circus be?
Pamela: Riding horseback! I used to take lessons, and I’ve fallen off a horse almost every way possible, but if I’d been better at it…
LSQ: Who and what inspires your writing?
Pamela: The memories of all the wonderful books and stories I’ve read, starting when I was a kid. When I was ten or so, I remember one dreadful day at the library when I thought I’d read all the books that I could possibly want to read. I wanted to write more books myself, but knew I wasn’t ready. Even though I found many more books that I loved after that, to me, being an author means writing the stories I want to read that nobody else has written yet. Thanks for the opportunity, Luna Station Quarterly!