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Mary Hotlen Q & A with Eastern Iowa Review

Chila: What gave you the idea for this short essay / prose poem / piece of micro-prose?

Mary: This piece melds stream-of-consciousness, dream and my concern for the fate of humanity and the planet..

Chila: I'm curious about the title, "Dot Matrix." Where did that come from?

Mary: "Dot" refers to a precise point in time; "Matrix" concerns the associations between images, symbols and patterns. 

Chila: Who has influenced your writing the most -- can you name 2 or 3 authors?

Mary: I read voraciously--poetry, fiction and nonfiction; writers I admire are many and varied. Many influences that help us hone our craft arise from an unconscious place we cannot name.  

Chila: Do you have any special works in progress or long-term writing goals you're especially excited about?

Mary: I have written two nonfiction book and many completed poetry chapbooks.  One chapbook is a 'hybrid' that combines prose and poetry, biographical material and fable; it is particularly enjoyable to fine-tune. 

I appreciate this short & sweet interview w/Mary. - Chila

​​Mary Hotlen has written two nonfiction books. Her short fiction has appeared in the Rockford Review. A poem titled “Year of Psalms” placed in the 2009 ‘Illinois Emerging Writers’ contest. Her poetry has been accepted by: Dream International Quarterly, Psychopoetica, Red River Review, Running Deer Press, Literary Mama, Moon Journal, Birth Matters in Print, The Awakenings Review, Off Channel, Earth’s Daughters, Devilfish Review, Pank Magazine, Persimmon Tree, Green Hills Literary Lantern, Whirlwind Review, and Outrider Press’s 2015 Anthology. She is a certified teacher and licensed counselor.
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