Interview: Katherine Salerno

 

Katherine Salerno

When I came into English I picked a seat a sat down quietly noticing the awkward silence because nobody knew each other. There was a lecture followed by directions to find a partner. Then, another awkward moment of turning around in your chair and hoping there is an even number of people. I turned to my right and that was when I met Madeleine Seltzer. She had on black leggings that appeared to have woven patters on them and what also appeared to be a wool sweatshirt. I introduced myself and she did the same. The instruction of the assignment was to interview your partner asking a series of question given to us on an ordinary white piece of paper that was a backdrop to showcase the black ink. Once again, an awkward moment, we actually had to talk to each other wondering who will interview first till one of us breaks the ice. Madeleine said she would go first and I was more than okay with that. However, the inevitable happened and then it was my turn to interview her. I looked at that white paper with the black ink and read straight from it. I asked, “What forms of writing do you use most often? Are you a poet? Do you write weekly emails to a friend? Do you write reports or memos at work? Do you write to do lists?” She responded saying, “I write Journal entries, essays, and song lyrics.” I found comfort knowing we had common interests and it was no more about the awkwardness I felt, and more about listing to her and who she is. Interestingly, she does not type out emails but does write her friends and pen pals in different parts of the country. I thought that was really cool and respectable. I learned about how she was in a band and plays base guitar that accompanies her enjoyment of writing lyrics. I knew then, she really must be good at writing because not everyone can write song lyrics. This is her first year at Front Range and taking English here, however, she has taken English classes at other places. That would include a creative writing class in England, two semesters of college in California and another semester in Vermont. Although she isn’t very Tec savvy, she takes advantage of going to a friend’s auto shop and using the wifi there when necessary. Even with wifi, Madeleine sticks to writing letters and avoids social media. She plans to also use the library saying, “I know where it is and look forward to using it a lot.” She has only been in Colorado for one week but knows what she wants to accomplish in this class.  That would include working on changing a habit of using run on sentences and sticking to a topic. Sharpening writing skills, using clear concepts, and having her own voice in what she writes are things she is aiming to take away from this class. One day she wants’ to see her name on the title page of a book or at the end of an article for a magazine or paper. Madeleine has already shared her writing with peers in classes and is aspiring to branch out and do something greater. The cool thing about Madeline and this dream is she wants to write about something real, raw, and something people can relate to and feel. I personally believe everyone needs a writer like her to show what it means to be human in this world.