with Jackie Chou:
Q1: When did you begin writing and first influences?
Jackie: I was homeschooled in my native language of Mandarin Chinese until the sixth grade. When I started attending regular school, I became more proficient in English and wrote in my diary. I also began to read classical literature avidly. Some of my early influences included Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and William Faulkner.
Q2: Who are your biggest influences today?
Jackie: There are so many poets I read nowadays that I cannot name one who is my biggest influence. The poems I read most recently were Jack Karouac’s collected haiku, which I believe gave me inspiration for writing short form poetry.
Q3: Where did you grow up and how did that influence your writing? Did any travels away from home influence your work?
Jackie: I grew up in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles. The neighborhood, quaint with its colorful run-down houses, definitely provided a backdrop for my writing.
Q4: What do you consider your most meaningful work you’ve done creatively so far?
Jackie: I consider the most meaningful work I’ve done so far to be the poems, and a couple of short stories, that have been accepted by various journals. For me, getting published is a big validation for my writing.
Q5: What are your favorite activities to relax? Jackie: When not writing, I love to watch Jeopardy, America's Got Talent, and The Voice. Q6: What is a favorite line/stanza from one of your poems or others? Jackie: Since I write a lot of short form poetry, I'll share the following lines from one of my favorite tanka: as if my story/were a sculpture/in my diaries/the meticulous carving/of each word. Q7: Who has helped you most with writing? Jackie: The support of the poetry community--the teachers, facilitators, editors, and fellow poets--has helped me most with writing. Poetry Showcase from Jackie Chou Several poems from the Fevers of the Mind Anthologies by Jackie Chou https://www.poetrysoup.com/poems_poets/poems_by_poet.aspx?ID=79653 https://subterraneanbluepoetry.com/Archives.JackieChou.html https://pondersavant.com/2020/07/16/kises-other-poems-by-jackie-chou/
Fevers of the Mind 
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