An Interview with Claire Ibarra
Claire Ibarra’s second novel Alteration was recently published by Atmosphere Press. Her debut novel Fragile Saints was a finalist for the 2022 CAL Literary Book Award. Claire’s poetry chapbook Vortex of Our Affections was published by Finishing Line Press in 2017. She received her MFA in creative writing from Florida International University. Her work can also be found in many literary magazines and anthologies. You can learn more at www.claireibarra.com.
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
I come from a family of artists, and creativity runs deep in my family lineage. There are painters and visual artists, writers, woodworkers, and musicians going back generations and still in my family today. We seem to have a collective need to create and appreciate the arts.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I was a Montessori teacher for many years, and I loved working with children of all ages. I eventually retired from my teaching career as a creative writing instructor at community college, which I did for several years. Now I focus solely on my visual art and writing.
What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?
I began writing Alteration many years ago. I was in graduate school, and at that time was mainly focused on my thesis, which became my debut novel Fragile Saints. So, writing Alteration was for pure fun and enjoyment. It started out as a short story, which won an award and got published in a literary magazine. But, with that, I just couldn’t let the story go. The characters demanded more space and voice! I kept going back to my characters, and over time it developed into the novel, but it was a slow process. I’m just thrilled that the story reached its completion and an audience. Writing Alteration was a magical journey, and I imagine that even the characters are satisfied and happy to be out in the world.
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
I love music, and music is mentioned in Alteration. There would be classic rock playing while Margaret and Richard cook for dinner parties. There’s classical music playing as Margaret leaves her apartment after many months. My husband and I have been listening to the Frank Sinatra radio station lately. Every time New York, New York comes on, I think of Alteration. New York is such an important part of the story, and the city has become my second home.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?
In my work, I always strive to explore the human condition and the many facets of our shared humanity. I believe that’s what all literary works intend to do—reveal or teach us something about ourselves. With Alteration, I hope the readers will discover a part of themselves or will see the world in a slightly different way. Maybe that sounds a bit lofty, but in the end, I think all writing attempts that. My perfect reader is open to exploring what it means to be alive and has empathy for people’s imperfections and struggles.
What creative projects are you currently working on?
I am currently writing my third novel. It’s a literary mystery-thriller, which is a different genre for me. I’m enjoying it so much! Mystery and thriller are favorite genres of mine for movies and books, so it’s been a lot of fun creating my own dark story with twists and turns.
How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?
Every step of the process with Atmosphere Press was easy and enjoyable—and, above all, exciting. I’ve been involved with the publishing world for a long time, and I think hybrid publishing is the way of the future, and the future is already here! The old model of traditional publishing isn’t viable or even realistic anymore. The industry is antiquated. Atmosphere Press is modern and fresh in its approach. The other thing I would highly stress is for writers of all experience levels to be careful of the scams out there right now. With the use of AI, the scams are very sophisticated and prey on authors’ core dreams of success. Success as a writer is a slow build over time, and defining success is different for everyone.
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