An Interview with Cat Speranzini

Cat Speranzini is the editor-in-chief of Grey Coven Publishing and a reader for Querencia Press. Her poetry has been published by numerous publications, including Glass Gates Publishing, The Eunoia Review, Querencia Press, and Moss Puppy Magazine. She has two full-length collections: Watercolor Souls and Calm in the Dark. She can be found on her public Instagram page @catsperanzini.poetry.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

When I was in seventh grade, I had a fantastic English teacher. She assigned everyone a scene from Macbeth that we acted out in class. I was assigned the “out, out, damn spot” scene and my classmates were amazed by how animated I was while acting. The words from that scene were very possibly the only words I spoke in class all year. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to move people with my words. Initially, I was aiming to be the next S.E. Hinton, but novels were not my strong point. So, I took poetry classes at Emerson College and the rest is history.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

2022-2023 was a year of immense change in my life. I got a divorce from an abusive partner and then almost immediately jumped into a situationship with a narcissist. Luckily, through my bad choices came two entire poetry collections about heartbreak and trauma. My readers have related to the struggles of modern dating and the process of grieving during heartbreak. Calm in the Dark is a raw and yearning collection of poems about a woman searching for herself outside of other people. I am sure many of us can relate to the phenomenon of losing ourselves in someone else. What happens when that person leaves? Calm in the Dark describes that internal struggle and rebuilding process. It isn’t linear. It’s incredibly messy. But it’s determined and hopeful.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

One of the poems in my book is formatted as if it were a confessional email that can never be sent. The ending line of this poem is “I hope I can turn the lights off / and be calm in the dark.” I didn’t realize it at the time, but that line was the hope behind this whole book: “Can I go from broken to whole again?” Since then, “Calm in the Dark” has been a personal mantra. The dark represents the pain and uncertainty of life. Being able to sit in the dark and breathe easily is a clear indication that you’ve healed your inner demons.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

Music is incredibly important to me, so I have made many soundtracks for this book. A handful of songs that always appear are “July” by Noah Cyrus, “Stranger” by Olivia Rodrigo, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” by Taylor Swift, “Gasoline” by Halsey, “Waves,” by the Dear Hunter, and “The Silence” by Manchester Orchestra.

Describe your dream book cover.

The book cover for this project was as close to my dream cover as anyone could get. Melissa Combs designed a woman standing in the ocean under the moon with a city in the distance. This was the perfect feel for my book, which focuses on isolation and longing while recovering from trauma. Looking for that sense of calm can be a lot like floating—or drowning—in the ocean.

If I had to pick a dream cover for my next collection, I imagine an illustration of a woman in a field of wildflowers at dusk surrounded by fireflies.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

For a long time, I was a daycare teacher. My ultimate goal was to become a daycare director as I got my psychiatry license. Then, I would transition to being a school counselor. Instead, I now run a publishing company called Grey Coven Publishing, which has always been a dream.

What books did you read (for research or comfort) throughout your writing process?

Kristina Mahr is one of my biggest influences. Her book The Audacity of Heartbreak was a comfort book as I wrote some of the more emotional poems. While writing this book, I discovered Claudia Jean’s masterpiece The Secrets My Skirts Keep. Her unique subject matter and writing style influenced the direction I took my own writing. A couple of honorable mentions are From the Moon to the Sun by C.J. Phillips and She Who Rivals the Moon by Melissa Combs.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

Reading has always been my therapy. I write a lot about mental health and the messy process of healing trauma. If I have one hope for my book, it’s for it to fall into the hands of someone who needs to know they’re not alone. Mental health is so important, but as a society we’re encouraged to keep our struggles quiet. Mourning the end of a relationship is reserved for teenagers, poets, and musicians. Let Calm in the Dark be the book you cry to as you get over your ex. Let it be the book you read after someone treats you badly. Cry, rage, and heal with this book. One of my favorite sayings is “the only way out is through.” Let yourself feel everything through the pages of this book and get to the other side.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.