Tony Kushner Archives - Jessica Ferguson

How’s that for a headline? You may have read my post about being co-owner/co-editor of Swamp Lily Review. It’s HERE. Really, co-anything is an exaggerated stretch since we’ve moved to Oklahoma. You know the old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder? I never did believe it and now I’m proving it’s not true.

Regardless of my absence, the Swamp Lily Review is thriving under my partner’s fine hand. The May issue is live. And many kudos to Jan for taking the initiative with this issue. Not only did she score an interview with Pulitzer winner Tony Kushner but she transcribed 78 minutes of dialogue with him. Do you have any idea how tedious it is to transcribe from a tape? That’s a dedicated woman/writer/editor/publisher. Read Swamp Lily Review HERE . Just click on May 2012 issue and you can peruse the poetry, photography and the interview.

One thing Tony said in his interview that really spoke to me was:

“I think it’s imperative for a writer to develop a group of people who will know how to tell the truth while being supportive. I mean, if you’re a lousy writer, and you’re wasting your life trying to be a professional writer, somebody should tell you. But I don’t even know what that means, being a lousy writer, so I don’t think I should even say that. It’s very, very, very hard to write. And I’m more thin-skinned than a lot of people.”

If you’re not familiar with playwright Tony Kushner, read more about him HERE and HERE.

Visit and Follow Jan HERE. She is also creator of the Bayou Writers Group website. Click HERE to read her article on websites.