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Interview: Gretchen Gales

2/17/2017

Spotlight: Gretchen Gales

Interview by Dr. M. Leona Godin
@drmlgodin
Image by Alexander J. Clark
QuailBellMagazine.com

*Editor's Note: This interview project was created to help you as readers get to know our writers as well as the Quail Bell Crew to get to know each other better. This interview was conducted by "Distill My Heart" columnist Dr. M. Leona Godin and focuses on managing editor Gretchen Gales.

How did you become associated with Quail Bell?
A friend invited me out to an “Art Walk” near my college campus. Basically every first Friday of the month, the local art galleries put out new art and other fun activities. Founding editor Christine Stoddard was outside tabling with our anthologies. I bought both of them, started reading them, and desperately wanted to have my own work in Quail Bell. I had a lot of luck in the writing department while I was in high school, winning a county-wide literature award and getting two poems published in the literary magazine after three years of rejections.

But once I started college, nothing I submitted to my college literary magazines were accepted. I got an acceptance twice from one, but then they never published the material. I submitted a poem I had recently written and expected the typical “Thanks, but no thanks.” The next morning I got an acceptance from my predecessor Deniz Ataman. A month later I applied to be a contributor or to at least inquire about possible internship opportunities. Suddenly I was a part of the writing crew and wanted to prove I was a reliable and capable writer. Anytime a topic was suggested, even if I had no interest in writing about it, I volunteered to write something for the topic. I knew if I wanted to be a writer, I had to show I was willing to work with any topic given to me and to do it well. And now I’m managing editor. Funny how things happen.

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Interview: Archita Mittra

2/1/2017

Spotlight: Archita Mittra

Interview by Melanie Bikowski
QuailBellMagazine.com

*Editor's Note: This interview project was created to help you as readers get to know our writers as well as the Quail Bell Crew to get to know each other better. This interview was conducted by assistant editor Melanie Bikowski and focuses on fellow assistant editor Archita Mittra.

How did you become associated with Quail Bell?

I think it was in the final year of high school. I was starting to take my creative writing seriously and was looking for places to submit and I stumbled onto Quail Bell Magazine and fell in love with it. I loved the Photo Tales, the mix of the real and the unreal, and the whole thing just resonated with me so much -- it was exactly the kind of ‘zine I was looking for. So I sent an essay and a few poems and got an email after a few weeks saying there was a problem opening the Word attachment and could I please resend them, which I did. Then two or three days later, I checked my email, again and there was my acceptance letter waiting for me, from [former managing editor] Deniz Ataman, praising my work and comparing my writing to Rainer Maria Rilke. I was absolutely overjoyed and although I wasn’t familiar with Rilke’s work then, he’s become one of my favorite poets now. After that, I sent an internship query and before I knew it, I was added to the Facebook group and was uploading my articles directly onto Weebly. It’s been such an amazing experience -- knowing and interacting with so many creative, talented and positive people!

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About Us

Welcome to our staff blog, where you can learn more about The Quail Bell Crew.

History

Christine Stoddard conceived the idea for Quail Bell in late 2009 after writing a children's story by the same name, and launched the website as a college blog in 2010. In June 2013, Christine and former art director Kristen Rebelo officially launched Quail Bell Magazine as a global web magazine. Read our editorial mission statement to learn more.

The QB Crew

Christine Stoddard, Founding Editor

Art, media, and language have enchanted Christine Stoddard since the days of her early upbringing in Arlington, VA. While still a mere fairy flutter from D.C., Christine dove into creative activities, hoping that her artistic talents would distract her teachers from learning of her mathematical inability. Luckily, her plan worked. Her non-math skills have been recognized by regional and national organizations. In October 2011, Style Weekly Magazine named her one of the "Top 40 Under 40" in Richmond, VA, while she was still a VCUarts student. Christine currently lives and works in her native Virginia. Email her at: [email protected].

Gretchen Gales,

Executive Editor
Though Gretchen first dedicated her life to being a veterinarian and a best-selling writer on the side, her lack of technical abilities helped guide her towards a literary and art career. Gretchen has published work in Ms., Bustle, The Establishment, and over 30 other publications. She also has been interviewed in Dear English Major and Her Campus. More of her work can be found at writinggales.wordpress.com.