The Story

MMP-Publishing.com Interviews Mary Margaret Park; Author, Poet, & Web-Platform Founder of her Official Web-Destination

MMP-Publishing.com: It is said that when you were younger, you gravitated toward the philosophical leanings of literature as well as the philosophers of yore. For most of your life from then onward, do you believe that philosophy has played as huge a role in inspiring you creatively?

Mary Margaret Park: The philosophers inspired me, period; which is to say I wanted to be like them; sage and insightful. I wanted to look at the world and society and see the bigger picture, but I also wanted to understand the smaller things. I wanted to know what made people tick, the intricacy underneath. When I was seven years old, I hung a poster in my room with a “Henry David Thoreau” quote which said, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” -- I identified with this quote and still do. The differences are what make people fascinating and being creative truly requires it.

MMP-Pubishing.com: Being that you consider yourself an Author/Poet, in a one versus the other sense, does one form shine through more so, regardless of tasks at hand?

Mary Margaret Park: The answer to that question will change from day to day. Sometimes I feel more poetic, sometimes I just want to write a story. In the end though, the poetry has served me well, and I think it comes through in most of my writings.

MMP-Publishing.com: You’ve gone through some bad things in life, throughout the process of getting to where you are now. All things considered, what is the one lesson learned that you’d pass on to anyone else who is a creative artiste or aspiring business person, peering over the horizon?

Mary Margaret Park: Hold on to your dreams and your vision no matter what, and don’t be afraid of change in the process.

MMP-Publishing.com: On another note, as a musician, does the creative process share similarities with your methods as an Author/Poet?

Mary Margaret Park: In many ways, yes. Music has always come easily to me. It’s like I’m this wellspring that it pours out from. Writing requires a bit more concentration but, on the days that I’m in the zone, it’s just like the music. The words pour out of me and I’m helpless to stop them.

(Break)

MMP-Publishing.com: Chocolate or Vanilla?

Mary Margaret Park: Chocolate, with flowers and a hot man.

MMP-Publishing.com: Cat or Dog?

Mary Margaret Park: German-Shepherds. Cats are drag-queens plus, I’m allergic to them.

(Break)

MMP-Publishing.com: Writing wise, what fuels your stylistic tendencies the most?

Mary Margaret Park: I don’t think it is any one item; I do want to get the point across to the reader effectively however. If I had to point to anything as a good methodological example, it would be poetry. Books are full of sentences and every sentence is an opportunity to be poetic; sort of a miniature poem with aesthetical texture or juxtaposition, alongside the dialogue and depictions. Of course, there are too many ways to manage this, whether it is the consonant texture of one word or the flow of the sentence in general. I like using metaphors in my writing. You can paint particularly vivid pictures and emotions. I feel you must always remember to do so sparingly.

MMP-Publishing.com: How would you define a fervent writer next to a standardized writer?

Mary Margaret Park: Fiction, as an example, is more or less, to paint a great lie and to have it be so enchanting; people won’t want to put the book down. Without passion, you’re S.O.L.

MMP-Publishing.com: Aspect wise, what is the most exciting part of writing for you?

Mary Margaret Park: Building an entire universe with words. The textures of that world depend on the way you place everything together. Stories aren’t just ideas; they are groups of feelings, characters, locations, and analogies for real life in some instances.

MMP-Publishing.com: Is there a particular story (or poem) that has touched you throughout your life?

Mary Margaret Park: It’s impossible for me to narrow it down to one or two stories or poems. The earlier horror writing of “Stephen King” has touched me. I’ve always loved philosophical quotes, especially the early century philosophers. “J.R.R. Tolkien” probably had a bigger influence on my poetry writing than my story telling; all those poems and songs about traveling in the elf kingdom were simply fun to grip onto.

MMP-Publishing.com: When you are not Authoring or Composing, what do you like to do?

Mary Margaret Park: Learn and spend time with the people I love, firstly. Secondly, I have a slightly discombobulated but related thought on this matter -- You know how there are actors that say they don’t embrace fan praise off camera or that they are normal people off camera etc.? F*ck that. I’m not normal, and I do just about everything within my natural limitations, all the while, being re-inspired in the process. I seek out fan praise as well because it motivates me to do bigger and better things with my Authoring and Music projects. I do things that range from hanging out with fans to bettering my skills with the Bo and Samurai Bokken.

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