Literary Birthday – 11 May – A. K. Blakemore

Happy Birthday, A. K. Blakemore, born on 11 May 1991.

A. K. Blakemore Quotes

1. In historical fiction, even about a bleak period of history, like the witch trials, there can be an element of moral escapism, because when you’re writing about the past, the bad guy and the good people is a foregone conclusion. They don’t require much moral untangling from the reader’s point of view. (The Oxonian Review)
2. It’s unhealthy as a writer, particularly as a writer of historical fiction, to develop a sense of territorialism. The more the merrier. (The Oxonian Review)
3. I still consider myself a poet first, and poetry is the natural language I think in, which is brought to bear on my prose to an extent. For example, I construct scenes almost like poems. Poets have a good sense of cinema, because you’re creating scenes and atmosphere and texture. (The Oxonian Review)
4. Writing prose is still relatively new to me, but it’s also easier, because with poetry, I needed the spark to precede the actual process of writing, and if it doesn’t come, you don’t write the poem. With prose, if you hit your head against it long enough, something will happen. (The Oxonian Review)
5. I’m a perfectionist. When you’ve only got a compressed space to say so many things, every word, every en-dash, every capitalization needs to be perfect. A perfect poem needs to be a hundred percent perfect. (The Oxonian Review)
6. I think people read for different reasons and write for different reasons. For me, I think particularly coming from poetry, the aesthetics, the vibe, and the cinematic quality of writing are very important to me. And also I want it to be beautiful. I want it to feel adorned and kind of baroque and rich. (The London Magazine)
7. The fundamental strangeness of the things that we deal with on a daily basis and how fast things are changing is surreal. It’s easier for me to capture experience by writing about things that feel strange or alien, rather than gritty kitchen-sink realism. It seems easier to get at the experience sideways. (Poetry Translation)
8. The euphony of certain words, how they feel when you say them, or look at them. The resonances they have. Words are a basic unit of expression and this is something I enjoy playing with. (Poetry Translation)
9. I find that inspiration never really comes from the most predictable sources, very often it’s from a copy of Stylist magazine that I picked up on the tube on the way home rather than a grand vista that I saw on a weekend away. Like I said earlier, poems come at you sideways! (Poetry Translation)

A. K. Blakemore is an English author of poetry and novels. Her writing ‘is direct and defiant, exploring themes of youth, sex, drugs, drink, violence, womanhood and intimacy.’ She has published two full-length collections of poetry: Humbert Summer and Fondue, which was awarded the 2019 Ledbury Forte Prize for Best Second Collection. Her poetry and prose have been published and anthologised in The London Review of Books, Poetry Review, and The White Review, among others. Her first novel, The Manningtree Witches is a fictional account of the Essex witch trials. It was the 2021 winner of the Desmond Elliott Prize. Her second novel, The Glutton, was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Encore Award. Her new book, Doom Painting, will be published in late 2026. Follow her on Instagram.

Source for image: United Agents

by Amanda Patterson

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