Hello, Gooodbye
University of Salamanca
Mexican journalist and student of Masters in Latin American Studies
"They say I'm a bad girl and I'm crazy. Perhaps they are right. " The young writer Jennifer Thorndike Peru (Lima, 1983) has wide awake to the letters in your country and challenging a transgressive attitude that makes declaring unequivocally: "I am a writer and designer, bisexual, feminist and activist for sexual diversity."
Jen, as they call it, is a member of that generation of breaking traditional paradigms. Novice writers in Latin America defined intellectual and political stance increasingly early and firmly. The postmodern magicians are heard, and they do so by all means and deprived of weights.
Last year, she aroused the curiosity of the literary environment Lima with the publication of his first collection of short stories Z chromosome (2007), a crucible of short stories, from experimental narrative techniques, offers urban stories of madness, bisexuality, overflowing passions, violence and fetishism.
How do you define a vocation that early and decisive?
write since I have fifteen years, I think from that moment I knew that was what I wanted. Writing for me is a passion, is what makes me most happy, but as all writers are a contradiction (As he says Marguerite Duras), writing is not only a pleasure but is to be committed to yourself. And that commitment comes responsibility, that the principal be aware that you do is what I really want to do, and go on with what you get.
is very difficult. I think there is much fear, fear of losing what you have and you could stop having to reveal sexual identity other than heterosexual. All that remains is, as we say here, zurrarte, which is not taking into account what other people say to try to be who you really are and not living a double life. That's what I've done, but there is always a price to pay, I do not doubt it. In my case, I preferred to do so because I believe that there is nothing wrong with what I do and deserve the same respect as anyone, plus I've always wanted to do that with what I feel happier. I think I've been very lucky because my family and my close friends have respected my sexual orientation without any rejection. I know this does not always happen, I know stories closet outputs painful and terrible, so I think lucky.
Much has been done on that topic, but there's always controversy, rejection and to discriminate against certain issues. However, the new generation (the kids who are now between 14 and 16 years) are more receptive and take these issues with greater ease.
is important as it is known to recognize what is true or false for you. Not everything they say is always true or absolute truth, it is important to form an opinion and voice. In fact I do believe you have to read a lot and we should know the technique, but the capacity of the building you can not teach anybody.
No, just ask me when I experienced a strong vocational crisis. What happens is that she was determined to study literature (something I could not do when I finished school), but I've realized that academic life is not my purpose. What I do is write, not teach literature, not research or criticism of texts. That's why I decided not to go to college, I think the writer's craft is grown writing, practicing writing, receiving and accepting constructive criticism to improve the technique (which should be the way to find his own style) and reading widely, selecting readings that you can get something.
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Well I thought hard about going to Argentina, first because there is free university and second because I think maybe there could find what I want in terms of literature, but in the end I'm still here. I suppose it would first have to see how is feasible and how comfortable I feel in another place that is not Lima to make an important decision.
I only wish I only write, must be the dream of every writer, but unfortunately, unless you're a best seller , you can not live on it. I studied advertising design and say that's what feeds me. The truth is that right now I'm going through a time in my life where I feel I have to make many decisions and things I have not yet very clear. So I'm not working (in a permanent job, but as a freelance ) and I also research to write my second book, for wanting to write is all I have clear ... and want to write something that exceeds what I have written before.
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My name is English, is up there, but we are here in Peru for many years, so many that no one alive has seen a relative English.
Maybe. When you're writing something, it becomes much more responsive, the entire environment can influirte. From a way to write to an abandoned house that you saw while traveling by bus. Now the thing is to find their own voice, style, and it is very difficult. In other words, you do not copy anyone, but I think this requires a process of learning and experimentation. Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite books, great Lewis Carroll, the nonsense is a stream that I love, very difficult to play with quality. Saramago, as the Blindness was a novel that made me wonder what I would do in that situation. Hesse accompanied me throughout my teenage years. Steppenwolf is a book with which I identify a lot. Almodóvar is a master, but I prefer the casual Almodóvar, but all his films fascinate me Minus Two: Labyrinth of Passion and Flesh. I admire you seen Carmen Maura and for example, in "Volver", his performance greatly affects the plot. That makes the film becomes more interesting and have more nuanced, although I think it is best made by the director.
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The ideas are everywhere. Sometimes things that look at things that happen, things that you have. I happened to have been a bus or walking and I have an idea or see something that I can use and feel that will serve me for what I write. They call it the "germ", sometimes there are ideas that you think are very good at first, but then take shape and others that do not convince you much, but that suddenly fit into a text. The writing process for me goes like this: I write when I feel the pressing need to do is wrong may not have a methodology, but I think that there is no perfect formula for this, each writer has his own way and as he or she work, it's fine.
Actually there are always issues that appear when you write, some has to do with my activism or my sexual identity, others not. I displayed on as needed for what you write. In fact, the issue of stereotyping is always a problem, do not want you to think that the only thing I can write is sexual identity, because that would put a limit on myself and my lyrics. Z chromosome was necessary to continue with that line, but I do not know if that also shows in my next book.
editorial Now there are more open about the issues, more open also to publish new people, do not close as the major publishers, other writers bet and other audiences. I believe that for a novel is always the first step is difficult, regardless of being female, bisexual, and so on. One has to avoid prejudice, negative, among other things. The economic issues also play an important role, since most work with independent publishers co-publications. It is a hard work, but I think as you find someone who really is willing to bet your job and your work is good, things start to fall under its own weight.
How would you describe, then the current Peruvian literary environment?
There are many independent publishers supporting new writers or writers, that's good for us and for the readers, who are all entitled to have more options to choose from. As for the criticism, the press, is somewhat difficult to penetrate, but I've worked hard to meet people, to find people who can support me, people who believed in my work and that has helped me to continue. A novel writer has to move to become known. If not do yourself, no one moves for you.
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thing is that I think there is a lack of desire and much disappointment at what they have done generations before us. And the eternal question: Where to go? "Individually or collectively? Another of my contradictions is that I tend towards individualism, that is why we do not participate in any group despite having ideas "collectivist" such as feminism and the struggle for lesbian rights Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT). Do you understand why these groups always tend to the radical left? Here was the Summit European Union and, in parallel, we conducted a People's Summit. How is it that these groups can invite Hugo Chavez or Evo Morales to go to do the closing? What will they see feminism and the struggle for LGBT equality with them? This was one of the guidelines of the summit. So, to quote these characters do not think that's the way to reach these goals.
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