Caitlin Galway

May 2

My writing desk belonged to my grandmother Shirley, as did the brass clock and figurines (whom I’ve named Claudel and Genevieve). The handsome boy on the chair is my cat-son Allen Theodore.

One of the most treasured objects in my home is a first edition copy of *The Magic of Oz*. It’s from 1919, and there are these wonderful little ink errors throughout the text.

What do you feel is your best piece of work?

My best work, I believe, is the book I’m finishing now. It’s a collection of short fiction and novellas, some literary realism, some blending surrealist or magical realist elements, all exploring intimacy, identity, trauma, sanity, queerness, connection to nature/place, violence, the subconscious, folklore, etc. I wrote most of it throughout the pandemic, during a personal medical crisis, and I’ve been pouring my whole weird soul into it.

What music have you been listening to lately?

I’ve been listening to a lot of Simon and Garfunkel—just curling up and being lulled—and classical music from the Russian Romantic and Soviet eras. Sitting in the dark and drinking coffee to Shostakovich puts me in the right mood for the day.

Who is the last character you related to and why?

I don't often see myself in characters, even if I connect with them. The last one I really related to would probably be Elio in Call Me By Your Name. In the book, he's sort of dreamy and always in his head. He spends most of his time reading or writing and sitting outside by himself, and his response to virtually all human interaction is either quiet reflection or immediate neurosis.

Have you ever failed at something you care about?

Honestly, too many times—but I’ve also learned to be (somewhat) patient enough to see failures as stepping stones and expansive experiences within something broader and more meaningful.

Last gift you received?

For Christmas, a friend gave me really pretty handmade Victorian-style coasters.

Favourite photo?

My favourite photo is of my cat Skits. My parents adopted him for me when I was a little girl. I had depression, and I remember him being this absolute golden ray. As soon as I held him, he crawled into my shirt, and then he slept on me every single night. Loving him was the great joy of my childhood.

What drives you?

I think I’m driven by a desire for freedom and wholeness of self. I know what I love to do, and what feels authentic to me, and I’ve tried to craft a life that allows me to spend most of my time doing those things. There are always certain obligations, but I begrudge even an hour spent doing something I don’t want to do. I also feel a great sense of responsibility toward younger versions of myself; I want to speak to them and say, “Look at what I’ve built for us.”

Best outfit?

I’ve never really liked anything I’ve worn. I just want to dress in seventeenth-century fancy Frenchman attire, or maybe a black ballgown. Since neither option is practical, I wear leggings and a T-shirt grabbed off the floor seven days a week.

Do you like to write in the morning or at night?

It’s always changing because I have an irregular circadian rhythm and chronic insomnia, and thus a very murky concept of morning and night. My internal clock is completely disoriented.

Where is the best place?

The best place, to me, is outdoors surrounded by trees, or on the shoreline, or high up in a mountain. Anywhere in nature and solitude.

Latest book you’ve read or favourite book ever?

I’m rereading the Iliad, and some of the patient souls in my life are being subjected to my (unsolicited) thoughts on the nuances of Achilles and Homer’s humanist approach to war and heroism. I get worked up about Homer like some people do about the MCU.

Anything you’d like to promote?
*My short story “Heatstroke” is forthcoming from EVENT. It’s set in 1980s Vegas and the Mojave Desert, and it pulls concepts such as doppelgängers and time loops into a surrealist exploration of identity fragmentation in the wake of trauma.