… Ana Reichardt

1. What’s the time of the day when you feel most like yourself?

Six in the morning. By this time, I’ve already tugged on my warm socks, am halfway through my first cup of coffee, and am writing in my office while my cat, Benny, torments me for more food. It’s also when I’m the most optimistic (because I haven’t bailed on my to-do list yet) and since I’d like to think I’m a pretty positive person, I feel most like myself in the morning.

2. What’s your coffee order?

Drip with a splash of cream/oat milk.

3. Describe yourself in three words?

Affectionate

Eager

Impulsive

4. What do you think of garden gnomes?

I don’t gnome much about them.

5. Sweet or savory?

*closes bag of chips to find the cookies

*ditches cookies for the bag of chips

6. What makes you smile?

My niece and nephew. I love them so damn much and can’t believe how lucky I am to get to see them all the time. I think they’re the bee’s knees.

And my wife. She’s my best friend and I love her.

7. Do you believe in soulmates?

Kind of. I believe there are countless possible soulmates out there for a person. But I think what makes someone, or multiple people, a true soulmate to someone is shared experience. I believe soulmates build each other.

8. Gloves or mittens?

Gloves. Superior for snowy adventuring.

9. What makes you cry?

Air Bud and onions. Just kidding. I don’t cry often, but when I do cry it’s probably because I’m running on empty and stressed, then something happens to nudge me over the edge… like seeing adoption ads for older pets.

10. What personality trait gets you most often in trouble?

My inability to say no. As I say yes to something I know I definitely cannot do, I inwardly groan at the pickle I know I’m putting myself in. It’s terrible. I’m getting better, I promise.

11. What is the one thing you wish you could quit?

You. Just kidding! But damn, I love that quote from Brokeback Mountain. I’d have to say procrastinating. I was up against my deadline in a BIG way for my last book, and I promised I’d never put myself in that position again. I’m currently in that position…again.

12. Do you believe in love at first sight?

I believe in chemistry at first sight. But I reckon that could be phrased as, “Love at first sight until proven otherwise.”

13. What makes you notice a woman?

Their energy. I really cling to the idea of drains and radiators. Some folks are drains: kind of negative and taxing, or just unknowingly depleting your energy. Some are radiators: warm and bright.

I notice radiators. Women who are self-aware of what their energy gives or takes from others.

14. Would you go to high school again?

This may be an unpopular answer, but yes. In a heartbeat. I loved high school so much, I was disappointed every weekend when I couldn’t go to school. I think you can tell from this answer that I’m one of the few extroverts of the Sapphic lit community. I love people. I reckon they’re one of the biggest joys of my life.

15. What would be the title of your autobiography?

Crushing Beers and Hearts Since 1991. Shout-out to Lauren for helping me with this one.

16. Three women you’d have over for dinner and what would you serve?

Adele Haenel because I have an absurdly large crush on her, and she’s a badass.

Kate McKinnon because she would be hilarious and ease the awkwardness.

RBG because, well, it’s RBG.

I’d serve the patriarchy and open all my nicest bottles of wine to toast to its demise. Followed by some banana pudding and cocktails, of course.

17. What is the one memory you’d give anything to relive?

Halloween night of freshman year in high school. My dad drove me to check if I’d made the basketball team. He stood a few feet back as I scanned the list that was taped to the gym door. Not JV… Varsity!

I whirled around and launched into his arms. He was wearing his favorite black leather jacket, and I can remember the exact smell of it in that moment. And how it felt cold at first before it warmed under my cheek. He kissed the top of my head and told me he was proud of me. In that moment, I felt completely loved, and nothing else mattered. When I miss him most, I’d give anything to relive that memory.

18. What’s in your fridge right now?

Left over kale and potato soup, a metric shit ton of vegetables, oat milk, a Brita, dry vermouth, a batched Vieux Carre, and a plethora of beer.

19. What is your favorite sapphic fiction trope and why?

I really love forced proximity. I think my dream is to get stranded with my favorite people, so put that into a book with love interests…yes please!

20. If you could have an evening-long conversation with one author, who would that be and what would you talk about?

Anaïs Nin. I think I, and a lot of us, struggle with imposter syndrome. It’s not lost on me that, personally, it has a lot to do with being a woman. I’ve always felt a hesitancy to take up space, to speak out, and to unapologetically put myself first in the way men so easily do.

But Nin is dazzling in that way. Even through her trying early years, she had a spring of confidence and self-worth that is mesmerizing to me. Like a super power. The fact that she found herself worthy of everything the world had to offer. When I read her, I find so much power in her indulgences.

I would wine and dine her so hard and hope that some her badassery would rub off on me.

Ana’s latest brilliant novel, Chasing Cyprus, can be found here: https://mybook.to/AnaHReichardt