Six Questions interview #205 : Mahaila Smith

Mahaila Smith (any pronouns) is a young femme writer, living and working on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg in Ottawa, Ontario. They are one of the co-editors for The Sprawl Mag. They like learning theory and writing speculative poetry. Their recent chapbooks include Water-Kin (Metatron Press 2024) and Enter the Hyperreal (above/ground press 2024). Their novelette in verse, Seed Beetle, is forthcoming with Stelliform Press.

Q: How long have you been in Ottawa, and what first brought you here?
 
I have lived in Ottawa for most of my life (besides when I went to Toronto for my undergraduate degree) so about 20 years.

Q: How did you first get involved in writing, and subsequently, the writing community here?
 
I first learned about the Ottawa writing community when I was studying literary arts at Canterbury HS. The school brought in a number of local writers, including slam poet, Prufrock Shadowrunner and poet, Ben Ladouceur to work with us on our writing. It was really inspiring to my teenage self to see local writers succeeding, doing public readings and publishing books. I wished I would do those things one day, although it seemed so distant and impossible.

Since moving back to Ottawa I have tried to get more involved in local literary events. Frances Boyle was a great help in suggesting readings like the Plan 99 Series.

Q: How did being in such a community of writers shift your thinking about writing, if at all?
 
I have gotten to co-write with a local writers, which has been so inspiring for my writing, and a comfort, knowing other poets share the same struggles and who can share in celebrating successes.

Q: What do you see happening here that you don’t see anywhere else? What does Ottawa provide, or allow?
 
I have found that Ottawa has a very friendly writing community. And as a speculative poetry and prose writer, I can't ignore that Can*Con, the annual convention of literary speculative professionals happens in Ottawa. We are so lucky!

Q: Have any of your projects responded directly to your engagements here? How have the city and its community, if at all, changed the way you approached your work?
 
I have written a couple of poems in response to artwork I've seen in Ottawa, including two poems about the work of Diana Lynn VanderMeulen, which was displayed at the Saw gallery. The first appeared in Bywords and the second in Enter the Hyperreal.

Currently, I have been working on a collection of wintry survival poetry partly inspired by Sandra Ridley's collection, Vixen, whom I got to see read at the Riverbed Reading Series and Versefest.

Q: What are you working on now?

Besides horror poetry, I am also working on a collection of poems inspired by classic fairy tales and continuing edits on my novelette in verse, Seed Beetle, which is forthcoming with Stelliform Press next year!