Spotlight on Sarah Lynn Knowles

by Tricia Callahan

How did “Darlene” begin for you? Was it a line? An idea? Did you find it difficult to write about a less-than-happy marriage and motherhood?

I was inspired by my sister’s and friends’ first pregnancies, and the excitement and anxiety that accompany such a huge life change. Darlene’s voice came as my imagination ran away with a sort of worst-case scenario of new marriage/motherhood, wherein the saddest part is how repetitive and mundane her character’s loneliness is.

How do you know when a story you’re writing is finished?

When I reread a piece after some time away and feel more proud than embarrassed of it, then it’s at least pretty close!

I know you run Storychord.com, where each week you feature one story, one song, and one piece of art together. Cool idea. How did you come up with it?

I originally brainstormed the “Storychord” title for a song + corresponding memory blog I’d been too lazy to actually start. Then, one Sunday this past February, I randomly woke up with the idea to use the name instead for an art/fiction/music journal, and excitedly went to work creating the site that afternoon. I’m happy readers have been receptive, as I love thoughtfully matchmaking each issue’s story, image, and soundtrack song into a package that feels like a short film, almost.

Is there a song we should listen to when we read “Darlene”? Was it playing when you wrote it? …Do you listen to music while you write?

Probably not for accuracy’s sake. I imagine Darlene’s home to be fairly absent of melody aside from blaring television commercials and a wailing baby. But I do listen to music when I work, and my favorite writing soundtrack lately is Yann Tiersen’s 2008 album Tabarly. It’s full of lovely, emotional buildups, and is mostly instrumental—which, for me, is key to prevent a wandering mind from mentally singing along!

When you’re not writing and curating, what are you up to?

This summer I hit five years living in New York City, and I love that there are still so many neighborhoods I’ve yet to explore. My favorite way to spend an afternoon or evening is trying a new restaurant and then using it as a starting point for an impromptu neighborhood walking tour.

Sarah Lynn Knowles works in book production in New York City. Her work has been featured in Perigee, Ducts, Two Hundred by 200, Submit Magazine, Spires, Film & History, Venus Zine, and several self-produced zines. She currently runs Brooklyn-based pop culture blog Sarahspy.com and edits online art/literary/music journal Storychord.com.

Tricia Callahan is the editor-in-chief of Slice.

Read "Darlene" in Issue 7.