Welcome friends! Today I am going to share a review for an illustrated poetry book and host the author! Alice and Antius is a beautiful book by Kit Ingram and illustrated by Brianna Tosswill. I wanted to start 2022 with a beautiful book and this was the perfect read! It is a feast for the eyes while offering a thought-provoking landscape to the mind.
Alice and Antius
by Kit Ingram
Alice and Antius is a narrative poem following the lives of two lovers—a scientist and poet—through a climate apocalypse. Survivors of a lost time, they enter a labyrinth filled with the haze of nostalgia, loss, meaning, and hope.
At turns mythic and intimate, wry and lyrical, Alice and Antius show us the power of words to trace our path across the shadow of ruin.
I loved how Kit approached this commentary on climate change and life through the lens of two Greek characters. I was reading the life story of a couple, how they grow old together, have children, teach their children about the world and through them, we get a look at what their world looks like. The art by Brianna Tosswill compliments the poetry and helped solidify the world in my mind. I noticed different styles of art and felt that they were chosen with care and exactly what the words needed.
Let’s welcome Kit and learn more about the book from him!
Hi Kit! Welcome to Armed with A Book. Thank you for taking out some time for me and my readers. Since it’s your first time here, please tell us a bit about yourself!
Thanks for having me! I’m a queer Canadian poet and novelist living in South London. Like many writers, I spend a lot of time daydreaming between keyboard clicks, but when I’m not at my desk, you’re likely to find me cycling or walking my golden retriever, Hugo.
Alice and Antius is your first poetry book. What inspired you to write poetry instead of a novel?
Alice and Antius is interesting because it’s a hybrid work—a book-length work of poetry that, like a novel, tells a story, so I get to wear both of my writer caps at once. In terms of inspiration, I was driven to take on the major themes of Alice and Antius by the climate and ecological crises we’re living through. Within this universal situation, I wanted to capture a very personal portrait of two lovers struggling to survive in a devastated world.
I loved the art that Brianna created. What is it like to work with an illustrator for your book?
I love it, too. Working with an illustrator was a thrilling process. Early on, Brianna and I read through the text—a bit like a table-read for a play—and I shared my thoughts on the key imagery, but I ultimately trusted her with the interpretive choices. Because of this, I was surprised with each new illustration—how her art reflects the same stylistic and tonal range of the poetry itself. Working with an illustrator can make the highly abstract work of poetry seem more grounded and approachable. Who wouldn’t want that?
You’ve also written a book, Paradise. Is it on similar themes as Alice and Antius?
Paradise is a queer coming of age story about first love, and a bit of an ode to Toronto. While it touches on love and loss, it’s overall style and feel is quite different than Alice and Antius.
Have you found any differences in publishing a poetry book compared to publishing a novel?
The publishing process is quite similar for novels and poetry; it’s mostly a difference of scale and timelines. Novels have a lot more words, so there’s more to revise and polish during the editorial process. Also, working with a small poetry press, the timeline between acquisition and publication was a lot more condensed—about a year in total versus nearly two years for my novel. The major difference I found in publishing this illustrated work of poetry was working directly with the artist, which isn’t something that many authors get to do when the cover art is designed for their novels. That said, I suspect these differences have more to do with the publishers than the type of work being published.
What’s next in store for your author career in 2022?
My goals in 2022 are to finish my third novel, find a home for a chapbook of poetry I’ve been working on, and to keep pushing myself to write work that engages with these charged and bewildering times.
Thank you once again for answering my questions!
Thank you for hanging out with Kit and me! Connect with him on his website, Goodreads, Twitter and Instagram.
Many thanks to Kit Ingram for providing me a review copy of this book and the opportunity to host him here!
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