We were lucky to catch up with Chimen Kouri recently and have shared our conversation below.

Chimen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I think the most meaningful project I’ve worked on is a story I’ve been co-writing for a long time. Overall, I believe it’s a romance about two people who want to be together, but there are too many outside forces keeping them apart. This type of story has been overdone, but what story hasn’t? I find myself rooting for the main characters, wanting to stop at nothing until one of them puts their hand out to the other and says, It’s our time. We can leave now. Some say I am utterly obsessed with this story (I totally am!!!), but I don’t care. I have worked hard and want to show the world what I have created. I never thought I would write anything that meant as much to me as this story does.

I’ve grown alongside this story, both of us changing for the better.

Chimen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I think storytelling has always been a big part of my life. I grew up watching my mom read countless bodice rippers and listening to my dad tell stories. Specifically, one Christmas morning stands out to me. There was a power outage, and my parents and me were laying in bed, and my father was telling us stories about his life in Lebanon. I found myself gravitating more toward the spooky stories, and I believe they paved the road for the writer that I am today (I would categorize my work as gothic femininity or girl horror as I often like to connect the beauty and the haunting). My work has been featured in Goat’s Milk Magazine, Blood Moon Poetry, Up the Staircase Quarterly, and more. I am the author of the chapbook Peach Milk, which was published from Bottlecap Press in December 2021 (Sagittarius baby!). I’m currently trying to find a home for my second book, What Haunts Me the Most, which is the continuation of Peach Milk. I am also working on two other books, The Old Dutchburn House (another poetry and prose collection) and Miss America Is Burning (my first novel).

I can honestly say I’m proud of everything I write. I believe Peach Milk has been a success so far. My motto has always been, “If at least one person likes my work, I’ve made it.” Having received all this love for this little book has been a dream come true. Peach Milk focuses on what it’s like being the oldest daughter, specifically to an immigrant. I am very grateful for where my father comes from, but it has brought me some hardship. Writing Peach Milk felt as if I was purging the rage inside of me. It really helped me to finally wake up and make changes in my life. And if it could also do the same for another oldest daughter, I’ll keep writing until my deathbed.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist/creative is the storytelling. Being able to sit down and produce a story fulfills me. Even if no one else was to read it, I can remind myself that it can be just for me. I don’t remember which writer said we shouldn’t write for ourselves, but I’ve always disagreed with that statement. I am one of the most selfless people you’ll ever meet, but when it comes to my writing, I am wrapped up in myself, and for once, I don’t feel guilty. When I write, I am taking every heavy thing inside of me and parting it like the Red Sea.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Believe in them. If someone tells you they want to be a musician or an actor or a writer, don’t doubt them. The world needs more creative people now more than ever. I feel like people who lead a creative life are looked down upon compared to people who work in a more “practical” field. Creatives are taken less seriously, but why? At the end of the day, when someone is looking for inspiration or a pick-me-up, what do they turn to? Their favorite song, book, movie, etc. Without creatives, you don’t have those outlets to turn to. Art connects us. Isn’t it amazing to listen to a song or read a book and know someone else out there felt exactly how you felt at one point in their life? If someone believes your creative goals are unrealistic, remind them: without people like me, the world would be shallow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chimengeorgettekouri.com/
• Instagram: @chimenkouri

Image Credits
Pictures are mine/I created. A few of the backgrounds I found on Pinterest, but the owners are unknown.