southern collective experience
member spotlight
andrew wilt BY: Clifford brooks
Aside from husband, father, and mad mogul behind 11:11 Press - who is Andrew Wilt? Ha! The first thought to come to mind is the scene in Zoolander where Ben Stiller is looking at his reflection in a puddle on the side of the road and asks: “who am I?” At this moment in space and time, I’m a husband, father of two (1 year old and 3 year old), administrator and educator in workforce development, published author with several works in progress, and finally, founder and publisher of 11:11 Press. And if you’re not familiar with the small press literary scene, I hope this interview motivates you to check out some small presses, because small presses are literature’s best kept secret.
What are you reading now? From the outside, I’m sure my reading appears chaotic, but from the inside, it’s strategic. I’m always reading what other small presses are publishing, which includes one book of poetry, and a book on philosophy or religion. The small press list alone is too long to write out in full here, so let me highlight a few favorites:
Why Visit America by Matthew Baker is one of my favorites from this summer. It’s a collection of strange short stories and if you get a chance to read the book, you’ll understand why studios have been in a bidding war for the film/tv rights. The stories flip reality upside
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down and show a side of American culture that is only visible from a distance. I’m reading Will Self’s mémoire Will, which addresses his heroin addiction in his 20’s. It’s an accurate and un-glamorous depiction of addiction, which I find refreshing because too often addiction and substance abuse is romanticized in the arts. Side note: My life completely changed (for the better) when I found the guts to live a sober lifestyle. The poetry book I’m currently reading (and savoring) is Death Industrial Complex by Candice Wuehle – Candice is one of my favorite writers, and Action Books is a small press who continuously publishes great books. (11:11 will be publishing Candice’s Fidelitoria: Fixed or Fluxed in 2021.) I’ve been on and off with Writings 1997-2003 by CCRU, one of the best books of theory-fiction I’ve read, but it’s like reading the notes of a paranoid genius on the verge of a nervous breakdown. That said, I don’t know if it should be read by anyone. Or maybe a word of warning: danger, rough waters ahead. Finally, I’m working my way through the writings of Meister Eckhart. When I finish reading his words, I feel such peace that I no longer have the desire to read or write or do anything besides simply “be”. My desk is a mess of old foundational religious texts I’m working through as I plan the next stage in my life: the Bhagavad-Gita, the Upanishads, the Old Testament, the Dhammapada… I go through these phases of independent study on various subjects, and I get really obsessed. I guess it’s a healthy addiction. ;-)