Happy Spring from The Burning Hearth
Hello all and welcome to The Burning Hearth. I’m so glad you’ve stopped by to read the news I’m beyond excited to share.
Since interviewing David Naimon (oh, that gives away so much right there) this past August, I’ve often found myself thinking, I wonder what David would say about this? Or, I wonder what David’s take on that would be? His is a brilliant, well-read, encyclopedic mind.
William Alexander said it best in Part II of my interview with David.
“David Naimon is one of our best living readers. He elevates homework to high art, drawing connections between far-flung poems, essays, and half-forgotten short stories in order to create whole new constellations of meaning. Someday the distant echoes of his interviews will convince alien civilizations that Earth is worth a visit.”
David Naimon
As everyone who listens to his literary podcast Between the Covers knows, David’s thoughtfulness, his attention to detail, his generosity and his graciousness are unmatched. You especially know this, if you follow him on Patreon.
On a walk, several weeks ago, I had thoughts about artificial intelligence rolling around in my wishing-to-be-brilliant little brain and I had one of those, I wonder what David’s take on this is, moments. Simply put, I wasn’t finished in my conversation with David. Greedily, I wanted more. And so, I hatched an idea. I approached David. He, much to my surprise and delight, agreed. And thus, a once-a-season series, titled “Circling Saturn with David Naimon” was born.
This series, which will post four times a year, is going to be a discussion as much as it is an interview. I’m flattered and honored that, for as busy as David is, he has agreed to circle Saturn with me and discuss whatever happens to be on my mind at the time.
Why Circling Saturn? I asked my friend Audra Kerr Brown to do an original piece of photo art for this series before I had a title. Saturn was in the image, and I loved it. Knowing there are many negative connotations attached to Saturn (Like Cronus, the god who was threatened by his progeny and gobbled them up.), I did a bit of digging and found this: Spiritually, Saturn symbolizes the human struggle towards consciousness. I can think of no better person than David Naimon to struggle with those things that make us human, in the hopes of opening the minds of ourselves and those readers who join in the conversation.
If you want to join us as we orbit Saturn, stop by on May 15 for the launch of “Circling Saturn with David Naimon.” In our summer rotation, we discuss artificial intelligence alongside on of my favorite pieces of David’s “May Your Memory Be a Blessing” originally published by EcoTheo Collective.
See you then, friends! In the meantime, if you haven’t already read my three-part interview with David from August, you can find the posts on my home page, and don’t forget to stop by on April 15, for Part II of “Echoes of Le Guin,” featuring Susan Defreitas.
Happy Spring!
Constance
Constance Malloy 