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by Andrew Angus, Editor of Muses Review
Mark Stellinga was born in Le Mars, Iowa in 1950. He started wrting poetry at the age of 13 yrs old. He was a football player during his high school years when his literature teachers encouraged him to engage in creative writing and poetry.
His literature teacher once commented that he is the only football player she have ever taught who writes poetry. Mark's favorite long poems in high school were 'The Highwayman' by Alfred Noyes and 'The Prisoner of Chllon' by Lord Byron.
After graduating from high school, Mark worked in auto repair shops, managed restaurants and auto parts store and soon became a property rental manager for 17 years. Then, he started collecting antiques related to billiards and barbershop. Eventually, Mark became a businessman by selling antiques and antique billard tables/accessories for 30 years with his wife Connie.The name of his company is "Flyin' Lion Antiques and Billiard Tables Co.". He published his first book "Pool and Billiard Collectibles" which is not related to poetry but more related to his antique business.
In the year 2004, he decided to publish his poems he wrote in high school. Mark debuts in the field of poetry with his poetry book entitled "Phonetical Imagery".
The editor (that's me) luckily read in a newsgroup that Mark wants his fresh-from-the-press poetry book reviewed in an email last November 2004. At that time, the editor was also searching for poetry books to review. I requested that Mark send his book for review to my mailing address. The editor read and reviewed his book for a couple of weeks. Well, the editor liked his poems and so the editor decided to give Mark an interview for this website literature magazine called Muses Review.
Mark writes his poems in rhyme and meter like the traditionalist poets in the 19th century. This makes Mark's poems unique since many poets nowadays compose free verse.
His two poems "4 Seasons" and "I Came Upon a Mountain" are nominated for "Muses - Best Poem of the Year 2004".The poem "4 Seasons" is a vivid description of the four seasons. The poem "I Came Upon a Mountain" is a beautiful poem about mountain climbing that reveals a grain of truth about life whereby a person wants to reach one's goal or fulfill one's dream..
Mark likes to write story-telling poems such as "Old Babe", "The Window Seat", "Memorabilia", "The Salesman", etc. which are all found in his first published poetry book. 'Old Babe' is a 41- stanza poem about America's baseball player legend Babe Ruth.
Mark is currently working on his novella and second book of poetry
.
Below is Muses Review's interview with Mark Stellinga.
Dec 19, 2004, Sunday. I emailed the Interview Questions to Mark.
Dec 28, 2004, Tuesday. Muses Review receives back the Interview questions.
This interview was posted in Muses Review on Jan 8, 2005, Saturday.
1. AA: Were you featured in a literary magazine before? If Yes, can you name the magazine? When or what year?
MS: No.
2. AA: Were you featured in television show? If yes, what TV program? If yes, when?
MS: Yes. The Poet's Corner is a local public network channel. My TV interview will run on Dec 2004 and Jan 2005.
3. AA: Is this (Phonetical Imagery) your first poetry book?
MS: Yes.
4. AA: At what age did you start writing poems seriously?
MS: 13 yrs old.
5. AA: Who encouraged you to write poetry?
MS: My English and Literature teachers throughout the 1960s.
6. AA: Why do you write your poems in rhyme verse rather in free verse?
MS: I find it much more challenging if the goal is near-perfect meter and highest-quality rhyme. I won't use "forced rhyme".
7. Andrew: Who are your favorite dead poets?
Mark: Rudyard Kipling and Edgar Allan Poe are two.
8. Andrew: Do you have a favorite living poet?
Mark: No.
9. Andrew: Who among the poets influenced you?
Mark: Any and all of the traditionalists.
10. Andrew: Do you write short stories? Novellas? Novels? Essays?
Mark: Novellas and Novels.
11. Andrew: Which of the above were published?
Mark: Haven't submitted anything yet.
12. Andrew: Have you made book review before?
Mark: No.
13. Andrew: Do you have plans to write poems in free verse?
Mark: Yes.
14. Andrew: Have you published a book that is not a poetry book? If yes, can you name the title of these non-poetry books?
Mark: Yes. The title of my non-poetry book is "Pool & Billiard Collectibles"
15. Andrew: Aside from writing poetry, what are your favorite hobbies/recreation?
Mark: Billiards, volleyball, basketball.
16. Andrew: Are you single, married, divorced or widowed?
Mark: Married.
17. Andrew: What is the name of your wife?
Mark: Connie
18. Andrew: How many children?
Mark: One son from a previous marriage. (Tony is his name.)
19. Andrew: Do you have plans to publish a second poetry book?
Mark: Yes.
20. Andrew: What awards have you received related to poetry?
Mark: I was one of the many winners in state and national poetry contests as a youth.
21. Andrew: Have you acted in Shakespeare plays?
Mark: No.
22. Andrew: Where were you born?
Mark: Le Mars, Iowa.
23. Andrew: Where did you grow up?
Mark: Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota.
24. Andrew: What state are you living right now?
Mark: Iowa.
End of interview..
The interview will be updated since the interviewer/editor had asked more questions by email after Mark had submitted the interview questions to us..
You can read Mark's poem samples in this website by clicking the icon: Mark Stellinga's poems. You can also buy Mark Stellinga's book 'Phonetical Imagery' by clicking the icon: Mark Stellinga's book.
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