Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassie Premo Steele
Hi Cassie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am the author of the environmental novel, BEAVER GIRL. Set against the backdrop of a post-pandemic and climate-collapsed world, BEAVER GIRL follows the journey of Livia, a 19-year-old confronting the aftermath of environmental upheaval.
As wildfires encircle her, Livia seeks solace in Congaree National Park, where an unexpected alliance with a beaver family becomes a central theme in her fight for survival.
Ben Goldfarb, the New York Times bestselling author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, said of the novel, “If beavers spoke and thought human language, they’d probably sound a lot like the clever, soulful protagonists of Cassie Premo Steele’s charming novel.”
I wrote this book during the depths of the pandemic, which was a very dark time for so many, because I wanted to share this story of resilience and hope in the face of ongoing climate collapse. The book was chosen as the 2024 One Book, One Community selection for Columbia, South Carolina, and I am excited that so many readers – locally, nationally and internationally – are discovering a vision for a new, healthier way to live in harmony with the more than human world as a result of reading the book.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The values the characters in BEAVER GIRL hold – perseverance, hard work, resilience, and a community ethic – are the same ones that I have held over the course of my career as a writer.
It’s true that writing is full of revision, and rejection, and the recurrent doubt that all creativity entails. But I have found that thinking about longevity and survival can be really helpful.
The important thing is to keep going. Keep a promise to yourself and stick to it. Whether that’s journaling in the morning, writing a poem once a week, or working for 20 minutes on your current project, the important thing is to create a plan and stick to it.
That’s how beavers create dams and waterways and lodges and provide ecosystems that foster life for so many species. And it’s how creativity works, too.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
While BEAVER GIRL is receiving widespread attention and recognition, it’s not my first book. In fact, it’s my third published novel, and I’ve also published seven books of poetry and several books of nonfiction on the themes of trauma, healing, the environment and creativity.
I think of creativity as seasonal, and I’m always in one of the seasons of spring (research and brainstorming), summer (writing), fall (revision and submission), or winter (resting and lying fallow.) I think it can be helpful to get clear about where you are seasonally and to let yourself be fully present there in that creative season.
This gift of being fully present in my work and my life — that’s something that I’m really proud of, and it’s something I enjoy teaching to others, too.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Virginia Woolf wrote for two hours a day, and that may have been too much for her. Our brain works really well in 20-minute bursts of focus. You don’t need to spend eight hours a day in front of a computer to be productive; and in fact, to do so can be really detrimental to your creativity. Go outside every day. Move your body until you sweat. Listen to music. Have a practice that calms your mind and body. These things will fill the well of your creativity so when you do sit down to write, you can do so with flow and ease.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cassiepremosteele.com/
- Instagram: https://bsky.app/profile/cassiepremosteele.bsky.social
- Other: https://insig.ht/3MVC2L5m4Nb?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=live_stream_share
