An experience of paralysis, often occurring in large, noisy crowds
Mahaila Smith
Mahaila Smith (any pronouns) is a young femme writer, living and working on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg in Ottawa, Ontario. They are one of the co-editors for The Sprawl Mag. They like learning theory and writing speculative poetry. Their debut chapbook, Claw Machine, was published by Anstruther Press in 2020. Their second chapbook, Water-Kin was published by Metatron Press in 2024. You can find more of their work on their website: mahailasmith.ca
Short Interview
1. Write a 10-word sentence that embodies how you understand sensory overload.
An experience of paralysis, often occurring in large, noisy crowds.
2. What smell/s would your story be?
My story moves between two districts of the city. In the commercial district there are overpowering smells of foods, new packaging, machinery, and people. In the conservation district, there are gentler smells of wet soil, growing trees and other plants.
3. What did you intend your audience to feel when reading your piece?
I intended the audience to feel sympathy for Oswell, for their procrastination, anxiety and their feelings of complete overwhelm and paralysis in the consumerist environment.
4. Describe your favorite type of light.
I am particularly fond of bedside lamp light over a good book.
Angry Gable Press 