Currents, an Interview Series with Brian Alan Ellis (Episode 32: Montgomery Maxton)

Montgomery Maxton

MONTGOMERY MAXTON is a poet, writer, photographer, and mixed-media artist. Born and raised in Cincinnati, his photography has appeared on NationalGeographic.com, among other outlets, and his poetry published on numerous websites and in various print anthologies. He is the author of the poetry collections This Beautiful Bizarre (2010), Champagne (2016), and New and Selected Poems: 1999-2018. He released a graphic novel, The Manhattan Man, in 2018. In 2021 he’ll release his short novel, Moonlight on the Sunshine Roses, which he wrote in 2009, as well as his fourth poetry collection, Shipwreck. He lives in New York City.

My current favorite author is: Margaret Atwood (the reigning favorite in my life). A writer that has achieved the rarity of rock star status. It’s not only interesting to watch her handle that, but her output of work and its quality astonishes me.

My current favorite actor is: Carey Mulligan. I’ve watched her career ever since she was in Pride & Prejudice, and her latest film, Promising Young Woman, showcases her unbelievable talent. Her character in Shame reminds me of me sometimes.

My current favorite television show is: ABC World News Tonight with David Muir; he’s easy on the eyes and he takes his job seriously but with just the right amount of compassion needed to deliver this world’s harrowing news day after day. Although I will say, while I don’t watch much television, even eleven months into this stay-at-home crap (I play music on my TV), I do enjoy the Apple+ series The Morning Show.

My current favorite song is: Synthwave Goose’s “Blade Runner 2049.” Also, let me give a Brooklyn small business a shout-out because this relates. I’ve said it on my Instagram stories before and I’ll say it here, the best playlist in Brooklyn is at St Ends bar in Crown Heights. Not only great cocktails and a safe spot to catch some outdoor drinks during the pandemic, but whoever is curating their list is amazing; I’m always Shazaming the hell out of my phone there and then going home and writing to some of the music I heard there.

My current state of mind is: blurry and manic. Eleven months into the pandemic, life in New York City has become a blurry wonderland.

My current chemical romance involves: the Lord’s water, Deep Eddy Ruby Red brand.

My current favorite quote is: 

“Six feet you piece of shit!”—me, said with a muffled sound from behind my now double masks.

My current mode of transportation is: my legs. I haven’t been on the subway in about six months now and I stopped taking cars unless absolutely necessary. Ask me this question in a half century from now and I’ll tell you Hyperloop.

My current favorite fast food item is: McDonald’s French fries (always delicious), but I haven’t had fast food in a minute.

My current workout routine consists of: walking to get my coffee every morning and then coming back. About ¼ a mile round trip. I’ve gained eighteen pounds in lockdown. I don’t fucking care anymore.

My current regrettable decision involves: that bottle of VHS tape cleaner last night.

My current hopes and dreams are:  to make it out of the plague-of-twenty-twenty-twenty-twenty-one-+-global-world-order-collapse-pandemic-billhilly-riots-Earth’s-off-key-swan-song alive and go to Rome and Paris this October.

My current projects/hobbies include: writing a novel set in present-day New York City, and putting together a tour for my new poetry book, Shipwreck, that comes out in April.

 

Montgomery Maxton is online at montgomerymaxton.com.

Brian Alan Ellis runs House of Vlad Press, and is the author of several books, including Sad Laughter (Civil Coping Mechanisms, 2018). His writing has appeared at Juked, Hobart, Fanzine, Monkeybicycle, Electric Literature, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, Funhouse, Heavy Feather Review, and Yes Poetry, among other places. He lives in Florida.

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