Thanks so much for writing this very timely and poignant story. “In the Zone” asks many questions, I think, such as how we can help with the current climate of unlawful deportations in the United States and how we can continue to do that work without becoming burnt out. First off, what was your initial inspiration for this story? What did the process of writing it look like for you? What sorts of challenges did you come across?

This story is a total wish fulfillment fantasy for me. I grew up in deep South Texas, very close to Mexico, and when the Trump administration started closing down the border, I kept seeing places I knew in the news, little towns no one ever cared about before. For example, one news report showed young men corralled for deportation in the McAllen International Airport, a place I’ve flown in and out of multiple times. Knowing the people and places firsthand but now living so far away, I felt a frustrated sense of responsibility. I contribute to several organizations (RAICES (raicestexas.org), the Young Center (theyoungcenter.org), Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (https://www.iowammj.org)), but it doesn’t feel like nearly enough. I really just want to grab people and carry them with me, so I imagined someone who could.

Initially, the story didn’t include any explanation for Yadira’s powers. I’m definitely not someone who engineers magical systems; when it comes to magic, I’m a very vibes-based reader and writer. When John asked about the source of Yadira’s magic, I saw an opportunity to bring in some of her family history and give her a stronger support system. And Las Bruja-jas already existed from a previous story, recently rewritten and published as a poem, “Bewitched Border,” in the Air and Nothingness Press anthology, This Exquisite Topology (https://bit.ly/42eIrlW). Those troublemakers practically demanded to be part of Yadira’s story.

Yadira’s story brings up some interesting conversations about burnout. Her powers are quite literally tied to it. Have you dealt with burnout before? If so, what were some of the things that brought you out of it or helped you manage it?

Oh yes. As a writer, I have a very difficult time accepting that creativity and inspiration come in waves. I want to be working all the time, because there’s never enough time to begin with. For me, burnout comes from trying to barge my way into productivity. When the flow starts lagging, I’m much better off if I step away from the laptop and focus on papercrafting or reading nonfiction or thrifting. And fortunately, I have a good support network, including a therapist, who can nudge me like, “Hey, you always get like this when you try to force yourself to produce. Take a break.”

I feel like a lot of us currently are experiencing civic or activist burnout, and that’s a different beast. We’re signing petitions, organizing, writing to our legislators, protesting, boycotting, demanding divestment, crowdfunding, and so on. And it can feel like we’re seeing very little return from our efforts. A few things have helped me in this regard. First, I focus on a few issues I care deeply about, like immigration, and I try to stay in my lane. Of course, things come up that demand involvement, but having priorities helps. Second, I track my activism on my calendar, to prove to myself I’m doing my part. I tend to forget about the monthly donations I’ve set up, for example. And lastly, I remind myself that I don’t have to do everything all the time, that when I need a break, someone else has recently recharged and is ready to take over. (That was something I appreciated about the new Superman. As powerful as Superman is, he can’t be everywhere at once, so he needs to rely on allies. Do I really think I’m better than Superman?)

“In the Zone” also asks how we can find some sense of joy in all of this darkness, and maybe makes the argument that it’s imperative that we even seek that joy out. With all that’s happening in the world—from climate change to the mistreatment of immigrants in the United States and the genocide in Gaza—do you think we’re obligated to seek out joy as a way to survive?

I try to avoid thinking of it as an obligation. I don’t want to tip into toxic positivity. I’m more about feeling your feels when they come. It’s a waste of energy to deny you’re angry or sad or feeling hopeless. But if we sit with our emotions, they eventually pass—or we become bored of them—and we move on. That said, humans are meant to do more than survive, we’re meant to thrive. So I’d suggest finding ways to inject happiness into daily life. Maybe that means using colorful markers and stickers on Postcards to Voters. Maybe it means a mini-dance party before making your five calls. Maybe it means crafting your fantasy into a story, artwork, or song. Make the work fun, but also know, it’s okay to step away from the work and just be for a while. (And thank you for acknowledging the genocide in Gaza. It’s always a relief when folks address it directly and honestly.)

What’s next for you? Are there any projects you’re working on or are coming out soon that you can talk about?

I have a poem titled “Haunted” about the erasure of Latine and Indigenous people from USonian history that’s forthcoming in the anthology Amorphaville. Otherwise, I’m taking my own advice and I’m on a writing hiatus this month. I’ve been querying a novel, and it’s brutal out there, so I’ve hit pause on all writing projects in the pipeline. That includes a novel in revision and another in the outline stage. In the meantime, I’ve been reading a ton of poetry—a book a day in August—and I’ve been posting mini-reviews to my Patreon (https://bit.ly/48JckP3). (So yes, technically I’m still writing. I can’t go cold turkey!)