Dina Greenberg
Nominated for The Pushcart Prize, Best Small Fictions, and The Millions, Dina Greenberg’s poetry, fiction, essays, and articles have appeared widely in literary journals, anthologies, and peer-reviewed journals, both in the U.S. and the U.K.
Her work facilitating creative writing workshops for combat veterans and military families led her to write her debut novel: Nermina’s Chance (Atmosphere Press), set in 1992 Bosnia. The author’s immediate goal is to use the book’s platform to inspire discussions on intergenerational trauma resulting from war and displacement—not only in the Balkans but across the globe.
Twitter: @DinaGreenberg7
Do you collect anything?
I am a collector of nature’s treasures: shells and driftwood I find along the North Carolina shoreline; stones and colored glass, pounded and rounded by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; pines cones and other seedpods; plants, plants, plants—indoors and out. Nothing makes me happier than being enveloped by nature. When my husband and I packed up the belongings of our home of thirty years to move from New Jersey to North Carolina, the items I wrapped most carefully were those shell-filled jars and bowls—not a single one broken.
What’s the difference (at least for you!) between being a writer and an author? How do you shift gears between the two?
I’ve always preferred to express myself in writing, so I guess it’s no surprise I always pursued jobs with a heavy writing component. Creatively, I love to bounce between poetry and prose, short fiction, and memoir. I’ve always called myself a writer, but it wasn’t until I published my first novel, Nermina’s Chance, that I began to call myself an author. That distinction is slippery but, for me, it means taking measure of the enormous investment of time and effort—more than fifteen-years—that the book required.
I’m terrible at shifting between the zillions of writing tasks that fill my days—jotting comments on students’ stories, composing emails and press releases, drafting program proposals—and the down-in-the-trenches work of creating my next book-length project.
What is your favorite non-reading activity?
I would have to say gardening. This is something that gets me outdoors and plunging my hands into the soil. I love the feeling of working hard and then seeing the results. One other added benefit is chatting with neighbors who stop by to what I’m working on.
Not all books are for all readers...when you start a book and you just don’t like it, how long do you read until you bail?
If I know that a book is going to be difficult ahead of time, I’m willing to persevere. Sometimes, though (and it’s rare), I can tell from the start, the book isn’t working for me. So, maybe I give it a chapter for two before bailing? I read tons of reviews and my tastes run tilt toward literary fiction, memoir, and non-fiction related to environmental and political issues. Most often, I find the books I pick up are ones I hate to put down.
What brings you great joy?
I think especially now—two years into the pandemic—I appreciate my family and friends, the beauty in the world around me. I find joy hiking on a mountain trail or paddling my kayak along swaying paths of seagrass. I find joy in writing, joy in helping other writers to find their voices.
