I had the opportunity to interview local writer and Kenwood native Megan Bacigalupo about her recently published book “In the Cobwebs of My Mind: A Vivid and Magical Recollection of Surviving a Brain Hemorrhage.”
The book is an expanded version of Bacigalupo’s short essay of the same title, published in the Edge Magazine in 2018. The full book was published in July 2023 by Calumet Editions LLC, under the imprint Wisdom Editions. Bookstores and libraries can order from Ingram, and it is available on Amazon in trade paperback and Kindle.
In Bacigalupo’s own words, “The book documents the strength and creativity of a healing brain and all that it witnessed in its struggle to survive. It was written in no specific order, in a discombobulated form. It is avant-garde. It is gestalt. It is rich, vivid and theatrical. This story ushers the reader into a world of possibilities as it creates a complex, poetic and imaginative experience. “Cobwebs” teeters between two worlds. The world of ghost-dancing hallucinations and the world of mundane visitations by doctors, nurses, family and friends. I use several artistic disciplines: it is imagined as a one woman show, a documentary film and more; it is visually stunning with images that capture the true essence of my experience.”
Where did you grow up and what neighborhood do you currently live in?
I grew up in Kenwood, right up the hill from Kenwood School and Kenwood Park, by the swing set area. I have lived in Uptown and Lowry Hill. I live in Lowry Hill currently.
When and why did you start writing?
I was always fascinated with words, lyrics to songs and poetry. I started journaling and writing poetry at a young age. I was intrigued by the art of self-expression in the written language. I wrote to process my thoughts and emotions, and I’ve always written fast. Writing was an outlet for me to empty my mind, only so it could be filled again.
I did not get serious about writing until much later in life. I also completed college quite late in life. My 10-page research paper on Simone de Beauvoir was the first major piece of writing that I was proud of. It wasn't until 2009-2010 that I began to really understand writing and develop my style. Then the Edge magazine published my story titled “The Bear” in 2012. At the time, I was trying to write a book and realized I would never finish it, so I turned the long, unedited and unrevised chapters into short stories. It was like magic — it worked, and several of my stories were subsequently published in the Edge.
What was your education?
I dropped out of high school and got my GED, and I was not able to go to college in my 20s. I went to Minneapolis Community and Technical College in my late 30s and graduated in my early 40s with a degree in human services. I was on the Dean’s list and Phi Theta Kappa.
What do you do professionally?
I am currently working in the human services field as an activities director in senior assisted living. I did, however, spend decades in the restaurant business.
What is your writing process like?
My writing process is erratic and spontaneous. It is very impulsive. It is wild and fast. I just start writing, and it becomes a stream of consciousness. I scribble everything in a notebook typing it out, editing and revising. Words fly out of me.
Writing my book “In the Cobwebs of My Mind: A Vivid and Magical Recollection of Surviving a Brain Hemorrhage” was a completely new experience for me. I was forced into discipline, when most things I write have no intention of being structured. I had a publisher, and I had to work in an entirely different way. I also had an incredible mentor, who I worked with creatively and intensely on all aspects of the book. It took almost five years to finish! I’m so excited to share my work.
How else do you enjoy spending your time?
As for what I like to do in my free time, I have very little of it. But, like most, I enjoy long walks, great restaurants, coffee shops and good company.
