Olivia Samur

What was your favorite book as a child?

Honestly, it was this huge leatherbound collection of classic fairy tales my family had. My dad would read to me and my sisters from it every night before bed, and I loved that whole ritual. Just the weight of the book in his hands, the sound of the pages turning, knowing that whatever story he picked was about to open up a completely different world for a little while. It made imagination feel like this big, shared thing, even though it happened in this really quiet, intimate moment right before sleep.

What was the original reason or motivation why you started writing creatively?

I’ve always liked writing, but honestly by college it had turned into more of a chore, like something I did because I had to, not because I wanted to. Creative writing kind of brought me back to it. It made writing feel personal again, curious again, alive again. It became this outlet where I could actually dig into memory, emotion, identity;  all those small everyday details that usually just slip past unnoticed.

What was the most adventurous or thrilling thing you ever did/experienced?

Probably bridge jumping with my friends one summer. I remember standing right at the edge, trying really hard not to look down for too long, everyone counting together before we jumped. Honestly the scariest part was right before, that split second where you still could have backed out. But once I actually let go, the fear just turned into pure adrenaline. It’s one of those memories that feels almost cinematic looking back: sun on your skin, everyone laughing nervously, just doing something brave enough to actually remember.

Do you listen to music while reading or writing? Why/why not?

Not really, no. But it’s not like I need dead silence either. When I’m really in it, everything around me just kind of fades out. Noise, movement, whatever’s happening I can usually tune it all out and just focus on the rhythm of what I’m writing. Sometimes the right atmosphere helps set the mood, sure, but once I find the voice of a piece, that voice basically becomes the soundtrack.