Meet Tanya Sangpun Thamkruphat | Poet and Technical Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tanya Sangpun Thamkruphat and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tanya Sangpun, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
Since I was a kid, dealing with a lot of stressful situations and being an anxious person, I always tell myself to “go with the flow.” It’s a mindset that has mostly helped me through challenging times, but when thinking or saying it helps to provide me with a sense of calm.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
For the last eight to nine years, as a self-taught poet, I’ve been constantly learning about the foundation of poetry as a genre, and the various avenues that poetry can take. It all has been wonderful and exciting, but it also hasn’t been an easy path as a self-taught poet due to a number of factors (e.g., time, work and life priorities, etc.). However, I’ve made strategic decisions in my life to help me carve out time for writing and learning poetry. And, I think that’s key. Learning to figure out, through trial and error, what will work for you if you want time and resources for what you love to do.

Currently, I’ve been obsessed with hybrid/experimental poetry, and, more specifically, visual poetry. I love the merging of visual art with poetry and I’m experimenting with different ways to create visual poems. I’ve had a handful of visual poems published and they’re some of my favorite poems I’ve written.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in the Coachella Valley/Greater Palm Springs area in Southern California. So, there’s so much to do, to see, and to eat. I would recommend visiting the Palm Springs Art Museum (free admission from 5-8 PM) and VillageFest on Thursday evening. As a big reader, I recommend stopping in at The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs (our only indie bookstore in the area). Also, we would have to check out Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert to see the Coachella Valley Firebirds play (Go, Firebirds!) or check out any events or shows happening there. For dining, there are too many great places to eat at but I highly recommend Oceana, Sherman’s Deli & Bakery, Goody’s, and The Spread.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shoutout to my close family and friends who have been there for me, through the bad and good times. Also, thanks to the writing community on Twitter/X and Instagram. They’ve been an amazing part of my writing career. I wouldn’t have been able to connect with other writers and opportunities without this community.

Website: https://tanyasangpun.com/creative-writing/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madamewritelyso/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MadameWritelySo