Q&A: Meet The Verse Editors
Q&A: Meet The Verse Editors
Get to know our associate editor, Jennifer, and editor-in-chief, Stephanie, with this quick Q&A.
BTS: The Verse.
We interrupt our regularly scheduled admiration society for a little spring cleaning of our own: proper intros. If you’ve been here a minute, you may know that The Verse was started by editor-in-chief Stephanie Carter, but you may not know our associate editor, Jennifer Handt. Stephanie and Jennifer connected pre-launch, and together have put every word on screen for these now 56 issues. To help you get to know us, we’ve answered questions from some of our favorite questionnaires (Warhol, Proust, Pivot, BBC and The Verse). Because, in the immortal words of Rob Base, “It takes two to
make a thing go right, it takes two to make it outta sight.”
Stephanie Carter
Founder & Editor-in-Chief, The Verse Media
What did you have for breakfast?
A big banana pancake I make with one banana, two eggs, ½ tsp of baking powder and ½ tsp of salt. I have it almost every morning (I’m a creature of habit).
What was your first job?
Besides odd jobs for my parents, a dishwasher. So satisfying to create order and get in a rhythm (though it is hell on your skin), plus it allowed me to be in a kitchen—which I enjoy to this day.
What’s your favorite movie?
“Casablanca.” People know (and misquote) its iconic lines, but it’s brilliant for so many reasons. The cinematography and framing choices, the larger meaning (to congratulate America for finally getting into the fight of WWII), the economical writing, the acting. I once took a screenwriting class where we did a six-hour dissection of it—heaven.
What’s your favorite swear word?
“Fuck,” no doubt. So many wonderful ways to use it. I haven’t tried, but I bet I can’t go a day without it. I would guess that my brother would say the same. My father used to joke that hearing it was how he knew we were his children.
What are your desert island discs? (8 songs you would take to your island)
This was way harder than it sounds on the podcast! I love music so much, I’ll train non-stop on the island to swim to the mainland so I can switch out my discs. But here goes nothing.
“Straight to Hell” The Clash
Once called “the only band that mattered,” The Clash (my all-time favorite) is credited with so much of the rock we enjoy today. This song incorporates all their timeless influences. Sadly, Joe Strummer died at 50—I would have loved to see his next verse.
“(I Know) I’m Losing You” The Temptations
I adore David Ruffin’s voice and this song really showcases it. You can feel the urgency and desperation.
“Just a Song Before I Go” Crosby, Stills, and Nash
Graham Nash famously wrote this in 15 minutes before leaving for the airport. It shows how something short and simple can create feeling. You don’t need the whole story to be there.
“Deacon Blues” Steely Dan
I absolutely love Steely Dan and could have picked any song from their album, “Aja.” I read a WSJ story about the writing of the song, but I have always loved that they wanted to find the opposite of the ultimate sign of winning, the Crimson Tide.
“Luckenbach, Texas” Waylon Jennings
My parents owned a country music radio station, and I loved all the music from that time. The mention of other country stars and the idea of going back to a simpler time always stuck with me (though my life was quite simple at the time).
“Car on a Hill” Joni Mitchell
If I’m being truthful, I’d probably smuggle in the whole “Court and Spark'' album, but I love this song. It’s everything Joni—beautiful vocals, great lyrics, jazz influences and a non-obvious arrangement.
“Many Rivers to Cross” Jimmy Cliff
I got to see this live and I am so grateful for it. It’s just a beautiful song.
“Steve Biko (Stir it Up)” A Tribe Called Quest
I worship hip hop and rap and was on the fence between this and “Paid in Full” by Eric B. & Rakim, but since they name check Eric B in the first verse, it’s ok. I love Q-Tip and Phife Dog—they definitely took hip hop to a new place.
What book do you reread the most?
Lost Horizon by James Hilton. It’s where we get the idea of Shangri-La, but it was written in the aftermath of great turmoil (WWI), a meditation on escape from the world’s madness. The first line alone is magnificent: “Cigars had burned low, and we were beginning to sample the disillusionment that usually afflicts old school friends who have met again as men and found themselves with less in common than they believe they had.”
What are your beauty secrets?
I don’t think it’s that secret, but I stay out of the sun. Also, I put on lotion as soon as I come out of the shower so it gets absorbed. I’m sure an article somewhere says not to do that, but it works for me.
What is your greatest fear?
As a certified worrier, I have so many I don’t know where to start. They range from personal feelings of inadequacy to the more routine—heights, snakes, plane crashes. Here’s a “funny” one: I fear I will be mistakenly pronounced dead. I have gone through the scenarios, and to avoid being buried alive, I will donate my body to science; if I’m still alive, I will have the best shot in a hospital. (Paging Dr. Freud…)
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
“Like.” What can I say—I came up in the age of the Valley Girl. I know it’s a lazy filler—and believe me, my parents tried to nip it in the bud—but sometimes when I transcribe interviews for The Verse I look at the transcript, I am, like, mortified.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Moderation. I love the Oscar Wilde quote, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” Of course, I don’t advocate that people overindulge in truly harmful things, but there’s joy in indulging in things you like—and you shouldn’t be made to feel bad about it. “Real Housewives” binge watching? Here for it. Hostess HoHos? Give me 10, please.
What is your current state of mind?
Anticipation. Not sure if this is a hangover of COVID times, but I have a sense of something about to begin. This may be a part of building something new, just white space waiting for you to fill it.
Jennifer Handt
Associate Editor, The Verse Media
What did you have for breakfast?
I was last year old when I learned you can fully cook an egg in the microwave in under a minute. I love an egg lightly scrambled in my Juliska ramekin (for a little workaday elegance) with a splash of hot sauce.
What was your first job?
As soon as I turned 14 (legal working age in Mass.), I worked as a library page—the most fitting job title ever. This was when card catalogs were physical furniture and there was no such thing as an ebook.
What's your favorite movie?
“When Harry Met Sally.” To me, this is Nora Ephron’s greatest masterpiece, a love letter to New York.
What's your favorite swear word?
It depends on the use case (read: all of them). As a writer I value precise words that convey both meaning and emotion, and curses often satisfyingly check those boxes.
What are your desert island discs? (8 songs you would take to your island)
“Graceland” by Paul Simon, “You Can Close Your Eyes” by James Taylor (I sing it to my kids as a lullabye), “Everlong” by the Foo Fighters (RIP, Taylor Hawkins), “Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison, “Jump” by Van Halen, “Even Flow” by Pearl Jam, “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers, “Africa” by Toto (Yacht Rock is my genre).
What book do you re-read the most?
For someone so invested in books, I’m shockingly unsentimental when it comes to them. I’d much rather discover a new book than revisit one already imprinted in my mind.
What are your beauty secrets?
I’m still in search of them! The person/brand who creates a truly effective eye cream will have my forever devotion. I do tell every younger person to start a retinol, like, yesterday.
What is your greatest fear?
I have many, but there’s a Simon & Garfunkel line, “...a bad day’s when I lie in bed and think of things that might have been,” that’s haunted me most of my life. Regret seems to me the greatest bogeyman.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Right now, it’s variations on my four-year-old son’s name (Charles! Charles Frederick!). I’ve never met anyone so delighted to go against the grain.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Patience. It’s something I’ve had to learn (especially when facing infertility and now, my son’s rare disease diagnosis), but there have been times when my lack of it has paid off in a positive way.
What is your current state of mind?
Hopeful.
