David E. Yee, Writer (Fiction, Essays)
Columbus, OH
David sheltering in place in Columbus, OH
Aside from your creative work do you have any additional source of income?
I make 100% of my income managing a bar or consulting for other hospitality businesses.
Who do you live with and how do you feel about that?
I have a roommate. We both are in very similar positions—working in high volume bars a week past when we should’ve been exposing ourselves to human contact.
How are you spending your time?
I spent a week being very disillusioned and angry. And then another week running from any sort of responsibility. Now I have a daily checklist that involves reading and writing and studying something unfamiliar before I let myself goof off.
How is the pandemic impacting you?
I’ve been working since I was fourteen. Suddenly I’m applying for unemployment. Everything is very unfamiliar. I like bartending because, frankly, adjuncting doesn’t pay enough. It also allows me the free time to write. The impact this is having on the hospitality business with very little help from local or federal government really lets you know how small a cog you are in the machine of American capitalism.
What do you want to accomplish personally and/or professionally during this time?
Finishing a novel draft would be great.
What kind of world do you want to see on the other side of this?
One that treats hospitality professionals as professionals.
How can people find you and support you and your work (website, Patreon, etc)?
Most of my work is free online.
Some of my work is in great journals which you should support including American Short Fiction and Seneca Review.
You can’t sit at my bar right now, but venmo at @davidinspace