POETRY & PROSE
Dear Reader, I Decided to Self-Publish a Chapbook
After 4 years of tinkering and editing, it was time to let my words out into the world
Where do I begin with this one? It’s been a loooong time coming, but I’m so happy to announce that my debut chapbook the light, the dark, the in-between is officially published!
This is a 34-page collection of micro-poems accompanied by illustrations that I began to write around 2017. To say I was going through a tough time would be an understatement. I lost my father and grandmother the year before, and my disability was only getting worse with time, with no real solution in sight.
Through the fog of dealing with… well… life, I began to write random thoughts and little poems.
At first, they were very random, but, a year later, I started drawing little visuals to go along with my words, and rearranging the poems around.
I began to see a common theme and an easy flow in the work, and the creation of a chapbook was the natural next step!
But, life happened, and I put it aside for almost 2 years. It was only during the pandemic that I saw myself dusting it off and reading it back. I decided I owed it to myself to truly complete it, and just publish it already! I hired an editor, who was a tremendous help in making me see the poems in a different light and organize them in a way that made sense. As an editor, I know how important it is to have somebody else read your work, no matter how much experience you think you have.
I took one last little look (or two), took a deep breath and hit the publish button!
If you’ve enjoyed my words here, consider getting yourself a copy of my chapbook. It’s a quick read, and only 1.99$, but that support goes a long way in ensuring I can continue doing my work.
I congratulate anyone who has the courage to step out of their comfort zones and share their work with the world. Self-publishing isn’t easy, and marketing is even harder.
To all those who are on their own writing paths and have recently published something in need of some love. Share in the comments! I can’t wait to see what everyone is working on!
Eternally blessed & grateful,
Samah from Politics & Poetry
