Author Interview with Shelby Leigh

Hey guys! So in this week's blog post, I'm going to be interviewing author and poet, Shelby Leigh, who has written It Starts Like This. I hope you enjoy this post and if you are an author/poet or know someone who is, let me know and I'll see if I can interview them and their book.

Interview

It Starts Like This is about love, loss and hope. Was it difficult to write your emotions for everyone to see?

Yes! It is definitely difficult to write these subjects, even if I'm the only one seeing it. I wrote anonymously for so long because I dreaded the thought of anyone knowing the person behind the poems. But, I am so glad I got the courage to begin writing publicly, because I would have never gotten the courage and support to self-publish if I hadn't.

How long did it take to write It Starts Like This? Was it hard getting published?

Well, the book happened (kind of) accidentally. I started writing poems on my blog and challenged myself to write a poem a day for a year. 365 poems later, I had an audience that encouraged me to make a book out of those poems! I had no idea how to do so, but I selected my favourites, put them in an order that would tell a story, and decided to self-publish. To answer the second part of the question, I'm not traditionally published. However, that doesn't mean self-publishing wasn't hard. I did everything on my own (except finding an artist who submitted their lovely painting for the cover), from formatting to editing to marketing. It wasn't easy, but very worth it!

What's your advice to anyone looking to publish their poetry?

My advice is to just go for it. Whether you try the traditional route or the self-publishing route, do your research, stay true to your voice, and don't get discouraged if your work is rejected. Every writer has been there. If we all gave up, there would be no books (and that's a sad, sad world to think about!).

Do you have a favourite poet/author and book/collection?

My favourite poet of all time is Maya Angelou. Her work has inspired me so much. I also love the work of Audre Lorde. As far as modern poets, there are far too many favourites to name. I have been fortunate to become friends with many modern poets and be part of a wonderful poetry community on social media.

Do you have any plans to publish any more poetry collections or books?

Yes! I am currently working on my second poetry book, and then I would like to get back into writing fiction. My second poetry book is coming sometime in 2019.

Now, this is a fun question I love to ask. You're stranded on an island and you can only pick 3 people and 3 objects/things to take with you. Who and what would you take?

This is such a tough question! I would take my boyfriend, for sure, but I would feel guilty dragging anyone else along to a deserted island. As for objects, I would bring a water filter, pens, and journals. (And a huge supply of chocolate, if possible.)

Links

If you would like to purchase and find out more about Shelby, you can visit her website here. Her Instagram and Twitter usernames are:@shelbysleigh

Thank you for reading! Until next time, love Vee x