Poems and Stories
Poetry, Women
Date Published: Jan 31, 2024
Publisher: Bookbaby
How do you stitch yourself back together after trauma, loss, grief, heartbreak? By inviting what is broken to become what is breathtaking. THE BODY is a collection of poems and short stories written in lyrical prose during the hardest moments of the author's life. This collection explores themes of love, loss, grief, seduction, creativity, consciousness, female empowerment, post- traumatic expansion, and the collective human experience. Because when words are not enough, art is the container that holds what the body cannot. And as the heart breaks open, the soul can be set free.
Interview with Holly Anne Mitchell, author of THE BODY: Poems and Stories
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Both! When I’m writing, I’m in flow state. I’m relaxed and energized, riding a wave of creativity to see where it takes me. As soon as I finish for the day, I feel a mix of exhaustion, relief and resolution. It’s a thrilling exhaustion though, like coming down from an adrenaline rush, or the depletion after a hot yoga class, it’s very satisfying.
What is the first book that made you cry?
When I was a child I was obsessed with death. When I was five years old, my grandfather died of a sudden heart attack and it disturbed me that someone could just disappear off the earth. I would read fictional books about kids with terminal illnesses and cry buckets, imagining it was me saying goodbye to everyone I loved. I remember writing my own eulogy in my composition notebook when I was very little. It’s a strange macabre fascination that still finds its way into my writing today. What happens when we’re gone? How do we live fully today as if there is no tomorrow? I haven’t gotten over it.
How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
I don’t think it changed the process, but the awareness that the book will be published comes in at the very end of my editing decisions. My first step when writing is what I call “the journalist”--when an idea invades my thoughts, it’s my job to transcribe that inspiration without judgment, interruption, or analysis. The next stage is to be “the producer”--to assess the initial transcription and decide what interests me, then pull out the pieces I’m curious about exploring. Then comes “the sculptor”--I take the story and sculpt the language and sounds until they become like music. The last step in the process is bringing in the audience–I examine the work in context of culture, imagining I’ve never seen it before–what do I notice, what questions do I have? I give those notes to my inner “editor” and expand or contract the work based on those insights.
What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your characters?
All my characters are versions of me, even if they’re based on someone else. Because on some level, we’re all the same, just communicating through different bodies and perspectives and reminding each other what we forgot. Every person I’ve ever met, read, watched or listened to, becomes inspiration, combined in a blender through my DNA, beliefs, and life experiences. These characters teach me first–about parts of myself that need to heal, grow, or express themselves. Once the story is complete, it becomes a vehicle for others’ inspiration, to learn about themselves, to put it into another artistic blender, in order to be shared and to keep on going.
Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/etc. come from?
I was a socially awkward child so books were my best friends. Journaling became a way for me to express what I couldn’t say out loud. Reading and writing were a constant companion for me, especially during the hardest times of my life.
What do you like to read in your free time?
I like to read beautiful language–poetry, lyrical prose, writing that humbles me. I want to see exquisitely detailed worlds being built that never existed. I want characters that are complex, dialogue that sounds like music. I want to hurt, to be confronted, to be transformed. From classic literature to sci-fi/horror to magical realism, I love to examine books that stand the test of time, so I can be inspired to push myself to the limits of imagination and elevate my craft.
Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
I was reading Superdoom by Melissa Broder, whose dark imagination disturbs and delights me, and I realized I should go through my poetry journals and try to tell my story.
Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more than one, how do you balance them?
Poetry is a spiritual practice. Writing poetry is the act of noticing, of listening, of connecting, appreciating, and capturing a moment. Reading poetry is a doorway into the unconscious, to teach you about yourself. Read the same poem tomorrow and you’ll notice something new. My writing is always at the intersection of creativity, spirituality, and psychology because these 3 topics never cease to fascinate me. No matter what genre I’m writing in, these are the themes I wrestle with and they show up in all my mediums.
How do you begin writing a new book? What challenges come with it?
The book begins itself! It knocks on the door and announces itself. The challenge is that inspiration is not convenient. It does not arrive when you have time to sit down and listen. This unexpected visitor knocks gently, maybe when you’re totally engrossed in something else. Listen closely: stop whatever you’re doing, sit down, and have tea with this friend.
The more you welcome the muse when she arrives, the more she will come by for a visit. But if you turn the lights off, and pretend no one’s home, or tell her to come back later, she’ll undoubtedly go somewhere else.
When you spend time regularly to welcome inspiration, without expectations on the relationship, together you’ll create something that will surprise and transform you—a song, a poem, maybe even a whole book.
Share a place that inspires you to write.
I can write anywhere there’s sunlight. It could be a loud coffee shop, the passenger seat of a car, or the small picnic table outside of my back door. It’s why I live in Los Angeles : )
About the Author
Artist. Two-time TEDx talker. Singer-Songwriter. Entrepreneur. Novelist-Playwright. Ghostwriter. Mental Health Advocate. A no-holds barred journey of transformation and recovery from PTSD, Holly's story is a raw and honest testament to the power of creative resilience. Forged from the heartache of personal trauma, she's spun her pain into a wealth of creative prowess, shattering societal norms, and challenging the idea of 'spiritual bypassing.'
Holly's lyrical prose combines self-hypnosis with carefully crafted wordsmithing to ignite the senses and the soul through their musical cadence. Holly wrote, produced, and starred in her debut musical BLOOD SUPPLY: A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE LOVE STORY premiering in Los Angeles January 2023 to stellar reviews. She releases music under the artist name HOLLY HOLLOWS and resides in Los Angeles, CA.
Contact Links
Instagram: @hollyanne_mitchell
Youtube: @hollyannemitchell
Tiktok @hollyanne.mitchell
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