Virtual Book Tour + #Giveaway: Night of the Hawk by Lauren Martin @GoddessFish

NIGHT OF THE HAWK

Lauren Martin

GENRE: Poetry

BLURB:

Ifá. Nature. Illness. Love. Loss. Misogyny. Aging. Africa. Our wounded planet. In this sweeping yet intensely personal collection, Lauren Martin tells the untold stories of the marginalized, the abused, the ill, the disabled—the different. Inspired by her life’s experiences, including the isolation she has suffered as a result both of living with chronic illness and having devoted herself to a religion outside the mainstream, these poems explore with raw vulnerability and unflinching honesty what it is to live apart—even as one yearns for connection.

But Night of the Hawk is no lament; it is powerful, reverential, sometimes humorous, often defiant—“Oh heat me and fill me / I rise above lines”—and full of wisdom. Visceral and stirring, the poems in this collection touch on vastly disparate subjects but are ultimately unified in a singular quest: to inspire those who read them toward kindness, compassion, and questioning.

Purchase NIGHT OF THE HAWK on Amazon

Excerpt:

PEACHES

Dear Peaches,

Please stop killing yourself with shameful behavior.

I saw the ass drums.

I wanted to barf. I thought much more highly of you.

You are the slimy lecherous guy on stage at spring break.

Except, you’re 60. I guess that makes sense.

But What is going on? And you question my rituals?

Love,

Muñequita

Interview with Lauren Martin

Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?

I read quite a bit and admire fiction. My writing is poetry or psychological and therefore, more memoir in style. I am always impressed that people can see the thread of a story and build a world around characters.




How do you select the names of your characters?

I suspect titles are what I select, and I do think titles are important characters in poems. The title feels like it has to indicate or emphasize significance without over disclosing meaning.




Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

Yes. Because I write about my shamanic journey but also don’t like to over reveal the failings of others, there are terms I don’t disclose (in spite of the poetry key included) and metaphors that are double entendres.

What was your hardest scene to write?

As the Bow Breaks Part Two because it did discuss anger and betrayal by a spiritual teacher which made me feel very exposed.

Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?

I want to do both. I would like them to make sense individually but also, answer questions that may have arisen and been left unresolved.

What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?

I wanted to communicate all the ways that we all feel different and marginalized and highlight the universality in that. I am hoping to give people pause in judgement by demonstrating that even those we do not understand might teach us something.




What inspired you to write NIGHT OF THE HAWK?

Night of the Hawk was written after I was injured during a back procedure and developed a devastating CSF leak which left me bedridden. I no longer had an excuse of lack of time.

Can you tell us a little bit about the next books in NIGHT OF THE HAWK or what you have planned for the future?

I have another poetry book looking for a home and a psychological essay book I am also shopping. I also have a memoir and a relationship trauma book halfway done.

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in NIGHT OF THE HAWK?

The natural world is the deepest place of grace for me. The shamanic tradition I follow worships representations of God in nature. The Òrìsà are woven throughout my work.




What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I have been so moved by the people I have met because of writing this book. There are so many people inspired by and working on story. It’s fascinating to see that within all our different perspectives, there is so much kindness.

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lauren Martin is a psychotherapist, poet, and a devoted Ìyânífá. Born in Boston and spending many years in New York and Paris, she currently lives in Oakland, California. Lauren studied psychology, photography and poetry at Sarah Lawrence College. She spent years writing without submitting her work due to a long shamanic journey, which led her to both Ifá, and to the writing of several books (including this collection of poems.) The upcoming publication of Night of the Hawk (SheWrites Press, 2024), reflects a deeply personal experience of illness, isolation and true shamanism.

Connect with Lauren Martin

Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Giveaway:

$10 Amazon/BN GC

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