Poet Loren Kleinman, in raw form, answered a couple of questions for Indie It Press in regards to her books, her poetry and her passion. I am entranced by this poet and her raw talent including, her undying support of indie authors. Read about Loren Kleinman, raw, and listen to her poetry.
First of all tell me about the existing book releases in your life. What are they exactly? Who is publishing them? Self Published? When will they come out? Is there a book cover completed?
In 2003, Spire Press (NYC) published my first collection of poetry Flamenco Sketches, which explored the relationship between love and jazz. I’m also a columnist for IndieReader.com (IR) where I interview NYT bestselling indie authors. Many of those interviews in IR reappeared in USA Today and The Huffington Post.
My second collection of poetry, The Dark Cave Between My Ribs, is due to release in March 2014 (Winter Goose Publishing, 2014). This poetry collection attempts to bear witness to trauma and its healing process. Trauma survivors will clearly remain tortured as bodily wounds may heal, but the wounded psyche bears witness to years of reconstruction. Finding the language to express trauma is a challenge within itself.
I just finished a New Adult literary romance novel, This Way to Forever and am seeking representation as soon as it comes back from the copy editor. The novel explores how young people deal with love and ambition and the choices that come with each. Other themes the novel explores are choosing romantic love over security, love as an ideology, and long distance love/dealing with long distance relationships.
Finally, I have a collection of interviews and essays that explore the vibrant community of indie authors called Indie Authors Naked: Essays and Interviews on the Indie Book Community (Publisher: IndieReader). Indie Authors Naked explores and defines the world of independent publishing. Comprised of a series of essays and interviews by indie authors, booksellers and publishers, readers will get a look at the many aspects of the indie community, where publishing professionals of all types come together with the simple goal of creating something unique; something that speaks directly to the reader, no middleman necessary. Contributors include James Franco, Hugh Howey, McNally Jackson Books, Sarah Gerard, OHWOW Books, Raine Miller, David Vinjamuri, Toby Neal, Rachel Thompson, Eden Baylee, Christoph Paul, Jessica Redmerski, and more. The book is due to release 1/15/2014.
Book covers are still in design.
I’m starting to work on my third poetry collection and will be outlining my second novel next year.
Secondly, tell me (whatever strikes you to tell me) about your writing.
In regard to poetry, I consider myself a narrative poet. I love to tell stories, real or imagined. I mean, after all, poetry is perception, picking up the parts and rearranging them in some sort of recognizable order. I’m fairly raw, but I don’t mean in the sense that I don’t revise/edit. I spent seven years revising my second poetry collection, two years on the IndieReader book and one year on the novel. I believe in revision. Lots of it. The first draft is you. The second draft comes from the feeling.
I read an incredible amount of books from craft to fiction to poetry. You have to. If you don’t read, you can’t write. I abide by that code.
Finally, I’m passionate about practicing my art. I write every day. Regardless whether I write 2 words or 2000. Writing is a discipline not mastery. If anyone tells me they didn’t bleed, cry or sweat while they were revising/writing their book is doing something wrong. It’s not easy.
For me writing is a calling. I still don’t totally understand the writing process. It always seems to be an absolute mystery, in the loveliest of senses. The only way I can come close to describing it is by quoting Virginia Woolf:
“Anyone moderately familiar with the rigours of composition will not need to be told the story in detail; how he wrote and it seemed good; read and it seemed vile; corrected and tore up; cut out; put in; was in ecstasy; in despair; had his good nights and bad mornings; snatched at ideas and lost them; saw his book plain before him and it vanished; acted people’s parts as he ate; mouthed them as he walked; now cried; now laughed; vacillated between this style and that; now preferred the heroic and pompous; next the plain and simple; now the vales of Tempe; then the fields of Kent or Cornwall; and could not decide whether he was the divinest genius or the greatest fool in the world.”
Seems to sum it up. ~ Loren Kleinman
Where you can follow Loren Kleinman:
or email her at: loren@lorenkleinman.com
HOW TO PURCHASE LOREN KLEINMAN’S BOOKS:
Indie Authors Naked (Available, 1/15/14) & The Dark Cave Between My Ribs (available 3/2014)
People can contact Loren Kleinman about purchasing books not released yet. She will add you to her mailing list.
Email: lorenkleinman@yahoo.com
Thank you for hosting today:)
You’re very welcome. Here is the link to the new feature post: http://indieitpress.com/indie-authors-naked-defining-the-indie-publishing-world/
I scheduled it, but for some reason it didn’t publish. It’s LIVE now. Best, Leisa
Awesome post, I enjoyed the Q&A and I wish the author the best with her releases:)