So I Wrote a Poetry Book... | Homesick Explained

YOU GUYS IT'S HERE! IT'S FINALLY HERE!

Homesick, my poetry book two-years in the making, is finally yours to take home with you!

Homesick is a collection of poetry that I've injected my heart, soul, and sweat into. I began formatting the book back in July, while I was still living in Edinburgh, and little did I know how much time and tears would be spent trying to figure this thing out (so much time... so many tears.)

I started the publishing process of Homesick with Blurb, did a complete180 one-month in and decided to go with Ingram Spark, and then realized I had no idea what I was doing and moved over to KDP publishing in November. KDP provided more structure and some easy-to-understand guides on how to format the pages of the book and the cover.

For the most part, the book goes in chronological order, starting with my earliest poems and finishing with my latest ones. It's so interesting to see how my style changes throughout the years, becoming for crisp and concise. However, there is an aspect of the raw, unfiltered poetry I wrote in the earlier days that I am drawn to.

Sick

The first section of the book is titled "Sick." Two years ago, I was really struggling. I wanted to see the world, but there was a decision to be made. Do I stay with the one I loved, or do I move?

Haunting Tendencies

"Haunting Tendencies" is the second section of the poetry book, a sort of mirror into my own struggles through the use of fictional characters. My favorite thing to do is to look at one situation from multiple perspectives, so in this funky section, we do just that.

A romance gone wrong. Who's side do you align more with?

These are some of my favorite poems of all time, and I cherish the characters like they are my own family. I hope you enjoy them, too.

Leaving Home

The third section depicts stories from my travels, as I try to figure out who I am as a young adult, and what I want to be. Discover charming worlds and heartbreaking love affairs as I write about the destinations I long to return to.

Finding Home

The fourth section, "Finding Home," is exactly that. Stories from my favorite place in the world. The rugged, beautiful, and lively country of Scotland, and the interesting characters I've met along the way.

Home, Again

The last section is about finding peace in the place that I once felt so much turmoil for. It's about how growing up means shifting my perspective. This sections fills me with such a happy-sadness. A pride in how far I've come, and a sorrow that I had to have that growth in the first place.

So there you go! My book is out. I don't know whether to cry or dance or scream or laugh. I think I'll be doing a bit of all three today... and tomorrow... and until the idea of having a published piece of work stops feeling so wild!

I hope you hold this book as close to your heart as I do. I hope you find things you resonate with. I hope you write about your experiences, too.

Please, write and never stop writing.

Lots of love,

Laura