Today we talk about A Sense of Self, a book by Helen Morris published with our Publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author, Helen Morris, to get to know her better, what prompted her to the writing of her book A Sense of Self, as well as what poetry means to her.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- What prompted you to the writing of your book of poetry?
The book is a reflection of my journey over the past three years of my life. Three years ago, I started working with a coach/mentor and that process helped unlock both creativity and spirituality from within. It was a poetic energy which had lain dormant since my school days. Writing the poems which are featured in this book has helped me understand my life more deeply, my sense of purpose and the evolution of my identity as a woman. I built an incredibly strong bond with my coach/mentor and many of the poems reflect my feelings for her and how I felt about both the spoken and unspoken bond which she and I built and the emotions which deep love and support for another person can evoke. From a young age, I always loved the written word and was an avid reader. When I was seven years old, I said to myself that I would write a book one day. A sense of Self is that first book!
- What would you like to hear from your readers?
What resonates with the reader upon engaging with the poems within. I would love to understand whether my poetry helps others on their journey of self exploration, those who are on a path to finding their true self or understanding more about the complex and evolving feelings of love and connection. I’d be happy to take questions around the deeper meaning of certain poems and also reflections from readers as to what individual poems mean, or how the book as a whole speaks directly to them. Poetry is to be shared. I love hearing performance poets read their art and if it would be helpful to produce an audio version of the poems, I’d be open to exploring this idea too. Any thoughts, comments, ideas or feedback is always welcome.
- What messages did you want to convey with your book?
Love manifests in many different ways. It transcends pure physical connection and exists at a deeper, more spiritual level. The bonds we build with people and loved ones in our lives shape both our inner and outer worlds. Those bonds also shape how we feel, how we communicate and how we touch others’ lives, spiritually and emotionally. If we open both our hearts and minds to love and communicate freely with those we truly love, we are privileged to experience a deep and spiritual energy. Giving love and being loved and being at one with love across humanity and nature is one of the most beautiful feelings in the world. It transcends all other forms and allows us to experience life at a soul level. A level which is connected to universal energy and experiences, as well as love with those we hold close.
- What does poetry mean to you?
Poetry is freedom of internal expression. It conveys thoughts, feelings, emotions and desire. Love expressed poetically opens us up to a deeper sense of self. My style of poetry is often free flowing, spiritual and full of words which express and describe my inner thoughts and feelings. Poetry has enabled me to connect much more deeply and spiritually with both the world around me and to my truth. I see my style of poetry as spiritual. Rumi’s poetry has always resonated with me. Spiritual poetry usually reflects themes of love, awareness, transcendence and compassion. It signifies a connection to universal energy and unspoken meaning.
- Are you working on a new writing project you can tell us about?
I am currently working on a memoir. This will cover themes of love, loss and finding love again. I have also written poetry in French and would like to build that collection and publish those separately.
Europe Books thanks the author, Helen Morris, once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside her on the editorial path that led to the publication of her book A Sense of Self. We wish her the best of luck for her future works.
To you, my readers, may this book inspire and remind you how to open your mind and heart to love and live more freely every day of your life.
So, my dear readers, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your Editor!