Today, EA: Creatively Creative's author spotlight returns, speaking with poet and author, A.M. Torres.
EA: Turmoil is a very interesting name for a book. What’s the concept and what motivated you to write it?
AMT: Poetry is the concept for Turmoil. I was motivated to release my second poetry book, but there was a lot I needed to express in this one book. Turmoil is the perfect name to describe the hell, and suffering I’ve endured for the last couple of years. It captures the challenges of suffering with severe depression, raising an autistic child, and losing my father to Alzheimer’s disease only last year. I was hospitalized for depression, endured an arrest, and coped with the sudden death of my therapist also last year. Much of this heartbreak allowed me to write some of the poems I included in this collection. I hope to give a voice for the many who have experienced such things, but I also need to point out that the book is not only these issues. It’s a book about survival, and being able to cope.
EA: Were there any authors or poets who inspired you growing up?
AMT: As a child I loved Carolyn Haywood, and Beverly Quimby. Their books on Betsy and Ramona were early inspirations. At fourteen I first read S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders and that book inspired me even more. I knew I wanted to write novels; I explored writing poetry. When I read V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic I struggled to put it down. Every chapter had suspense, and truthfully those are my favorite kind of stories. I wanted to write stories like that and attempted to with my first novel Love Child which was released in 2011. As far as poets go I enjoyed reading Edgar Allan Poe, and Robert Frost who I discovered in The Outsiders with his poem Nothing Gold Can Stay I have also been inspired by Sylvia Plath, and Charles Bukowski.
EA: Would you say that the process of writing a book is easy?
AMT: Not at all. While I love getting lost in my character’s world or in my words of poetry, writing a book is time consuming. There is so much work involved not to mention the editing that can be difficult. There is also the formatting, and making sure the story or poem flows nicely. This not only takes time, it can be frustrating. It’s always challenging to write a story that holds a reader’s attention.
EA: Which is more challenging to write? Novels or poetry?
AMT: I have found novels to be a little more challenging. There is so much one needs to keep track of when writing a novel. The plot, the characters, events. Staying consistent is important when writing a novel while in poetry consistency is important, but I can explore more freely than I have with novel writing. The editing of poetry can be fun when my mood calls for it. Anything can be used in poetry, while in novels you must stick with the story.
EA: Do you have any upcoming projects?
AMT: Yes. I am currently working on Child Game the fourth book of my Child Series. I’m aiming for an October release or sometime towards the end of the year. I am also working on my annual Christmas poetry book “J and K Christmas” which will be the 2017 edition. I have released an edition every Christmas since 2012. I have written more poems I am holding for the future. With Turmoil still being a recent release, I want to spend more time to promoting that book before releasing the next one.
EA: What is your vision as a writer, and poet overall?
AMT: I hope to become established as both. More than anything I hope I can write stories, and poems people can enjoy reading, and relate to.
EA: What’s your advice for aspiring authors/poets?
AMT: Don’t be afraid to write your story or poem regardless of topic or subject. While it’s true that not all writings will please everyone, it is also true that there’s an audience for different types of writing. Tell your story, express your poem. All writers deserve to be heard.
EA: Finally tell the readers why Turmoil is a must buy.
AMT: There are poems in Turmoil that different readers can relate too. Aside from the turmoil and depression, the book also offers themes readers can take refuge in. If you have faced loss, have been in the dark, enjoyed the night, doubted yourself, felt nostalgic, reflected in the rain, or have a piece of your childhood taken away then Turmoil is for you. It has poems one can learn from, and will help one not feel so alone with life’s daily and difficult challenges.
Epilogue
It takes a lot of courage to openly talk about the perils one faces in daily life, especially when it's traumatic experiences, or it's seemingly one thing going wrong after another. Writing a book-- although I enjoy the process-- is very time consuming, and one of its biggest challenges is making sure the story flows nicely and makes sense.
I thank A.M. for speaking with me today. For more A.M. and her books, visit her author page on Amazon in the link below.
Amazon Author Page: A.M. Torres
Facebook: Author A.M. Torres
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