Louise Bélanger-The IAN Interview

 Louise Bélanger

Author of Your Words collection, Louise Bélanger is an artist and a gifted storyteller, both with words and photography.

Her inspirational poetry will transport you in her world where there is hope and trust in a loving God. Her faith is strong, and it will strengthen yours.

Her nature photographs will remind you of the beauty of God’s creation. From delicate flowers to breathtaking scenery.

IAN: Please tell us about your latest book.

Louise Bélanger: Your Words Your Love, my new release is the 4^th book from Your Words collection. It’s a celebration of love. God’s love and ours in return. From intriguing to insightful, it overflows with story poems where faith, hope, salvation and trust in Him are center stage.

The reader will find a sense of peace and awe as they read about God through my eyes and my camera lens.

Among the pages of riveting verses are endearing photographs of nature in all its splendor throughout the seasons. From delicate flowers to stunning scenery.

I paint imageries with words and metaphors, this is how I describe my poetry, and I pair it with my photographs adding to the beauty.

The verses are sometimes comforting and other times thought-provoking but always uplifting.

Your Words Your Love is also personal, it’s my faith there on the pages for the reader to experience. It is meant to bring you closer to Him. To learn about our relationship with God.

I speak to your soul with simple words that have a profound meaning, and I add a stunning photograph next to it for you to stop and admire His creation.

IAN: Is your Your Words Your Love published in print, e-book or both?

Louise Bélanger: It is in print, both paperback and hardcover formats along with the e-book format.

IAN: Where can we go to buy Your Words Your Love?

Louise Bélanger: It is available at Amazon: Your Words Your Love at Amazon And via my website at: Louise Bélanger Author -books

IAN: What inspired you to write Your Words Your Love?

Louise Bélanger: God. Inspiration is a gift from Him, like our talents.

It comes from many sources: my life experience, a clever thought, a verse or stories from The Bible or stories I imagine…

IAN: Did you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft?

Louise Bélanger: Each poem is a little story or an idea that I want to communicate. I have a general idea of what I want to say, and I just write. Sometimes, while doing that, a thought cascades to another and the poem takes a turn.  

IAN: Do you have a specific writing style?

Louise Bélanger: It’s free-style poetry.

IAN: How did you come up with the title?

Louise Bélanger: I actually started with the title and as the ideas came for each poem, the title revealed itself to be perfect.

IAN: What do you hope your readers come away with after reading Your Words Your Love?

Louise Bélanger: A sense of peace, a sense of hope and a strong desire to get closer to God and know Him better.

IAN: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Louise Bélanger: There are a number of poems based on events from my own life, my experiences.

IAN: How is Your Words Your Love different from others in your genre?

Louise Bélanger: I haven’t come across Christian free-style poetry paired with photographs. So, I gather there is a uniqueness about my collection.

IAN: What books have most influenced your life most?

Louise Bélanger: There are two categories, books to learn, books I read for entertainment. My go to author to learn is Max Lucado. And mysteries are books I enjoy reading.

IAN: What book are you reading now?

Louise Bélanger: He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado.

IAN: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Louise Bélanger: Two wonderful ladies, one is a very talented author, the other one is a fantastic editor. Both of their support is very valuable to me.

IAN: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Louise Bélanger: There is always a connection between the poem and the photograph next to it. It is never random. I hope you will see it as you read my books.

IAN: Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?

Louise Bélanger: All my books are stand-alone. And yes, I am getting some ideas to write a 5^th book. This is my work in progress.

 

Jennelle L. White - The Ian Interview

I am a Registered Nurse, Author, Poet, Medical Assistant and I have diplomas from Correspondence Schools in Wildlife and Forestry Conservation, Parapsychology, & Animal Care Specialist. I love reading books, traveling, hiking, writing poetry, and love animals.

          

IAN: Please tell us about your latest books.

         

Jennelle White: I am the author of two books:  Growing Up, Poetry and Easiest Short/Long Term Plan For Saving Money.

           

Growing Up, Poetry is about a collection of 46 whimsical poems with pictures that captures that Spirit of Youth. Seeing the world through youthful eyes. For ages 2-7 years old, although adults like the book also. One can experience the joys of childhood and gives everyone a a sense of peace & happiness. There are poems about a puppy, a kitten, stars, the seasons, and many more. Similar to the MG nursery rhymes. From HomeSchooling Library " it's the perfect introduction to poetry for little ones."

Easiest Short/Long Term Plan For Saving Money. it's been said to pay yourself first, at least 10% of your earnings. The problem is that most people may not be able to set aside 10%of their earnings, let alone 20%-30%. My book teaches people, based on your pay schedule, a much easier and better way to save money. Easy to understand as uses basic math and benefits everyone. You don' t have to be a financial guru to use this plan. Not about investments.  From Blue Ink Review - "Out of all the PF books out there on the market, Jennelle White's money savings plan book has the most truthful title." Based on only two steps.

IAN: What formats are your books published in?

Jennelle White: Easiest Short/Long Term Plan For Saving Money - is available as paperback and Ebook.  Growing Up, Poetry is a hardcover book.

IAN: Where can we go to buy your books? 

Jennelle White: You can go to my website: JennelleWhite.com (Has buttons to click on)

IAN: What inspired you to write your books?

Jennelle White: For my money savings plan book- I thought how could I come up with a plan that people can save money regardless of their debts, income, job, and location? I had a dream, got up the next day and wrote it down on paper, then made it into a book.  For my children's picture poetry book - As I young child I always loved reading the Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes so I was inspired to write poems that children could relate to.

IAN: Do you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft?

Jennelle White: No, I did not use an outline. I just wrote down the words as they came to me especially with my children's poems.

IAN: Do you have a specific writing style?

Jennelle White: No.

IAN: How did you come up with the titles?

Jennelle White: For Easiest Short/Long Term Plan For Saving Money - I came up with this title because it is the easiest money savings plan for both short term and long term savings.   For Growing Up, Poetry -  I came up with the title because of my love for nursery rhymes as a child and have experienced life events mostly at the parks I visited when younger and now. Several of my poems are about things I observed in the parks, playing outdoors when I was little, and it was the reason I chose the title - Growing Up, Poetry for my children's book.

IAN: How much of the book is realistic?

Jennelle White: All of it.

IAN: What books have most influenced your life most?

Jennelle White: I love all types of books but I have to say the comic books especially the ones about the Super Heros and The Archies. I love self -help books and books about ghost stories.  Also, religious self- help books. Also other books that were inspiring to me are books about animals, nature, Walt Disney books, and Sesame Street books.

IAN: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your books?

Jennelle White: No, I would not change anything. I am quite happy with the way my books have turned out.

IAN: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

Jennelle White: Yes.  My interest in writing started when I was in Junior High School. My teacher gave our class a project to make a poetry book of some of our most favorite poems and two of the poems had to be created by each student as their own.  My teacher asked if she could keep my poetry book but l told her "no" since I had worked hard on it and got an A as my grade. She commented on how much she loved my class poetry book. This was the beginning and I was inspired to become a writer when I became a little older.

IAN: Who designed the covers?

Jennelle White: I designed the covers for both of my books. Also, I drew all the pictures in my children's picture poetry book - Growing Up, Poetry.

IAN: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Jennelle White: Yes. Regarding my book: Easiest Short/Long Term Plan For Saving Money - For those who are young, if you start out saving money now, the way I've instructed in my book, you will be on your way to a secure savings plan. You will possibly be able to retire at an early age because of the amount of money you've saved. The possibilities are endless using this plan!  For middle-aged and older adults, using my plan can help you to save for retirement and for an awesome vacation, one that you may have always wanted to go on.

Regarding:  Growing Up, Poetry - my book will leave both children and adults with feelings of peace and happiness. Poetry has been known to decrease stress in children.

It would be a wonderful edition to your children's library. If you liked Mother Goose nursery rhymes as a child then you'll enjoy reading this book as well as it's similar to nursery rhymes.

IAN: Tell us about your next book or a work in progress. Is it a sequel or a stand-alone?

Jennelle White: Eventually, I would like to publish another poetry book, children's book, and a scary story based on true events that I experienced.

Heather Grace Stewart: The IAN Interview

Heather Grace Stewart’s poems have been published in Canadian literary journals, newspapers and magazines, international school textbooks, online journals, international print anthologies, and in the British small presses.  Her third poetry collection, Carry On Dancing, was released by Winter Goose Publishing this March. It’s available at Amazon.com, Bn.com and Nook Books. Her collections of poetry and photos, Leap (Graceful Publications, 2010) and Where the Butterflies Go (Graceful Publications, 2008) have risen to ‘What’s Hot’ in poetry in iBooks USA and Canada, and available at Amazon.com and on several e-readers including Nook Books, Kobo, Kindle and Sony Reader. Her photographs have appeared in Equinox and National Geographic Traveler among others, and on the cover of over a dozen poetry books.

Born in Ottawa, Canada, she lives with her husband and daughter near Montreal. In her free time, she loves to take photos, scrapbook, cartoon, inline skate, dance like nobody’s watching, and eat Swedish Berries — usually not all at the same time.

IAN. Please tell us about your latest book.

HGS. From Winter Goose Publishing: “Feel the tears and the laughter in this inspiring new collection of poetry by Heather Grace Stewart. Carry On Dancing will take you on a journey through personal and global tragedies, and the new technologies that can bring us together or tear us apart. Let the author of Where the Butterflies Go and Leap give you a hopeful look into love and loss, and keep you striving for what is truly important in life.”

“Brave, personal and eloquent poems from Heather Grace Stewart, who can save a child from drowning in one poem and write words of support for children being bullied in the next; for whom the world is a hotchpotch of crazy politics and loving families; whose poems can be cannonballs, wisecracks, narratives, or haiku; and whose photographs complement the poems with the same characteristics of simplicity, surprise and freshness. Carry On Dancing picks up from where Leap began.” - Sally King, Poet and Editor, Poetry Scotland

IAN. How long did it take to write Carry On Dancing?

HGS. I wrote this collection over eight solid months of writing, from late 2010 -spring 2011.  Good poems don’t come to me quickly. I can’t imagine writing a collection in less than a half-year. I also like to reflect the seasons of my life in my poetry.

IAN. What inspired you to write the poems found in Carry On Dancing?

HGS. My whole world inspires me. My family, my young daughter, my friends, and my environment.  I write about everything from wanting to sleep in a little longer with your lover, to the pain of losing a loved one, to the trials of cyber-bullying and trying to live up to everything society expects of us as women,  to the simplicity of enjoying a new blossom in the garden.

IAN. Talk about the writing process.

HGS. I usually write in the early morning, once my daughter’s on the school bus. I try to spend at least a few hours a day working on my poems, and then I have to get to my freelance writing work, and the laundry. There’s never an end to the laundry! But I am usually working on poems in my mind when I’m doing other tasks.

IAN. Did you use an outline or do you just wing the first draft?

HGS. My poetry isn’t outlined at all - it just comes to me. First drafts are usually yellow stickies by the phone!

IAN. How is your work different from other poets?

HGS. My poetry has been reviewed as accessible, and using deceptively simplistic language. I don’t want people scratching their heads over what I mean. The last thing I want a reader to feel at the end of my poem is frustration over the reading process. I want them to walk away with new hope and new ideas, not racking their brains over what I was getting at. Also, I like to include photographs with a few of my poems. They’re not meant to overtake the poem but instead compliment it, and reviewers have written that I do this well.

IAN. Is your book published in print, e-book or both?

HGS. It’s available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble (bn.com) in print and on the Kindle and the Nook. I’ll also be happy to ship autographed copies ~ readers can contact me at writer@hgrace.com to arrange that.

IAN. What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your poetry?

HGS. I’ve tried to make my poetry collection a journey. At the end of that journey, I’d like the readers to feel a sense of hope about their personal world and the world around them. I’d like them to feel a little lighter. A little more rested. Energized to take on the rest of their day.

IAN. Any other links or info you'd like to share?

HGS. My author page on Amazon.com  

GoodReadsAuthor Page

Facebook

heathergracestewart.com

@hgracestewart

Carry On Dancing by Heather Grace Stewart

130 pages

Winter Goose Publishing

http://wintergoosepublishing.com/authors/heather-grace-stewart/

Excerpt from book:

The Present

It wasn’t intentional.
This day of quiet gratitude
just happened.

Power goes out,
comes back on,
lights flicker;
we breathe a sigh of relief
as the future returns full force;
we carry on with our busy days.

Today, I lived inside the flickering lights;
stopped and stood firmly in the now.
I didn’t wake up, put on my Sunday best, and
promptly go to church. No. In fact,
I slept in; woke up wondering what day it was.
But by tonight, I had a whole day’s grace
to think about, lying awake,
looking out the window at the stars
between me and all my loves;

the ones I miss and don’t tell enough,
the ones I haven’t spoken to since
last year’s Christmas card,
the ones I share this home with
and yell at for silly reasons: Hurry, hurry!
The bus will be here in one minute!
You could have called. Supper’s ruined.

Oh, so many days, I do it wrong,
but today, I did it right.

When she came to me
asking how to wrap a present,
I almost said, It’s November 12!
and kept typing my Tweet, but
a wisp of her hair
fell across her face
and I had to sweep it;
tucking it behind her ear,
just so.

In that second, I remembered
how Dad and Mum taught me.
We used a whole roll of tape,
heard Nana Mouskouri
sing Old Toy Trains
half a dozen times;
I loved those lessons.

I closed the laptop and
sat by the fire with her;
her small fingers creasing
the corners, struggling to
get it right; my hands over hers,
gently guiding, teaching;
We laughed with abandon
as we ripped it open
together, many times.

When the shower water
came pouring down
I lifted my face;
felt every drop:
sweet summer rain.
I wasn’t making lists or
fuming over past conversations.
The flickering lights were
striking, beautiful;
they made me want to stay inside.

When he called me
to see his handy work
there was no Just a minute!
I ran up the stairs, saw his surprise,
kissed him hard. I didn’t even see
the sawdust, the boxes still
to be sorted. I was lost
in the warmth of his lips;
in the warmth of our living.

I know you did this.

At your funeral,
the minister kept calling you
by your brother’s name.
Those up front corrected him;
annoyed whispers,
awkward silence,
summer heat rising
in the room.

You didn’t like your brother much.

Dad and I laughed

all the way home.
We knew you’d sent us a wink.
We knew now: you were fine.

They cut the tumor and
failed, but they didn’t
cut your soul.
How you wish we’d live.
How you lived, nearly every day,
until the cancer crept back,
and you simply couldn’t see
your dreams any more.

You sent me this present.

I’ll rip it open, every day.
On the days I forget—
make the lights flicker.
I won’t sleep in
anymore.

Carry On Dancing
COPYRIGHT © 2012 by Heather Grace Stewart

Excerpt appears courtesy of Winter Goose Publishing