Featured Interview With A. L. Hearn
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a writer, poet, and budding therapist. My newest venture, Dreamscribe Publications, LLC, publishes various literary works including my first book entitled “Becoming Me: Reflection and Insight Through Poetry and Prose”. I was born in 1980 and I am originally from Jackson, Mississippi. I began writing poetry for my own enjoyment at a very early age and I also began writing short stories and kept many journals prior to sharing my writing with others. In 2004 I began working and writing as a freelancer for various publications within my hometown such as Jackson Free Press Alternative Newsweekly and the Metro Business Chronicle. After 4 years of being a freelance writer, although much more knowledgeable from my experience in the area of journalism, I decided that my passion aligned more with creative literary works.
Currently, I am working to follow my dreams as both a writer and therapist. Through my writing, I work to creatively merge ideas from both worlds into poems, stories, and inspirational non-fiction in a way that is insightful and thought provoking. I also created a blog called The Enigmatic Perspective which features insightful topics and quotes that are inspirational but with a twist of a different perspective. When I’m not busy daydreaming or tapping away at my computer, I love reading, traveling, and spending time with my lovely daughter.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was raised by a mother who loved classic literature and so I was raised to love it. I heard stories of classic fairytales from the Brothers Grimm, as well as The Wind In the Willows, and even Anne of Green Gables. Trips to the library, especially during the summer time were fun outings. The shelves of books were like little fascinating treasures to me because once I opened up a book I never knew what fascinating tale I would discover and that excited me.
Around the age of 6 or 7 I was given a diary with a lock and I still have that diary to this day. I would write down everything that I was feeling in a way that was as expressive as I could make it. I would say that’s when I began writing. Poetry became a love because it was fun and it was artistic and it brought me joy.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love classic literature, creative fiction, fantasy, poetry, and stories that really make you think such as those written by Toni Morrison. I am also a big fan of J. R. R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and notable poets such as Maya Angelou and various other notable writers and poets from the Harlem Renaissance such as Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Anne Spencer, and Gwendolyn Bennett.
I would say that all of my favorite authors inspire my writings because they are literary idols. I see them as icons. The amount of details, imagination, and thought provoking content that has gone into their work is amazing to me and they definitely inspire me when I write.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is entitled, “Becoming Me: Reflection and Insight Through Poetry and Prose”. It is a book of 40 original works of poetry that blends personal growth, insight, and reflection which took about a year to write. I found that when I was in my quiet times throughout each day, as I reflected on my experiences in life and my studies in therapy, that inspirations and thoughts would come to me and I would write them down and they would become poetic verses.
Within this book, I am sharing my insight and emotions with readers through the poems which are creative pieces based on my perspectives of life. I wanted each poem to be indicative of a naïve yielding to the human experience through each line and verse. I wanted to evoke a sense of vulnerability by expressing my own personal experiences because my hope is that, through this book, readers will connect with each piece as they also reflect on their subjective experiences of life. No matter whether the subject is love, self-awareness, consciousness, personal growth, spirituality, motherhood, or even expressions of honor to the ancestors, the poems in this book are quite telling through their descriptions of experience. They are exemplary of life’s fullness and its opportunities for growth through ups and downs by way of in-depth reflection and insight. Each piece lends an uplifting voice of understanding to readers. Anyone who is moved and inspired by works of poetry will definitely be moved and inspired through this book of poetry.
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