Featured Interview With Zylkia Ivy Swensen
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Zylkia Swensen graduated from the American Military University
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development and Family
Studies. She also graduated from nursing school and computer decoding.
She’s bilingual (Spanish and English) and briefly served in the military for the US Army as a supply specialist where she received the
Army Achievement Medal.
Zee, as she prefers to be called, always had a passion for the arts.
Drawing, painting, writing—she could do it all. She sold her paintings since she was five for twenty-five cents around the neighbors.
She wrote stories since she was thirteen years old, mostly funny teen
drama. She dreams about writing a book and not just any book but
one that would help humanity.
Even when she was little, she would always want to help others
and had done numerous homeless trips where she gave packages of
food and hygiene items. She was very good at couponing, so she was
able to buy more to give. With a heart like an angel, she helps just by
listening to you with her bright colorful personality.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started writing when I was 12 and the bullying started in middle school. I guess writing kept me hoping for a better world. By writing I was able to control the story, only reflecting on my real life where I had none.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I grew up with ADHD and dyslexia. I hated to read. I would write all day, just don’t make me read it please …lol (SMH) Most of the books I have “read” I really just watch the movie, documentaries, mostly youtube videos. When I was a child my stories were about teen drama. Fantasy teen drama. But what really got me into writing was my first year of college, English Intermediate, where I learn how to write essays. I love doing research and write about real issues in life, trying to use my story to inspire others….but also it keeps me in check because I can’t preach what I don’t practice. When I wrote “The voice of a Phoenix”, I was going true a really bad time in my life. Writing gave me a sense of purpose and literally save my life.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
INTRODUCTION
Hello, everyone! My name is Zylkia Swensen. I am forty years old
and a mother of six kids. I started writing this book as a source of
getting relief. I had everything bottled up inside, and my heart could
not take any more suffering. I’m the weird kind. I was not very popular, and if anything, I was the antipopular, not the center of attention, ever. My hair was a mess, and I had an ocean of moments where bullies would humiliate me. It did hurt me. I too wanted an out, but contemplating suicide is never the option, although sometimes it seems like a quick way out. I know; I have been there. However, I chose different every time. Life was painful and humiliating. I felt like I was dragging chains on my legs going upward along on a forty-five-degree uphill. Join me, and you will see that no matter how bad everything goes, there is always a silver lining. You came to earth to live, and sometimes living hurts. That is okay. It is a part of it. How can you ever truly appreciate the good times without the bad ones? I see life as an adventure. Like if I am high up in the air and
ready to jump into whatever it is, this is what it really means to be human. Could we restore faith in humanity? Sometimes it feels like the fall is full of bumps and jumps when others glide over the
clouds. However, if your soul is full of “It’s not fair!” and you can’t focus on yourself, if you are wasting your time thinking over the things that others have and that you don’t, then stop. Think again. Life is not meant to be fair; we all need to learn different lessons. You must focus on yours. Don’t quit on yourself. Live, learn, wipe, and restart as many times as it takes until the moment to return home
with our heavenly Father. Life will end on its own. So why miss out? Why count the bad times when you can count the good ones? If you are thinking about suicide, there is always someone you can talk to about your problems: friends, spouse, therapist, or the bus driver! Call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 or the Military Helpline (get help) 888-457-4838 or text MIL1 to
839863. We want to see you shine.
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