Letters to Untitled received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Tósìn Peters.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Letters to Untitled, a poetry collection published on October 1st 2023.
What’s the book’s first line?
I sought wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Little did I anticipate the pain each one would bring.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Letters to Untitled is about reclaiming the narrative as a trauma and abuse survivor through poetry, reflections, and prose. It’s about cycle-breaking and overcoming, despite all the odds stacked up against you.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
This collection is born from a succession of transformative moments in my life. From a harrowing brush with mortality to a profound journey back to my roots, these experiences have left an indelible mark on my perspective. As someone who has grappled with the profound effects of trauma on my mental health and who is still living and recovering from the effects of cPTSD, I felt compelled to craft a work that could serve as a guiding light for my younger, still wounded self, as well as for others embarking on their own healing journey. Within the pages of my book, I’ve carefully curated a selection of my poems and writings, intending to metaphorically travel through time to bestow this book upon a younger, more vulnerable version of myself, offering them solace, understanding, and hope for a brighter future.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Letters to Untitled is not just an expression of my personal experiences but a universal invitation for readers to reflect on their journeys of pain, healing and self-discovery. The reflections, poems, and prose in the book are shamelessly vulnerable by design with the aim of creating a safe space for those who have faced similar challenges in life.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
When I’m not immersed in the world of writing, I lead a multifaceted life as a mixed media artist, graphic designer, and a software engineer within the dynamic realm of creativity. Many of the poems within my book “Letters to Untitled” find their origins in my paintings, serving as a unique way for me to seamlessly merge these two distinct worlds.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
James Baldwin is a writer to whom I’ve always felt strangely connected to, and he stands as one of the writers I greatly admire.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
I love the benefits of being indie but I would consider going traditional when the time is right.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part is having total creative freedom over what my book looks and feels like. As an avid learner with a multifaceted skill set suited for bringing my creative projects to life, this is a very enjoyable process for me.
The hardest part for me has been having to figure out what works and what doesn’t. It’s an iterative process marked by a lot of trial and error, yet it’s infinitely rewarding, and it feels like I’m learning more about myself and what I’m capable of in the process.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
I’m driven by the powerful capacity to breathe life into narratives and stories, those that possess the potential to ignite societal transformation, evoke emotions, and foster meaningful dialogues. A beautiful quote by the novelist and poet James Baldwin resonates with me: “You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.” Books hold the profound capacity to connect us all on a deeper level, especially in the current times we live in; poetry holds the power to rekindle our humanity, to make us feel again in our increasingly disconnected world.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I penned numerous short stories and essays during my childhood. The earliest recollection of my writing journey harks back to when some of my stories found a place in my elementary and primary school magazine. In those formative years, I was recognized as the “art kid who also writes” by those who knew me. However, like many creatives, I diverged from my passion for writing and artistic journey to secure a more stable career capable of providing for my family. It’s only in recent times that I’ve achieved a harmonious equilibrium in my life, moving beyond mere survival and rekindling my dedication to my creative pursuits. It was during this period that I made the conscious choice to pursue a path as an author.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
No, this isn’t the first book I’ve written, but it does mark my first published work. My aspiration is for this to pave the way for the rest of my yet-to-be-published creations.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Take a chance on yourself. When you filter out the distractions, external voices, and naysayers, only you truly understand your potential and what suits you best. Enjoying the process is also an integral part of the journey.