Life Under Examination- #BookLaunch and Giveaway- #Poetry Collection

Hiya,

If anyone looked at my Life Under Examination right now, they’d find a harried writer hard at work writing several children’s story entries for upcoming contests. Wouldn’t you know it, the deadlines for 5 of them are June 30th! *Picture gal pulling out hair and screaming*

Yet, my author friend, Aria Glazki, has published her long-awaited poetry collection and I had to share this great news with y’all!

So grab a cuppa. After reading an interview and excerpt, you’ll want to read Life Under Examination-A Collection of Poetry, and will have a chance to win a professionally hand-bound, autographed copy!

Thanks so much for all of your support and having me on your blog, Donna!

It’s my sincere pleasure, Aria. I enjoyed the book and appreciate your taking a moment to talk about it with me. Onto the questions:

1. How did you come up with the title “Life Under Examination”?

That is a great question with an answer that follows many winding roads in my mind.  I had originally considered titling the collection after one of the poems, Unexamined Rose.  Selecting and polishing the pieces that went in, I realized that the spectrum of life experiences and emotions was well represented.  When that collided in my mind with the quotation by Socrates [“The unexamined life is not worth living”], the words shuffled themselves around into the current title, which I feel evokes Socrates’ point while also representing the combination of pieces in the collection.

2. In the book, you mention that the poems were rediscovered, could you expound on that a bit?

Well, I took a couple of poetry seminars some years ago, after which I generally speaking gave up on my poetry, due to the reactions of the instructors. At the beginning of this year, I was doing some reorganizing and saw an old portfolio, so I began reading through the old pieces as well as some comments from other people.  I realized that those instructors’ comments boiled down to the same thing as an agent’s rejection: it’s just one person’s opinion.  Even if my poetry isn’t award winning, it spoke to some people, and I believe it has the potential to speak to more.  So, rather than allowing it to continue collecting dust, I decided to self-publish.

3. I love the cover! Can you tell us a little about your cover art? Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image?

Thank you! I actually designed this cover myself.  I felt the image struck a nice balance among inviting readers to take a seat and a contemplative break, reminding us all of transience through the chair’s current emptiness, and capturing life in the watchful presence of the bird.  It also satisfied the requirement of digital publishing to be clear in a small size, which was crucial.

4. Do you prefer writing a particular style of poetry, and is Life Under Examination written in that style?

I prefer for my poetry to have some structure, with rhyme and metrical schemes, or at the very least a discernible pattern in the lines. Virtually every piece in this collection is written that way.

5. Give us an interesting fact about your book:

The numerically central poem is the closest to my heart (she answers enigmatically).

6. Do you write in other genres?

I write predominately romance novels, with some flash fiction on the side for fun.  Perhaps now, some new poetry will be in my future as well!

7. What do you like to read in your spare time?

I love romance novels, of course, as well as literary fiction, young adult or new adult novels, the classics, and books recommended to me.  Basically, if it’s well written and isn’t horror or a psychological thriller, I’m likely to be interested in reading it.  I also frequently read children’s stories to my nieces.

8. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

Everything about my writing and me can be found on my blog, or through Facebook and Twitter (@AriaGlazki). You can also reach out to me via email at aria dot glazki at gmail dot com.

9. What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Pretty much the same thing as for other books you enjoy – leave reviews and spread the word!  Gifting a copy to friends who may enjoy my collection is also a great option.

10. Is there anything we haven’t covered that readers might appreciate knowing?

Life Under Examination is available directly through my blog, or through Smashwords and Amazon.
If you do have other questions for me, please feel free to ask them in the comments, and I’ll do my best to respond!

11. And now, before we go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue or tantalize us:

This is a sneak peek at a poem from later on in the collection (so it’s not available in other previews).  I hope you will enjoy it!

Surrender

I’m enveloped in warmth, here with you on the bed
And I’m happy for once, thinking on what you’ve said
As it floats through my mind, I shift closer to you
Unaware of the devious thing you will do

When your hand raises up, my breath catches in fear
I’m brought back to that day, to his face, and his leer
Then the instant has passed, and your hand rests on me
Brushing over my ribs, softly, so tenderly

As the motion goes on, too late I realize
It was mischief I saw floating there, in your eyes
And I laugh in response, pushing your hand away
Giggle lightly as it moves less gently to slay

Both my worries and thoughts.  Now all that I can do
Is attempt to fight back.  I start assailing you
But I note before long that effect it has none
You’re immune to attack.  Soon all my strength is gone

So I curl in a ball, as you laugh above me,
Cry, “You win! I give up!” – words that are laced with glee
We both cease, and you say, “I like tickling you.”
And I know from those words that we’ll soon start anew.

Thanks you so much for your time, Aria! I’m spending this lazy Sunday reading my copy of LIFE UNDER EXAMINATION again. Tone and emotions spanned the gamut, and I appreciated the rhythmic style of the collection. It is certainly a book one will want to read over and over again.

Hop on over to Aria’s blog to enter a Rafflecopter Giveaway:

The Prizes:

• A professionally hand-bound, autographed copy of my recently released poetry collection, Life Under Examination
• A wonderful, all-natural Tension Relief Crème from Marina Kodi™ to help relieve the physical and emotional stress of slaving over our computers

Get your copy of Life Under Examination today, and please tell your friends about it too!