It is my stop again for WOW! Women On Writing’s tour for Valerie Nifora’s book, I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry. I posted about the collection two days ago and now it is time to talk to Valerie. A little bit about here:
Valerie Nifora was born and raised in New York to Greek immigrant parents. For over twenty years, Valerie was Marketing Communications Leader for a Fortune 50. She served as a ghost writer for several executives and has executed award-winning campaigns using her special gift as a storyteller to inspire. Her first book is a collection of romantic poetry that explores innocence, sensuality, passion, desire, heartbreak and loss through the lens of her personal experience spanning over 15 years.
Enjoy the interview, and get some insights about writing poetry and the book itself.
- I Asked the Wind is a collection that houses 15 years of poetry for you. Did you ever imagine that it would be published?
No. I really didn’t. It was a journal that I kept for myself. I never once thought anyone else would want to read them, let alone they would be published.
- What are some lessons you have learned by writing poetry all these years?
Mostly to let it just come to you. It’s not something you can force. And sometimes you just have to let a poem sit for a while and have it breathe on a page before you go back to edit it.
- When did you first appreciate poetry?
When I was very young they had us memorize poems in Greek school. And I think it was then that I fell in love with words and the rhythm of words.
- Do you ever sit down to write poetry or is it something that you do when it comes to you?
I let it come to me. Unfortunately it mostly comes when I’m upset.
- Which of your poems in this collection is the most significant or closest to your heart? Can you share why?
Oh, I love them all. They remind me of specific periods in my life. But “I love you. Eternal” I wrote for my husband and I still feel that way.
- Are there any books that you would say influenced and shaped you as a writer and poet?
I have favorite poets like John Keats, William Butler Yates and John Milton, but I don’t think my style is similar. In terms of favorite authors it’s Nathaniel Hawthorne and Daphne du Maurier. I love the way they spin a story.
- Do you think you have evolved as a poet in so many years of writing?
Probably not, I’m afraid. I don’t think you can flip through the poems and determine which was written 10 years ago or maybe 2 years ago. They’re not in chronological order. But they are arranged in an order to tell a story.
Ways to connect with the author: Website Instagram Twitter Facebook
** I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry is available in stores. **
Amazon Print
If you want to know more about the book, check out other stops on the tour. See full list here. Tomorrow, I’ll be back with another Creator’s Roulette, this time with David Ellis.
Cover image: Photo by Leonardo Wong on Unsplash
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