I am learning something new everyday as a self-published author. One thing that’s becoming increasingly clear is it’s no wonder so many authors choose the Amazon empire to launch their books. The benefits include having a massive platform that essentially takes care of publication, shipping and most importantly, reader reviews.
That last point is one of the reasons I’m posting today.
I don’t regret my decision to take Indie authorship to the next level. My book is not on any digital platforms. I’m not saying I won’t go that route sometime down the road but it’s not part of my journey at this stage.
The thrill of handing a personally signed copy of my book to a reader is still fresh. I’m going to stay in this bubble for a while, maybe for always.
If you haven’t seen the book or any of my marketing yet, here’s a synopsis:
Somewhere, My Home begins in the early days of the global pandemic, as isolation settled deeply into the bones of the author’s remote, wilderness home. While time passed and the veil of enforced seclusion lifted, Leanne’s search for home and belonging continued to fill the pages. That pursuit takes readers on hesitant forays into untamed forests with only the birds for company, on gentle paddles through known and unknown waters, and on watchful walks through urban streets. In all, she observes contradictions, parallels and answers to the elusive question, “where is home?” Leanne’s lyrical dance through the natural and unnatural world will carry you away on themes of survival, joy, anguish, awe and hope. It is a love song for anyone looking to find their way home.
I’ve received a lot of love in these early days, from the three local bookstores and the local library who have welcomed my book, people at the two markets I’ve been at, my writing groups, and surprisingly, many of the residents in my mom’s senior apartment block!
I’ve written a lot about why I chose self-publishing but have been a little more reticent to talk about what inspired many of the poems in the book. I’m not sure if other writers experience this but I’m finding going back into the emotions that were happening while the poems were being written a little difficult. I was so isolated during the pandemic, being new to a very tight knit small town and in a different province from most of my family and longtime friends. The few friendships that had started before Covid fizzled and even after the enforced isolation of the pandemic ended, I was still very lonely. This led to depression that I stubbornly denied and I became quite unwell.
These influences appear throughout the poems, but they’re balanced by the beauty I was seeing all around me and searching for in spite of the isolation and despair I sometimes felt. I found it on nature walks and paddles around my wilderness home, in the abundance of my large garden, and unexpectedly, in a community I’d never really been a part of before. This last was through volunteering with a grassroots organization called Kenora Moving Forward, that sprung up during the pandemic to support those experiencing homelessness in our small city. Isolating was especially hard on those who had no place to go. I didn’t expect to see beauty here but I found it in the resilience and community that I observed; people looking after one another and never giving up on each other through some of their worst days. Volunteers like me were there to listen and learn. I learned so much.
While this made me even more grateful for all the experiences of home I’ve had, it also captures a central theme of Somewhere, My Home – the idea that many of us find our way home through doors we didn’t expect.
In an interview, I was asked a very good question: “What does home mean to you?” I should have been more ready with an answer but I had to think about it through the lens of the poems I’ve written about the search and longing for home. I responded that for me, it’s where we find our people. They might be bloodline relatives but it can also – and may very likely – be those who are there when we need them, who show up in the best and worst of times no matter what.
It’s more than just four walls and a roof over our heads.
You can read more about Somewhere, My home here where you’ll also find links to buy your own personally signed copy online and dates where I’ll be doing markets and readings. I would love it if I could put my book in your hands myself but the online option is the closest thing if we can’t meet up.
If you do read the book, I'd love it if you could post a review.
I’m currently figuring out how to get the book on Goodreads but for now, you can leave it here — with my huge gratitude and a big virtual hug! You can also email me at leanne@mightywrite.ca or post your comments on my socials – Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
