Dandelion Symphony Release Date: September 2, 2025

Hello, dear readers! Long time no see. I have some exciting news. For my book's fifth anniversary, the hardcover special edition for Dandelion Symphony comes out in September! *throws confetti*

 

What's Dandelion Symphony?

This book is my collection of travel poems, experiences and reflections from England, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The poems are arranged by seasons and accompanied by sketches based off of places I've been. For a sample of what you can expect, check out an excerpt, "At my Own Pace."

 

Why a new edition?

Honestly, I wasn't satisfied with the paperback edition. It's cute and portable, but I wanted something a little sturdier, and let's be honest, hardcovers are more fun to photograph! Also, I wanted to move away from Amazon. While you can still purchase the paperback, the hardcover will be the primary copy I will be signing from here on out.

 

How much is the hardcover?

$24.99. With current print prices, this was the best option for the poetry market.

 

When does the hardcover release?

The hardcover will release Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

 

Where can I find a copy?

You can pre-order your copy on Ingram Spark.

 

That's all for now. Happy reading!

Book Review: Alone

“There is something about poetry

being nonfiction

but not factual.

“The most intimate personal thoughts

—things people would never dream

of saying out loud in middle school—

right there on the page in black and white.”

 

I really enjoy novels in verse, and this one hit at just the right time. Last year, I attended a novel in verse writing session by Megan E. Freeman. I even turned one of my own stories into a novel in verse. After hearing about her story, I eagerly awaited reading it. I suggested my library purchase a copy a while back, so I was first in line for checking it out. Freeman did not disappoint!

 

Book: Alone by Megan E. Freeman
Genre: MG, contemporary, survival, poetry
My rating: 4.5 stars
Mini description: isolation

 

I’ve always enjoyed survival stories. This one feels like a mix of a survival story with a smidge of dystopia. An entire city becomes devoid of people, and young Maddie is left by herself, until she adopts the neighbor’s dog. Usually, I’m not a big fan of dystopian stories, but maybe my taste is changing. Either way, I really enjoyed the overarching survival elements, from Maddie’s storing up wood for the winter to finding food and water.

Of course, one can’t forget the poetry in regards to this story. Like a good novel in verse, it’s not too heavy on the metaphors, but the imagery is enough to be compelling, allowing a perfect comparison between the beauty and harsh realities of nature.

Another element that I enjoyed was the coming-of-age element. Maddie becomes a teenager all on her own. As time passes, she makes long-term plans, often speculating whether it’s better to stay put or move on.

In all, I gave Alone 4.5/5 stars, rounding up to 5 for a compelling story, enchanting descriptions, and interesting themes. I’d recommend it to anybody interested in survival stories and/or poetry. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go buy a copy.

 

Interested in the book? Have you read it yet? You might also enjoy these novels in verse: Audacity by Melanie Crowder, Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu, Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton, and Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

 

Let’s chat! Have you read Alone yet, or has it made it to your TBR? What are your thoughts on poetry? Do you have any favorite novels in verse?

 

***

 

Similar book reviews: Almost American Girl, Kids Like Us, and Audacity

Poem: Home

I haven’t been keeping up with my blog lately. I guess that comes with taking the entire summer off. Getting back into the swing of things is hard.

Anyway, poetry is still dear to my heart, so I just had to share another one with you today. I borrowed the prompt from Julia Garcia at Drops of Inspira. This one explores the concept of home. What is home?

For an army brat, home isn’t necessarily one place. It’s not where my parents are from—I never lived there. It’s not the last place I lived because that would ignore all the others. It’s not even my favorite places because that would leave out all the others that made me who I am today.

Home is… well, I think I’ll let the poem explain.

Don't forget to vote on your favorite poem from 2021!

 

Home

 

she sits in the attic collecting dust
                                    and spiders
while my feet are itching without these callouses

how do people do it year after year?
watch the leaves turn
                                    and drop
to stare at the bare wood
that blossoms with green
rich, entrancing full of cicada song
only for the leaves to turn
                                        and drop again

all the world’s a clock—
the month striking twelve,
and I’m still here
strapping on my boots,
knotting the laces while the dog tries to eat them
stay
—she pants—
bleib*

but my heart is yearning to bound up the stairs two at a time
dust off the suitcase
and go

 

***

*bleib—German for “stay.” Since our German Shepherd, Pfeffer, I’ve been teaching our dogs German and English commands.

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? What makes home for you?

Similar poems: Blue, Pronunciation, and Homesick

Poem: Circuit Board Quilt

Talking about one’s thought process is always interesting. Some people process ideas by talking through them, others by quiet contemplation. Sometimes I’m a little bit of both. I’ll talk through a plot point when I’m stuck, but more often, I’ll mull it over to myself.

People often refer to me as a quiet person. I remember back in my undergrad, during my senior year, I gave a presentation to a class, and afterward my professor told me that was the most she had heard me speak during my entire time at college. Oh yeah, she was also my advisor. It surprised me because I saw my thoughts as being incredibly loud and had forgotten that I’m the only one who processes them.

I didn’t really discuss things in class, until I went on to study my masters. Now I’m a teacher, and I have quiet students who don’t want to break out of their shell. Here’s to the quiet thinkers.

  

Circuit Board Quilt

 

stop

i can’t get it to stop

these pulses that go on

and on like a circuit board

that’s never switched off

 

how do all the wires work?

amazing that somebody came up with them

and could store ideas on something so small,

the accumulation of technology

built up over time

history

 

that reminds me i need to remember to make a lesson plan

and maybe eat lunch before 3pm

for a change

 

change—it’s easier to do the math in my head

when i’m thinking of money,

but honestly i miss european currency

where it wasn’t all quarters

and they actually had a twenty-cent piece,

and another coin for a pound or two euro

 

or maybe my mind

is more like a quilt

with threads intertwined

one on top of another

                        on top of another

until I can’t see the pattern

but it’s as if everything is connected

it’s been a while since i made my first and only quilt

maybe i should pick up sewing again

 

i’ve heard it said

that a man’s mind holds compartments,

boxes if you will,

one of which contains nothing—

the nothing box—

where they simply exist

a man’s mind, who am I kidding?

my sister says she has one, a nothing box

 

but in my mind,

where would all the energy go?

 

i’ve learned to deal

with long stretches of no activity

boredom some might call it—

i’d be lying if I didn’t agree—

but i’ve found a way to dream up stories

while sorting shelves,

listening to music and humming along,

all the while ready to shuffle the cards

mid-song to have a conversation instead

 

i can pick up where i left off

            later

halfway through a stich

or maybe i’ll use my stitch remover—humility tool—

and start something altogether new

 

***

 

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? What’s your thought process like?

Similar posts: Do Not Dissect This Poem, Writing a Poem, and Thoughts of Place

Poem: Reading Glasses

Since I haven’t had a lot of time to write lately, I’ll be sharing an older poem.

Yes, my style may change over time, but I like to think that even the older ones can be fun sometimes. Here’s one of my favorites from a creative writing course in college. I was once a proud reader who didn’t need glasses to read. That is until I read too much…

 

Reading Glasses

Two owlets perch on a wing.

Hooked beaks on plump fools

stuffed with heaps of mice.

 

Two boxes crammed

with clocks and calendars

and leaves to the brim.

 

Two attic windows side by side,

overlooking an owl’s nest,

boxes stacked to the sills. Here

until the house burns.*

 

***

 

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? Any fellow readers out there who wear glasses?

*The final sentence sometimes gets left out because it changes the entire mood of the poem. Personally, I like it because it adds a touch of mortality to what would otherwise be a lasting building.

Similar posts: Do Not Dissect This Poem, Origins, and Pine Trees

Poem: bricks

Hello, dear readers!

I know I’ve been neglecting my blog lately, but I have been writing a lot. Just not here. I’m recently finished rewriting the climax to one novel, and I’m trying to finish the second draft of another before the end of May. Oh yeah, and I’m also thinking about submitting some poems for publication, and I’m developing a short story which may or may not turn into a series. *cue distant screaming*

Soooo, I’m taking the summer off from blogging, maybe longer, until further notice. In the mean time, here’s a poem I wrote during a writing sprint with friends.

 

bricks

 

brick-red, the russet hue

that clung to calloused hands

and corroded like crumbs,

coated fingers like chalk

 

brick-yellow, the sunburnt shade

that smelled of asphalt and wind

on a summer’s day—petrol

and the singe of a magnifying glass

 

brick-gray, the mind’s matter

that can’t quite recall

the thrill of the path i carved

when i scaled these walls

 

brick-white, the bleached blanket

that coated the face like foundation,

but didn’t quite belong where the dirt

stained its skirts brick-red

 

***

 

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? Do you have any writing friends you can do writing sprints with?

Similar poems: The Smell of Earth; Seeking the Song of Time; and Concrete Forest, Paper Meadows

Looking for more reading material until I’m back from my hiatus? Check out my books: Dandelion Symphony and Last of the Memory Keepers.

Poem: Blue

Many people don’t like the idea of “jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.” But, as my dad once said in reference to his paratrooper days, “There’s no such thing as a perfectly good airplane.”

Personally, I have a fear of heights, but I’m also a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I enjoy high ropes courses and rock climbing, and I’ve even been parasailing and paragliding. Perhaps one day, I’ll get the chance to go skydiving. But it is not this day!

Once again, I borrowed this prompt from Julia Garcia’s blog Drops of Inspira. This time, I borrowed the prompt “the color blue” from February.

 

Blue

I’d almost forgotten
the sky was that color
                        once

back when I was a child
somersaulting in the grass
wondering what it would be like
                        to fall up

until I couldn’t take the thought anymore
and wandered to where
a servicemember stood
                        in his uniform

Do you know which one
is my dad?
I asked, watching the parachutes
drift down
                        like helicopter seeds

Kid, I wear glasses,

not binoculars.                

He had a point.
I shuffled back to the
bleachers and sat by Mom
until the last of the parachutes
                        deflated

now I wonder
if we’ll ever get a break
from this popcorn ceiling of gray
and what it must be like
                        to touch the blue

one day, perhaps,
I’ll find a clear day
to strap on a chute and board
a plane with the sole purpose
                        to find out

 

***

 

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? If you had the chance to go skydiving, would you?

Similar poems: Gold, Pine Trees, and Goodbye Again

Poem: Do Not Dissect This Poem

The other day my sister told me she didn’t like poetry. *gasp* When she explained that she had to analyze a bunch of poems for school, and she said she’d make an exception for sonnets, I started to understand. Poems aren’t meant to be torn apart. When I look at a poem, I don’t think, “My, what consonance!” Whatever that means. Rather, I may think, “Wow, that was pretty.” Or even, “Huh, I never thought about it that way before.”

Poems are meant to be experienced, felt. The following poem is my response to schools sucking the joy out of words in what I hope is the spirit of The Dead Poet Society.

Here’s to the students struggling with senioritis.

Here’s for you, sis’.

Do Not Dissect This Poem

if you would, simply set aside the rhyme—
feel the rhythm, this ever-beating pulse.
Close your eyes and imagine the springtime
fresh with morning rain…

Can you hear it?
Listen closely.
closer
ba-dum
                    ba-dum
                                        ba-dum

the ever-thrumming heart
of a runner as his feet pound this earth,
the ever-expanding-depressing
chest of the bull that croons,
the ever-silent pad
of her toes
on the floor

ba-Dum ba-Dum ba-DUM
Shout! it out
Stomp your rhythm
Clap your song

ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum
remember the days you laughed,
the mornings you cried
the places you came from,
look to where you will go and see

hear me ask
Don’t dissect this poem, if you would
simply let it squeal
let it sing
let it be


***

Let’s chat! Without disassembling my lines, what did you think of the poem? What’s your take on poetry as a whole? Do you prefer form poetry or free verse?

Similar poems: Writing a Poem, Pronunciation, and The To-Be-Read List

Poem: Gold

I have mixed feelings about autumn. When I was a child, it used to be my favorite season. I’m not sure when it stopped, but it has to do with the beautiful colors coming and going so quickly. After the leaves have fallen and need to be raked up, it reminds me of the nature of winter, even if it’s not technically winter yet. And I’m not a huge fan of winter. For the most part, it’s simply cold and dull, and I’ve never lived in places with much snow, save Germany, and even then it wasn’t perpetual.

I wrote this poem from a poem prompt by Julia Garcia on her blog, Drops of Inspira. Her prompt for November was the color gold. As I was thinking about her prompt, I was reminded of Robert Frost’s poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” and so this poem was born.

 

Gold

As the leaves faded
and sank beneath the depths
of the hill,
I wondered if winter
would not be more exciting
if we lived it
in black and white.

Until I remember the way
the deep blue ice
extends like a cavern
beneath the snow,
or the way the evergreens
remind me
of more than the sticky scent of pine.

When I feel my vision
fading to gray,
I close my eyes and turn my face
toward the golden sun.
Today I may not feel its warmth,
but I can still sense
the light.

 

***

 

Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? What colors do you typically associate with autumn?

Similar poems: The Smell of Earth, Copper Coated Autumn Leaves, and Pine Trees

Self Publishing Poetry: A Glimpse into the Making of Dandelion Symphony

Hello, dear readers!

It’s been almost two months since Dandelion Symphony came out, and I’m here today to tell you more about my actual publishing journey. I talked a bit about it in my interview with Alicia Canet on her blog, Midgard’s Writers, but today I’m going to go more into the finer details.

A Poetry Collection vs. Novelettes

As you may know, I’ve self-published two books by this point. I started off with a mini fantasy series, Last of the Memory Keepers, and my latest book is my poetry collection, Dandelion Symphony.

What is the difference between the two? Target audience for one. I wrote the LMK series to be a fast-paced adventure for readers who don’t have a lot of reading time on their hands. DS, on the other hand, is nonfiction and isn’t meant to be read in one sitting, though it’s short enough that it could be.

Another difference: format. You can buy both books in e-book and print form. Only, the LMK series comes in individual e-books and a print collection, whereas DS is an individual book in print and digital.

Last but not least is experience. This time around, I know what to expect from sales and how to market better. I incorporated a lot more feedback than before (thanks again to my beta readers, editor, and proofreaders!), and I had a ton of fun with my blog tour. Now, I’ve even set it up so purchasing signed copies is super easy. All you have to do is use Square. When shipping, I’ve even learned to use media mail (which is cheaper!) and to add insurance.

 

Audio and Visuals

Did you know poetry was originally meant to be read aloud? Sometimes, it still is. When it came to reviewing my poems, I read them aloud to some of my beta readers, which helped me figure out what sounded right and what didn’t. Though you can enjoy the book while reading silently, each poem has been sound good too. At some point, I think it would be fun to put together an audiobook, but I’d have to do more research first.

When it comes to the visuals for DS, I had a lot of fun! First, I changed the format of some of my poems, which is always fun to play with. Then, I commissioned an artist to do some sketches based on some of my favorite places in Europe. I seriously wish I could have commissioned each and every one of my favorite places, but then I’d be broke. The ones I did select correlate with the seasons and themes of their sections.

Commissions

Speaking of commissions, this time around, I had an easier time of figuring out how to find the right people. First, I asked on Twitter if anybody knew where to find some great artists for interior sketches. While I received a ton of offers from artists directly, I also got recommended to check out Fiverr, which I ultimately utilized for both my interior artist and cover designer.

I really like the way the site made it easy to search for artists and the plethora of options. I actually had a hard time choosing between two interior artists, but I ultimately went with the one who’s style I liked the best. Though the site had some minor glitches, posting details for my commission was relatively easy to work with.

Fiverr itself takes a small portion of the commission fee to keep up the website, but creating a profile and browsing is free. At the end, after I approved the final submission, I had the option to tip the artist, which I did and highly recommend. If you like the work you receive, leave a tip! Then, both the buyer (myself) and the seller leave reviews of each other, which is awesome. Though I’ve never sold anything on it, from what I gather, the site is both buyer and seller friendly.

 

Formatting and Publishing

Last but not least came the dreaded formatting. Dreaded for me anyway. I don’t know why I hate it so much. Maybe because it seems like I’d spend five minutes fixing one problem, upload the manuscript to double-check it, wait for it to load, get up, grab some tea, maybe a snack, come back. It’s still loading. Open Pinterest. It’s finally loaded. Check to see if the mistake is fixed. It is! Then I find five more.

So I repeat the process all over again. Or maybe the problem isn’t fixed, and I spend the next half hour tweaking the same thing over and over until I get it right. Most of the tweaking was adding a space or a tab to get the poems’ shapes right. Writing poetry is fun. Formatting poetry for publication? Not so much.

Yeah, it’s a little painful, especially since I don’t have an actual formatting software. Microsoft Word isn’t exactly known for its e-book capabilities. I actually had to call up one of my friends who worked in graphic design to try to figure out how to get some of my pictures to show up in the actual e-book.

In the end, I got it all worked out before my self-imposed deadline, and the final book looks great, if I may say so myself. I had a lot of help along the way, and I couldn’t be more grateful. The best part of self-publishing? Holding the final copy in your hands and smelling it.

To wrap up, if you’re ever considering self-publishing your own book, here are just a few roles I’d recommend looking into. Some of the roles you can fill yourself, but some require a second pair of eyes:

• critique partners (mandatory)
• beta readers (mandatory)
• sensitivity readers (depends on the topic)
• interior artist (optional)
• interior designer (optional)
• cover designer (optional)
• editor (mandatory)
• proofreader (mandatory)
• marketer (optional)
• book bloggers (optional)

There you have it! I hope you enjoyed reading about my self-publishing journey. If you haven’t already grabbed your copy of Dandelion Symphony, you can do so now!

 

Barnes & Noble (e-book)

Amazon (e-book and print)

Signed copy (US only)

 

***

 

Let’s chat! Any other indie authors out there? What’s your favorite part of the publishing process? Have you read Dandelion Symphony yet? If so, what did you think?

Similar posts: Dandelion Symphony Release Day!, Dandelion Symphony Blog Tour, and 3 Types of Writers You Should Know

Poem: Cathedral Caverns

It’s been a little over two weeks since my poetry collection released! *throws confetti* *cat tries to eat confetti* *chaos ensues* Now, I’m actually having a hard time figuring out which poems I want to share on the blog. I’m not sure why. It just happens sometimes, I guess.

As I was thinking about the poems I’ve written this year, I realized I hadn’t written much about what it’s like to live in the American south. I thought about some of the places my dad and I have visited lately, and the Cathedral Caverns came to mind.

Before we went, I was really skeptical. I mean, I’d seen Carlsbad Caverns before, a massive expanse of caves in New Mexico. I’d seen some rather disappointing lava tubes on the Big Island of Hawaii, and the sandstone caves carved out of the rock beneath Nottingham Castle. When we were kids, my dad used to take my brother and I exploring in the amazing lava tubes by Mount St. Helens. What could Alabama possibly have to offer?

The answer: a lot, at least when it comes to caves, hiking trails, and the history of space exploration. Cathedral Caverns actually did remind me of some of the European cathedrals, and it was a pleasure to visit. I had almost forgotten how much I enjoy caves.

 

Photo credit: Michael T. Klein

 

Cathedral Caverns

The way I remember the difference
between this word and that
is by word play—
stalactites cling tight to the ceiling,
and stalagmites act like little mines on the floor,
Though I recently heard they might one day reach higher up.

I don’t recall the drip, drip
of water here so much as the murmur
of the creek below.
shhh
take lighter footsteps
and don’t speak louder
than a whisper
Shhhhh
can you hear it?

After we turn around the column
aptly named Goliath and larger than my house,
past the heard of stone elephants
tromping through the water,
we reach the Stalactite Forest,
and I am stunned
by the way this one
looks like the jellyfish
carved into ice in Sweden,
or how that one resembles
a turtle, a Viking, an eagle,
all stone that would make
the dwarves of Erebor gape.

How I wish I could swim
to the top, but I am stuck to the floor,
pinned by gravity and soon—
total darkness.

Breathe in—
can you see it?
Nothing.
Breathe out—
blink and behold
the starlight
that illuminates
the walls like a three-D model.

Breathe in—
the dark.
I can’t see my hand
in front of my face.
But it’s not the dark I fear,
nor the winter shelter for the bats,
nor even the thought
of being alone.

I am not afraid today,
though I know this tour
is nothing like the great escapades
of Verne or Tolkien,
but I relish the moment
and breath out as the lights come back on.

 

***

Don’t forget to check out Dandelion Symphony, my poetry collection. If you’ve already read it, if you could post a review on your favorite site (Goodreads, Amazon, and/or Barnes & Noble), I would appreciate it a lot!

Let’s chat! What’s your take on caves? Do you have a favorite?

 

Similar poems: Down South (Audio), Ode to Winter (Video), Cathedral

Dandelion Symphony Release Day!

Fall is in the air in the Northern Hemisphere, except maybe in the southern US. I could go outside and get sunburned if I wanted to, though I did wear a sweater earlier this week. It’s Friday, the 25th of September to be precise, two days after Frodo left Bag End. Do you know what else today is? Release day! Dandelion Symphony is out!

I actually found a dandelion in my yard!

 

… pages of this life—

these books take root

in the otherwise hardened patio of the mind.

 

What does it mean to be from multiple places? How does perspective change over time? What happens when a bookworm enjoys the outdoors? How does a situational introvert handle interaction with other people? This collection of poems is an exploration of the life of an army brat living in Europe. From studying abroad in England and travelling in Italy to living and working in Germany, these poems explore settings both extraordinary and ordinary alike.

 

As promised, here’s a quick video of me reading one of the poems from the book and a clip of me unboxing my proof copy.

 

 

Get your copy today!

Barnes & Noble (US, e-book)

Amazon (international, e-book and print)

Signed print (US only)

Let’s chat! What did you think of the reading? How about the “unboxing?” What’s your favorite season?

*** 

Similar posts: Dandelion Symphony Blog Tour, Dandelion Symphony Cover Reveal, and My Process for Writing Poetry

Dandelion Symphony Blog Tour

As you may have noticed, my blog schedule is all mixed up this month. Why is that, you might ask? Well, this Friday is the release date for Dandelion Symphony! In the meantime, I’m hosting a brief blog tour in celebration! 

For details, check out the schedule below.

 

… pages of this life—
these books take root
in the otherwise hardened patio of the mind.

What does it mean to be from multiple places? How does perspective change over time? What happens when a bookworm enjoys the outdoors? How does a situational introvert handle interaction with other people? This collection of poems is an exploration of the life of an army brat living in Europe. From studying abroad in England and travelling in Italy to living and working in Germany, these poems explore settings both extraordinary and ordinary alike.

First stop: A Boggus Life

Sunday, September 21 

Interested in another writer’s take on some of our shared adventures in Europe and some of the places on which I based many of my poems? Check out Faith Boggus’ blog to read more! She also writes poetry and blog posts about baking, so be sure to check them out!

 

Second stop: Midgard’s Writers

Tuesday, September 22 

Want to know about my poem-writing process? Drop by Alicia Canet’s blog to find out! She also teaches a writing workshop in France, so for those interested in the French language, you can check out her other posts as well. For those not familiar with French, some of her posts are translated into English.  

Third stop: Drops of Inspira

Wednesday, September 23 

Want to know what a recipient of an advanced reader copy (ARC) thinks of the book? Check out Julia Garcia’s book review on her blog to find out! She also writes poems of her own, so be sure to check them out!

Final stop: Here! 

Release day, Friday, September 25 

Check back on release day to hear me read “Dandelion Seeds,” the poem that helped in part to give the collection its title. 

Thanks again to all my fellow blogger friends who took part in this tour! 

Don’t forget, you can pre-order Dandelion Symphony now! For my US readers, I recommend Barnes & Noble for the e-books. You can download the Nook app on most computers. Or you can pre-order a printed signed copy here (US only). For my international friends, you can pre-order the e-book on Amazon.

Happy reading! 

*** 

Let’s chat! Has Dandelion Symphony made it to your TBR list yet? What is your favorite element of poetry? Do you like writing poetry? 

Similar posts: Dandelion Symphony Cover Reveal, My Process for Writing Poetry, and Poetry Collection Announcement

Dandelion Symphony Cover Reveal!

I have some exciting news! A couple months ago, I announced my next book, a poetry collection named Dandelion Symphony. Today, I am proud to present you with the cover reveal and official release date!

*throws confetti*

*chokes on confetti*

*coughs*

*runs from people who think I might be sick*

A couple of months ago, when I was initially looking for an artist for sketches within the book, somebody recommended I check out Fiverr. It turned out to be a great resource, and that’s also where I found my cover designer!

A couple months ago, my grandparents on my dad’s side came down to visit. My grandma has stage 4 cancer, and the doctors gave her a year to live last summer. Not having much to do since everything was closed, she told me stories about her childhood and her favorite jobs over the course of her life.

Then I read her my poetry collection all the while trying to figure out a name. I already liked dandelions, since they’re the symbol for military brats like myself, but I couldn’t figure out what to put with it. Until my grandma suggested something to do with a symphony. Dandelion Symphony. It was perfect!

More recently, I had the cover commissioned. This is the result:

… pages of this life— 

these books take root 

in the otherwise hardened patio of the mind.

What does it mean to be from multiple places? How does perspective change over time? What happens when a bookworm enjoys the outdoors? How does a situational introvert handle interaction with other people? This collection of poems is an exploration of the life of an army brat living in Europe. From studying abroad in England and travelling in Italy to living and working in Germany, these poems explore settings both extraordinary and ordinary alike.

Dandelion Symphony will be available on Friday, September 24, 2020! Soon you will be able to pre-order it on Amazon (e-book only) and Barnes & Noble (e-book only). I will keep you posted when the print edition is available to order. For now, you can add it on Goodreads!

I also plan on doing a mini blog tour the week it comes out, which I’ll be posting more details on soon. Happy reading!

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Let’s chat! Have you added Dandelion Symphony to your TBR yet? What’s your favorite poem? How about poetry collection?

Similar posts: My Process for Writing Poetry; Poetry Collection Announcement: Dandelion Symphony; and The Importance of Poetry