A controversial collection of poetry which endeavors to articulate subject matter that most won't discuss.
And now Queen of Spades brings you the continuation to this fire-eating collection, aimed to voice the angst, pain and introspection of the human condition.
Coming Soon
Blurb:
Truth has no expiration date.
A second helping of Spaded Truths has arrived in the form of Life-O-Suction. Seasoned with a rich blend of prose with poetry, this follow up explores the human condition with a simmering of stimuli that lingers long after one has reached the end.
Disclaimer: Some of the content may not be suitable for those under eighteen.
Without further ado, allow us to present to you the cover of "Spaded Truths 2: Life-O-Suction".
Today we are bringing you a special look into an outstanding poetry collection written by two amazing artists, which is soon to be released on Paperback and Kindle;
"Waves To Light" by MJ Holman and Queen of Spades.
We at all authors are happy to bring you an inside look into the inspiration of the collection. But first, let's take a look at the Book Teaser Trailer.
Video Created by All Authors Graphic Design
Recently, I had the honor of sitting down with MJ Holman and Queen of Spades and ask them both two very important questions.
Question Number One:
If there was 1 (one) important message you could deliver through the prose and poetry of Waves To Light, what would that be and why?
Question Number Two:
Do you think a person not battling with mental illness could connect to the significance of this collection? If not, please explain. If so, please elaborate.
Here were their answers:
Queen of Spades:
(Q1)
The most important message is that one is not alone. Since there are so many images that paint mental illness negatively, it is important for others to know that a sufferer could have the look or what society considers a "normal" person. With my particular classification (clinical depression or major depressive disorder), one also has different levels of functionality. Some individuals are low functioning, meaning that at the lowest of their depression, it can impact one's day-to-day activities. It can impact job performance, even the ability to keep a job, along with being fully present in the lives of friends and others. However, there are also people who are medium to high functioning, even to the point where the closest of friends may not realize when they are in the midst of a depressive episode.
Speaking for myself, I am more towards the high functioning spectrum. When I am in a depressive state, I tend to internalize and isolate yet because I'm hypersensitive to external perception, I can give the illusion that I'm "just fine" or "okay". The danger with being on this end is when I finally remove the mask (aka playing the role for the public), the feelings associated with my depression are intense. It is not uncommon for my intensity to manifest via physical ailments, like migraines, loss of appetite, and muscle aches and spasms, particularly around my shoulder area and the small of my back, where my stress tends to reside.
(Q2)
I think another person definitely could. There might be moments when one is feeling very sad, confused, or lost, and every person has felt that at some time or another. In addition, for those friends or loved ones who know a person suffering from a mental illness, this could give some type of clarity and understanding into that person's battle. Usually, one from the outside looking in tends to blame himself. Even worse, there are quite a few individuals that just wants the sufferer to simply "snap out of it". I hope through this collection, that realization sets in. For a loved one who cares, it is not his or her fault. For the critic, mental illness is not a thing one "snaps out of".
For me, I don't see this as something that miraculously gets cured. I live with it and just pray I see more darkness that light, along with hoping others will achieve that as well.
MJ Holman:
(Q1)
I will echo Queen of Spades and say the message is one does not suffer alone. The condition may be relative and we may all experience different aspects of it, have different symptoms and causes, but at the nub, all things are equal.
It is important that the language of depression and hypomania can be shared. This is our way of communicating to each other the extent of the illness, the depth of feeling, and giving a voice to all those who cannot express themselves when faced with these conditions.
(Q2)
I would like to think so. We all suffer the same emotional duress from time to time, mostly associated with grief. At its very limit, grief will follow the same pattern as an episode of depression and there will be lines of poetry in this collection that may illustrate those feelings exactly.
Individuals who spend their time with sufferers, whether they are friends or loved ones will recognise them in this poetry. They will see the depths we plummet or the elation we cannot control and it will bring to them a greater understanding of the illness. My mother only recently read The Sea of Conscience, afterwards she came to me and said, 'I had no idea you felt this way.' That's what we're aiming for with Waves to Light.
NOW, DON'T DELAY AND GO PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
Victoria Raine has been writing poetry since she was a teenage girl. After a poetry writing assignment in 9th grade, her English teacher asked to see her after class, and requested she bring in anything else she had written, after reviewing her work she encouraged Victoria to continue writing. Since then, Victoria Raine has filled countless notebooks and only recently decided to publish her work. Blood on Paper is the first book being published in 2014.
Victoria Raine is an author, poet, blogger, curator of The Granby Street Gallery in Norfolk VA, and the owner of Kairos Cards in Virginia Beach, VA specializing in cards with heartfelt messages capturing your treasured moments with poetic prose and specialized artwork for each collection. Her cards will begin featuring upcoming artist for new collections in 2015.
Victoria resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia where she enjoys her gardens and her dogs Samson, Gypsy and Sophie. Her son lives on the west coast who is a musician and writer.
ABOUT BLOOD ON PAPER
In these pages, Poet Victoria Raine takes us on a journey of her deepest, darkest moments, of trials,
failures and betrayals. In hopes, that others not feel so alone through theirs.
You find yourself haunted by the heartache that is almost tangible in these pages, and exhilarated for her triumph over suffering and adversity.
Through her tribulations her endurance and faith were tested many times over. She shared the beauty in the lessons and the grace through the pain. She found an inner strength she didn’t know she had through the power of perseverance, and ultimately surrendering to spirit to sort it all out and lead the way.
This book will make you fall back in love with the magic poetry brings into our hearts and enrichment into our lives.
I have so much to be thankful for. My journey has not been an easy one. If there is anyone out there who has any doubt whether they can work through a dysfunctional beginning, eroding self esteem, and tumultuous relationships, then check out my testimony.
Between November 26th, 2014 and November 28th, 2014, grab Private Pain on Amazon Kindle for just .99 cents.
In Life, one is expected to put her best face forward, but what if the process of revealing her best face involves putting the demons on display? Would the journey continue? Or would one stop dead in her tracks.
Private Pain: Amidst These Ashes is the response in its rawest form. It is an inside look at: in its simplest form, Life's growing pains; in its most complex form, a person battling internal and external forces to find peace in her own existence. The lines are blurred between what's real and what is embellishment in this second edition, a sleeker remastered collection that doesn't miss a step in intensity.
Also included: "Ahn'Ya's Voice" by Da'Kharta Rising and "Behind the Stuntin'" by Synful Desire.
Reviewers Say...
"The author, Queen of Spades, bares her heart and soul in this very honest compilation. The verse is moving and heartfelt, and incredibily succinct. This is not for the faint-hearted, as it doesn’t hold back: not on the content or the language … however, I feel the work is all the richer for it."
~ Harmony Kent
"You feel her emotions as you read each word. This remarkable poet left her heart and soul on each and every page! A must read!"
Embark on a journey into The Sea of Conscience, a mixture of poetry and prose by MJ Holman for absolutely #FREE on Smashwords until June 28th.
This collection also features three guest works by author Queen of Spades.
Blurb: Spanning thirty years, this collection of poetry and prose documents the discovery of mental illness through writing. It charts the slow crawl of mental decline and the gradual realisation this illness is a background noise that cannot be ignored.
It is not a volume defined by mental illness alone; passions for art, literature, opera, and history are here; passions which help us survive when illnesses can be unforgiving and we fail to forgive ourselves. These words explore our perception of ourselves during times of duress and how our passions can be part of our coping strategies, helping us to remain here - embattled - but as survivors.
Just visit Smashwords and enter code ZD36X upon checkout.
.jpg)
