Hi there and welcome to my brand new Substack newsletter. I am finding this platform easier and more fun to work with than my previous newsletter account.
Thank you so much for being a subscriber!
Here is a brief look at what is new in my writing world.
First, I am very excited to introduce my debut poetry collection, Reaching Marrakesh. It is available in paperback and on Kindle.
I am so very grateful to my mentor and editor, Christina Ward. Here is the back matter she wrote for me:
"We all have those defining moments in our childhood that introduce to us confusion, pain, and self-defining messages that haunt us into our adulthood. In Samantha Lazar’s debut poetry collection Reaching Marrakesh, Samantha takes her readers on a poetic pilgrimage with slice-of-life poetry that delves into those childhood messages and picks them apart for understanding. Her intensely personal voice and impactful nature imagery weave together a tapestry of understanding, wrapping the reader in the comfort and exhilaration of self-discovery, inner strength, and triumph through mental fortitude. She empowers both herself and the readers’ experience with an inspirational poetic tale of a soul taking flight. An impressive poetic debut, Reaching Marrakesh is an unforgettable collection of poetic enlightenment." --Christina M. Ward, poet and author of organic: Fiddleheads & Floss vol. 1
Second, my Medium publication, Sky Collection has really grown, both in readers and writers. I think a lot of this has to do with the Quote Prompts. Every two weeks or so, I put out a new prompt. Here is the latest:
Building the New is taken from the quote by Harriet Tubman: “Stop searching for happiness in the same place you lost it. Change is not dismantling the old; it’s building the new.”
My response to that quote has to do with the incredible teaching institute I was fortunate to attend last week. Teachers’ College (Columbia University) Reading and Writing Project put together an incredible institute on Racial Equity in Education. I have much to say about this experience and about teaching during these times in general. Stay tuned.
Other work on the horizon:
My next poetry collection, either political or personal
A children’s book in collaboration with my dear friend Jayna, who is an incredible artist
A collection of thinking and writing prompts for adults and kids
Thank you for reading and your support!
—Samantha Lazar