San Jose Writer Publishes Poetry Collection, Donates Proceeds to COVID-19 Efforts
Courtesy of Kristen Pizzo
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GET INTO THE WORLD OF WRITING?
I fell in love with books at a young age. My writing started out as short stories and then eventually grew into essay and article writing. More recently, I’ve done press releases for nonprofits and social media management, which requires shorter, snappier writing.
You can say that theater and writing though are my two loves. I went to University of Central Florida in Orlando, where I started out as a theater major, but switched to writing and rhetoric with a minor in event management. Currently, I work as a freelancer. I’ve been writing poetry for as long as I’ve been writing but got a little more serious two years ago.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOOK OF POETRY, RECKLESS LOVE.
A lot of it is about love and relationships. Part of it is my coming out journey as a bisexual woman. The reckless piece comes from one of my poems, something my partner said to me when we started dating. Being someone who had just come out, asking them on a date was something out of my comfort zone. It was about the bravery of not caring what other people think. A significant part of my journey is coming to accept myself. I recently self-published through Barnes and Noble Press and enjoyed working with a really cool illustrator, Grace Jicha.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO DONATE PROCEEDS TO A NONPROFIT?
When National Poetry Month came around in April, I knew I wanted to give back in some way. Growing up in San Jose California, my family and I have volunteered for the Sacred Heart since I was 12. It felt like the right thing to do to give 100% of the book proceeds to this organization providing food, clothing, and job services to people trying to get back on track or out of the cycle of poverty, especially during the pandemic.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE PUBLISHING THEIR FIRST BOOK?
Simple language is important. Short poems that pack a punch can really speak to a broader audience.
Trust your process. Take your time with it, because you are in control of how your work looks.
Empower yourself to self-publish. Some people feel defeated if no one wants to publish their book. For me, self-publishing was the perfect option for me. You don’t need a gatekeeper to tell you whether or not to publish your work.
A Reckless Love, poetry collection by Kristen Pizzo, art by Grace Jicha