Meet Katrina R. Lippolis. Those of you who tune in to The Writing Wall Podcast might have heard me give her a shout-out as @kitkatpoetess. Katrina has always brightened my feed by sharing her bold, haunting, and heartfelt poetry.
Her city is probably best known for Lynyrd Skynyrd, but this Jacksonville, Florida resident shows off her own art form in her latest book titled The Way We Fall, Love Amid Thistles.
Katrina Lippolis is 36-years-old and admits she has a pretty good voice, but only uses it playfully. Her bedroom is where she comes up with most of her prose saying, "it's the most comfortable spot in the world."
Besides comfort, every writer has a preference when it comes to how they get their words out into the world. Some of us like notebooks and pens, other computers. Katrina said she mainly typed her poetry but sometimes put pen to paper in a notebook.
Most of the poets I have met started writing in their early to mid-teens, and I was compelled to ask Katrina how old she was when she first started.
She revealed, "when I was fifteen, I wrote a poem called The Tornado for my 10th grade English class," Katrina recalled, "My teacher loved it, but I didn't get deep into poetry until I was nineteen while working as a housekeeper for a local hospital. Somehow the urge hit me, so I bought a cloth journal from the hospital gift shop and I just dove right into it."
Photo of Author & Poetess Katrina R. Lippolis
Katrina said that through it all her biggest supporter(s) was her, "amazing parents. They've been nothing but supportive in everything I do and have done. I love them unconditionally and am truly blessed that God put me with them as their awesome daughter (haha). Also, my friend, who simply goes by 'McGavin' on Twitter. He's wonderful and has been nothing but supportive of me."
Sharing a talent like writing can be hard for a poet or any writer really, but Katrina told The Writing Wall Blog she has two good friends with whom she shares her poems. "Dora whom I have been friends with since I was 14, and Sheena, whom I call my Seoul sister due to our love of K-Pop group BTS. I would let them both read every single thing I wrote. Their approval means a lot to me because I know they're two of my most honest critics."
What's a poetess to read in her spare time? Katrina enjoys reading historical fiction but was reading a fiction piece titled The Unexpected Life of Harry Chambers by a fellow writer and friend S.D. Reed" when the blog caught up with her.
"I am also working on my first ever historical fiction novel, Where the Wallflowers Grow. It has been on hiatus for a few months due to writer's block but I'm slowly diving back into it." This is one historical fiction author who will be on the lookout for this novel.
Before ending the interview, I asked Katrina to share some advice for individuals considering self-publishing.
"If you feel your work is good enough and it has been met with positive reviews from friends, family, or whomever you've been open to sharing it with...GO FOR IT! Heck, if it hasn't been met with positive reviews, still go for it! Just because a few people may not like it, doesn't mean it isn't worth anything. Put your work out there and share it with the world. The readers need something new every day and perhaps you could be just what they're looking for. You won't know until you try."
Katrina's words ring true because no matter what anyone tells you, your story matters. Even Katrina's favorite author and quote echoes this sentiment, "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken." ~Oscar Wilde.
To learn more about Katrina Lippolis, visit her on Twitter using the handle @kitkatpoetess, and to learn more about her book titled The Way We Fall, Love Amid the Thistles, visit the Amazon or go to the following link:
Katrina is also on Weebly, katrinalippolis.weebly.com
A new Writer of the Week will be featured every Monday. Be sure to also follow The Writing Wall on Twitter @TheWritingWall, or on Instagram @writingsonthewall85 for the latest. You can also listen to the podcast every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.