Category: interview

art, books, interview, poetry

Interview: Jennifer Gurney, author of “Indelible Ink: Postcard Poems and Paintings from the 2025 Postcard Poetry Fest”

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld
A selfie of Jennifer Gurney by a lake surrounded by trees and mountains, next to the cover of her book 'Indelible Ink' featuring colorful abstract art.

I recently interviewed Jennifer Gurney, author of Indelible Ink: Postcard Poems and Paintings from the 2025 Postcard Poetry Fest. Let’s have a fun read!

The Fest and the Process

1. For readers who’ve never heard of it, what is the Postcard Poetry Fest, and how did you first get involved?

  The Postcard Poetry Fest is an annual experience. Writers from around the world register for it and we each receive 31 names and addresses. During the month of August, we write a poem on the back of a postcard and mail it to a person on our list. In return, we receive poems and postcards from our group. As a writer and painter, both, I enjoy painting my postcards as well as writing the poems. It is a joy to connect with others from around the country, and in some cases, the world. Occasionally, we write a second or third postcard to someone we connect with. I stumbled upon this incredible opportunity on Facebook one summer and am hooked. I cannot imagine an August without it.    

2. You painted all thirty postcards in one day and wrote all thirty poems the next. Why do it that way instead of one card a day?

Sometimes I set a challenge for myself to see what happens. This year I loved the flow of painting the cards on the same day and then writing the poems the next day. Last summer I completed a 24-hour poetry marathon that I loved. Sometimes less is more. And sometimes more is more. This was one of those times. Getting into the flow of painting and writing can sometimes take some doing. Once there, there is a beauty to the state of creativity. I love the shimmery feeling of hanging in the balance between real life and creativity.  

3. What does a day of painting thirty postcards actually look like? Music, snacks, a mess on the table?

What a great question. I have a home studio where I typically paint. It is a spare room on the second floor. But for this excursion, I set up on my kitchen table where I could look outside to the patio, be near my Bose for great tunes and close to the kitchen for snacks and coffee. My cat was curious as to what the heck I was up to and hung close that day, keeping me company.  

4. When you sat down to write, did the painting lead the poem, or did you sometimes ignore the image entirely?

I tend to look at the name of the person I´m writing to (and for) and their address. Sometimes their name gives me a spark and other times knowing where they live is the inspiration. When those fail, I look at the image on the postcard to see what floats to the surface. Other times, something comes to my mind entirely unrelated. And I go with it.  

5. Every poem in this book is a true first draft. Was it hard to let them go out into the world unrevised?

That is a very astute question. As a Virgo, I tend to want things to be in order. Tidy. Accurate. But as a creative type, I am getting better at going with the flow. I am also half German and half Irish, several generations ago. I truly think they form the voices in my head. The German side says get to work. The Irish side says take a break. I laugh when I hear them dickering. So the creative and Irish side of my brain had to take over with the whole first-draft-letting-go business. Luckily it worked. I was tempted several times to fix things, but in the end first draft-ness prevailed.  

6. Was there a card you wanted back the moment it hit the mailbox? Why?

Wow, I had never thought about that. Honestly, no. When I write and paint for others, it is truly theirs from the get-go. Reminds me of a powerful experience a few years ago. Our part of Colorado experienced a horrible fire called the Marshall Fire. Over 1,000 families lost their homes. The elementary school where I teach was hit hardest. Fifty-five families lost their homes. After searching for a way to help, I landed on a project I headed called Art Heals. I pulled paintings I had made together, collected art supplies to donate and hosted 10 events for people to come get free supplies, art and make art there. After I ran out of my own paintings, I painted daily, voraciously, for the Marshall Fire Families. In about six months I gave out 800 paintings to help cover the walls of temporary housing these families were then living in. Hearing their stories at the events, painting beside the children and giving away my art was one of the most poignant experiences of my life.  

The Art

7. Your paintings are bold, layered abstracts. How do you decide when a piece that small is finished?

My sense of completion is changing and evolving over time. The past eight months, I have been working on a series of pieces called Pushing the Limits. I asked myself: what would happen if I keep going after when I normally would have stopped? The results have been transformative. I couldn´t love a painting of my own any more than this series. And I never would have produced these paintings if I hadn´t asked the question. I am finding a new normal of when to stop and when to proceed. It is a fascinating process. I´m nowhere near finished with answering this question.  

8. Tell us about the cover painting. Why did that one get to be the face of the book?

The vibrancy and fluidity of the cover painting stood out to me. I especially love certain color combinations, and this piece had several of them. But to be completely honest, it is my favorite painting in this collection. So it gets the prized position of cover. Don´t we all put our favorite in the best spot available?  

9. You’ve painted the covers for all your poetry books. How do painting and writing feed each other for you?

There is a different kind of energy required for me to paint. I paint nearly every day, some days longer than others. Painting is a way to express my feelings and thoughts in a wordless format. There is a deep, physical element of painting for me. I love to paint big, sometimes 3×4 feet on stretched canvas, sometimes larger on flat canvas. I use music to help create the flow and I try not to look at a clock or my phone when painting so I can stay in that suspended state of flow.   When I am adding layers to a former painting, or sitting to work on small studies, it takes less energy. But still takes energy.   When I am writing, it is a way to communicate what is on my head, heart and soul in word form. I often write haiku-ish poems, which are only three lines. I also write prose poems which can be pages in length. There is less physical energy required for me to write, but still mental and emotional energy that is needed. I write almost every day. Sometimes to a prompt and other times whatever is on my heart. One of my favorite places to write is in nature, on the shore of my favorite lake. I also write on the back of envelopes at a red light. Poems come at all times of day and night and in every place imaginable. When I have something to capture them, they stay.   I love having time to paint and write. What I love more than that is having the time to paint and write while I also have the energy to do so. Since I teach elementary school full-time and am very involved with other pursuits, the time does not always coincide with the energy. When they do, it is bliss.  

The Poems

10. Reviewers have called this a book of summer: watermelon, fireflies, thunderstorms. Did you set out to write about the season, or did it just show up?

I think I write mostly about the life that I am living while I am living it. So it makes sense that during the summer, the poems would come out watermelon, fireflies and thunderstorms.  

11. One poem pleads, “Summer, slow down.” What were you hoping to hold on to?

As a teacher, the summer goes all too quickly. When the calendar turns to August, I tend to get nostalgic that summer is nearly over. Don´t get me wrong. I love teaching and I love my students. But summer is my absolute favorite summer of all. So that one was just noticing that I was not done summering yet. (I´m still not and it´s October!)  

12. Is there a poem in the collection that surprised you when you reread it later?

I think it has surprised me the most to hear what others have to say about my poems. This is the first time I have had others review my book. It has been delightful to hear what they find enjoyable. I also shared a few poems with my fourth-grade class on the day my advance copy arrived. Hearing their giggles and questions added a nice depth to how I view the poems. (They loved the ¨boyfriend¨ one!)  

The Community

13. What was it like to open your mailbox every day and find postcards from strangers?

It was so cool! Every summer when the first one arrives, it is a sharp intake-of-breath moment.  

14. Do you remember a card you received that stuck with you? Tell us about it, please.

My first card that referenced my poem I had sent them felt like connection.  

15. Postcard poetry is very much a gift economy. What does it give you that publishing in journals doesn’t?

The fact that someone else wrote a poem just for me, and I just for them, is unique. In a world that values AI, plastic surgery and one-up-manship, this festival is the epitome of authenticity and generosity. It lifts my soul.  

The Bigger Picture

16. With nearly 3,500 poems published, how does a project built on speed and no revision fit into your practice?

It is a once-a-year experience that I look forward to. To send my poems into the world and find poems in my mailbox is a gift.  

17. What would you say to a reader who wants to try the Fest but is scared of sharing first drafts?

There is nothing to be afraid of. You have a poem on your heart right now. Just write it down on the back of a postcard. And add a stamp and mail it. Then do it again each day for a month. And you will find your voice in setting your poems free.  

18. Why turn this exchange into a book? What did you want readers to take away from it?

I love this collection of short poems and small paintings. And I love this Postcard Poetry Fest. Pulling them together into a book is a way of honoring this community of poets and bringing a taste of summer into the world in book form.  

19. Where can readers find you and Indelible Ink online?

I am hoping to have a website at some point in the future. For now, you can find Indelible Ink and my other books on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. If you search ¨Jennifer Gurney poetry¨ or ¨Jennifer Gurney art¨ you can find other examples. I have a small Etsy site that is Jennifer Gurney Art. And my Insta is @pelican6527.  

Lightning Round

20. Favorite color to paint with?

lime green

21. Best place to write a poem?

shore of my lake

22. Watermelon or fireflies?

fireflies

23. One word for your 2025 Fest?

fulfilling
Cover of the book 'Indelible Ink' featuring vibrant abstract artwork with bold colors, including pink, blue, green, and yellow, alongside text that includes the subtitle 'Postcard Poems and Paintings from the 2025 Postcard Poetry Fest' and the author's name 'Jennifer Gurney'.

Get your copy of Indelible Ink and learn more!

Announcements, Book Announcements, books, Children's Books, illustrator, interview, kindness, Poets & Events, writing

Writer Talk with Emma L. Sembly – With her Debut Children’s Book “Mr. Krippet”

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld

From Classroom to Children’s Books — An Interview with Emma L. Sembly

For Emma L. Sembly, every story teaches a lesson, and every life is a story.

Emma is a life-long storyteller and lover of stories. As a child, Emma loved telling fantastical tales, starting with a captive audience consisting of her little sister. After she grew up, Emma continued to create stories that her students loved.

With a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Elmhurst College and a master’s degree in reading from Johns Hopkins University, Emma set out on a thirty-seven-year journey as an educator in the Baltimore City Public School System, where she taught children with different abilities on both elementary and high school levels. During that time, she also created stories for her own daughter and niece, then for her grandchildren and great nieces.

Now, Emma creates stories for children of all ages, especially the young at heart.

Emma also has a podcast, Just Folks: Conversations with Emma, in which she provides a platform where regular, everyday humans can share their own stories with listeners of all persuasions. Life lessons shared.

Drawing and writing poetry are among Emma’s favorite things to do. She also enjoys planting red flowers around her home. And when she’s not chatting it up with her kitty of thirteen years, she’s having a blast with both of her Favorite Number One Grandchildren.

“What I have learned as a writer and podcaster, is that our stories, our bedtime stories, our fables, are the gateways to life’s lessons,” Emma says, “and we all have a story to tell.”

https://emmaleesembly.com/
https://www.prolificpulse.com/emmalsembly

In a meadow full of chirping, squawking, climbing, crawling creatures, Mr. Krippet is the most industrious, well-mannered, and well-respected of them all. Known for his magnificent tenor voice and his skill as a shoemaker for the ants, he’s spent all summer singing, working, and making friends. But winter is coming — and Mr. Krippet has nowhere to live and nothing stored away to eat. Will he make the baker’s acquaintance — and earn a place by the fire — before the first snow falls? Written by veteran educator Emma L. Sembly and illustrated by Lesley Scoble, with a foreword by celebrated poet Zaneta V. Johns, Mr. Krippet is a gentle, richly imagined tale about dedication, preparation, and friendship. It’s a natural companion to classic fable-and-fall stories about industriousness and community — perfect for bedtime, classroom read-alouds, and quiet corner adventures. Author: Emma L. Sembly – Illustrator: Lesley Scoble – Foreword: Zaneta V. Johns

Get the book: https://www.prolificpulse.com/emmalsembly #MrKrippet #ChildrensBooks #ReadAloud #BedtimeStory #KidsBooks

book launch, interview, poetry

“After Every Storm, the Sun Always Rises” – Poet Irma Kurti on Grief, Nostalgia, and Writing Through Censorship

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld

There’s a particular kind of writer who treats poetry not as performance but as practice as someone who shows up to the page the way others show up to a job, notebook in hand, revising the same lines across years until they finally ring true. Irma Kurti is that kind of writer.

In this interview, the Albanian-born poet talks about the childhood literary circle that started it all, the discipline behind her editing process, the authors who became her “secret world” under a censorship regime, and the simple, hard-won advice she has for anyone facing rejection: “don’t stop.”

Her new collection, Another Day is Coming, is ready for pre-order, to be released July 30, 2026, from Prolific Pulse Press LLC.

A Childhood in the Pioneers’ House

Kurti’s writing life didn’t start with an epiphany. It started with a room.

1. Introduction and Background:

   – Please tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as a writer.

   – What inspired you to start writing?

   – How would you describe your writing style and the themes you often explore in your work?

I started writing when I was 10 years old. My parents, noticing my passion for words, enrolled me in the literary circle at the Pioneers’ House in Elbasan, Albania, the city where I grew up. I remember that slightly chilly, dimly lit room as clearly as if it were today—where I went twice a week to share my passion for writing. My style wasn’t much different from that of my peers. I wrote poems dedicated to my teacher, to school, and to the joys of childhood—poems that were sincere but still bore the stamp of the communist system’s propaganda.

My writing style today is characterized by simplicity and transparency. Some of the themes I explore include nostalgia, love, affection for my parents, memories, time, and the fragility of the human condition.

Inside Another Day is Coming

Ask Kurti what the new collection is about, and she doesn’t reach for a marketing pitch. She reaches for the truth:

2. Your Books:

   – Congratulations on the publication of your poetry book! Please give us an overview of what readers can expect from Another Day is Coming.

   – What was the inspiration behind this book?

   – Were there any specific challenges or highlights you encountered during the writing process?

A new collection of poems is another source of joy and an attempt to forge a connection with the reader. This book is a diary of my feelings and emotions during the period in which it was written. Several poems are dedicated to the home where I grew up, which represents not only a nest of memories, affection, and nostalgia for a time that seems long gone, but also my homeland itself.

One of the most significant challenges I faced in writing this book was avoiding the repetition of concepts and ideas I had already explored. I devoted time to researching and exploring new perspectives and angles in addressing the various themes.

The Discipline Behind the Poems

When it comes to the writing process, ask Kurti, and you get a routine.

3. Creative Process:

   – Could you walk us through your creative process when writing?

   – What rituals or routines help you get into the right mindset for writing?

   – How do you know when a book is “finished”?

My day begins with writing. I always carry a notebook with me in which I write down verses and ideas. Once I’ve accumulated enough to form a collection, I type them up on the computer. Then I begin editing them to give them their final form. I don’t rely on inspiration; instead, I edit, delete, and add to drafts and verses that were written even years earlier. Usually, I go over all the poems three or four times. It’s not easy to discern the line between a manuscript and a finished work. When the poems don’t satisfy me or don’t stir any emotions in me, I keep revising them. The more time passes, the more demanding I become about what I write.

What She Wants Readers to Feel

At the heart of Kurti’s work is a simple wish: to offer readers something steady in an unsteady world.

4. Themes and Messages:

   – What particular messages or emotions do you believe that readers take away from your books?

Through my poetry, I wish to celebrate the values I consider the foundation of a fulfilling life: peace, love, and family harmony. By exploring my deep affection for my parents and the power of kindness, I want to offer readers an oasis of tranquility. In life, nothing can be taken for granted—least of all family and romantic relationships—as we are caught up in a daily routine that often blurs our vision and doesn’t let us time to stop and reflect.

Poetry as a Secret World


Kurti’s literary influences read like a quiet act of resistance. Growing up under Albania’s dictatorial regime meant living with “fierce censorship, which reduced literature to a mere tool of propaganda.” And yet, from a young age, she found nourishment in the work of Alexander Pushkin, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Adam Mickiewicz, and Pablo Neruda.

5. Influences and Inspirations

   – Who are some writers who have influenced your work?

Living under the dictatorial regime in Albania meant enduring fierce censorship, which reduced literature to a mere tool of propaganda. Ever since I was very young, however, I have been nourished by the poetry of Alexander Pushkin, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Adam Mickiewicz, and Pablo Neruda. These authors represented my secret world, an intimate refuge whose verses I still remember today.

On Publishing and Not Giving Up

Kurti describes the editorial process behind Another Day is Coming as “a deliberate and deeply rewarding journey,” crediting her editor, Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld, and calling Prolific Pulse Press “an exceptional discovery” after years of working with other publishers.

Her advice to writers hoping to get published is refreshingly unglamorous: slow down.

To reach readers directly, Kurti leans on social media and sharing excerpts from her collections and sending work to bloggers for review. It’s a strategy she describes candidly as an ongoing challenge: building “authentic connections with readers” in a digital age that doesn’t always reward authenticity.

6. Publishing Journey:

   – Can you share a bit about your experience with the publishing process for this book?

   – What advice would you give to others who are looking to publish their own work?

   – How do you approach marketing and promoting your poetry book to reach a wider audience?

The editorial process for this book was a deliberate and deeply rewarding journey. I worked closely with my editor, Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld, and I found in her someone who works with passion and dedication. Having collaborated with many publishers, I consider Prolific Pulse Press an exceptional discovery.

My advice to anyone hoping to get published is not to rush and to work carefully on the text to refine their style. Sooner or later, a work of merit will find a publisher and a way to reach readers.

To promote my book and reach a wider audience, I use social media. I share excerpts from my collection and, when I can, send them also to bloggers for reviews. These strategies allow me to build authentic connections with readers—a goal that’s not without challenges in this digital age.

Future Projects

Kurti isn’t slowing down. She’s currently working on a new book while continuing her long-running work translating international authors for online newspapers and magazines.

7. Are there any upcoming projects or plans you can share with us?

I’m currently working on a new book and, as always, translating works by international authors, which I publish in online newspapers and magazines. At the same time, I’m trying to carve out some time for myself in this holiday season: I’m enjoying moments of calm, outdoor walks, a little rest, and a few days at the beach.

Closing Thoughts

Asked what she wants readers to take away not just from this book, but from her body of work — Kurti returns to the people who’ve shaped her career from the beginning.

   – Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you or your writing?

   – Where can listeners find your books and connect with you online?

   – Any final words of encouragement or wisdom for aspiring writers and others listening to this podcast?

Ordinary people have always been the lifeblood of my literary journey. Their encouragement and affection have been my support from the very beginning and my greatest source of inspiration.

For those who’d like to discover my work, my books are available on major online platforms. I also invite you to follow me on Facebook and Instagram, where I share updates on my projects and interact with readers.

To aspiring writers, I’d like to offer a simple piece of advice: don’t let closed doors or rejections from publishers discourage you. Believe in yourselves and in the value of your words. Only then will you be able to convey the purity of your emotions and the beauty of your art. After many “no’s,” satisfaction will come; after every storm, the sun always rises.

Another Day is Coming by Irma Kurti is available now for pre-order from Prolific Pulse Press LLC and major online retailers. Follow Irma on Facebook and Instagram for updates on her work.
 



interview

Featuring Nolcha Fox

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld

When I saw the following interview with Nolcha Fox, I was so pleased that I just had to share. It’s been such a pleasure to work with Nolcha Fox with the publishing of the above books. All are available on ProlificPulse.com/NolchaFox

Thank you to Poetic Bloomings for interviewing this prolific poet!

Prolific Bloomings Interview of Nolcha Fox