Nymeria Publishing had the pleasure of sitting down with debut author Rachael Lord as she tells us about her new collection Fragile Hearts Club. We discuss the collection, the inspiration behind it, and what readers can expect next from her.
Fragile Hearts Club calls on all of us who are fragile at heart to join this club in solidarity. Each poem brings you into the storybook in Rachael’s mind and through beautiful story telling takes you on a journey of self discovery.
In the beginning
there was a freckle faced girl
as fragile as the wind
that blew her
from one place to the next.
-an excerpt from Rachael Lord’s, Fragile Hearts Club
Nymeria: What was the inspiration behind this collection?
Rachael: The inspiration behind this collection is the story that I know the best: my own. Some of these poems were written during my adult life, but most of them were taken from old notebooks that I kept as a child and teen.
N: How did you come up with the title Fragile Hearts Club?
R: I think there is a stigma around being too sensitive, too emotional, or easily broken. I am all of these things, and I wanted so badly for others who share these attributes to feel validated in who they are. And thus, a club for people with fragile hearts was born.
Sweet girl, the world is cruel
but you are relentless,
fearless
as courageous as Joan of Arc.
-an excerpt from Rachael Lord’s, Fragile Hearts Club
N: What do you want readers to take away from this collection?
R: I want readers to feel supported in their own journey in this crazy life. I want them to know that they are never alone, and that they have such magic and power in this world.
N: What do your friends and family think about your writing?
R: My friends and family have always been so supportive of my writing, from my elementary days of writing horror short stories, to sketch writing in college, even to my decision to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing. I couldn’t be more thankful for them, and am so glad to be able to honor them within the lines of these poems.
N: What can readers expect next from you?
R: I have a second poetry collection in the works that I am so excited about. I’m currently working on two novels: an adult fantasy novel and a young adult thriller. I can’t wait to share them all with you!
Because new beginnings
aren’t tragic endings.
-an excerpt from Rachael Lord’s, Fragile Hearts Club
Fragile Hearts Club will be published December 2021 by Nymeria Publishing. You can visit nymeriapublishing.com and follow @nymeriapublishing on social media for updates about Fragile Hearts Club’s release.