I realized a long time dream… I published my first book…

‘Inkling Whispers’

Expressing the Beauty of a Broken Soul’s Blossoming Journey

This book groups my best poems written between 2018 and 2021. I chose the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, as I read a lot on the subject for the past years, and it remains the best way for new writers to publish their books. I will also use the site Draft2Digital to help me spread it around other well known eBook sites (Google Book, Issue, ScribD, etc.). Thank you LB for sharing your first book ‘Wearing Her Footsteps’ publishing experience with me.

Since, I started writing on Medium in the fall of 2018, I had no idea which direction I was going to focus my writing. My family and friends were, and still are, surprised in me writing, expressing some of my deepest feelings and moving as far from the once cartesian, less emotional girl I was. Don’t get me wrong, I was, and always will be a very empathic and sensitive girl, but I never really expressed or, even openly, shared my feelings as I regularly do now on Medium.

It started near the end of 2017, being a part-time home caregiver for my dad’s end of life short-term care. I would work 2 weeks (180 hours) in a row in an exploration camp, fly back and help mom 2 weeks (180 hours) for my dad’s care. One night, I was exhausted. My niece, Maii, whispered to me, ‘Maybe you should start writing?’ I remember her laughing at my question mark face. So she added, that I should write to help me process all of life’s hard blows.

Prior to October 2017, I had never written a poem or a short story in my life, except for the required writings through high school and college. Afterwards and still now, through my career as a geologist, I have written many technical geoscience reports. These reports, for many of my colleagues sound excruciating, but for me they always are an easy task.

I never understood poetry until I started writing my own poems. And now, there is not a day that goes by without me writing some kind of poetry and reading a bucket of them daily. I can honestly say now that poetry is one of the most beautiful form of writing. For me poetry is so free. Everybody can write poetry seeking deep down in their soul their real feelings. Poetry is unique for all of us and reaches out in various ways.

My writing on Medium is literally a daily escape for me to venture on my artistic inner self. Through Medium I get to share my cultural love of any kind of visual expression and combine it with my own live emotions I feel in the instant of my writing. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to express myself. Expressing the essence of moments is a chance I now have in my life.

It is priceless to be able to express my feelings and illustrate them as much as possible through my own photos, which is another of my passions. To express my emotions of the moment, if none of my pictures suits my writing, I venture on the various public websites. I enjoy adding various types of visual arts from both known or emerging artists. Finally, my ultimate writing experience is when I am able to accompany my contributions with musical references, music being another of my artistic passions.

I had wished to use a 10 x 10 inches format because I wanted to show off my pictures, but for poetry I was told it would be better a 5 x 8 inches. So I wanted to do an horizontal book, to use the 8 inches width to match most of my landscape picture layout. But again, I was told for poetry it is better to do a vertical book. I almost resisted all these constraints, but since it is my first book, I want to use all the generous advice I received for my book to be noticed. For sure, one day, I will want to expose my great pictures in a bigger size format.

I realized a long time dream… I published my first book…

‘Inkling Whispers’ is a collection of poems inspired by my numerous photo-walk escapades comforting my explorer’s soul.

Through ‘Inkling Whispers’, I wanted to express, for my last four years, my personal growth, as illustrated through four major chapters of my life named after a compass’ cardinals. These chapters are defined counterclockwise through each cardinal:

From the North (eNd Me) where I wanted to escape the north pole of my life. Yesterday had to be locked up in the past once and for all.

To the West (Waft Me) where I drifted while healing my broken wings. Our empty sad hearts, breaking away from the heaviness of the past, yesterday is not necessarily good for today, learning to adapt from day to day.

To the South (Save Me) where I learned to press play and strut. Hanging to solidify your new anchors, standing strong, upright towards a soothing future.

To the East (nEw Me) where I dared to spread my wings rising to hopeful new beginnings. Burying your darkness, radiating your shooting stars, outgrowing your shadow.

This book has been my main project to transform my last four years, including 2020's chaotic negativity, to my upmost advantage, and I truly feel my soul has grown beautifully through the process.

‘Inkling Whispers’ symbolizes my transition from my old life evolving through harsh times to my new and improved self.

‘Inkling Whispers’ reflects my inner growth, and how I dared to spread my wings to reveal my beautiful colorful soul to the world.

‘Inkling Whispers’ overall design was created by Maii through his illustrations and chosen fonts which enhances my poetry and my photographs inspired by my numerous photo-walk sessions.

Paperback and Kindle formats are available on Amazon

Once, you will read it, I hope you can add an honest review on the Amazon site, it will help me grow.

Big hugs my friends and thank you, in no particular order, for your ongoing support which has motivated me to publish my first book. Enjoy!

Francine Fallara, 2021

Thomas Plummer, Maii, LB, Dennett, Gurpreet Dhariwal, Jo Ann Harris, The Ascent, Andrew Yang, Aaron Gell, Robert Roy Britt, Mark Bittman, Casey Botticello, Steve Bryant, Brian McFadden, Brian Rowe, Brian Brewington, benjamin weinberg, The Cut, Hazel Clementine, Linda Caroll, Christopher OLDCORN, Kristina H, Rolli ☕ https://ko-fi.com/rolliwrites, Aiyanah Rose, AK (Aaska Aejaz), Rachel B. Baxter, Danny Forest, Devon Price, Dana G Smith, Maarten van Doorn, Dan Moore, Joe Duncan, Donna L Roberts, PhD (Psych Pstuff), Dave Gershgorn, Adam, Diabetic Cyborg, Peter Edwards, Ernio Hernandez, E.B. Johnson, NLP-MP, Eric Alper, Emily J. Smith, Eyal Zuri, Rose Ernst, Julia E Hubbel, Erin King, Danny Forest, Ryan Fan, Fannie LeFlore, James Finn, Sergey Faldin, Zita Fontaine, George J. Ziogas, Dr Mehmet Yildiz, Dr Ludovic Gros MD, Dr John Rose, Dr Jeff Livingston, R. Rangan PhD, David Price, David Hewlett, Rudy Bandiera, David Rudder, MaryBeth Gronek, Jeff Hale, Heath ዟ, Harper Thorpe, P.S. I Love You, Indira Reddy, Anna Rozwadowska, Ms. Mary Ann, Mitch Horowitz, Isaiah McCall, Ivette Cruz, Gurpreet Dhariwal, Dew Langrial, Attila Adam, Julia Stier, MDSHall, Trisha Traughber, Doug Vidlas, Leah Spence 🕊, Iulia Halatz, K. A. Bennett, Benny Lim, Kathy Jacobs, Fierce Force 💃🏼, Blue Fences, J.D. Harms, Wild Flower, Hawkeye Pete Egan B., Mike McGee, Joe Hill, Jeff Hale, JARED LETO, Ian Clifford, Ryan Hoover, List Craig, Randy Shingler, Justcallmejillybean, Mitch Setbon, Sherry Kappel, Jeff Suwak, C’est La Vie, E. Scott Alighieri, Ryan O'Neal Jr., Eric Griggs, Erika Burkhalter, Prickly Pam, Deborah Christensen, Chris Hedges, Brett Christensen, Mary McGrath, Rita Duponty, Louise Foerster, Andrea Toole, Keith R. Higgons, craig rory lombardi, bronx born, Michelle Monet, P.G. Barnett, Paul Gallagher, Sean Michael, Eric Jennings, Bryan Hickman, Sophia Ciocca, Zarina Dara 🥀💃🏻, Joseph Serwach, Lisa Bolin, Wolfie Bain, Owen R Thornton, Øivind H. Solheim, Jeanne Briatte, Sankofa B. Soleil, Florence Wanjiku, JMontes, Noah Levy, B. A. Cumberlidge., Michele Thill, Devanshee Dave, America Zed, Ramandeep Singh (नूर), Sylvia Wohlfarth, Tracy Stengel, Jim Mowat, Pavle Marinkovic, Cody Collins, Troy Krywulak, Victoria Ponte, kurt gasbarra, R Tsambounieri Talarantas, Anna Breslin, A Maguire, Jessica Lovejoy, Giovanni Sonier, Bruno Mastroianni, Kat Magik, Jason Kravitz, Tree Langdon, Tre L. Loadholt, Beth Stormont, Carolyn Riker, Melissa Bee, Gladysdaeweeks, White Feather, Agnes Louis, antoinette nevitt, Vaishali Paliwal, Leslie Nicole, James Caig, Diana Crow, Imad, Jesse Wilson, Pablo Pereyra, Pablo Camacho, Upasana Sharma, Dermott Hayes, Connie Song, Martine Weber, Jenine Bsharah Baines, Edis Rune, Simran Kankas, Conor MacCormack, Patrick M. Ohana, Linda Adams, Priyanka Srivastava, Marilyn Flower, Christopher MacKinnon, Lori Kovach Petrie, G.R. MELVIN, Deborah Barchi, Nupoor Raj, Siva Raj, Darshak Rana, Sanjukt Saha, John Edward Marks (JEM), Nikos Vitorakis, Michele Thomas, Valerie Blanchett, Ruchi Thalwal, Alice Toneatto, Nico Olivieri, Josie Elbiry, Alex Koma, Alice Floris, Nazneen Rahman, ken.writes, Lynda Coker, Dr. Jackie Greenwood, Joanna Vang, Samantha Wallen, Kenny Rivaldi, Melinda Heyer, Katherine M. Hartford, Lucia Siochi, Suntonu Bhadra, Afrozy Ara, Louise Foerster, Alexandru Vasai, Moni Vazquez, Charlene Marron, Dr. Preeti Singh, Joseph Bautista, Dr. Fatima Imam, Alexys Carlton, Alexandra Androne, EP McKnight, MEd, Sarah E Sturgis, Anne Bonfert, Annelise Lords, Lee-Anne Hancock, Aimée Gramblin, Kim Beasley, Felipe Xavier, Stephen Anthony, Whitney Rose, Attila Adam, Allan Rae (alto), David Montgomery, Arthur G. Hernandez, Dr Michael Heng, Bill Abbate, Geetika Sethi, Britni Pepper, Sabana Grande, Selma, Dipti Pande, Desiree Driesenaar, Meg, Raisa Nastukova, Sarah Book, Robert Faron, Thomas Gaudex, Cody Collins, Jordan Mendiola, Ella Pearson, Kathy Gerstorff, Somsubhra Banerjee, Daniel A. Teo, Bradlee Bryant, Aaron Quist, Dhruv Sharma, Joel Leon., Isaac Winters, Bridget Webber, David Baumrind, r.j. quirk, Brenda Mahler, Crystal Jackson, Paroma Sen, Karin Swann, Jenny Justice, Fọlábòmí Àmọ̀ó, Frank Mcquade, Uday_neutron, Pierre Trudel, Mike Hindley