Lady of the Hour ~ Alisha Sommer

I've had the privilege of getting to know this amazing and talented woman who's writing has inspired me to become better at my own craft. 

In this interview you'll learn who she is, what fuels her fire as a writer, and why writing is not only a passion but a way of life.

Writers, be prepared to be inspired.

Meet, Alisha Sommer.

Would you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what you do and where we can find you online? 

I am Alisha Sommer, wife to my husband, and mother to my three children. I drink coffee and wine. I love fresh-baked bread, a golden sun, and the smell of the sea. I am sensitive but strong. I believe that almost any ill can be cured with a good hug. I am in love with art and the creative process.

When I am not knee-deep in laundry and lunch-making I write, write, write. I also edit and publish the literary magazine, BLACKBERRY. (www.blackberryamagazine.com)

What’s a typical day like for you? Allow us to walk in your shoes for a moment.

I wake up every morning at 6:15. The day is usually full of chasing small children around with socks and shoes so that I can transport them to and from school, playdates, and errands. I finally accepted that I am the typical suburban mom. But in between those harried moments, I steal away small chunks of time to journal, work on my writing, and catch up on social media for myself as well as the magazine. Somewhere in there I eat, share the highlights of my day with my husband, and get some sleep. It’s a tightrope, but I am learning how to balance my responsibilities as a mother and wife while also nurturing my own needs for creation. 

Share with us what your #badpoetry series was about that you shared on Instagram. I’m a huge fan of your writing and this was an amazing series of writing to have experienced. 

Thank you so much! The #badpoetry series was the result of me truly submitting to the Muse. I had been feeling a creative block; I knew that I needed to write but I kept avoiding this subject of love and relationships. I remember telling a friend that all I wanted to do was write really bad love poems to get them out of my system--the perfectionist in me fought this idea tooth and nail. There was also this fear of revealing too much, of being too vulnerable. But with some deep reflection I realized that this is what art is about: letting go, being vulnerable, honoring truth. 

So I had a choice to make: I could either write the poems, push through the fear, let them be “bad,” and honor the stories that needed to be told, or I could not write the poems and suffer through the creative block. 

I decided to risk it and press publish. 

By labeling the project as “bad,” I gave myself the space to create with freedom. I was no longer worried about the poems being “right” or “perfect” or “good.” They were allowed to be whatever they wanted to be. I let myself go and allowed what needed to be written to flow through me. And I believe it was one of my most successful experiments as a writer. 

Tell us about Blackberry: A Magazine, how it came about and, what someone can expect if they desired to participate as contributor. 

BLACKBERRY: a magazine was something that I had wanted to create for a very long time but talked myself out of for years. During a trip to New Orleans a few years ago, I visited the art museum and was struck by a painting of a black woman nursing her baby in the sugar cane fields. I thought to myself, “what does this Dutchman (the artist) know about a black woman’s experience?” It was infuriating to me that someone else was telling her story. I was also tired of not being able to find other platforms for writers and artists who looked like me. So I decided that it was finally time to create the magazine--and I couldn’t be more happy with the response and its growth.

The magazine’s mission is to highlight the work of black women and  is published 4 times a year, with each issue representing a different theme. We accept poetry, nonfiction, and fiction as well as photography and art. We are also seeking spoken word and flash fiction pieces for our blog. Submissions for the December issue are currently open. More information can be found here: http://blackberryamagazine.submittable.com/submit

When did you first become aware of your gift and, what was that like for you? 

I have been writing since I was a child but despite support from teachers growing up, I don’t think I realized that I had a gift until well after college when I started blogging and began to receive comments from strangers about how my words moved them. You know, it really is amazing how blind we are to our talents. And in fact, most days I still think I’m a quack! I keep a folder in my inbox of comments and and emails from readers to remind myself that this thing I do--this writing thing--is something real that I am good at.  

As a writer do you experience writers block and if so, how do you overcome those times? And, what advice would you give to someone desiring to be a writer / author someday?

I experience writer’s block almost every day! The only way around it is to just keep writing. I know it sounds cliche, but it is the truth. Occasionally I will sit back and think about why I feel blocked. Sometimes it’s because I feel like I don’t have anything to say. Sometimes it’s because I think no one will be interested in what I have to say. Sometimes it’s the fear of my own words. No matter the reason, I know that the only way to stay sane is to keep writing.

My advice to the aspiring writer: Read a variety of books and write what you want to write. Reading exposes you to many different writing styles and voices from which you will develop and craft your own. And when you focus on writing the stories that you really want to tell, it’s destined to be gold because your passion is felt through the words. 

Since following you online I’ve come to love your Instagram photos. Would you care to share what type of camera / apps you use to bring out the beauty in your shots.  

Thank you! I LOVE Instagram. It has become another way for me to experiment with media and has allowed me to connect to so many other amazing people. I have always just used my phone’s camera, first a Samsung Galaxy and now an iPhone 4. A few months ago I downloaded the VSCOcam app and it has transformed my technique. It has so many different filters and ways you can manipulate the characteristics of images. It is by far my favorite!

Last but definitely not least, please tell us about, “The Den”. 

The Den was born from my own selfish need for community. (Though I suppose there’s nothing selfish about community!) I had read Women Who Run With the Wolves while pregnant with my third child and it transformed me in so many ways and I had no one with whom I could discuss it. A little over a year ago I saw that many of the women in my circles were also reading it so I decided it would be great to have a group of women with whom I could dive deep into the stories and have soulful conversations. 

We just finished our 3rd book and I am on the search for our next one. It has been such a gift to be able to hold space for women where we can talk about these important issues surrounding womanhood.

Any last words…?

I’ll leave you with this quote from Women Who Run With the Wolves, words that keep my internal fire aglow: 

“A woman must be willing to burn hot, burn with passion, burn with words, with ideas, with desire for whatever it is that she truly loves.”

— 

clarissa pinkola estes

Alisha Sommer

Blackberry: A Magazine

The Den

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