Christina Hart

1, Tell us about you, and your writing (themes, influences etc. )

With poetry, my writing stems from all the shit I just can’t seem to discard. Memories, good or bad. With fiction, most of my characters are shaped by their pasts, childhood traumas that follow them into adulthood. In life, I think it’s important to understand one’s past and what happened to them, what makes them tick. What makes them absolutely fucking insane. And how they carry on anyway with a smile.

2, What are some of the ways in which you promote your work, and do you find these add, or eat into, your time writing?

I’m terrible at promoting myself. I am shocked every day that any of my books sell, to be honest. I used to share my work on Instagram almost daily, but with a demanding full-time job I’ve gotten off track. I hope I give myself a swift kick in the ass and start sharing again soon, especially with this month being National Poetry month.

3, What projects are you working on at present?

I’m currently working on my new novel The Gorgeous Slaughter. I also have a surprise poetry book in the works that I’m co-authoring with one of my favourite poets.

4, What does poetry mean to you?

I watched a couple once, trudging through knee-deep snow on the side of the highway in Jersey. The guy was holding his woman’s hand, making sure she didn’t fall. They were both smiling. That was poetry.

There will be days when you
completely fall a p a r t
and that’s okay.
There will be days where
your ribs feel like blades.
Let them cut you.
There is beauty in the bleeding.
There is hope in the healing.

Christina Hart, bestselling author of Empty Hotel Rooms Meant for Us and Letting Go Is an Acquired Taste, releases her first full-length poetry collection.

Warning: This book contains sensitive content depicting sex, violence, abuse, drugs, and addiction.