INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE!

INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE WITH RAINE!

Raine is a versatile and Multi-talented Writer and Poet with a unique ability to tell compelling stories and weave exceptional imagery that has impact on her very vast audience.

 She has an enormous worldwide fanbase and is famous for her imaginative and thought-provoking poetry and her elite use of superb diction and Incredible use of language and aesthetics in her writings.

Today, Raine grants us an Exclusive Insight into aspects of her life and what makes her so Special  

. Enjoy the full interview below;

1.        Tell us about your Background.

I am first generation born in the US.  I am the only girl and youngest child. I lived abroad in Algeria for 2 years when I was a small child, but I have spent most of my life in Texas.  I have a BA in literature and writing from Texas A&M University.   I have worked in IT for a long time.

I think I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was 12 years old, when I first started writing stories and poetry for self-expression and fun.

2. How did poetry all begin for you

I fell in love with poetry when I was in 5th grade. My teacher had American poetry books in the free reading section of our class.  I fell in love with the work of Robert Frost. I started copying out his poems to take home with me. She eventually gave me the book. When I was in junior high, I began to write poetry and have never really stopped writing.

3.   What is your writing process like

I workout in the evening to clear my head and process the day. I then sit down to write my pieces for the next day.  I tend to write late at night, when the world is quiet and still. It normally takes me a couple hours to think through my ideas, write and revise my pieces.  I tend to work on literary journal pieces and my novel on weekends.  I need time to get into my characters heads.

4.  Do you usually have personal connections with your poems

About 60% of the time, I have a personal connection, but I also write from prompts and see inspiration in nature, books and many things.  I tend to feel really connected to nature.  I feel like a child of the forest, and I love star gazing, which is why so many of my pieces talk about the sky.  Star gazing is one of the things my father taught me that has stayed with me all my life.

5. Tell us about your favorite poets and what you like about their writing style

I love imagery.  The more descriptive the better and I love incorporating nature into my work. I also really like lyrical and heartfelt pieces. I love poetry that you can feel or that can paint a picture for you to visualize. I am a huge fan of Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, TS Elliot, Thomas Hardy and Camus.

6. You have quite the International fanbase online, especially Instagram... How does it feel to know that people all over the world read and resonate with your writing.

I am grateful to be able to share my writing and my experience with others online. I hope I can connect with my audience and share a little of my soul with them as well as write pieces to which they can relate.  I want to be a voice that shares relatable stories and poems that describe how we all feel, think and experience life. I like the idea that Fitzgerald had of recording the time in which he lived through his eyes in his writing.  I hope I can do the same one day.

7. What would fans be most surprised to learn about you

I workout everyday to help manage my stress level. While writing is a good outlet, I find walking/ jogging to be the best outlet for me to process my feelings and work out any frustrations. There’s nothing like 5 miles to clear your head. 

I often get the inspiration for short stories or poems while I’m working out outside.

8. Other hobbies you love outside writing and poetry

I love making pastries and have been learning French patisserie.  I also really love art and enjoying going to art galleries to just drink in the paintings. They used to say that the movements in art and literature are tied to each other.  It’s fun to try to correlate the art with the history and the books to see if you can find patterns or see the influences.

9. Are any of your poems based on real life experiences or do you just tap into your imagination.

I absolutely write about real situations, but I use my imagination a lot too. I get inspired by so many things: a pretty sunrise, the way the light shines, the waves rippling on the lake, a good book quote or even a Chinese drama.  

Also, I spend a fair amount of time observing the world and people that often gets utilized in my poetry and my fiction.

10. What was growing up like for you and what has the impact of family been like for you and how have they all perceived your talents as a world class poet

I used to feel out of place in my family as girl who preferred reading to going out and who could lose herself for hours in an art gallery just soaking it all into my head.  My family wasn’t interested in art or literature, they were more outgoing, but they were always kind about my interests. My mother always took me to the library and gifted me books and journals.  My father exposed me to many famous books and authors. 

They were skeptical when I got a BA in English that I’d find a job but I did. I don’t regret those choices. It just took a little while to get here. My father always said that one day I’d be a writer. I like to think they’d be proud of where I am now. I’m still a work in progress but I am writing everyday.

11.  Some sources whispered to us that you are currently working on a special project.please go into detail about this

I write everyday. I have both a young adult fiction novel and an idea for a book of poetry in the works.  I’m also actively submitting pieces to literary journals and magazines as a way to grow and improve my writing skills. 

12. What does literary success mean to you

I like to tell stories whether it be in the form of prose or poetry. Success to me would be to be able to continue to share my pieces with others who enjoy them. Of course, I’d love to publish books, but I’d really like to write relatable pieces that capture the essence of the world and times in which I lived.  I want to share the experience of living and what it feels with both highs and lows.  Maybe, if I capture it well then it will help someone feel connected and not so alone.

13. Would you Consider yourself a woman of faith?

I am a woman of faith. My faith in God is the guiding principle to how I live my life. It shows up fairly regularly in my writing.  I don’t feel the need to beat anyone over the head with it but I don’t hide it. Even in my fiction and short stories, different principles and beliefs will be on display.

14. What does Friendship mean to you?

True friends are like the cream on milk. They are the best part of the living experience. People will come in and out of your life, but a true friend will have your back even when it’s a really long time since you could meet. Time and distance don’t inhibit friendships. I have a good friend who I’d trust with my life that we now live thousands of miles a part, but we still talk all the time.  Once you make that true heart connection, friends can be friends for life.

15. Do you have any special friendships along the line of your development as a creative that you would love to highlight?

I don’t have any friends with whom I collaborate but there are so many kind people, who have encouraged me.  

@uppublishing @lovelydeath_poetry      @scribblingsofmysoul

@shireenshafraz @kaylinwrites @celestialmurmurings

16. What is your take on the state of the poetry community and whats your message to aspiring creatives that look up to you as a source of inspiration

I think it’s a period of transition within the poetry community.  More of the really talented people are not going the traditional route through literary circles but instead are self publishing and going directly to readers through social media.

Also, there are people doing AI poetry and wondering if AI would or should replace poetry.  I’m nor worried about AI taking over poetry because myself and many others write poetry to express ourselves and the human experience. I’d do that even if AI poetry became popular. I’m interested in the human experience and struggle, which poetry is one of the best genres for showcasing. I’d take heartfelt sentiment over a technically perfect AI generated piece.

I’d like to see a return to more traditional poetry within the literary community instead of stream of consciousness. I see so many phenomenal writers whose style don’t align with popular convention. So, I’m hoping for a shift in literary movements to align with the current world.

Lastly, I’d tell other creatives to be true to themselves and don’t let the number of likes weigh you down. I struggle with this concept myself.  The algorithm is rarely kind and it can mess with your head.  Keep writing, keep learning, and keep letting yourself evolve.

17. How would you describe your personality

Because life isn’t always kind, I try to live a life of kindness. I am a glass half-full kind of girl. I’m a relationship builder so I am easy going but I still tend to be very organized. I prioritize people over things. I’m independent but more so because I feel safer that way. Lastly, I am a recovering romantic. When I love, I love deeply but it takes me time to get over someone before I can move on

18.  Asides your passion for poetry, what else are you equally as passionate about

I’m more passionate about my faith and less passionate about fitness but those would be my next big areas of passion. There are some health conditions in my family that make preventative fitness and diet always big areas of passion and concern for me.  I always try to pray, read my bible, workout and write everyday. 

19. Your parting words to your teeming followers and fans worldwide.

I am so grateful that you’d take time out of your day to spend reading my work. I hope to continue to provide you pieces that share a little of my soul and the human experience that keeps us connected. I always read and value your feedback.  Thanks so much!

We all are wishing Raine, the current Poet of the Week all the very best in her endeavours as she continues to be a trail blazer.