Amazon Reviews for Through the Fire, Volume I: The Pressure are in!

Holy cow! I've got reviews (?!?) and so much gratitude!

Sneak peek into Advocate Blues, one of twelve poems in Through the Fire, Volume I: The Pressure

When I set out to form this collection, all I really knew was that I had written a large volume of poetry in a very short time. My past is so checkered and splotched with traumas, abuses, losses… and personal reactions that were sometimes resilient and inspirational, others more resembled falling flat on my face.

I’ve spent the last two plus years trying to sort through my past and truly process the many layers, following a five-year mental shutdown. In honesty, it’s still a turbulent storm in my head some days.

Trauma wires us to shield, adopt a defensive posture, distrust, and doubt ourselves. When you layer traumas and loss over the majority of your life, well, it can take a really long time and repeated ‘bounces’ to finally stand on your feet again.

And it’s a hell of a lot harder to put yourself back together again than it is to fall apart in the first place.

I have spent an inordinate amount of time castigating myself for not being stronger and figuring this all out sooner—another lovely gift from my bad wiring. Being here with all of you helps tremendously.

More than you can possibly know.

I don’t feel so alone, and the greatest gift is realizing that what I’m experiencing is part of the human condition more than a personal failing. I’m learning to give myself grace a little more each day…

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Shuttle Reflections is a retelling of a conversation had in a vehicle, with direct quotes. Different sides of the aisle, politeness and seed-planting engaged.

Thus, it Began…

So, over time, I realized I want to tell you my story… no, I need to tell you my story. Not ‘and then, and then, and then’. But as experience.

Through the Fire is a 4-part arc that explores the feelings and experiences that shaped me into who I am now. Some of these poems are direct retellings of past experiences, while others explore the way my mind perceived and tied separate events…

This isn’t a chronologically organized arc; the feelings I have felt at various stages are integral to the whole: the why and the how. Thus, the arc: the pressure—the fracture—the reckoning—the release.

I’ll be real here: this isn’t a pretty tale and there is no sense of closure until the final volume. My aim is to let you sit with it for just a bit. These events occurred over a lifetime and, as life goes, there is no tidy Hollywood resolution.

What’s here is real, gritty, and authentically me. From the ash, I slowly but surely rise.

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Those of you familiar with my work may recall Bad Math. It’s about the cold calculations that cut away those who need the most by deciding they have no worth.

On Self-Publishing

I’m here to say: self-publishing is no joke. There is a ton to learn and just when you think you know the score… you find something else you “missed” along the way.

I can’t complain; I’ve learned a lot about the process and will surely learn a great deal more. With things unsettled recently, I’ve fallen down on one core of the process: spreading the word!

So, I want to take a moment to show you what others are saying about my chapbook. And also, to thank these wonderful people from the bottom of my heart. It takes a village for sure: I would be nowhere without the wonderful support some have already shown me.

This is my first venture into this space; there will be others. I will continue to bring the very best I have to offer to the table. The next volume will be out in a few weeks; working on artistic layout now!

For now, please consider checking out Through the Fire, Volume I: The Pressure
Available on Amazon Kindle for download/paperback and also on Kindle Unlimited!

👉If you have already gotten your copy, I would dearly appreciate a line or two on Amazon — it can truly help my work be seen by others. Thank you so much for your support! 💜

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Help came not from one conversation, but an excerpt of many conversations, both personal and ones I witnessed over time, seeking assistance from a system too numb to care.

The Reviews So Far

The poems show great variety in form and structure and some poems that are delightfully experimental.
The poems are also well-written, expressive in their exploration of larger themes and emotionally honest, and the design of the book shows great care and attention to detail.
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Carlos Morales 🌀

I truly appreciate your review more than I can say—Carlos, the support you’ve shown me means everything to me. 💜

Liora tells you up front this isn’t the “pretty stage” and there’s no tidy resolution here - and that honesty becomes the book’s backbone…
…line choices are plainspoken but musical; the white space does real work. You can tell these pages come from both witness and service, not just memory.
Who is this for? Anyone who has ever been the one at the counter asking for help - or the one behind it trying to do the right thing with a broken system in your ear.
—

Joakim Blytt

The razor-sharp clarity and depth you brought to this review made me so happy, Joakim. To be seen in this way is deeply humbling. 💜

*These are excerpts; to view the reviews in their entirety, please visit Into the Fire and scroll down👇

I loved this book. The author reaches deep into her soul and reaches out to help others who cry. An amazing author.
— Kindle Customer

Clown Shoes speaks to both toxic work culture and the state of politics today. They have many commonalities.

My hope is that my work can keep reaching new eyes and ears. Every bit of feedback helps in immeasurable ways for my path forward. I truly appreciate any and all who support in any way:

• Purchases are great—in these unsettled times during grad school and medical uncertainty, every little bit helps me to keep the internet on and keep writing!
  I deeply appreciate this more than you can know!

• Likes and comments help to spread this message, such a boost!

• Restacks are amazing and also help greatly to spread the word—true help to amplify it!

• Reviews on Amazon are amazing and help my work to reach even further—if you’ve read it and have something to say, I would be deeply grateful!

Any and all support is so deeply appreciated! Thank you so much for reading and happy Sunday! —Liora 💜

This space is free to read, but support is greatly appreciated!

This piece comes from the work of all of the pieces that make up… me. I truly appreciate you reading this far and hope that you will consider supporting my work.

If my work here speaks to you and you’d like to support it:
– Buy me a coffee – a small boost for the human behind the words.
– Feed the kitties – cover a day’s meals for the colony of feral and free-roamers I care for, and you’ll get my Whiskers in the Dark mini-zine as a thank-you.
– Buy my chapbook - not only will you make this human grin ear-to-ear, but you will also have some great reading material or, if you buy the paperback, premium color on premium paper – a sure-hit when the impending apocalypse arrives from the AI singularity or complete police state – take your pick!
(I’m just joking… maybe...)

Every like, comment, referral, and recommendation helps my work get seen. I appreciate honest engagement and connection. If something here moved you, share it.

To show my appreciation, I offer rewards for referrals. See the leaderboard for details.

If this lit a spark, subscribe free so the next ember finds you.

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