wow!!!!!!! this past week has been filled with so much love and I truly cannot put into words how incredible it is to be so surrounded by a community I have for so long wanted to bring together. I’m currently sick as a dog thanks to seasonal allergies, but I wanted to get my gratefulness out into the world as soon as possible.
Last friday (May 19th) was the official launch of my debut poetry collection, THE THIRD SELF, and I’m still in residual awe from the absolute magical success that it was. I’ve said thank you about 500 million times by now but I’m not planning on stopping anytime soon, so THANK YOU to everyone who came in person, who supported me online, who inspired me to write, who made me realize that I was capable of something of this scale. I never would have known love like this without all of you who have been there along the way giving it to me, and reminding me that I deserve it.
I think it’s really easy to forget how big our accomplishments are, and to downplay the amount of work that goes into all that we do. I do not want to let the effort that went into this book and this launch party go unnoticed, so please join me in thanking:
Rebecca Rijsdijk of Sunday Morning at the River Press, my publisher and editor. Rebecca believed in me, my writing ability, and the book I put in front of her. She saw something nobody else had, and together we turned that into a tangible thing, a book we can hold in our hands that will hopefully inspire writers and creatives for years to come.
My partner and secretary, Morgan, for keeping me sane and organized even when I’m flitting around like a lightning bug.
FRABJOUS event planning for coordinating the event and for constantly hyping me up.
Karuna Vellino, Ciku Gitonga, Joseph Soares, and Emmanuel Opemua for reading their incredible work at the launch party.
Photographers Oluchi, Hannah Vig, and Leo Pavell for capturing the night on film and digital for us to remember for years to come.
My friends who have reviewed and rated the book on Amazon and Goodreads (if you haven’t yet, please do! It helps a ton<3).
And of course, all of you for reading my work and supporting me!
Really and truly, this book would not exist without you: my community. I have plenty more to say on community and its value, just not a lot of energy to say it right now. I think maybe that’s for another article, for another time. Until then I’ll simply say: thank you.
If you want to get your own copy of the book, they’re currently available on Amazon and will soon be available in local bookstores in so-called Ottawa — keep your eyes on my Instagram for more on that soon.
And in case I haven’t said it enough:
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
<3 Salem