Penning Poems: An Interview with Esther Davidsson, author of Esther’s Diary

Esther’s Diary was the first book I ever wrote and published thanks to Atmosphere Press! I work part-time for my dad’s business selling skin care products, I also have a one-year-old son, so life gets pretty busy and hectic! I am writing blogs and poems for my next book, Esther’s Diary 2. I enjoy walking, exercising, writing poems, journaling, and listening to music.

You can buy Esther’s Diary here.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The story of my book’s title was pretty easy to find; Esther’s Diary is very deep, personal, raw, and could very much be my actual diary! So, I thought Esther’s Diary is perfect for the title!

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

I was so happy! I felt like I accomplished something big, and because it’s been so long from wanting to write a book and actually getting it done and published, I felt thrilled and relieved when I held it in my hands! I was like, wow, it’s finally here—I did it!

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I have always loved poetry. I honestly did not know how I was going to write a book, though, as English is my second language (Finnish is my first). However, I believe when you are passionate about something it just comes together eventually. I always wanted to write a book, since I was seventeen years old (ten years ago), but I’m glad I did it now and not then because I would only have half a book to write if I wrote it then. I am glad I waited as life unfolded and I had more of a story to tell. Tupac is my biggest inspiration and I look up to him a lot; he inspired many of my poems.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I have been a personal trainer, a promotional model, and I have worked in many different kinds of sales. Something my readers wouldn’t know about me is I used to be really good at soccer in primary school and won many medals for being the best team player.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

The most rewarding and meaningful part about publishing my book was to be able to make an impact; to inspire, encourage, and help those facing troubled times. To show the world you can have a bipolar diagnosis and still be successful and to share what God has put in my heart with the world.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I hope they read it with an open mind and that my words can resonate with them somehow, and if not them then they can learn to understand the people around them. I hope they find their faith whether it be in God or themselves or whatever they believe in, but I hope they find faith because of my story. I hope they learn to accept people whether they are gay, straight, or lesbian. I hope my story and poetry encourage them.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I am currently writing poems and daily blogs for my next book, Esther’s Diary 2. I find whenever I am facing a certain thing in life and I write a poem about it then and there, it turns out to be one of the best ones, so I am writing about all the things I am currently going though and facing.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

I didn’t have any problems working with Atmosphere Press! They exceeded every one of my publishing expectations. I am so grateful for each and every person working for Atmosphere Press—what a fantastic publishing company! I want to encourage other writers to go through Atmosphere Press as they are so good at what they do and are with you every step of the publishing journey. I want to encourage those who have started writing a book or finished but have not published yet to get it done; it’s so rewarding and you can bless others with your writing and your story!

You can buy Esther’s Diary here.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.