Hello readers! Today I am excited to welcome Rave Reviews Book Club’s February Spotlight Author to The Indie Spot. Take it away, Forrest. . .
Writer’s Q&A
What inspired you to write and become published?
Answer: Many people have heard me say I like to represent people who are in the “land of misfit toys.” What do I mean by this? When I use the analogy, I am talking about people who do not fit inside the heteronormative, privileged society. Some question if this world still exists. If you look at current politics in the United States, you can see these examples fully. I represent the different; LGBTQ, people of color, the poor, etc. We are all human, however, there are many who are privileged who tend to focus on their own “special needs” and forget to represent all people.
“We the people” does not mean you pick and choose who get civil liberties, or cutbacks in taxes. It means all people, no matter race, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or identity. I may be lost in a utopian point of view, but I believe we can care help each other. As far as why I pursued publishing? Was it to become a world-famous author that would be a NY Times best seller? No, I never imagined my work would elevate to such levels. Not that I would be opposed to it, however, my goal has always been to inspire others to find their voice, to make the world a better place, and to show others they are not alone. I have survived more than most people, so I have been told. I truly believe literary arts help unite people and help them into a world of common ground. When we start to see similarities in each other’s eyes and hearts, we can become united, creating a world that focuses on the greater good.
Excerpts from “Journey to the Rainbow’s End” by Forrest Robert Stepnowski
Human
I sit here in the silence, complacent, and meaningless.
Am I but a whisper of make believe, a soldier trapped in a world of turmoil and lies,
I am alone,
I walk through a shadow driven by what I believed to be my calling,
An inspirational relic lost in the memes of my successors,
I am lost,
I stare at the night sky wondering where I’ve been, trying not to dwell on the should’ves, could’ves, and would’ves,
Not knowing what exactly I’m doing wrong and why I walk in pensive dreams of those who may oppose me,
I am drowning,
I lay my head down trying to escape the nightmares of existence, of a world that still identifies me as the keeper of rainbows and glitter.
Forgetting I left my heels and tiaras at home in a closet that I thought I’ve long since escaped in distant memories,
a closet which many wish me to return,
The Journey continues,
I wake up and begin to laugh at the adversity being thwarted at my doorstep, for I have survived this demon before.
It attempts to taunt and hinder me, trying to break my will and sparkle,
I am my own utopia.
They say god doesn’t give you more than you can handle, I am broad shouldered after all,
Even the meek can fight the negative blood outpoured from those who say they are true friend,
I am humbled.
I am captured by rejuvenated thoughts and energy, and begin to rise and embrace new beginnings…
I fly like an eagle, soaring out of the darkness and into the light,
For this I say… I am human.
Social Media Links:
Website/Blog: https://www.forresttakesajourney.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forrestrobertstepnowski
Twitter: https://twitter.com/frstepnowski
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forreststepnowski
Journey to the Rainbow’s End: A Drag Queen’s Odyssey (Available on Kindle and Paperback)
AUTHOR BIO – FORREST STEPNOWSKI
Forrest Robert Stepnowski is an advocate, writer, social worker, and performance artist in the Pacific Northwest. He has been writing poetic works and prose for most of his life. He realized how important it would be to share his work with others, who may have tread similar paths of self-hate, self-deprecation, and self-loathing, in the hopes that they find they weren’t alone. Helping others who have been deemed as “different” because of varying sexual orientations or identities to realize that they are not deviants nor are the “against human nature” has always been of grave importance to him. He wants this group of beautiful people to know they are part of a collective, on an island where being different is embraced and accepted.
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