Today we’d like to introduce you to Kellen Parham.
Hi Kellen, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
20 years ago I discovered a love for writing out of boredom. I was an 18-year-old freshman at Georgia Southern University and to keep my mind occupied during my downtime I started writing rap lyrics in a notebook. To be honest, the lyrics were terrible but nothing serious.
As the years went on, college courses and life itself started getting tougher. I wasn’t doing well academically (my own fault), my cousin back home was killed, a college friend also passed, and I became depressed. Poetry became my outlet. It was the one thing that brought joy into my life. This is when I started taking it seriously – becoming my therapy and priority. Inevitably poetry introduced me to a group of like-minded and talented students who had aspirations of starting a new on-campus organization dedicated solely to poetry: The Neocentric Souls Poetry Troupe. We’d perform all over campus and at different events.
As with all good things, poetry had to come to an end. I needed to reprioritize my focus back on my courses, graduating, and figuring out my future. So I stopped writing. Eventually, I graduated with a Bachelor’s, then later a Master’s, and soon afterward got married and had kids. Through all of this, I couldn’t get back into the poetry-writing groove. However, I kept a journal which I used to jot down lines here and there.
It wasn’t until last year (2021) when my brother-in-law passed away that I found myself with a lot on my mind. His passing triggered the past emotions I struggled with during my undergrad years. So I started writing poetry again to help deal with the grief. Writing a book wasn’t ever a goal in the beginning; it just happened. In the span of 3 months, I compiled over 200 pages of poetry, including some old poems from my college years.
From here, I decided to separate the poetry into two separate books with the first one I self-published in March 2022 titled “A Lover’s Truce”. It wasn’t until August 2022 that I decided to start my own company, Why Not Publishing LLC, under which I plan to publish all future books. The purpose of the LLC was to add a level of professionalism. Plus I was already doing the work of a small business owner so why not make it official?
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been smoother than I’ve ever imagined. The reception and support have been phenomenal. It’s been an interesting journey and I’ve been fortunate enough to have met some really nice people along the way. It’s through these interactions that I’ve learned that we all share common feelings in dealing with life. The biggest challenges I’ve faced have been from within; I’m my biggest critic and I can be unnecessarily hard on myself.
Also, for the first time in my life, I’ve had to deal with imposter syndrome and the fear of being accepted. However, meeting artists and creatives around the city have taught me a lot. Taught me that even these well-established and talented artists have had similar experiences and battles. They continue to inspire me. Inspire me to keep going and to keep working.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Professionally, I’m a Statistician. That’s what pays the bills and finances my books/business. What I’m most proud of is my resilience to adversity and courage to pursue something that I actually love. Poetry has always been personal and to share it with the world took a lot of courage. Initially, I didn’t plan to share. I was going to publish for my own mental sake and just leave it at that, but I talked with a friend and decided to let others know. My motto has always been “Why Not” – so why not.
As far as what sets me apart, I don’t believe there is anything that sets me apart because what I’m sharing with the world is what others are also living. My work is a shared experience. It’s alive and I want the reader to be able to add their own story to my books. Every poem is straightforward and open-ended. Fill in the rest with your own imagination and life. That’s the real beauty. Its intimacy is what I love most. I don’t want to be set apart or be seen as different. When you read my work, I want you to see yourself; your own thoughts. My work is built from self-reflection.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that you never know until you know. Meaning, all of us have dreams, but we never know what possibilities and connections we can make with the world if we don’t put one foot in front of the other. Oftentimes I’d think too far ahead which caused me to not even take one step forward. For example, someone recommended me to Voyage Magazine, but that would not have happened if I had not taken it one poem at a time.
Actually, one line at a time. I believe all a writer needs to do is take it one line at a time and not worry about a finished product. Just pour yourself into one sentence a day and allow your work to create itself. The lesson is to look within for your future and to open yourself up no matter how terrifying it may seem. There’s beauty in the world, but it’s harder to see when you’re closed off. Take it day by day.
Pricing:
- $9.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/kellenparham
- Instagram: @locs_and_brews
