SQ: Harry, thank you very much for this opportunity to interview you. Your book Poetry for the Common Man: Storoems and Poems by Harry E. Gilleland, Jr. received very favourable reader reviews. One person deemed it “inspiring, humorous and thought provoking.” You have related the book as being “a collection of 185 of my poems and storoems.” First, what is a storoem?

HG: “Storoem” is a word I coined to describe my style of telling a more complete story than usually found in poems but still using poetic techniques such as end-rhyming, alliteration, enjambment, structured line breaks and stanzas, and even meter at times. Hence, a storoem is sort of a hybrid, a story-poem. When I first began writing in this format, readers would ask me what did I call these – a prose poem, a narrative poem, a free form poem, or what. I decided the best description was a story-poem or storoem. I now have begun to see the word used by others, so I guess it has begun to be accepted terminology.

SQ: What is the book’s basic message and how did you come up with the idea?

HG: The basic purpose of my book is really two-fold – to entertain the reader and to make the reader think about life and what’s important in life. Therefore, some poems are pure fun, meant only to elicit a laugh. Others will bring tears and make the reader stop and contemplate life. I address some important issues, such as family values, honesty, racism, hatred, adultery, love, and the brutality in nature, among others. I try to leave the reader thinking about how they feel about such issues. Hopefully the book contains a good mixture so that the reader enjoys reading a book that is not overly weighty. I like to keep the reader guessing how the poem or storoem will end, frequently having a twist or surprise. I believe an author’s main purpose should be to entertain, while slipping in a few life lessons.

I came up with the idea for what to include in the book simply by writing about subjects I believe to be important and that I have strong feelings about. Many of my writings are based upon actual events I encounter in my personal life or in news reports.

SQ: What are some of the book’s themes?

HG: There are a wide variety of themes in the book, including childhood memories, love and hate, brutality and beauty in nature, tales of fantasy from stories of knights and princesses to angels, death of loved ones, tragic events, and also many humorous topics. There really is something for everyone in the book!

SQ: How long did it take you to write the book and did you hire an editor?

HG: I did not set out to write a book. I wrote poetry for several years, posting my work on Internet poetry forums and getting some poems accepted by poetry ezines. I became a moderator at several poetry forums. Other poets kept saying I really needed to publish my work in a book. Finally, after I had some 275 poems and storoems written, I decided to publish my first book. So, the poetry in the book took some two years to write, but once I decided to write a book, it only took me two months to put the book together.

I did not hire an editor. I edited the book myself, selecting the 185 pieces from the 275 available and then doing the copy editing.

SQ: What credentials were needed for Lulu Press to accept it for publication?

HG: Lulu Press, Inc. is a self-publishing, print-on-demand publisher. Essentially, anyone can publish anything they wish with them.

SQ: Is there a chance you would be willing to share a writing sample from the book, one you feel best exemplifies the book’s “poetry without pretence” theme?

HG: Sure. However, there are so many topics and even styles of poetry included in my book it is hard to choose a small sample that is truly representative. Here are three poems, one free-verse, one rhyming, and one acrostic poem. (A storoem would be too lengthy to include.)

“Why the Nighttime Songster Sings”

In the dead of night,
the mockingbird sings his cheery song.
Why he sings is of debate.
The scientist in me says
he sings to proclaim this territory his,
he sings to attract a mate.
Ahh, but the poet in me says
the mockingbird accepts as his solemn duty
to fill the dead of night –
when all has become dark and dreary,
when the quiet has grown quite eerie,
when Man is most susceptible to
depression and despair –
with song to speak to Man’s soul,
to provide reassurance that this blackness
is but fleeting,
to remind Man all of life’s beauty, ‘tho unseen
in the dead of night, is still there,
to offer promise of a new day’s dawning
when light and warmth shall return to comfort him.
To those who would hear...and understand...
the nighttime songster sings
to offer Mankind hope during all
the blackest periods of his life, just as
in the dead of night.

“Mother and Child”

The mother huddles with her child.
“Don't cry. It will end in a little while.”
Thunderous percussions shake the town,
as death and destruction rain down.

“Mother, why are they trying to kill us?”
“They are an evil race who wickedly lust
to have all worldly assets under their control,
invading while their virtues they so piously extol.”

“Mother, will there ever be peace in the world?”
“Men have a strange love of war, my darling girl,
that brings so many horrors, so many sorrows
to fill all our today’s...and probably our tomorrow’s.”

“Mother, will I live to have a daughter one day?”
“Baby, you mustn’t fret. Just have faith and pray...”
The last sound they hear is the Nazi V-2 bomb burst,
increasing London 's civilian casualties...war at its worst.

“Undeserved Fear and Hatred”

So, can you explain why Mankind reacts to us in this illogical way?
Nothing we've done warrants such fear and hatred to come into play.
All but a few of us are harmless; by controlling vermin we do our part.
Kill! Kill! Yet seeing us simply sunning elicits murder in your heart.
Even though we mean you no harm, you look at us with hateful passion.
Surely you'd never treat a fellow race of Mankind in such a fashion....

SQ: Thanks for sharing some powerful samples! In what ways do you market the book? Which ways have worked best?

HG: I have given away free copies to reviewers, donated copies to my local library, placed classified ads on Internet ad sites, placed ads in poetry and writing newsletters, included a link to the Lulu bookstore selling my book in all poetry forum comments, placed copies in my local Barnes and Noble bookstore and mentioned my book at every opportunity on various Internet poetry/writing sites. Plus, I purchased an ISBN number (1411600649) so that the book is available through on-line bookstores like Amazon, B&N, Books-A-Million, etc.

I think the most effective ways to market are through getting book reviews and getting the book displayed on on-line booksellers.

SQ: Has your book sold well? Do you have a literary agent?

HG: Poetry books are notoriously bad sellers. I have sold only a few copies thus far, less than 100 total.  I do not have a literary agent. Most literary agents do not handle poets.

SQ: How do you support yourself financially while writing?

HG: Fortunately, I have a successful career as a professor of microbiology at a health sciences centre. I was a teacher and research scientist for 25 years prior to becoming poet, and I continue with both careers at present.

SQ: Do you have other publications in the works? If so, I would love to hear descriptions!

HG: I am writing new poetry every week. Eventually I will have enough additional poetry written to consider a second book.

SQ: Is there an author that influenced your writing? If so, who?

HG: As a poet who loves rhymed verse and story telling, I have been influenced most by Poe, Tennyson, and Frost.

SQ: Would you consider yourself to be a successful author or writer? Why or why not?

HG: Yes, I consider myself to be a successful poet/writer/author. I measure success by how much pleasure I derive from my writing. It fulfils a need within me, giving me great satisfaction. Plus I see myself developing new skills, growing in ability with time, and improving as a poet, which makes me successful as a writer. Besides these personal indicators, I have been accepted as a good enough poet to be made a moderator at three poetry forums, to have my poetry published by several poetry ezines and in two print anthologies, and now I have published a book which has received favourable reviews. 

SQ: What advice can you give aspiring authors regarding publishing a first book?

HG: Be prepared, and stay realistic in your expectations. You must work hard in writing and then editing your book to make it as near perfect as humanly possible, but the real hard work comes with marketing the book. It is extremely difficult to get a book noticed among the thousands of books published. Nevertheless, don’t become discouraged. You may not be able to publish through a major publishing firm or to get an agent, particularly if you are a poet, but you can become an author through the self-publishing route with one of the print-on-demand publishers. If your book is good enough and you are extremely lucky, it can become a big success. If not, you still have the satisfaction of becoming a published author of a book. Pursue your dreams and don’t listen to the “naysayers” …

SQ: Is there any information you would like to add to this interview?

HG: I would like to invite readers to visit my personal poetry website at http://www.gillelands.com/poetry and to check out my book at my Lulu bookstore: http://www.lulu.com/harry. I would like to thank you for the opportunity for this interview.

SQ: Thank you Harry, for chatting with me – You are an inspiration to all authors!