We recently interviewed A.L.D. Chalom a Swedish author and poet. A few months ago she had published her debut poetry collection “ONE” . We really had a good conversation with her. We are sharing it here with you.
Pro Media Mag: Please introduce yourself to the readers and how and when did you first get into writing?
A.L.D. Chalom: I think I started writing as soon as I could hold a pen in my hand. I used to dictate letters to my Grandmother when I was just a few years old. As a young adult, I must have lost it somehow in the middle of all the chaos of growing up, but I finally started again a few years ago, and now I can never go back!
Pro Media Mag: What is your favorite part about being an author and Poet?
A.L.D. Chalom: I think my absolute favorite part is the fact that I’m allowed to play pretend, even if I’m supposed to be grown up. When writing a novel, or a longer piece of work, you tend to really get sucked into the story and characters up until the point where you don’t really know what’s you and what’s them. I like that feeling. And with poetry, I like the challenge of being able to transmit a feeling, opinion, or even a point in just a few lines. I’m quite wordy otherwise, so poetry is a great challenge for me and a great way to work on my getting-to-the-point skills.
Pro Media Mag: You have spent the last 10 years in different European Countries. How much has it affected your writing potential?
A.L.D. Chalom: I believe that travelling in itself has not directly made me a better writer, reading has, and writing, writing, writing has. However, the travelling and living abroad have made me a better thinker. And obviously experiencing different cultures, learning how they live, and (trying) to speak their language has given me lots of inspiration, and nuances to my way of expressing myself.
Pro Media Mag: You recently released you debut poetry collection “ONE”. Tell us about that?
A.L.D. Chalom: I started writing poetry as a way of escaping the (boring) editing of my novel. I had been staring at that manuscript for so long that I just wanted to light a bonfire with it! We were not best friends. So I decided to start working on something more manageable. Shorter. More to the point. And that’s how I started writing poetry and posting it on Instagram and Facebook under the name @printpoetics, as a fun way of recording my procrastination and distraction from my real job of editing the manuscript. And things just took off. Thousands of people started following my account. And after a year or so, I decided to publish a collection.
Pro Media Mag: If anyone wants to buy your Poetry collection, “ONE”, where it will be available?
A.L.D. Chalom: It is available on Amazon, as well as most large bookstores, such as Barnes&Noble.
Pro Media Mag: Is there someone in particular who inspires you?
A.L.D. Chalom: There are so many great writers, and people for that matter. But I pretty much take something away from everyone I meet. I’m very spongy like that.
Pro Media Mag: What are you currently working on and when it’s expected to be released?
A.L.D. Chalom: I’m currently working on the last editing of that novel I wanted to burn a few years ago, as well as a second poetry chapbook which should be released shortly.
Pro Media Mag: Going further in your career, you would like to be known as a poet or an author?
A.L.D. Chalom: Oh, boy, well, truth is, I still don’t really feel like any of them. I just feel like a person who happens to write occasionally. But if someone would label me either author or poet, I would absolutely take it as a huge compliment.
Pro Media Mag: Readers of our magazine would like to follow you. Are you on social media?
A.L.D. Chalom: Absolutely, I love interacting with my readers – you can follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under the name @printpoetics – and if someone is curious about my personal profile you’ll find me under @aldchalom on Instagram and A L D Chalom on Facebook. Come say hi!
