Conversations with Amelie Honeysuckle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amelie Honeysuckle.

Hi Amelie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Last summer (2022), I went to Zion National Park to work and live inside of the park. I spent a great deal of time meandering the trails and I always had my notebook with me. I began writing poetry based off of what I felt, where I was, who I was missing, and what I may be hurting from. When I got back home to Colorado, I called my best friend Kendall and told her I wanted to write a poetry book. Before I could finish telling her my idea she immediately said, “Yes. Do it.”

I have the privilege of having a front-row seat to when Kendall published her poetry collection, “Pockets of Lavender.” I loved watcher her create and was there every step of the way. This is why Kendall’s “go ahead” was significant and why I was inspired and realized I could do this thing. With this, I got in contact with Kendall’s publisher and began creating, “What Once Was An Inside Out Rainbow.”

I am currently a Junior at CU Boulder studying International Affairs and Economics while minoring in Philosophy. My poetry collection was released in April and the book has been doing incredibly well. I have had two local book events. One at the Boulder Book Store and one at Barnes & Noble on Pearl Street. My book is sold anywhere you can buy books and it is also sold locally at the Boulder Book Store, B&N, and Trident Book Sellers & Cafe. I adore where my book has taken me and the people I have met through my book.

It feels like my birthday all of the time. Whenever someone tells me they bought me the book, want me to sign it, or my personal favorite, wants to sit down with me and talk about the poems. This is why I shared a piece of my soul with those who stumbled upon my book. I want to make people think.

Poetry is beautiful because it is up to interpretation every time. You can make something of a poem and it will mean something different to each person. Poetry is an art and sometimes it can be loud, quiet, simple, long, extravagant, beautiful, angry, mean, loving, and more.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For the most part yes. I gave myself almost a year to publish this book. I took my time. I have always wished for more time though. Since being a college student it is easy to get wrapped up in school and extracurriculars.

Not to mention if your mental health takes a dip then you step back from a lot of responsibilities all at once. I love my book, but I have always wished for a little more time where all I have to do is focus on my writing.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ll say formally that I am an author. I also have two other jobs that I work to make money for school. My main job is at university. I will answer for both the author and the student.

I am studying International Affairs and Economics while minoring in Philosophy. I adore this combo and it gets my brain going. I am the author of the “What Once Was an Inside Out Rainbow” poetry collection. I specialize in poetry and specifically do my best to be emotional, cryptic, and adventurous.

I am proud of every poem because each one has a very specific meaning or intent. I love being intentional. I think what could set me apart is my story, but we all have our own that makes us who we are. It comes down to what you do with the story you’ve got.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Emotion. I want to make people feel. I want people to read and think. I hate surface-level. I want you to think.

Pricing:

• $13.99

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/whatoncewasaninsideoutrainbow
• Instagram: @wordsbyamelie
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/What-Once-Was-Inside-Rainbow/dp/B0BTTSP8YG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=SL9OET1OFPYK&keywords=what+once+was+an+inside+out+rainbow&qid=1692282986&sprefix=what+once+was+an+I%2Caps%2C138&sr=8-1
• Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-once-was-an-inside-out-rainbow-amelie-honeysuckle/1143018034

Image Credits
Colin Norman, Miles Salzer, and Kendall Hope