PUBLISHED IN: March 2017
THE AUTHOR: Kimia Madani
THE PUBLISHER: Thought Catalog Books
SUMMARY: Writers create worlds for themselves when the ones in which they live become impossible to bear. They free themselves and others with their words. They free the truth and let it sing from the page. The Luminary does this by illuminating the duality of the human experience. Through a series of poems about love, loss, heartbreak, growth, and transformation, it reveals each little seed of experience as a stepping stone that will catapult us to where we need to be.
![The Luminary: A Collection of Poems by [Kimia Madani, Thought Catalog]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51oM04+CjsL.jpg)
Connecting to themes of feminism, mythology, and the vast and mischievous universe, The Luminary is in many ways about the power of learning to answer and embrace the call of our own darkness, and in doing so, finally letting the dusty corners in our souls look up toward the light. Because it’s in the telling that writers do their work—and it’s through words, and the worlds they construct, that we, as human beings, are truly set free.
THE BACK STORY: In writing The Luminary, I wanted to explore the power of vulnerability through the vehicle of poetry, especially around what were once taboo topics like mental health, female anger, and more. Many of the poems in the collection are ones I have been working on some iteration of for years, though the book itself took months to put together. I absolutely had a vision for it, and it came together quickly!
WHY THIS TITLE?: In archaic English, a luminary is defined as a celestial light-giving body, such as the sun or moon. It’s fitting with the cosmic, otherworldly themes throughout the collection, but also with my belief that art, poetry, and literature are all things that can provide light and hope in dark times.
WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO READ IT? This book exists at a unique intersection between mythology, astrology, and the universal ability of the human spirit to heal. I pull from my own personal experiences, while also tapping into that more ubiquitous current that I think many people can relate to, even if they don’t necessarily relate to much poetry.
As much as the poems in this book are a shedding, they are also a kind of growing. As much as I want to help others, I want to teach myself, also—to climb up into the seat of my own power. Women coming into their own, women recognizing their anger, their desire, and their magic—that’s what I want to grow into, be a part of, and inspire. Of course, it’s not solely for or about women, although some of the poems explore a reimagining of classical mythology that upends tired tropes of femininity—and what “should” constitute it—on their heads.
So, at the same time, it’s for anyone who has felt a need to escape the trappings of their physical limitations, a reaching in them for the fantastical, a desire to transcend their world and into the eternal something that exists beyond it. Essentially, a pull to that which is timeless in art.
REVIEW COMMENTS:
“These poems, “Stardust,” in particular, are writ in lace and bejeweled with morning dew, perfect for the more contemplative poetry fan.” —Berry’s Poetry Book Reviews
“Kimia Madani’s poetry collection . . . aims to uplift those whose souls are tired and aching. While this is her sole collection, the creativity found within its covers surely means that there will be much more to see from this poet.” —Berry’s Poetry Book Reviews
AUTHOR PROFILE:
Kimia Madani is a writer, poet, and editrix who believes in storytelling as a powerful form of magic. By day, she manages the lifestyle blog of a major tech company in San Francisco, California. By night, she dreams of spinning in long, unhurried circles on the moon. A recent graduate of the MFA in Writing program at University of San Francisco, Kimia is currently at work on her first novel.
AUTHOR COMMENTS:
My hope is that The Luminary will not only impart on readers the ability each and every one of us has to grow and heal from the darkest moments in our lives, but to become the (s)heroes of our own stories, to become the myth makers ourselves.
I also wanted to be a part of the modern poetry movement, to help make the genre feel more fresh and accessible to certain readers who wouldn’t otherwise pick up a poetry book.
SAMPLE CHAPTER: The Luminary on Amazon
WHERE TO BUY IT: Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, Bookshop.org, fishpond.com, Booktopia, and other online outlets
PRICE: $9.99
CONTACT THE AUTHOR:
Snowflakes in a Blizzard 