I was recently lucky enough to be gifted 2 poetry collections from the lovely Haley Valenta. Reading the poems was like talking to a friend. Her words are raw and real and send a very clear message. From the words I pulled a sense of hope and a desire to fight, to keep going. Her current publications are “Wallflowers” and “When No One Was Listening” but she is working on a 3rd collection. She writes of her life and things she has overcome in such a beautiful way. I recommend giving her work a read.
After reading her work, I decided I needed to do a little interview with her. With that being said, take a moment to get to know Haley Valenta!
Haley is a poet from Wisconsin. She graduated from Coe College with a degree in Writing and Public Relations. She hopes to use her degree to pursue a job in her field, but in the meantime, is working on her third poetry collection. She recently completed 2 internships and is currently on the job hunt. She hopes to be able to write or enter into some sort of marketing position.
What inspired you to write? Has writing always been your dream?
I’ve dreamed of being an author ever since I learned how to write. I can remember handing my teacher my first short story sometime around the first grade, so I’ve been chasing that dream for pretty much my whole life. It’s been really cool, loving writing for this long and being able to see how it’s evolved. I don’t know if anything necessarily inspired me. It’s just been this thing I’ve sought after for as long as I can remember.
Other than writing, what forms of art do you enjoy?
I enjoy various kinds of arts and crafts. Like, I made bracelets for a book giveaway this year. And one thing I really enjoy is stamping bookmarks. I’ve been able to place them in various spots around the city with my Instagram handle on them. I also crocheted for a while. (I love everything about this! -K.T.)
What are your hobbies?
I love watching new horror movies. It’s a goal of mine to reach 1,000. Horror is also something I’ve loved for as long as I can remember. (As someone that also loves a good horror movie, I think we would be great friends! -K.T.)
Who is currently your favorite author? Do you have a favorite genre?
Priscilla Shirer, from the Christian nonfiction kick that I was on. I was reading Christian nonfiction for a while but I’m back to fiction. I’ve been a little all over the place, genre-wise, so I guess I couldn’t really say.
What is your ideal writing location?
Fun fact: a side effect of one of my medications is restlessness, so I pace all day. So my ideal writing location would be pacing the length of the house while writing on my phone. (I wish I was able to write on my cell phone! I need to write by hand or on a laptop, preferably by hand. -K.T.)
What do you hope readers take from your poetry?
I hope they take away a story, not just a nice feeling. I hope they learn something about what I’ve gone through and in turn use that to help them through whatever they’re facing.
What do you want to share with emerging authors?
Keep going, even if you don’t see the results right away. You’ll get to your destination with baby steps, and one day, you’ll be able to look back and see all of your progress. That’s so important.
What is your favorite poem in Wallflowers/When No One Was Listening?
My favorite would probably have to be Birdcage. I wrote it for a college poetry workshop and it just perfectly captures so much of my life at that time. (I absolutely loved Birdcage! Be sure to give it a read. I also enjoyed 16, 22, 26 from Wallflowers & Tempest in When No One Was Listening was my favorite! -K.T.)
I hope you enjoyed this look into my interview with Haley Valenta. Head over to my Instagram where I will be sharing my favorite poems and more snippets from our discussion. Also be sure to find her on instagram and help support her on her writing journey. Her insta handle is @hlylauren). Below are links to her works on Amazon:
By the way folks, I also have a Substack now! If you’re interested in being included on my mailing list please head over and subscribe. Link below!
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Katrina Thornley 
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