Interview with S3B

The following is from an interview with Shawnta Shicole Stockton Barnes (or S3B), author of Reflective Haiku: Poems For Growing, Healing, & Restoring the Soul and co-founder of Brave Brothers Books.

For anyone who doesn’t know who you are, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m an educator. For most of my career, I was a middle school English teacher. Most importantly, I am a mom of identical twin boys.

What initially got you into writing in general?

I was a reserved child. Writing was a safe outlet for me to channel my thoughts. In addition to journaling, I would write poetry and stories.

What inspired you to write Reflective Haiku: Poems For Growing, Healing, & Restoring the Soul?

I never intended to write this book. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, I was a school administrator co-supervising a middle school. It was a stressful time. During that time, I decided to write haiku to express my feelings. I ended up with a huge collection of haiku, and I noticed emerging themes. That’s when I decided to make a book. Those themes became the chapter, and I teamed up with my son, James, who drew the illustrations for the book. Colorist Amanda Middleton colored the illustrations.

Can you tell us about your writing process?

What was the most difficult part of writing a book? I write every day. I write in my notes app, in my journal, or a Google doc. Sometimes I write a few sentences, and other days I write much more. The most difficult part of writing is trying not to edit yourself as you write. It is best to get your thoughts on the page and worry about the editing later.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Good writers are avid readers. Any person who wants to be a writer needs to read, and read often.