Behind the Author – House of Heart

Community 4 Minutes

Hello again friends, bloggers, and muses,

The aim of Behind the Author was originally to learn from other successful bloggers and to share their advice with the rest of the word press community. With today’s interview we’re coming back to the subject of blogging and today I’ll be speaking with a brilliant poet, artist, and blogger…

Today’s Guest: Holly of House of Heart

If you’ve never checked out her blog before, too bad for you… Let’s get started!

The Interview

Mathew: Hey Holly, thanks so much for doing this interview with me. I knew I wanted to interview you after reading some of your refined poetry. As well as the unique art you display and the overall vibe of your blog. It’s all art in its own way. What made you want to start blogging and how long have you been blogging for?

Holly: Mathew, thank you so much for inviting me over. I really appreciate it, I’ve been following your blog and I think it’s really wonderful.

I started blogging with a friend in 2011. Prior to that, I was moderating at a friend’s online poetry workshop. He had been blogging at WordPress for awhile at Dithyrambs and Ditties and at his urging, I opened my own blog. Sadly, he passed away and in addition to House of Heart I am managing his blog and with a mutual friend attempting to keep his poetry and writing alive.

Mathew: Sorry to hear, and that’s a really heartwarming thing to do. 🙂

You share a lot of beautiful art on your blog, paintings and such. Are you much of an artist yourself or are you just more of an admirer of art?

Holly: I have an interest in contemporary artwork. My collection of art is primarily by relatively unknown artists such as Susan Dilthey, a gifted still-life artist. I do paint but it has been some time since I have brought out the easel and palette. When I paint I prefer mediums acrylic and watercolor. I think I used one of my paintings at House of Heart, a seascape in coordination with a poem.

Acrylic.jpg

Mathew: Your blog’s been quite successful with thousands of subscribers and a strong following. What’s been motivating you to keep the blog going after so many years?

Holly: I love weaving words, metaphors, imagery, etc. I think most people desire to express themselves in one way or another whether it is with words, art, or various actions. I’ve met (virtually) so many very fine and gifted artists of every category and that alone is a huge reward for blogging. There have been times I have considered closing my blog when I am feeling overwhelmed but as you can see I’m still around.

Mathew: Which artists or poets have inspired you the most in your life?

Holly: There are so many outstanding poets Mathew but  I love most Gerard Manley Hopkins.  My favorite poem by him is ” I wake and feel the fell of dark”.   I also love the poetry and wisdom of Goethe, Rumi, and the beloved poet Hafiz, whose collected works are considered a pinnacle of Persian literature.  Closer to home (I am of  Welsh ancestry) Dylan Thomas is surely one of the greatest poets.  His “Under Milkwood” is unforgettable.  Finally, J.G. Ballards “What I Believe”  is strangely beautiful and on my list of best prose poems.

Mathew: When it comes to blogging (especially for new bloggers), what kind of advice would you give them to help ensure that they are successful and having a good time with their blog?

Holly:  I hesitate to advise anyone, blogs are very personal.  Some may use their blog as a journal and not be inclined to intermingle. They may be looking for a safe place to store their writing, artwork, poetry.  For those who want to have their work critiqued and have a thick skin a workshop poetry forum would probably be a great place to renew or master skills. Harsh critique is, as a rule, not welcomed by bloggers.   I enjoy visiting, reading, and following other blogs that interest me and  I desire the same for my blog. The main advice I would give a new blogger is to find those blogs that interest you, read them, comment on what you like and what resonates with you, follow them and chances are they will reciprocate.  It is definitely a two-way street.

Two way

Mathew: Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview with me! It’s been great to learn more about you and your blog. For the last question, seeing as you’re somewhat of a mystery except through your works of poetry, a single photo, and a clever blog design; I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind sharing a few fun facts about you? Perhaps, tell us what’s in store for the future of House of Hearts? 🙂

Holly: I live in Miami, Florida, I am a nurse at a major hospital here.  I am married to a motorcycle enthusiast and our favorite haunt is the Keys. We enjoy riding and have toured a number of destinations on our bike, most recently the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was exciting riding above the clouds looking down. We also like to travel outside the States. We take the traditional mode of transportation for that. 🙂 I lived in Germany for two years and have friends there that I like to visit whenever possible.

As for House of Heart, it goes on as a hobby and a wonderful way of meeting amazing people from all over the world. I have a poetry ebook that is free to read and download at Bookrix.com.  I have been working on sprucing it up as it has been up for a few years and is in need of  TLC.

Thank you once again for having me over Mathew.  It has been a pleasure and great fun!

The After-Thought

Saving others lives by day and writing poetry by night. My kind of blogger. 😉

“When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.” – John F. Kennedy

Visit Holly at House of Heart here!

Thanks for joining this week’s, Behind the Author!

Questions? Comments? Leave them down below!

Published by The Pensive Wolf

Aspiring author and philosopher. This blog is an outlet for me to share what I discover and to gain your thoughts...

Published

49 thoughts on “Behind the Author – House of Heart”

  9. Yay!!! I love Holly! She’s totally amazing and inspirational!!! ❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕
    Mat, you have a built-in radar to detect brilliance since you’re brilliant yourself! Looking forward to even more of your interviews! 💛⭐️✨💫⭐️✨💫⭐️✨💫

    Liked by 3 people

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  10. What a great interview, Mathew and Holly. I’ve been an avid follower of Holly’s blog for years. Her poetry amazes me, her imagery is sublime, and her kindness infuses each comment. And you’re right, Mathew, that she’s something of an enigma, so it was great to learn a little more about the person behind the words. I too am a huge fan of Hopkins, Rumi, and Hafiz, so it’s no wonder that my tastes have found a home in Holly’s blog. Wishing you both a beautiful day. ❤

    Liked by 3 people

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