Echoes of a Woman's Soul, a Collection of Poetry

The voice of Dianna Doles Petry resonates well in the verse found upon the pages of Echoes of a Woman's Soul. In this collection of her poetry, Petry takes us along with her on a stroll through the mountains and molehills of everyday life. It is Petry's intention that you, the reader, "see how important you are and how all of us share the same needs, feelings, and even actions both within our families by birth and our families by choice."

From the Writer, we hear the echoes of the past coming together with the present, planting themselves in their rightful place in the future. From the Artist, we are led to the dance floor where she weaves the magic of our emotions into a waltz as our heart pulsates to the beat of the music she plays for us in the rhyme and rhythm of her words.

As we turn the pages of Petry's life in her poems and prose, we easily identify with the joy and the pain she describes. Each of us, man and woman alike, knows the depth of these feelings, as well as the daily in-betweens. Each of us has experienced, or one day will experience, the light of love, the shadows of seduction, the power of pain, and the fondness of friendship. No doubt you'll find your own thoughts, as well as new thoughts to ponder, in the wellspring of Petry's verse.

Petry chooses not to divide her writings into topic sections or categories; she feels that life happens sporadically. It follows that her emotions move us at an unpredictable pace, penned in her own style and with the grace of a woman with a unique soul.

Some readers may find the choice of text style for the inside pages of this book a bit difficult to read. The text of the poetry appears thin, light, and curlicued; possibly a bit tiring for not-so-young eyes. However, this is nothing that a strong light over your shoulder wouldn't mend. Or, better yet, read this collection in the comfort of your favorite lounge chair in your back yard with a bit o' sunshine to lighten the journey.

With a copy of Echoes of a Woman's Soul in hand, Dianna Doles Petry invites you to "sit back, take your shoes off, sip on a cup of hot tea or coffee and allow yourself to hear the echoes from my soul calling out to you through my poetry." Heed the words of the Poetess.

What follows is an interview with author Dianna Doles Petry answering my questions in her own words...

How long have you been writing poetry?

My first poems were written in Junior High School. At that time, they tended to be filled with humor or random thoughts. I remember one poem in particular because the whole class laughed as the teacher read it out loud. We had been given the assignment of writing a poem about something in the classroom. Several of the students wrote about the person sitting next to them and they were not all filled with positive responses. I chose to write about the clock on the wall since there was no way I would hurt any feelings or maybe make someone uncomfortable. I wrote about the clock in a way that made it appear to be a demon at the beginning of the class and as time wound down it ended up being a scared garden snake slithering away to bother someone else. I wish I had kept a copy of that one.

What prompted you to publish a collection of your poems?

The honest answer to this is a wonderful support group of readers and friends who kept encouraging me to put a collection of my work together.

Tell us about your muse(s), your poetic inspiration:

This is a difficult question for me. My muse is simply living life and allowing myself to truly feel every emotion very deeply. I have been accused of thinking too much at times and a lot of my writing is the result of my own self-reflection and amazement at how fast the days of my life have passed.

Of the nine Greek muses of myth, which do you most identify? Or do you invoke the "Tenth Muse" as did Shakespeare?

Definitely the "Tenth Muse." There is inspiration to be found from pleasure and pain, laughter and tears, success and failure. I not only seek inspiration, I long to be an inspiration to others. The nine Greek muses were goddesses of poetry who were each dedicated to a particular branch of the art. I write in all forms and cover many subjects.

Other than "Echoes of a Woman's Soul", have you published other books?

I have published "Memories," a collection of personal essays and short stories about my life. This book is soon to be republished in paperback form with revisions.

What can we expect next in publication from you?

I have been working on a new manuscript that will contain both prose and poetry. I hope to have it published by early 2012 but finding the time to polish my work has been difficult for the last few months. My life changed course once again but I have faith that it will add even more life experience to my work.

What are your thoughts on print versus electronic publication?

Echoes is available in both forms of publication and any books that are published in the near future will be available in both forms. Many readers, myself included, still prefer to hold a book in hand and many people have problems with reading from a small screen for an extended period of time. Sadly, book stores are going out of business as electronic readers become more widely used. I even have Kindle on my cell phone. Whether we like it or not, I think most books will be purchased in electronic form now and printed copy will eventually become extinct.

Self-publishing versus traditional publishing; your thoughts:

Unless you are Stephen King, Janet Evanovich, or another well known author, you can pretty much expect Print On Demand publishing to be the avenue you use to get your work out there. Personally, I don't think it matters at all whether you go with self-publishing or traditional publishing. What matters is whether or not people can relate to your writing and derive enjoyment from reading it. The last line of "Tenth Muse" pretty much says it all: "The pain be mine, but thine shall be the praise."

When Dianna isn't writing, what will we find her doing?

I can be found on the top of a mountain working at my job or at home taking care of my elderly mother and the rest of my family. I haven't had much of an opportunity to travel of late but hope to be able to do that again soon. I never go anywhere without my journal and several pens.

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