I Asked the Wind by Valerie Nifora - Blog Tour and Giveaway

I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry is a journey into romance, love and loss through poetry. The poems published in this collection span over 15 years of writing. Often starting with short rhythmic patterns, each poem’s lyrical tone is filled with inspired words to express the deep emotion experienced in the intricacies of romance.

Handwritten in a journal and hidden away until this publication, the poems chronicle the journey into and out of love. Written in three parts, the book enables the reader to transverse the intensity of romantic love, from the first moment of falling in love, to the intense pain of heartbreak.

Beautiful and powerful in its lyrical and simple verse, the reader is immediately immersed in a world of sensuality, passion, desire, and innocence; all woven together into a tapestry of human emotion. Each poem transports the reader to a story through the art of poetry. Drawing on natural elements such as the sun, sand, wind and moon, this collection explores the light and darkness of romantic love, leaving the reader questioning if love was ever real at all.

Print Length: 108 Pages
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: The Unapologetic Voice House LLC (December 2019)
ASIN: B07X1VFBP7
ISBN-10: 1733419721
ISBN-13: 978-1733419727

I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry is available in print or as an ebook at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Target, and IndieBound.

Book Giveaway Contest
To win a copy of the book I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry by Valerie Nifora, please enter via Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post. Giveaway ends on February  17th at 12 AM EST. We will announce the randomly pick a winner and email them the same day. Good luck!

Praise for I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry

“...a breathtaking compilation of tender poetry.“ - Jessica Tingling, The San Francisco Book Review

“Valerie’s poetry evokes images of tangled butterflies caught in a breeze, leaves falling too soon, and speaks with a deep, deep tenderness.” – Troy Turner, Poet

“A beautiful tribute to reflective thoughts of love and losses suffered…this was well done… ” – Wanda Firman-Cooper, Reviewer

“Valerie’s poems are not only magnificent to read, but they stick with you.” – Robert Robinson, Executive Producer, The Dinner Salon

“In today’s age of fast-food thinking, attention-deficit scanning, and thumb scrolls past click-bait, it’s refreshing to find a relatable, digestible read that harkens back to an era of leather-bound literature’s reign in terms of meter and word choice.“ – Amaani F. Lyle, Military Journalist

“Val’s poetry goes deeper…into a mosaic of sensuality that leaves you hearing love as if it were a song.“ – Myra Jo Martino, Writers Guild Award Winner for Ugly Betty

About the Author, Valerie Nifora

Valerie Nifora was born and raised in New York to Greek immigrant parents. For over twenty years, Valerie was Marketing Communications Leader for a Fortune 50. She served as a ghost writer for several executives and has executed award-winning campaigns using her special gift as a storyteller to inspire. Her first book is a collection of romantic poetry that explores innocence, sensuality, passion, desire, heartbreak and loss through the lens of her personal experience spanning over 15 years. Her beautiful and powerful voice immediately calls forth a time of leather-bound books and invites the reader to find a comfortable chair and begin their journey through the powerful human emotion of love. Valerie holds a B.A. in Communications from Emerson College and an M.B.A. from Fordham University. She is married and a mother of two amazing sons.

Website: www.valerienifora.com.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vnifora/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ValerieNifora/

Twitter @vnifora

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/valerienifora/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/valerienifora

---- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First of all, congratulations on your poetry collection, I Asked the Wind. What led you to writing poetry about love?

Valerie: Love is the underlining reason why we do anything in life. It's what drives most of our decisions: conscious and unconscious. People spend an entire lifetime seeking love, whether it's love and acceptance of self, finding your one true love, finding the thing you love to do. I think love is most likely the most powerful four-letter word in the English language.

WOW: I completely agree! How did your background in marketing influence your creative writing?

Valerie: I think if you're going to be successful in marketing or communications you have to be a good storyteller. It's a necessary skill. And so, poetry is an extension of that. It's telling stories in a very small space where every word counts. Similar to writing ad headlines or product copy. You have to be very aware of each word and the value it brings.

WOW: Such a good point. You talk about every word bringing value, what does that mean to you as a poet?

Valerie: I love the sound of words and the meaning of each word. Being bilingual (Greek and English), I learned very early that words carry with them special meaning. Sometimes in translating something into Greek from English and vice versa, you have to make a choice between the "word" or the "meaning." In poetry you pick a specific word for that meaning and for the way it sounds when you read it out loud or in your mind.

WOW: That is so thought-provoking! What do you hope readers take away from reading your book?

Valerie: I hope that they realize that wherever they are in their journey in love, that they are not alone. The book is arranged in three parts, so you can choose which part you'd like to read, and it follows an arc of most romantic relationships including falling in love, out of love, or having lost love. It's all in there.

WOW: I think that's so moving. So, what is your process in writing poetry?

Valerie: I wait for the poetry to come. It often starts as a rhythm coupled to a feeling and then the words come. I try not to force it, I just let it flow out and live on the page. And then I go back and make adjustments.The muse appears when she wants, and I just have to be ready when she does.

WOW: This collection of poetry is personal for you. Do you want to explain why that is?

Valerie: First, the cover photo was taken by my cousin outside our mothers' house in Greece. And the poems are time capsules of my memories put to poetry. I remember what I was thinking and what I was feeling and who I was writing about. So it's very personal on many levels. It's romantic me bound in a book.

WOW: Did you think 15 years ago, that you would be holding your book of poetry in your hand?

No. Never. But, that's what makes life so incredible. You never know where the journey will take you. You just have to be brave enough to live it.

WOW: What a moving final sentiment. Best of luck with you and your book! 

--- Blog Tour Dates

February 10th @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Make sure you stop by WOW! Women on Writing's blog today and read an interview with author Valerie Nifora as we discuss her book I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry. You can also win a signed copy of her book!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

February 11th @ Karen Brown Tyson
Stop by Karen's blog today and read a guest post by author Valerie Nifora who will be talking about what prevents people from following her dreams.
https://karenbrowntyson.com/blog/

February 13th @ Michelle Cornish
Stop by Michelle's blog and you can watch an interview with author Valerie Nifora. Don't miss it!
https://www.michellecornish.com/blog

February 14th @ A New Look on Books
Visit Rae's blog today and you can read a guest post by author Valerie Nifora about what helped her get through heartbreak.
https://www.anewlookonbooks.com/blog

February 14th @ The Burgeoning Bookshelf
Visit Veronica's blog today and read a feature that spotlights one of the poems from the book I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry.
https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/

February 15th @ Coffee with Lacey
Visit Lacey's blog today and read her review of Valerie Nifora's book I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry.
http://www.coffeewithlacey.com

February 16th @ Phy Roselle 
Stop by Phy's blog today and read Valerie Nifora's guest post about what most people miss about live.
https://phyroselle.wordpress.com/

February 20th @ Precious Phyllis
Visit Phyllis' blog today and read her review of Valerie Nifora's book I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry.
http://phytallic.wordpress.com/

February 22nd @ Beverley A. Baird
Visit Beverley's blog today and you can read her review of Valerie Nifora's book I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry.
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

February 24th @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdra's blog today and you can read author Valerie Nifora's guest post about why if you're lonely, you are not alone.
http://www.astorybookworld.com/

February 25th @ Lori's Reading Corner
Visit Lori's blog today and read Valerie Nifora's guest post about whether we really have to love ourselves before we love another person.
http://www.lorisreadingcorner.com/

February 28th @ Beverley A. Baird
Stop by Beverley's blog again and you can read author Valerie Nifora's guest post about how life is short, do it now before you die. Get inspired today!
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

February 29th @ Bookworm Blog
Visit Anjanette's blog today and you can read her review of Valerie Nifora's book I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry. You can also read her interview with the author as well.
http://bookworm66.wordpress.com

March 1st @ Choices 
Visit Madeline's blog today and you can read Valerie Nifora's guest post about what her children taught her about love.
http://madelinesharples.com/

March 2nd @ Armed with a Book
Visit Kriti's blog and you can read her review of Valerie Nifora's book I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry.
https://www.armedwithabook.com/

March 4th @ Armed with a Book
Stop by Kriti's blog again and you can read her interview with author Valerie Nifora.
https://www.armedwithabook.com/

March 6th @ The Faerie Review
Come by Lily's blog today and you can read author Valerie Nifora's guest post about why risk is sometimes worth it.
https://www.thefaeriereview.com

March 9th @ It's Alanna Jean
Visit Alanna Jean's blog today and you can read a guest post by author Valerie Nifora, who will discuss why people fear failure. Don't miss this one!
http://itsalannajean.com/

March 10th @ Jill Sheets Blog
Visit Jill's blog and you can read Valerie Nifora's guest post about why we settle on mediocre.
https://jillsheets.blogspot.com./

March 12th @ And So She Thinks
Visit Francesca's blog today where she interviews poet author Valerie Nifora about her book I Asked the Wind.
http://www.andsoshethinks.co.uk/

March 15th @ Teatime and Books
Stop by Janet's blog today and you can read her review of Valerie Nifora's book I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry.
http://teatimeandbooks76.blogspot.com/

Keep up with the latest blog stops @WOWBlogTour.

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

To win a copy of the book I Asked the Wind: A Collection of Romantic Poetry by Valerie Nifora, please enter via Rafflecopter below. Giveaway ends on February 17th at 12 AM EST. We will announce the randomly pick a winner and email them the same day. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway