A Dream Realized: Colombe Becomes an Author
Photography by Samantha Rose Creative Co
A little background on two amazing women.
Samantha Whillock
Samantha was our photographer at the Wolf Ridge Retreat in 2018. We love her energy, enthusiasm, creativity, and Monday Moves! (You need to follow her on Instagram @samantharosecreativeco ) She is by far one of our favorite “influencers” out there! Positive, jubilant, confident, and empowering. She recently took over The Black Hat Press, a publishing company started by her grandmother. She is helping women like Colombe publish their work.
If you have ever dreamed of publishing, please check out her page The Black Hat Press.
Colombe Anderson
We first met Colombe at a retreat a few years ago. Amanda and Colombe instantly hit it off, as Amanda was inspired and intrigued by Colombe’s poetry during a creative writing workshop. Colombe recently completed the Boreal Bliss 200 hour Yoga Teaching Training Program. We are so thrilled to watch her journey grow.
Colombe’s journey to publication
Colombe, tell us a bit about yourself?
I am 40 yrs old, a mother of 2 teenage children, and my husband and I have been together for 20 years. I love hiking, yoga, reading, writing, binge watching and spending time with family and friends going on adventures. I have a lot of medical issues that have taught me so much about life, strength, and what a gift it is to be on this earth. I have worked with children for almost 25years and I am a New Yoga teacher thanks to Boreal Bliss!
Can you tell us a bit about your new book?
My book Shattered Reflections is a book of Poetry. I started writing poetry when I was 15 years old. It was a way for me to deal with all of the emotions and thoughts inside my head that just weren't safe to say out loud and it has stuck all these years. This book holds poetry from the last 24 years. The poems cover topics such as feeling rejected, abuse, rape, marriage, love, loss, becoming a mother, not becoming a mother, finding peace, my illnesses, and other things I've dealt with throughout my life. Each poem is accompanied by my age so that readers are able to fully feel what I was going through.
Photography by Samantha Rose Creative Co
Do you have a favorite poem in the book, and if so, is it okay to share with us here?
Triangular fashion
-age 39
Laughter and tears mingled with my fears
Cobwebbed between here and there
Circling the heart in my triangular fashion
I am child pushed back on knees arms outstretched holding the mother earth to me
Warm in her embrace
Ripping the grass with my fingers wild as the moon
Angry in my need for grounding
My feathers rough and unused
Inhaling the sweet aroma of my inner light
Turned yellow
From gratitude
The toad holds the magic
My inner witch rose quartz in hand
I am love
Love for you
Love for me
Love for the giggling blues of the galaxy
Suspended in the field of my hidden desires
My fears wash away with my tears
And I laugh as I brush the cobwebs
From my green goddess wrapped in the grass of mother earth
I shake my wings and take flight
Photography by Samantha Rose Creative Co
Why did you choose to work with Black Hat Press?
It is kind of an amazing story! I decided to do the 200ytt with Boreal Bliss and through training I met 9 amazing women who quickly became friends and supports. When I turned 40 I posted on Facebook that no matter what or how I was going to publish a book, which has been a dream since 4th grade. One of the ladies from my 200ytt said a woman named Samantha whom had taken pictures at a Boreal Bliss retreat was starting a publishing company and looking for authors. Well, I looked her up and read all about The Black Hat Press and how she came to own it. I loved that her grandmother had started the company and that she would be the second generation taking it over as a woman. Plus I really loved the energy that I felt from Samantha through her Instagram. The fact that it came to me through Boreal Bliss was just magic and I couldn't pass the opportunity up!
How can we purchase your book?
Currently you can purchase it off of The Black Hat Press website or by following this link Shattered Reflections- Presale — The Black Hat Press
Shattered Reflections- Presale — The Black Hat Press
We hope to have it in some local book stores soon.
Photography by Samantha Rose Creative Co
What advice do you have for those out there dreaming of becoming an author?
JUST DO IT!!!! For so long I was to scared to take the leap to put myself out there. I had this crazy though in my head that I wasn't writing a book unless I had a novel and that's just silly. There is no right or wrong way to be an author just follow your dreams and go for it, it whatever form it takes. You are strong, capable, and talented and I believe in you.
Photography by Samantha Rose Creative Co
Photography by Samantha Rose Creative Co
More about Sam and The Black Hat Press
Sam, can you tell us a little bit about the Black Hat Press?
My Grandma started The Black Hat Press in 1982. She helped people get published in many different ways. When she started having symptoms of Alzheimer's disease - she handed off the biz to some of her friends from her poetry group.
When I self published the first issue of Rag Mag Revival last year - one of the women reached out to me and proposed the idea of me taking over.
I couldn't say no!
What do you want aspiring authors to know about the Black Hat Press?
I want authors to know they are writers from the moment they decide to be. I believe in choosing yourself instead of waiting for some major publisher to maybe just maybe find your work in a stack of papers. I believe now is the right time.
How can we follow and support you and your work?
You can follow us on Instagram at @theblackhatpress ! Sharing our new books as they are released is always majorly appreciated!
