We recently connected with Carrie Schonhoff and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Carrie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I took a risk publishing my poems. My editor told me that at the end of my first book, “The Liminal Space,” it would be an emotional journey captured on the pages. I didn’t realize the impact it would have on others when I shared my vulnerable self through poetry. It’s risky to share your inner most thoughts, but it has been the most validating experience of my life. I published my second book, “The End of the Beginning” in the fall of 2021 and have begun work on book number 3. A risk that has certainly paid off!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I self-published two books of poetry and wanted to reach a wider audience. I formed an LLC and hired a publicist, Margaret Geiger, to help me build out my website and social media platforms. Margaret also assists with outreach to bookstores, libraries and other venues to have poetry readings and sell books. Liminal Artistry LLC is in part, after my first book, “The Liminal Space,” and is designed to showcase not only my poetry but also my daughter Sydney’s artwork. It takes a team to band together and maintain a quality brand and organization that I can be proud of and will encourage and inspire others.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

If anyone knows resilience, it’s me. I became a widow a few years back, which was a hard time for not only myself, but my two young children. Being a single mother has affected my outlook on life. I have had to be even stronger for my kids, keep a roof over our heads and continue to find some sort of normalcy after this traumatic event. I’m fortunate to have an amazing support system of family and friends that have helped me through. And, I discovered a skill I didn’t think I had: writing. Poetry has been an extreme form of healing for me. Putting these emotions on paper so that I can remember the good and bad times, but also be able to share with others so that they may find peace and healing, is so important to me. I’m also reminded of my resilience every time I read my poetry in front of an audience. My hope gives them hope, and there’s no better feeling than that.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

You are not good enough.

From as long as I can remember, I have been told I wasn’t good enough. Whether in school, with work, in relationships, I just didn’t make the cut. But as the years passed and the more people I’ve met and experiences I’ve had, I’ve finally come to terms that I AM good enough. I’ve found this through my poetry. Little comments like, “your poems helped me through a tough time” and “you are an inspiration to all” have been truly humbling. Just having a slight admiration and assurance that what I’m doing is important, is heartwarming. That’s really why I do what I do. If I only sold a handful of books, I’d be happy to just hear from readers that one poem touched them and inspired them to do something good. That’s good enough for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: liminalartistry.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/liminalartistry
• Facebook: facebook.com/liminalartistry
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-schonhoff-5857783
• Twitter: twitter.com/liminalartistry