We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lisa Lynn Ericson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lisa Lynn below.
Lisa Lynn, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
I have been a writer and poet for as long as I can remember, expressing my experiences around the globe with pencil and paper. Occasionally, I would share my poems with family and friends, never imagining a wider audience. Then, more recently, I sensed that my voice as a poet was worth sharing with the world, a lifeline of hope that prods people to courageously consider life from another perspective. I released my English poetry book, “Vibrant Simplicity,” a collection written over a period of 30 years, and it received a national award in the U.S. in 2022. I also released a separate poetry book in Portuguese, entitled “Simplicidade Vibrante: Pensamentos Poéticos de um Fado Feliz,” which is a unique set of poems (not at all a translation of my English collection), prompting readers to view the horizon with hope instead of a posture of fatalism. This Portuguese poetry collection won an international award, which I’ll be receiving in Geneva, Switzerland, in a few weeks. My journey as a poet has instilled in me the value of creativity not merely as an end in itself but also as a channel for enhancing the lives of others whose hearts my poems have touched.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a multilingual nonfiction writer and poet, originally from Lisbon, Portugal, and currently living in the U.S. I have four published books and will be releasing a fifth book shortly. The two nonfiction books that I have authored are true stories of survival, dramatic accounts of transformation that I have penned as a ghostwriter on behalf of two remarkable individuals who retained my professional writing skills. As a poet, I have performed at a global level, competing in spoken word tournaments in Portuguese and presenting my English poetry collection in both spoken word and song. In May 2022, I won the best performance award in a global Portuguese poetry competition, and in November 2022, I won 1st place among the leaders of the tournament, again in Portuguese. Two of my poetry books have won national and international awards. In addition to my activities as a poet and author, I am the Technical Writer and Research Specialist at Sight & Sound Theatres in Lancaster, PA, where I have worked for over 20 years. In 2022, I was the Script Supervisor of the movie “I Heard the Bells,” produced by Sight & Sound Films, a new branch of the company. The film was inspired by the true story of 19th C. poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and has been very well received by the public throughout the U.S. and in 80+ countries. The undercurrent of my work, in all arenas, is a lifeline of endless hope, which it is my pure pleasure to share near and far.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
After graduating from college with a degree in History, I worked for several years in Lisbon, Portugal, my hometown, particularly delighted to interact with the public as a tour guide at the National Archives as well as at the Museum of Communications in the city. Life was full and never dull. However, I reached a crossroads, due to challenging economic circumstances that were affecting many young professionals my age. I made the difficult decision to travel to the U.S. and pursue opportunities on this side of the sea. It was an enormous shift for me, a cultural adaptation beyond anything I had expected. Although I already spoke English because of my educational background, the norms and habits in the U.S were new, requiring me to be resilient, agile and willing to adopt new customs. I was offered a job within a few days of my arrival in the U.S. and have remained at the same company for over 20 years. At first, admittedly, I barely unpacked my suitcases, struggling with homesickness for Portugal. But then, I realized that this new life was worthy of my attention and heart, and I have developed a wide network of professional and personal successes worldwide. I always seek to live with no regrets, and I do not regret taking the step across the ocean. I’m grateful for each challenge and the opportunity to live courageously.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Having grown up in a European capital, I was used to city life. Recently, I was invited to travel to the jungle of Colombia, South America, to evaluate an ecotourism project. Part of the assessment involved floating down a remote river on a bamboo raft. I was accustomed to the sandy seashores of Portugal, not the nuances of wearing a life vest and keeping my balance on a rugged raft on the rapids. When the raft operator offered the chance to jump into the river and test the waters, I couldn’t resist. I took the plunge and felt the thrill of floating downstream. Suddenly, the raft operator shouted out that there were rocks up ahead and that I needed to climb back onto the raft. In a surge of adrenalin, I pulled my body as high toward the surface as I could, trying to avoid smashing against the rocks. Another traveler grabbed me, hoisting me back onto the raft. All was well, and I was glad I had pressed out of my comfort zone into an unforgettable adventure.
Contact Info:
- Website: LisaLynnEricson.com
- Instagram: @lisalynnericson
- Facebook: @lisalynnericson
- Linkedin: Lisa Lynn Ericson https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-lynn-ericson-334659a0
Image Credits
– Picture with young woman named Shannon Kerr. She is the subject of my book “Against All Odds: An Incredible Journey of Hope and Healing.” – Picture with young man in uniform named Abbas Hameed. He is the subject of my book “Cease Fire: The Story of a Sniper Who Found Life.”