We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Willow Martinez-Lopez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Willow below.

Willow, 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.

My latest self-published book: Broken Hearts & Broken Bones: 6th Anniversary Edition, has been a project that has allowed reflection on poems from a very dark time for me. It opened doors I closed years ago, thinking the feelings attached to the poems were better left in the dark; Now as a 24 year old trans-woman, it’s given me an opportunity to get closure on so many wounds left untreated. This book is not only another anniversary edition, but it’s a mature perspective on hardships I endured as a teenager. It was the first book I self-published when I was only 17 and now I get to have it all over again as an adult.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Willow Alexandria, I’m 24 and living in Seattle, WA. I started writing poetry when I was 15 and now am following my dreams of pursuing a full-time career in writing. I started writing as a means to express the emotions I felt surrounding having a rocky childhood. Whether it was hard topics like abandonment issues, or even what it was like to fall in love, something about writing free-verse poetry allowed my to illustrate those emotions into a metaphorical picture with words. Something that sets me apart from others is I’m a first generation American trans-woman. I grew up in Lynwood, California where things were not always the easiest and our schools growing up did not have the most up-to-date materials, but people wanted to strive for something bigger and better. I have a unique perspective on life and it bleeds through any project I work on and want others in the world to be able to be inspired that they can make it to! What makes me the most proud of my writing is that it is all autobiographical and written by me, so it’s all genuinely how I am feeling about whatever I went through. At the end of the day, I also do it for my mother and family who decided to leave their home country behind to better their chances at a good life, and I carry on that legacy with me in my writing and in my goals and aspirations.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I struggled with addiction for 10 years of my life. It was no longer whether I had time to write or not, I was too worried about getting drunk and high to care for anything or anyone in my life. At twenty-two I finally decided to reach out for help and get sober through rehab. Today I have over two years of sobriety and have fallen back in love with writing. I also transitioned in sobriety and am living my truest self everyday. I get to enjoy this second chance at life and have found writing so much more enjoyable because of it. Not only that but my writing is more vulnerable today and readers get to experience my writing that no longer has walls around it because I am no longer afraid to speak my truth.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I grew up reading books from highly renowned writers and have always dreamed of working with a big name publisher like Andrews McMeel. I hope one day I can be one of New York Times bestsellers and see my name next to it. I’m on a mission to reach a widespread audience and for my writing to land in the hands of someone who relates to an experience so that they know they can get through a hardship too; not only can they make it through, but they can also grow into a resilient and astounding marvel and experience the world in a new light.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: w.alexandria_
• Facebook: Willow Martinez Lopez

Image Credits

Emily Vargas