Winter seems to have just started, and yet it is already February and it won't be long before cupids of Valentine's Day come knocking on the door. Traditionally, Valentine's Day brings with it flowers and chocolate, but this Valentine's Day we suggest something slightly different – chocolate and poetry. Poetry carries connotations of romance and seduction, and what can be more romantic than indulging a chocoholic with poetry about chocolate… while enjoying chocolate?
Lisa M. Andrade's debut book, Fueling the Appetite: Poetically Speaking, is more than just a collection of poems. It is an intimate insight into the author's life and personality. "It has poems about love, lust, anger, many things. I write about things that I have a passion for, and chocolate is definitely one of them," she said. The book is organized in a cute and stylish way, with a table of contents presented like a nutritional chart and a "menu synopsis" that briefly and flirtatiously describes the various chapters, including appetizers (poems designed to make you crave more), dessert (poems about chocolate and sweets) and a la carte items (miscellaneous poems.) At a first glance, one could almost confuse the collection with a cook book, but a closer look reveals the fun within.
Personal photographs that are sprinkled throughout the book like candied confetti help the reader better relate to the author and the poems, and the fun style in which the poems are written draw them in. "I like updated modern poetry, something that really gets through to the reader. That's what it's all about, being myself and being fun," said Lisa. It's true – one of the best assets of Lisa's poetry is her honesty, and the way in which her charismatic personality shines through in her words. Cute titles like "A Boulevard of Sweet Treats" and "Confessions of a Self-Proclaimed Chocoholic" hide words that sweeten and seduce (after all, chocolate is an aphrodisiac!) And her poem "Chocolate Therapy for Two" certainly provides interesting tidbits of ideas for a very romantic and sexy Valentine's Day celebration "enriched with lust and 100% satisfaction guaranteed."
Lisa always loved to write, and started writing poetry almost twenty years ago. Anything that drew her attention or incited a deep emotion was turned into a poem, and while Lisa was thinking of publishing a book for a while, it was her daughter who finally inspired her to take the leap. Maria is working hard to collect money for college tuition, and this book is Lisa's way of helping her – all the proceeds will go toward Maria's tuition fund. On weekends, Lisa works part-time at a Humane Society in Carmel, NY, and has a donation box during her book signings, a toy box she decorated herself, for anyone who wants to contribute toys or money. It is this fun and caring spirit that makes her poetry such a treat to read, and we hope that these delightful poems will help sweeten your Valentine's Day.
