Jesus Hernandez
 |
| BUY NOW ON AMAZON https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199388873 |
Tell your readers a little about yourself, where you grew up, where you live now, where you went to school, etc. Let them get to know the personal you.
I was born and raised in the city of Worcester, MA. My mother and father originally came from Puerto Rico and divorced early in my childhood. Unfortunately, my mother was left heartbroken with 3 kids to raise on her own. My older sister and brother, with me being the youngest. I grew up to graduate high school but never finished college; school just wasn’t for me. I still live in Massachusetts but moved outside Worcester, although I occasionally hang around there. I love to take care of my health, prioritize self-improvement, stay active, and watch horror films.
What inspired you to author this book?
Honestly, I never really expected myself to be a self-published
author. But deep within my heart and soul, I’ve always wanted to write a book or something that I could leave behind in this world that people
can genuinely value. It wasn’t until I started sharing my words with the
public via Instagram that I realized how much weight and value the things I
wrote carried. I saw firsthand how it made a difference in people’s lives
around the world through messages I’d get saying how I’d helped people feel
like they weren’t alone or how I helped find the words for people feeling what
they were feeling. That was so powerful for me, yet scary at the same time. So, the people who followed my work ultimately inspired me to put all of my writings into a book. I could never see myself as an author,
especially where I came from, but the constant feedback I got from people was
all the validation I needed.
 |
| BUY NOW ON AMAZON |
Where did you get the inspiration for your book’s cover?
I got the inspiration from myself. I wanted the cover to display
how messy my mind is and how my thoughts are everywhere. What better way to do
that than to put myself on the cover? Often sitting alone pondering about life.
It was a photo taken of me by one of my close friends and my girlfriend who’s
an artist did the line art and created the cover.
 |
| BUY NOW ON AMAZON |
Who has been the most significant influence on you personally and as a writer?
It has to be my mother. She’s always been there for me through thick and thin, and she has always been a great example of someone who is resilient and loves unconditionally. I can’t really think of one, I never really followed other poets enough to think of one who has influenced me.
What were the struggles or obstacles you overcame to get this book written?
One word: procrastination! The hardest thing for me to do was to just sit down and type out the manuscript. I hate to sit still for long periods, so it was hard to just sit and type the book out. It was an endless process for me. I’d write a good chunk of it and then wouldn’t return to it for weeks or months. I also think the obstacle of overthinking it is huge for me, and I’m sure many writers feel this way of turning what you write into the structure of a book.
Tell your readers about your book.
It’s a collection of poems, quotes, and prose that I have
written over the years. I chose not to organize the book into sections because
I wanted it to be authentic to how my mind and emotions work. So, I mainly kept
it in the order that I wrote it on my phone. Much of it is my experience and perspective on life, but some also come from my imagination or the
things I’ve been exposed to. It’s a mixture of inspiration, wisdom, love, grief, and everything in between. Hence the title, ‘Life is a messy journey’.
 |
| BUY NOW ON AMAZON |
Who is your target audience, and why?
My target audience is anyone and everyone, to be honest. There’s room for my words to fit into anyone’s lifestyle. At some point or another, we all experience dark moments and moments of enlightenment. Moments of love and moments of heartache. My target audience is humans. I don’t want to leave anyone out of that equation.
 |
| BUY NOW ON AMAZON |
What do you consider your greatest success in life?
The latest success is certainly self-publishing this book. It feels good to create something first in my mind, then later something I can physically hold in my hand. I’m so grateful to live in today's times where that’s possible.
What one unique thing sets you apart from other writers in your genre?
What I write comes from my own experiences and perspective based on what I’ve been exposed to because that’s what makes
us all unique.
 |
| BUY NOW ON AMAZON |
