A “breathtaking” journey through India was the inspiration for London Metropolitan University graduate Francesca Cacciarru's first published collection of poetry, 'Blooms'.
Date: 14/03/2012
A “breathtaking” journey through India was the inspiration for London Metropolitan University graduate Francesca Cacciarru’s acclaimed first published collection of poetry, ‘Blooms’.
After last year graduating from a BA Creative Writing degree, Francesca and a friend embarked on a two-month trip through the Subcontinent: “I went from snowy mountains to whitewashed shores, from hot deserts to tropical forests. I was inspired by this diversity and variety, reflected in the landscape as well as in the culture and people.”
Now available on Lulu, a self-publishing site, Blooms will soon be available on Amazon.co.uk and in bookstores UK-wide.
“Every time someone buys a copy, I think of them receiving it, opening it, and all along the book smiling and frowning and reflecting ... that's a dream!” said Francesca.
Blooms has been met with high praise from established poets, including Dr Sarah Law, a poet and Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at London Met. Sarah described Francesca’s work as: “insightful and lyrical poems...that capture moments and their wider aspects succinctly and surprisingly.”
In praise of Francesca’s collection, The Upcoming magazine said: "Blooms will make you wonder, dream and question. Cacciarru absorbed and brought to life the feelings of being a traveller, immersing in another culture...and going home."
Blooms has also been accepted into the Poetry Library in the Southbank Centre, which Francesca said she can “hardly believe!”
“When I was writing I always went there (to the Library) to study, and now they have requested two copies of my book - one for reference and one for loan!”
Born in Iglesias, Sardinia, Francesca moved to London in 2004, where she now lives and writes. She has been passionate about the English language since she was a child: “As a kid I was simply obsessed with all things English”, she said.
For someone who has “always loved writing”, studying creative writing at university seemed a natural step for Francesca: “I wrote regularly in my spare time, but at some point I felt that wasn't enough.”
“I browsed the courses at London Met and I thought: wouldn't it be wonderful if I could study writing as a subject, meet others who share the same passion and even earn a qualification for doing just what I love doing? So I decided to enrol.
“I picked London Met because I lived nearby and liked its fresh look. Also it's very multicultural, which fascinated and inspired me.”
She said the Creative Writing course gave her “an insight into what it really means to be a writer - or try to be one - the pain and joy of it, the gratification and the disappointment.”
Francesca is now a freelance writer for the magazine The Upcoming. She said: “I mostly write reviews of books, shows, music and exhibitions. I get to go around a lot and I feel very professional. So I really enjoy it, although in my dreams there aren't articles but novels and collections!
Take a look at Blooms on Lulu here. You can also follow Francesca and publication updates on Facebook and Twitter:
www.facebook.com/pages/Blooms/278942205509139
twitter.com/FranCacciarru