Today I’m visiting with the newest member of the dVerse team, Shanyn Silinski. I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with Shanyn in the past and I must say she is so fun to work with. Let’s start with a poem.

Everything is out of our hands…
by Shanyn Silinski

Everything is
out
of our hands.
I tell you,
it’s out
of our hands….
Nothing was
ever
in our hands.
Seeds we plant.
Rain we praise
or curse.
Babes we birth.
They grow
weeds, roses or vines.
Everything is
out
of our hands.
Not by works.
Not by righteousness.
Nothing in our hands.
Nothing but grace.
I tell you
it’s out
of our hands…
and I tell you
who has
hands enough
for it all.
He does.
He can.
He will.
He is.

What an insightful poem. Tell us a bit about how poetry has evolved in your life, Shanyn.

Poetry has been a part of my life since I was able to write and read. My love of well-crafted words and songs became a love of poetry. I used to stay up late at night with an old typewriter ‘writing’ poetry. I still have a few binders full of them.
At this point in my life my poetry has changed somewhat from my first collection in 2001, Rainbows of My Heart. I’m more of an advocate, a stronger voice. I know myself better and am in a better place and I think my poetry reflects that.

What does your typical day look like?

In winter it is getting the boys off to work and school, going outside to chore the cows and horses, then I come in and do some writing, some research for author friends and edit photos. I read poetry, and books. I love baking and this time of year is great for making goodie trays to share with friends and people we know who help us during the year.

What is your favorite thing to bake?

I love baking bread and buns, especially cinnamon buns. My son called the ‘snail bread’ when he was little. And the guys like my pies too!

I bet! Do you have a set routine?

No day is the same – sometimes I’m doing a parts run, fixing fence, working on equipment with my husband or doing things with our son or taking care of the critters.

What are your “must-haves” for the day?

Morning time, after the bus and chores, I enjoy a coffee and some quiet devotional time and reading. I love to watch the birds and our resident coyote who loves to eat the apples in the yard.

Do you have any long-term goals and aspirations, Shanyn?

My goals are to finish editing, and laying out Broken Wings & Second Chances and to finish writing my novel, Three Quarter Down and work on two other projects.
My aspirations are to keep learning, to keep growing as a writer and an artist. To connect with others who sharpen me, and I to them like the Proverb. Iron on iron.

Tell us more about your books.

Broken Wings & Second Chances will be my second poetry book, once I get done selecting the poems (so hard, like choosing a favorite friend or book!).
My novel is a murder mystery set in a fictional area of Canada much like Manitoba, Three Quarter Down is a size of gravel as the body is found in a gravel pit.

What about your first poetry book? Where can we order one?

You can get Rainbows of My Heart from me; I can dig them out and send them to anyone who wants one.

Joy Hunt
by Shanyn Silinski

Looking for some joy?
I’ll help you look!
We’ll travel by pathways
Known to hearts alone.
And in helping you
Find your own joy,
In that discovery I…
Will have found my own!

(from Rainbows in My Heart collection)

Are you self-publishing and if so, tell us about your experience.

I did self-publish the first one, and I’m exploring doing that again with the second. As a former newspaper layout and typesetter it was not a big stretch to do a book — have done them for clients before. I enjoyed doing it, but the marketing before FB and Twitter was much harder.
I love the idea of e-books but still am completely in love with the smell of ink on paper, and the feel of a book in my hands.
I have a long poem I’m working on making into a children’s book — just looking for an illustrator. I’m kinda doing lots of things at once. I even have more than one book on the go at a time.
And no I don’t think I’ve ever been bored!

I can definitely relate to having many projects going on at once. Anything else you’d like to share with us?

Five random things: I love Angry Birds and Tetris. I like to build Lego. I have rescued dogs, cats horses and cows. I used to be a firefighter. I love my tattoos. I have been married to my best friend and oft times inspiration for 10 years. We met on line. 🙂

A firefighter! Any stories to share?

One of the coolest things I got to do, and the saddest, was to spend the day with the FDNY Fire Marshalls on September 9, 2001. I got to meet their Chief, and some of the investigators. We drove around Manhattan, saw the fire museum and their Fire Zone education area. Then on the 11th I watched them as they ran into the towers to save people, and talked with them and so many others online through those dark days afterwards as part of an online support group. The funniest part of the story is they thought I was CRAZY for fighting wild-land fires with just a broom and I thought THEY were crazy for doing high-rises!

What an amazing experience! Do you have any favorite poets?

My favorite non-dVerse poets are e.e. cummings, Baxter Black (Cowboy poet), W.H. Auden, King David (Psalms & Song of Songs), T.S. Eliot…there are so many others. I enjoy poets who write for dVerse and at other sites too.

Where can we find you?

Sunflower Poetry
Mystic Mom
Strawberry Roan

And I’m on FB with Photos by Shanyn, Strawberry Roan Blog and Shanyn Silinski Poet

Thanks so much for sharing with us, Shanyn. Happy Holidays! As always, if a reader has a question, please ask it in the comments below.