Meet the author of the womanhood based book "Michelle"
A must read for the youth.
The ability to be vulnerable through art is a powerful tool, as many artists pull from their personal experience to create genuinely beautiful works. In the spirit of authors like Maya Angelou before her, Canadian writer Rubie Jean-Baptiste has tapped into her deeply personal side and created "Michelle", a self published debut. The poetry collection, as she described to us, features some prominent themes such as heartache, love, and self-discovery. We wanted to hear more about her book and her life, and Rubie was nice enough to open up about both.
1.Where exactly are you from? What was your upbringing like? What were some of the earliest memories you have as far as writing goes?
I am a 98 baby born and raised in Montreal, QC in Canada. Then my family and I moved to Ottawa, ON and once I finished high school, I moved to Toronto, ON independently. Since a young age, my family would move around frequently. I was able to meet different types of people from different type of places. I was always into arts, in preschool I choreographed a dance for the students to present to our parents. In elementary school, I won a poetry contest against all the students in the school. In middle school, I took writing more seriously. I would write fiction stories for my friends. Over the years, it became my passion, my sweet escape. I was never able to express myself verbally very openly, therefore I would write everything down. I fell in love with my poetry and decided to share it with the world…
2. Would you say your book has some autobiographical elements to it? Were any of Michelle's experiences pulled from your own life? If so, what's one example?
Michelle represents the hidden side of me. The side very few know about. A powerful scorpio woman. Every chapter represents a meaningful event/person in my life. An example is the third chapter, The Drought, represents the impact of my little sister on my life. I express how her simple smile made me see another side a life, it made me choose the better side of life.
3. How would you summarize the book for those who may be interested in buying? Why should they pull "Michelle" off the shelves?
Michelle offers a ride through the mind of a Scorpio woman during the ups and downs of her life. Her thoughts are extremely strong yet very relatable. She will make you love her and hate her at the same time. She speaks of a rare love for herself, for you, for the world, shamelessly. Her thoughts will challenge your mind all while keeping you warm…
4. Who are some of your inspirations? If you could sit and have brunch with three people, living or dead, who would you speak to for inspiration?
I get my inspiration from the women around me; my grandmother, my mother, my little sister and my close friends. Each one of them teach me something different every day through the way they carry themselves, the way they believe in themselves and how they are constantly aiming for greatness in whatever they do. Although, if I could speak to three specific individuals for inspiration right now, I would choose; Maya Angelou, Reyna Biddy and Sean Combs.
5. What should we expect from you going forward?
Right now, I am working on my second and third book and starting up my business. With these projects, I aim to inspire young creatives to follow their path proudly, uplift and promote positivity throughout the globe. Follow me on this ride, you won’t be disappointed.IG: @preciousrrubieCheck the book out here: http://a.co/hJHZYaN