“Pet” is a poem sequence that navigates the reader through the traumatic & transformative journey of domestic abuse and its aftermath.
Patreon Bonus Content: The Nitty Gritty Technical Stuff of Self-Publishing
There are SO many steps in the self-publishing process that are entirely invisible to the reader that we had to learn about along the way. We wanted to….[Read more on Patreon]
Watch our Poetry Reading on Youtube
I have good news! If you weren’t able to make our poetry reading the weekend before last, you don’t have to miss out. There is a video of the reading available to watch on Youtube! I hadn’t originally planned on recording the reading but I learned after it was completed that because the reading was held both on zoom and facebook live, facebook automatically saved a recording (of the speakers on screen only). So now …Read More
Choosing Violence: On Allyship and the Legacy of John Brown
Something that hasn’t been explored a lot on this blog is historical figures in the social justice world. There is a lot to be learned in the accomplishments of activists of the past, as well as in the present day reactions to these activists’ legacy. Denny Upkins is back with a look at the historical figure John Brown and the importance of facing oppression head-on, without compromise. CN: Detailed discussion of racial violence and discrimination, …Read More
Patreon Bonus Content: Working with Self-Publishing Platforms
A lot of people are completely unaware of the existence of self-publishing platforms, or anything about how they work. I’ll admit, we are not… [Read More on Patreon]
Poetry & Trauma: It Is Hard to Write with a Broken Heart
This week my debut poetry book, “Pet: the Journey from Abuse to Recovery” comes out. The poetry sequence takes you through my experiences in an abusive relationship, my attempts to heal, my retrospective reflections on the relationship, and the larger-scale insights that came with long-term healing. To introduce it, I wanted to share with you this piece about what it took to write that book in the first place. CN: extensive and detailed discussion of …Read More
You Can Now Get Art Prints of the Cover Art from “Pet”
We spent about a year and a half refining the illustration for the cover of our poetry book, “Pet.” It’s such a special piece that stands alone even knowing nothing about the book so we decided to make prints of it available for sale! In addition to all the art print options like a basic art board print, a sticker, or the more fancy framed print, we also have a handful of other products like …Read More
Remote Poetry Reading: The Story of “Pet: the Journey from Abuse to Recovery”
To celebrate the release of Kella Hanna-Waynes’s debut book of poetry, a piece of work that took more than 10 years to complete, we’re hosting a remote event that will be much more than just a poetry reading! Event Details: When: November 6th, 3:00PM-4:30PM (PST) Where: Remotely over zoom and live on facebook Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86085348114?pwd=b3lwd3NVMnRkS2phcUx6UkVwdlJ0Zz09 Pass Code: pet How Much: Free! Who: Anyone and everyone is welcome. Please keep in mind that the subject …Read More
Patreon Bonus Content: The Story Behind the Poem “Blades”
Today I wanted to share another full poem with you from the book and give you the backstory on this poem. Many of the poems tell specific parts of the story or…[Read More on Patreon]
I Was My Boyfriend’s Servant: The Nightmare of Financial Abuse
CN: extensive and detailed discussion of emotional & financial abuse; discussion of domestic violence; mention of suicide and sexual abuse; overall disturbing content. “When I say, “Good girl,” I want you to say, “Thank you, sir.” “Yes, sir.” “Good girl.” “Thank you, sir.” I handed him the yellow check. When the bank clerk originally asked me what color I wanted my checks in, I picked gold, but it turned out that gold just meant a …Read More
Patreon Bonus Content: The Story Behind the Poems Part 1
Today I wanted to share with you some backstory and after-story about the poem from the upcoming book, which is called “How Could She Stay With Him?” including the full poem itself. (Read More on Patreon)