“the art ofThis is an appropriate description of the recently

rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful,

imaginative, or elevated thoughts.”

published book of poetry by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign sophomore

Nneka J. Howell.

“A Poet’s Heart” is the fulfillment of Howell’s childhood dream to write a book. Arising

out of the collection of poems she had written over the past 10 years, Howell’s poetry

book was an inevitable accomplishment.

Born on the South Side of Chicago, Howell (or Lady Poet as she is often called), has

three brothers, and as the only girl in the family, she managed to stand out by

demonstrating a creative spirit and goal-oriented mindset very early in her life. As a

fourth-grade student, Howell was already writing songs, poetry, and even short stories.

“My favorite and first short story was entitled ‘Bud Biliken’, and it was about a man with

16 children who lived in the ocean,” said Howell. “The story was quite odd, but my

mother, friends, and associates found it quite funny!”

Howell’s love of writing continued into high school, as she maintained her dedication to

composing poems. She regularly used her work for class assignments, eliciting praise

from her teachers in the process. Like most writers, Howell draws some of her

inspiration from important sources. Influenced by her faith in God, her mother, and her

late grandmother Willie Mae Davis, Howell is driven by her mission to reach out to her

audience, and hopefully inspire people with her creativity.

-More“

The fact that I want to see others succeed is what keeps my faith up,” said Howell.

“My faith starts within myself. I have a lot of faith in myself and in life, so I take that,

and attempt to share it with others who might be on the verge of giving up.”

Howell is juggling school with her desire to continue writing, and to use her talents as

both a personal stepping stone, and a source of inspiration for the public. When it

comes to what she writes, she believes that poetry is more than just words, but the key

to one’s heart. “I’m inspired by life itself, the communities, and my own life

experiences. I like to see positive things bloom out of life and whenever I get the

chance to make a positive impact on one's life, I leap.”

“A Poet’s Heart” is available for purchase on www.amazon.com, and

www.liberatedpublishing.com. Keep up with Nneka J. Howell on Twitter

.authorladypoet.

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