Tell us about Confessions of a Nice Guy?

In simple terms it’s a journal. It’s a collection of my positive and negative experiences, my often over-analytical thoughts, and unanswered questions.  Contrary to that it’s an inspirational “amplifier” if you will. It’s all about finding your inner voice, strengthening it and making it loud enough for people to hear.

Confessions of a Nice Guy gives the voiceless a voice and forces those who neglect to pay attention, to sit down and here what we have to say! Sometimes life’s experiences rob us of our dignity and ability to carry on, minimizing our voices so we accept mistreatment and neglect from anyone assuming that we deserve it and can’t do any better!

What I’ve attempted to do through my transparent writing in this project is to give the voiceless a platform to speak and be heard!

What genre is it?

I’d say Freelance Poetry; I don’t believe that Poetry should be structured and formatted. It should be raw, straight from the hip. Of course with respect to the English language and the basic principles of the art.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?

Honestly, I feel as if anyone that has ever experienced hardships will find themselves in one, if not many, of the poems I’ve written. Although the poems are based on my personal experiences, I try to write from the standpoint of many individuals that I know who’ve experienced similar things.

Generally speaking I wrote this book for men and women, young and old, black and white.

However, I specifically directed most of the writing towards men, young and old. Young men today have more pressure to be tough and wear a non-emotional facade. Older men have done that for so long that they assume it’s the way a man should be and so we create a cycle of emotionless men with bottled up emotions often times exposed through rage and violence.

What subjects do you write about? 

I write about various topics such as Self-Image (including the presence and absence of confidence);Mentally, Physically, Emotionally abusive relationships; Expressing Emotions; Achieving goals/dreams; Rejection; Love; Hate/Resentment; Family; Religion and more…

Can you give us a verse from Confessions of a Nice Guy that is indicative of your style?

Here is an excerpt from a poem I wrote titled “Puppet Show”. This poem talks about realizing you’re in an abusive relationship and finding the courage to leave.

Hanging by a string
A string that you have full control of
Physically and emotionally
I’m hanging by a string
 
Dancing to the music
To the music you write
To the music you sing
Who cares if I like it?
It’s not important if I prefer your style
Regardless of which I’m dancing to the music…

Where does poetry come from – is it a gift or a craft that needs to be studied and honed? Is there a poet in everyone?

I believe that everyone is a poet. Poetry itself comes from the soul of an individual. That’s what makes it so unique. And it’s beautiful because I can write one line with a specific meaning and then you could read it and interpret it in another way.

Nonetheless, like any type of art in order to master it, regardless of what your personal gifting is, practice makes perfect. Understanding the principles of the art like imagery and tone is something that takes practice. I’ve been writing for almost 20 years and I’m still learning so much about it!

Is there still a place for poetry in today’s world? Some may say that we have moved past it.

I feel like that’s the biggest struggle for poets; the fact that some do say we have moved past it. But to answer your question, there will always be a place in the world for poetry. Like I said earlier, poetry comes from the soul. So music is a form of poetry (all forms) even dance is a form of poetry. I think understanding which medium you are most proficient in as a poet can carry you a long way.

For example, if you are a singer you can incorporate music in the production and delivery of your poetry. That’s also the beauty of Spoken Word.

Also, I believe that there’s nothing new to the world we live in. Everything always resurfaces (i.e fashion, music, etc)

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a 26 (soon to be 27) year old married man. I love music. I love family; I have two sisters, an almost 7 year old nephew and a new born niece!

My favorite colors are blue, black, red and white

I love to cook and I love to eat!

I was raised in a single parent home by my beautiful mother who was a victim of domestic abuse.

I’m a first generation male high school graduate

I’ve experienced and survived sexual abuse

I’m a childhood cancer survivor.

How much do you think that the cancer you suffered from as a child influenced your decision to become a poet?

Well I’ve been writing poetry since I was 7 years old. I was diagnosed with cancer when I was 11 but certainly surviving cancer has had a great influence on my decision to further my career as a writer and poet!

Have you got a site where readers can keep up with your work?

Yes my site, www.AaronJHampton.com . Some of my poetry from my previous book is up on the site as well as some of my newer work, not found in either of my books. I also facilitate daily conversation starters and monthly giveaways.

Where can people buy your book?

BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.com, and my site AaronJHampton.com (if it’s purchased from my site, I actually autograph the book(s) prior to shipment)

What’s next?

Currently I am working on my third book, True Emotions of a Man: Rewind & Fast Forward. I’m expecting to release that towards the end of the year.

I’m also in the early stages of development for a Spoken World Album

Coming soon! I will launch my t-shirt line (graphic t-shirt) supporting my movement, “Undefined”. Undefined simply states that you are living beyond limitations; you are not defined by any of the circumstances and situations surrounding you. There is nothing that you can’t accomplish if you put your mind to it!