Love, Heartbreak, and Everything in Between: Christine Ann Sy’s Scribbles in My Notepad
Does love always come with hurt? Does disappointment always supersede joy? Must hope always risk heartbreak?
Christine Ann Sy’s Scribbles In My Notepad is a raw and authentic poetry book imbued with a tang of cheekiness, reminiscent of how one would write in their—you guessed it—notepad. Inspired by her own personal writings and doodles in her cute dusty stationeries, Christine curated this collection in hopes of “break[ing] the stigma” surrounding topics that are often avoided and labelled taboo. She admits that her writings may sound “embarrassing” to some, but she is sure that there is at least one other person in the world that shares her sentiments. Through her poems, she wishes to touch the hearts of those people.
WHAT INSPIRED THE COLLECTION?
Love and heartbreak are the common threads that run throughout the collection. In fact, Christine points out that, among all the poems, the one entitled “Venus” particularly stands out to her the most. In an interview, she shared, “Venus is the name of both the second planet in the solar system and the Roman goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. Ironically, the planet Venus is the complete opposite of fertility as it is toxic and deadly, taking multiple trials and errors before astronomers could successfully but not yet fully explore it.” This irony, a planet named after fertility yet composed of toxicity, inspired her to write the poem and the collection as a whole.
Some other oxymoronic poem titles include this very paradox: “Bittersweet Fruitcake,” “stranger dear,” “free prisoner,” “phantom lover,” “sinful angel,” and “sweetest rejection.” Through cryptic lines, she confesses her highest highs and also her lowest lows—all of which make her poetry so deeply human. For Christine, this cathartic pouring out of feelings is a “therapeutic and an artistic way to express [her]self and escape reality.” To her, there are no limits to what she can create with words; therefore, she uses language as a bridge between the heart and the world, transporting private feelings into anecdotes that readers can resonate with.
But beyond these two extremes, Christine also writes about everything in between. She explores the concept of limerence, the moments of intense infatuation for an idealized version of a person. Of yearning, the heart’s restless longing for romantic connection. Of bittersweet hurt, tangled emotions of sadness and anger at someone you expected care and love from. Above all, these writings reveal her growth. The combination of Christine’s teenage angst and quarter life crisis birthed stories of vulnerability: chronicling the process of her growing up, stumbling down, and learning to love again. In every experience she endures and in every person that enters and leaves her life, she finds a lesson to carry with her, transforming moments of joy and heartbreak into opportunities of self-reflection.
WHAT IS THE AUTHOR’S WRITING PROCESS?
Admittedly, Christine says that the writing process was not a smooth one. She had moments where she sat in front of her notebook or laptop and stared blankly at the dry empty pages. However, she took motivation from other forms of media, such as books, movies, and music, which once again “sparked [her] creativity” and defeated her “writer’s block.” Furthermore, she purged out all her “personal thoughts and experiences,” including her deepest desires, fantasies, fears, and vulnerabilities. It is this sharp honesty that coats Scribbles In My Notepad with a very personal touch, making her poetry and prose unique.
In this fast-paced, productivity-driven world, this book invites readers to slow down, notice the mundane, and be in touch with one’s emotions. For all of the thoughts you felt but tucked away, these pages offer them a space to breathe. They offer your embarrassing feelings a place to stay, acknowledging that they are valid. Christine states that, “This is for the people who feel like their voices are not heard and they are not seen, most especially to the person that I was before who felt like it and would never believe I’ll actually be able to publish a poetry book now. Writing and reading poems is my solace when nothing else could feel like a safe space. This is for the people who feel the same.”
Lastly, if you ever get the chance to pick up this poetry collection, Christine encourages you to be “open-minded,” to “forget everything,” and “just be deeply immersed by each poem as deeply as [she] did while writing them.” Perhaps, a tiny thought and doodle she scribbled on her notepad on a random Tuesday will resonate with you. Perhaps a feeling that once made Christine feel alone will remind you that you are not. Perhaps, within these pages, you will find pieces of yourself you never knew could be materialized into words.
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
To support Christine Ann Sy’s Scribbles in My Notepad and her other works, you can purchase her book on the official 8Letters Bookstore & Publishing website at 8lettersbooks.com or at any physical book-selling event they will hold. Follow 8Letters Bookstore & Publishing’s social media pages as well, including Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube, all of which are linked on their official website, to stay updated on upcoming book launches, book signings, giveaways, and other events they have in store.
By Jacqueline Palma
