Have you ever wondered what it is like to live with autism, anxiety, depression, OCD, and POTS?
Or maybe you don't wonder what it's like. Maybe you know from personal experience. Fifteen-year-old Rue Mortensen does, and she has released a 21 page book of poetry about her experiences in the Refiner's fire.
Rue writes with honesty about her doubts, worries, and the lies in her head. She even admits that sometimes she doesn't feel like she's being refined at all, simply being made more broken, and about how sick she is of being told that she is strong. Her poems are short yet poignant, and they are easy to follow. As someone who suffers from brain fog, I appreciated that. I often get lost while reading poetry that is flowery and full of big words. Most of all, though, I appreciated how Rue didn't sugar coat her struggles.
Rue and I are both members of the Young Writer’s Workshop and met last month online at the King's Daughters' Writing Camp. I received a free digital copy of her book in return for a review, and I hope you'll pick up a copy of The Refiner's Fire on Amazon or Barnes and Noble and will be blessed by Rue's poetry and vulnerability.