POETRY
Ashley Lazarz's debut poetry book Pressed Flowers is here.
"I’m so excited to share that my debut poetry collection is now published and available in hardcover, paperback, and eBook formats. Pressed Flowers is a deeply personal journey told month by month, filled with poems about love, heartbreak, grief, body image, identity, and healing. This book holds a year of transformation captured through vulnerability, reflection, and hope. My wish is that these pages make you feel something, maybe even remind you that you're not alone. You can now find Pressed Flowers online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and other major retailers. Thank you so much for supporting my words — it truly means the world." - from the author.
Paperback and hardcover are available online at Barnes & Noble.
Paperback, hardcover, and eBook is available on Amazon.com.
View Ashley's author page here.
Do you live in Austin, TX?
Stop by BookPeople on N Lamar and purchase a signed hardcover copy!
Do you live in Marfa, TX?
Stop by Stop & Read and purchase a copy!
Pressed Flowers
A journey through life unfolding over and over again.
When I was asked as a child, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" my answer was simple: “Happy.” Over time, I’ve come to realize that to know true happiness, one must also know sorrow, gloom, and darkness. Without sadness, there is no laughter. The complexity of this mutual dependence is something I’ve come to appreciate. As the months go by, and sadness creeps in, I know it is not permanent. The pain will not linger forever. Bliss and happiness will return. And once they do, the appreciation for belly laughs becomes unlike any other.
Vulnerability. I first trusted my pen and paper. Then, people came after. For so long, I felt alone in this world. I kept giving myself to others, hoping something or someone would stick. In the process, I lost myself. I lost those I loved deeply and effortlessly. My passions faded. I forgot what it meant to even identify them. Joy became an unfamiliar feeling. The world got smaller and lonelier.
Change had to happen, or my life would have no meaning. It would feel bleak. December marks the hope for that change. Over the following months, I experienced desire, falling in love, dreaming, depression, heartbreak, self-love, and identity. Today, there are more genuine smiles and laughs than ever before. I believe everything will always work out the way it’s supposed to. Today, I know I’m not alone and have found peace among the trees. I’ve thrown away the mask I kept in my back pocket for years. I am finally able to be me.
My hope is for you to find the hope within these words. To feel and relate to the deep emotions transcribed. To remember: it will be okay. My hope is that you allow yourself to smile as you read, and cry as you flip the pages. My hope is that you, too, are able to be a little more you.