I declared myself a "rhyme-writer" at three years old and haven't looked back since. My work was first published in an anthology when I was 14, and my debut solo collection, Hindsight, came out two years later.
Books
Hindsight
Hindsight, Sofiya Ivanova’s debut poetry collection, captures the beautiful tumultuousness of one's teenage years: from losing one's family pet to “screaming obscenities” in a moonlit churchyard, from realizing one's parents are imperfect people to longing to leave one's mark on the world to flying down the road on one's bike, arms thrown open. This collection is a war story of Ivanova's victorious fight with Lyme Disease, and a tale of realizing and embracing one’s identity—a love letter to sapphic love itself—, infused with the poet’s profound connection to her Russian culture. Ivanova’s writing is rhythmic, full of powerful tactile imagery, and as candid as it is introspective. In the words of author Sean Felix, “Hindsight not only reads like a coming of age collection as an introduction to the world of a new and gifted poet, but it is also an exorcism and celebration of the past as she becomes a poet that sees the world with clarity and beauty; a poet that we all need.”
In the Belly of the Mountain
Sunday Mornings at the River's Quarterly poetry publications feature the work of contemporary poets from all over the world. In the Belly of the Mountain, Sunday Mornings' first anthology, features poems by: ‘The Evening Party,’ Zarah Burgess, David Barron, Paula Lewis-Gamble, Lyn Patterson, Sean Felix, Alex Virula, Emma Williamson, Sarah Herrin, Christina Litos, Dan Cloutier, Jessica Ballen, Patrick Johnson, Etaz Malone, Kait Quinn, Samantha Hurrie, Esperanza Reyes, Ashley Green, Alannah Radburn, Rebeca Scurtu, Jade Windle, Sofiya Ivanova, Sarah Stichter, Rebecca Rijsdijk and Silas Melvin.
How it started...
...how it's going :)
How I made Hindsight
My fledgling ideas for my debut poetry collection jotted down on paper after signing my book contract with Sunday Mornings at the River. This is where Hindsight was conceived!
Promoting Hindsight included being interviewed for local newspapers, putting advertisements in the school newspaper, and social media coverage courtesy of Rebecca. This is a picture of an Instagram livestream we did the day the book was released!
My lovely publisher Rebecca and I spent countless hours editing Hindsight over Zoom. The vast oceans separating New Zealand and the U.S. couldn’t stop us from connecting—and bickering about what to cut. After six months of meticulous work, the book was done.
One of my favorite outcomes of Hindsight coming out was being invited back to my middle school to teach the 6th grade honors English students about poetry. I loved watching their inner worlds bleed through to the outside like inimitable ink stains as they put pen to paper. Thank you, Ms. Moskoff and company!
Here is me finally holding my brain baby, Hindsight, in the flesh! In this particular photo, I am triumphantly singing “The Circle of Life” from the Lion King. Both my author portrait and my promotional book release photoshoots were done by my talented and magnanimous friend, Charlie. The vast majority of the pictures on this website were taken by him.
I also got the opportunity to record an audiobook version of Hindsight, complete with music written and performed by my friend Evelyn and audio effects for a fully immersive, moving experience. Check it out!
My team
Making Hindsight, one of the best experiences of my life, would not have been possible without these amazing people. Thank you, Rebecca and Charlie!
