Smiling Out Loud by Robert Jacobs

My guest today is Robert Jacobs

Author of Smiling Out Loud

A book of poetry –

Take a poetic journey, from darkness to light. 

There is occasional terror, 

appeals to the heart, and laughs to delight.

You can read my review here.

1.   The hardest scene to write –

Big Hurt, Big Heart is a poem about a schizophrenic and his loneliness.  My brother, 11/2 years younger is schizophrenic.  I tried to capture some of his feelings, his inherent loneliness.  It started as something different.  I feel I can still edit it and rewrite it.  I did not quite get what I was looking for.  Just writing about it now makes me realize how much I missed.  I will probably try again.

2.   What makes you run screaming?

Poetry that only expresses feelings but doesn’t describe the person being written about. Tell me about the person you love (or hate).  We all have feelings.  We all don’t have Rene, or Eileen, or Dennis.

3.   Dropped in a remote spot, survival test, 3 tools.

Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York. 3 tools, my cell phone iPhone 11 Max Pro, a cigarette lighter, a Swiss Army knife.  The idea of a truly remote spot doesn’t appeal to me.

4.   Behind the scenes tidbit. 

In spite of being a good student, I quit going to high school when I was 15 years old. Later went back and finished and went on to college.  I’ve never written about that but I can see doing something in the future.

5.   Living anywhere and writing a book about it.

I’d like to spend the time between London and Paris.

6.   What would I tell my younger self?

Write every week.  Set goals. Get into the habit of writing. Read poetry. Be disciplined in developing a plan to develop writing skills.

7.   What does literary success look like to you?

Having people ask me when my next book will be out and what is it about.  Basically, having a following. It can be relatively small but it needs to be present. Also, having someone, a publisher, perhaps, assist with marketing.

8.   The book I’m working on.

I have enough unpublished poems for a second book. The problem is I want it to be better than the first book. I am a better writer today so I probably would need to rewrite many of them. I am also thinking of a book of short stories. I have started several, finished maybe two. My problem is I have the opposite of writer's block. I have no shortage of ideas. My life is my canvas.

What is "Smiling Out Loud" about?

It is not about depression or pining over a lost love.

It is not about grieving although it is about recovering from loss.
It is not an outpouring of emotional cliches.
It is a celebration of good lives, lives intertwined in love.
It is about finding humor in all aspects of life.
It is about growing up in Brooklyn.
It is about loving a time, a place, a family.
It is about loving the people in your lives.
It is about memories and a fertile imagination.
It is about Smiling Out Loud and laughing out loud.
It is universal because it describes what everyone yearns for.

Robert Jacobs was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. That wonderful experience shaped his personality, helped to form his views, and gave him his sense of humor (or lack thereof). He writes poetry, short stories, started a few novels, written essays and has the opposite of writers’ block. He is an optimist, in spite of some of the dark poetry, and he has been loved his entire life. Some people may think that is a disadvantage for a writer. He thinks it is a wonderful advantage.

         Talk to me so sweetly
         Though I am hard of hearing
         Shouting is okay
                                           That would be endearing

                                            I love to hear your voice
                                            You are my ace of spades
                                            Think how much fun we’ll have
                                            When I find my hearing aids

You can find Robert here:

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