Your Neighbor: Lucia Blinn

After many successful years of producing advertisements and navigating life in big cities, Lucia Blinn decided it was time to write for a new client: herself.

“I was writing commercials in New York and in Chicago and my goal was always to write for myself when I retired,” Blinn said. “I didn’t know what that meant until I was invited to a poetry workshop and all these poems came marching out.”

Blinn embraced her naturally creative spirit and talent for writing, transitioning from advertising to books of poetry and short stories brimming with wit, wisdom and life.

At first, Blinn’s agents had trouble finding a publisher who liked both her stories and her writing style, but the poet never lost hope.

“I kept writing and sharing my work,” Blinn said. “That’s a big part of what I do: writing and sharing. And you know, making people laugh and gasp. Not all my stuff is funny, but there’s humor in it. Even when I’m writing about the darkest issues, I leaven it with humor, and people respond to that. I’m having a fabulous career after the career.”

Now, a decade after her first book, “Passing for Normal,” hit the shelves, Blinn is enjoying her success and the happiness this new venture brings.

“This is a big, important, vital part of my life,” she said, smiling. “This is who really I am.”

Her recently published fourth book, “Celadon,” is comprised entirely of poems and discusses more serious matters her generation faces.

“I’m writing about an older time now, you know. My friends and I are crawling into a new stage of life and there are more and more issues facing us constantly. And I write about a lot of that.”

“Celadon” is also unusual for Blinn in that it’s broken into neat categories: “Now,” “Then” and “Them.” The “Now” section focuses on issues presently being faced “right this minute” as Blinn puts it. “Then” is filled with topics of times past, and “Them” centers around people who have had an impact on her life.

She continues to share her work at readings in Longboat Key and Chicago. Asked about the future, Blinn says there is no question it is full of poetry.

“I’m always working, always writing … It’s a total joy for me,” she says. “I’ve been writing, well, forever, and I count that among my greatest blessings.”

Neighborhood: Bayport Beach and Tennis Club
Your neighbor since: 2000

IN HER OWN WORDS: “I often get this comment, ‘You say the things I’m thinking.’ What can be more gratifying for a writer than to hear that?”

Contact Kelsey Grau at [email protected]