Spotlight: Mystery & Poetry Writer Claris Lam
A mystery and poetry writer, Claris Lam works to inspire readers with hope, perseverance, creativity, and happy endings. Learn more in today's Spotlight.
Hey there and welcome back for another Spotlight Weekly! This time we’re delving into Mystery and Poetry writer Claris Lam! She’s been writing for most of her life, but five years for books, and three for publishing. Not only that but some of her works have been nominated for awards such as the 2023 Indie Ink Awards, and the 2023 Queer Indie Awards!
Ready to learn more about this talented author and her work? Me too! Let’s dive right in!
Claris Lam (she/her) writes poetry and fiction to inspire readers with hope, perseverance, creativity, and happy endings.
Claris’ short fiction and poetry has been published in several collections and projects. She has self-published a murder mystery series entitled the Harlow Mystery series. The first two books were nominated for several categories in the 2023 Indie Ink Awards and 2023 Queer Indie Awards.
Her debut poetry chapbook, Refilling The Well, was published in February 2025. She is currently writing several novels and poetry chapbooks. Learn more about her work at https://clarislam.ca.
Below are some questions Claris answered for the Spotlight.
What drew you to writing poetry? What sort of themes and ideas do you explore in your work?
What drew me into writing poetry was exploring a plethora of themes and emotions I encountered throughout life. I wanted to capture feelings in a way that writing fiction couldn't, and observe the little moments by capturing them in the imagery poetry provides.
Do you have a favorite style or structure you follow?
I tend to write short poems, often in the style of a tanka or haiku. However, I have written many free verse poems!
How do you approach your writing?
I approach it with an idea forming in my head, and then I just stream-of-consciousness write out what I feel and think about that idea when it comes to poetry. After that, I refine it into the finished poem (sometimes this takes more than two or three drafts).
What is a piece of advice you've received which has propelled your poetry forward? How has it evolved your writing?
A piece of advice I've received is to first learn the traditional rules of poetry, and then experiment with those rules. Types of poems will have specific patterns to follow, whether it's the amount of lines or the way words rhyme at the end of them. Some people may find that restrictive, but I think it's necessary to.
What does your relationship with "Writer's Block" look like?
My relationship with "Writer's Block" is that it usually happens if I've either 1) haven't taken the time to replenish my creative energy or 2) I just finished writing a big project and tried to jump into writing more works without a break. To remedy this, I usually take a day or two off from writing after I've completed a big chunk of a project, or just finished a project, and take the time to inspire myself with the world around me (as well as a lot of reading, watching shows, and playing video games)!
Below is a poem Claris included for the Spotlight.
What compelled you to write this piece, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
What compelled me to write "Refilling The Well," the poem whose title became the title of my poetry chapbook of the same name, was that I visualized my creative burnout back in Summer 2023 as this well that just was completely lacking in writing inspiration.
The inspiration was something that nourished my creative abilities, like water. Without enough water, you don't have a functioning well to nourish yourself with. I hope readers take away that their own creativity is like a well that they need to supply with inspiration - or else it could run dry.
What was the most difficult part of getting your work published in a journal or book?
The most difficult part was probably formatting the whole book. When self-publishing, you need to make sure that the pages are all in order, front and back matter of the book also make sense and are dated appropriately, etc. That's something that traditionally-published books don't have to worry about since someone else is putting it together for them, but I don't mind having to do this - it's time-consuming but worth it.
How do you process receiving negative feedback or reviews?
I usually don't read reviews of my own books, so reading negative ones are well-avoided. However, I do usually take some time to process the negative feedback and see if there is anything constructive I can take from it for improvement. If not, then I just put it aside and forget about it.
And how do you decide which pieces to include in a collection?
I decide which pieces to include in a collection based on whether they all thematically fit with each other. If they don't, I take them out. If they do, I do my best to organize them in a way that feels coherent. Writing a poetry chapbook or collection is much like writing a fiction book - you want those pieces to feel like you're taking the reader on a great journey to new destinations.
Is there anyone whose inspired your writing?
I'd say that Christina Rosetti and Lang Leav were two poets that inspired my writing, even though they have very different styles of poetry writing than I do!
Are there any poets or poetry books you'd recommend to readers?
I'd recommend the reading poetry from poets Christina Rosetti, Lewis Carroll, Ally Loyns, Ana Dee, and Lang Leav. I also recommend reading "The Longest Night" by Ranata Suzuki.
In this section, we’re going cover Claris’ released books, any upcoming ones she may have, and her social links. Synopsis for each book or series is pulled their respective webpage.
Refilling the Well
What happens when you overwhelm the well that represents your energy and wellbeing? It's drained, and you burn out. All you can do next is refresh and refill it to sustain yourself again.
Refilling The Wellis a poetry chapbook that reflects on the harms of hustle culture and societal expectations of reaching success, including burnout. It also reflects on how to heal from burnout and remembering that you're more than just your accomplishments. Fans of Lang Leav and Atticus will enjoy reading Refilling The Well's free verse poetry.
The Harlow Mystery Series
Aubri Harlow thinks she’s found her dream vacation after winning a contest to an exclusive island resort for a whole week. However, her dream quickly turns into a nightmare when her ex-boyfriend Colin, ex-girlfriend Renee, and former university classmate Bastian end up on the same island as fellow contest winners.
Even worse? Colin is found dead barely a day into the vacation. Terrible weather prevents the police from arriving on the island to investigate. To keep herself safe, as well as her other companions, Aubri must find out who the killer is…or risk becoming the next target. (Book One).
Upcoming Releases
A Magical Girl Short Story Collection is set to release later this year in Fall 2025. While not much else has been revealed, the book cover and release date will be unveiled later this Summer! If you’d like to receive updates on this collection, consider subscribing to her newsletter.
Claris, thank you for being a part of this week’s Spotlight— and for allowing me to showcase a little bit of your work. I love being able to do these so much, so thank you!
For those who enjoyed reading through this showcase, and would like to support Claris: You can do so by checking out her website, buying one of her books, or through all her other links.
It’s about time to wrap this post up, but first I wanted to thank you all for reading. Like I mentioned, I really love doing these, and I hope it shows! And if you want to support what I do, consider subscribing to BookStack for more! Not only do I make Author Spotlights, but I book related news, reviews, and a bunch of other stuff! Buh-bye for now!