Beneath the Surface
by Luciana Fisher
What if the story you tell yourself is only the surface?
Beneath the Surface is a collection of poetry, personal reflections, and thought‑provoking questions designed to be experienced, not simply read. Through poems shaped by childhood adversity, dyslexia, toxic relationships, loss, cancer, resilience, and growth, Luciana Fisher invites readers to pause, reflect, and look beneath their own surface.
Each poem is paired with a “Behind the Lines” reflection and a “Reader Reflection” question, transforming the book from a collection of poems into an ongoing conversation between author and reader.
Some readers move through the book quickly and quietly. Others engage deeply, answer the questions, and return to it again and again. Like any meaningful conversation, the experience you take from this book depends on what you choose to bring to it.
For readers who enjoy poetry that is accessible, reflective, uplifting, and deeply human, Beneath the Surface offers a universal journey through grief, healing, identity, creativity, and self‑discovery—one poem at a time.
What readers are saying
“Beneath the Surface (wonderful title, by the way) Luciana, Let me start by saying I thoroughly enjoyed this work. It leaves a lasting impression. The answer to whether I’d want to know more about the person who wrote it is an unequivocal yes. This collection offers a vulnerable peek into your hidden self, perhaps even your forbidden self. It reveals an inner spectrum, a kind of metaphysical exoskeleton, your undoing laid bare beneath the unknown. “Ignliv with YdsLexya” completely pulled me in, reminiscent of A Beautiful Mind, where you’re drawn into the illness without realizing it. It echoes the essence of Reflection Perfection, the way perfection both drives and dismantles us. This intimate, deeply personal bio-narrative makes you both writer and reader in a way that never feels stylized or condescending. It opens a door wide enough to enter the whole of a life. There is a bioluminescence to the autobiographical rendering of these poems, a glow that draws you into their dark, joyful, tragic essence. On one level, the collection reads like a mini MFA syllabus. I could absolutely see it used to teach narrative prose and poetry, or to spark deeply personal conversations. I hesitated at first when I saw the length, wondering about reading such a long poetry book, but I quickly realized the journey was essential. I’m glad I stayed with it. The forward motion, despite setbacks and staggering obstacles, is nothing short of life-affirming. It made me reflect on my own life. In that way, it felt like reading the work of a friend, or someone I would want to call a friend. The imagery invited my own memories to resurface, especially in Memories of an Inner Child and Who Are We. As I read, I could hear Jennifer Thomas’s piano solo “Oceans” playing in my mind. The guided reflections are a brilliant and rare addition. They expand the interpretive space, allowing the reader to go deeper without demanding any fixed conclusion. They gently answer the dreaded, deadening question, “But what did you mean?” These sections educate while they elevate. I hope you keep them. The nonlinear lattice of memory and legacy invites you to continue reading. The visuals are strong, intimate, and open-ended, just detailed enough to make you want to reach through the page and speak to the writer. What amazed me most is how you carry your journey, not bruised, bitter, or broken, but supported and strengthened by it. It has truly been a joy and a pleasure to spend time with this work. I’m glad I volunteered to read it. Bravo. A great addition to literature. This collection should do very well. I remain, One, Saleem Abdal-Khaaliq Author of Mind Sand ”
— Saleem Abdal-Khaaliq
More books by Luciana Fisher
SOB A SUPERFÍCIE (Portuguese)
E se a história que você conta para si mesmo for apenas a superfície?
Sob a Superfície é uma coleção de poemas, reflexões pessoais e perguntas instigantes criada para ser vivida, não apenas lida.
Por meio de poemas moldados por adversidades na infância, dislexia, relacionamentos tóxicos, perdas, câncer, resiliência e crescimento, Luciana Fisher convida o leitor a fazer uma pausa, refletir e olhar para além da própria superfície.
Cada poema é acompanhado por uma reflexão “Por Trás das Linhas” e por uma pergunta de reflexão, transformando o livro de simples coletânea de poemas em uma conversa contínua entre autora e leitor.
Alguns leitores leem o livro rapidamente. Outros mergulham fundo, respondem às perguntas e retornam a ele repetidas vezes.
Como toda conversa significativa, a experiência que você levará deste livro depende do que escolhe trazer para a leitura.
Para leitores que apreciam poesia acessível, reflexiva, inspiradora e profundamente humana, Sob a Superfície oferece uma jornada universal por luto, cura, identidade, criatividade e autodescoberta — um poema de cada vez.