As a writer, I fancy myself as an artist. I have come to know many writers over recent years and each has their own reasons for putting words on the page. Some to encourage change, others to entertain but most of us who write are hoping our work evokes emotion and touches the lives of our readers in some way, no matter how slight. I first read Melanie Lambert’s Wonder Woman in Disguise a few months ago. I have since read it three times.
Wonder Woman in Disguise is a collection of poems, letters, drawings, and selfies that takes you on a journey of self-discovery. Melanie’s assortment may come across as light and sweet at first glance. With its short, rhyming verses and a promise of hope, every poem is a delight. And yet, each time I read it, I find there is something on every page that touches a deeply hidden part me. Her words create a sense of relatability that is uncanny. It isn’t that the verses simply reflect a moment we may have felt blue, but a state of mind that we try to hide, even from ourselves. One of the most poignant aspects of this book is that each poem or letter, not only touches on the darkness within but brings the reader into the light. Each section reminds the reader that there is hope and strength within yourself and you are worth the fight.
Melanie put this book together as a way to deal with the grief of losing her mother. I am fortunate to not have ever dealt with such a deep loss, but I have had moments, more than I care to admit, when I felt unworthy, unlovable, or measured by my failures. I have often looked outside myself for a way to heal or find happiness. I was well into this journey called adulthood before I understood that it was no one’s job to save me from my own self-destructive habits except my own. Whether it is the letter addressed to Rageous Dementus or the list of humous, yet uncomfortably honest one-liners in “The Headlines,” featuring such goodies as; Become a Master of Self Sabotage Like Me or Mrs. Fix it and her Control Fetish or a simple poem; such as Never Alone which reminds us “If I think I have no one, I am forgetting I am someone,” Wonder Woman in Disguise teaches the reader that you too can be your own hero. Even from the depths of her despair, Melanie somehow finds the light of magic and self-worth on each page and in each poem.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is or has ever been in a place of darkness or self-doubt. It is short and easy to read, and I recommend reading multiple times as a reminder to oneself of just how important you are. Find the magic in yourself!
You can find Melanie’s book, Wonder Woman in Disguise, as well as her other works, on Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and Tolino. You can also purchase a paperback copy by visiting her website. So, check her out on her website at https://www.wonderwomanindisguise.com/ or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.