Books
Lee Hudspeth is an experienced author, having written ten nonfiction books and numerous articles for a variety of Information Technology professional journals. His newest book Incandescent Visions is his debut book of poetry.
FIRST-PLACE WINNER of the 2021 Firebird Book Awards in two categories (Poetry and Philosophy)
FINALIST of the 2020 Wishing Shelf Book Awards. "Superbly presented, this is an enjoyable set of poetry with a strong theme of 'finding our place in the universe.' A finalist and highly recommended!"
Incandescent Visions
A Collection of Poems by Lee Hudspeth
Incandescent Visions explores the meaning of the human experience, as the author encourages his readers to ponder the universe and their place within it, and to catalyze their own creative potential. From the sublime shores of the Mediterranean to the majestic expansiveness of deep space, this book contemplates nostalgia, perspective and the gift of love. Through five short yet powerful, thought-provoking chapters of contemporary poems—and a dash of elegant, evocative haiku—Hudspeth takes his readers on a journey across the inner landscape of struggle, triumph, self-realization and imagination.
Available in paperback, hardcover, Kindle and NOOK formats.
Audiobook to be released soon.
Praise for Incandescent Visions
"I was, of course, initially attracted by this book's gorgeous cover art — the work of Preston M. Smith. It's called Elements and Dreamscapes and I love it! ... I was pleasantly surprised to see that Hudspeth talks briefly about his poetry as well as offering readers the poems themselves. At the start of each chapter, he explains the themes of the works to follow and, at the very end of the book, there is also a full explanation for two of the works which I personally found particularly useful... Incandescent Visions reminded me how important poetry is to me. Thoughtful work like Lee's enables me to think about the world in a different way to fiction or nonfiction books and I am grateful for this opportunity to experience his ideas."
"When a poem speaks to a reader, it is because the words are thought-provoking enough to pull up deeper emotions and memories. Hudspeth writes very relatable poetry that inspires readers to reflect and imagine the words from their own perspectives and experiences—as poetry should... I loved having the opportunity to analyze the author's words—and hear his actual thoughts on some of the pieces."
"I found that each poem was different with its own special and unique style... I was at times smiling at what I was reading and searching for my tissues at others. My favorite chapter was number 2. It is titled Reflections. I thought the memorials written for the author's mother and friend were touching and beautifully written... Thank you, Mr. Hudspeth, for reminding why I loved poetry many years ago when I was a teen. I will look forward to reading more of his work in the near future. I would love to see where else his imagination and visions will appear between the pages."
"There is much to enjoy in this creative exploration. Lee Hudspeth wraps poetic visions in beautiful words. I'm inspired by this work!"
"It’s also interesting to see the way the poems and sections are structured with design elements that relate to the cover image. It’s very clever. I also really enjoyed how the poems have a sense of structure but still feel free and loose and playful within it. It’s a great balance there, and I loved that they don’t feel rigid or at all predictable... A great accomplishment."
Preface
I am curious about creativity. One of the main themes in this collection of poems is my exploration of the nature of creativity. Where does it originate? Does it change over the course of our lives, or do we change while our creative energy remains present but fluctuating between obscured, enhanced, or somewhere between?
In these poems I also explore nostalgia; how our experiences shape us; our place in the world and the choice we have at any given moment to change ourselves. I’m intrigued by our ability to observe ourselves, to think about thinking (meta-cognition), and to change our habits, even our underlying way of viewing the world. I believe that the ability to change oneself is suppressed by our culture, or maybe it’s just too much work, I don’t know for sure. But I’m convinced it can be done. First, observe and take responsibility for our personal history and experiences. Second, notice the patterns in that history. Third, choose one’s path forward, and work to encourage the good and minimize the undesirable habits and views.
The title of this book and one poem within it — “Where Before There Were Incandescent Visions” — share the phrase “incandescent visions.” When I first came up with that poem’s title, it represented a theme of passionate (incandescent) curiosity and the yearning to express oneself, and so the nucleus of that poem’s title also belongs in the book’s title. As other poems joined the book, more themes emerged: storytelling, travel, perspective, inspiration, nature, memorials, the challenges of dark times, the arc of our lives, self-improvement, celebration, love, among others… I hope you find inspiration here.
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