Thoughts, poems and stories: Sonia Golt publishes seventh book

By Elena Scialtiel

Author, cancer survivor and charity fundraiser Sonia Golt is publishing her seventh book this month.
‘Seeking Inspiration’ is being launched today at a poetry recital held at the Mayor’s Parlour, with readings by Sonia and some of her fellow poets and friends.

Proceeds are pledged to the Bosom Buddies Cancer Trust, the charity Sonia founded and has been chairperson of for seventeen years, which earned her the British Empire Medal in 2013, in recognition for her work with cancer survivors.

The book is dedicated to cancer survivors. It aims to send a message of hope and positivity even in dark times, while encouraging them to find their own ways to raise awareness and deal with their journey in a positive and constructive fashion.

Positivity is the core topic of ‘Seeking Inspiration’, a collection of mostly autobiographical poetry, quotes, thoughts, and short stories in English and Spanish.

For Ms Golt, positivity doesn’t mean denial of tough times but highlighting the ability to appreciate the silver lining and focus on the light at the end of the tunnel.

The book is about learning to deal with the inevitable challenges with determination and strength, without losing hope, accepting what cannot be changed in the here and now, without wallowing in self-pity, and actioning the steps necessary to be in control.

Since her Spanish-speaking friends lamented being unable to read her previous works, Sonia has included a Spanish section in her latest opus, poems she feels are inspired by her father, who wrote poetry in Spanish. To Sonia, some ideas are better expressed in Spanish, others in English, so she makes the most of her bilingualism to put across her three-dimensional view of the world.

Her short stories paint a fresco of her life, which she describes as full and exciting, with the dark spells only a contained part of it, which she hardly dwells upon, but views as an opportunity to grow from.

She tells about her childhood with a troop of cousins, with whom she’s proud to keep regularly in touch, indulges in fiction and love letters.

‘Nine different doors’ is particularly significant, an inventory of the houses she’s lived in throughout her life, the emotions and lessons drawn from them, retold in a short story that was selected and published by the Torch project at Oxford University last year.

The poems are about love, memories, aging, but mostly about being alive, and feeling truly alive.

A special book signing will take place on Friday, March 3 at the Gibraltar Heritage Trust Shop from 11am to 1pm.
The book includes illustrations and sketches by the members of Sonia’s arts and crafts group.