This book was created step by step similar to how we each grow and surpass stages in life. The author decided to merge her two books, "Shards of Self" and "Mirrors of Self" into one book with brand new artwork to further emphasize the depth of each chapter. The idea behind "Shards of Self" is rebirth and coming out of one's former shell by evolving into a new person. This book came together during the pandemic through the inspiration I received from artists I admire who were also unafraid to share a layer of their vulnerability with the world. I began this process by writing the poems and then associating new and old artwork to each section meant to represent a "shard" of me. This is where the concept of incorporating arts into poetry was born. The second book, "Mirrors of Self", represents a walk down memory lane. While moving, I came across my old notebook where I had hand-written various poems throughout the years. I decided to combine those with new ones I wrote during the pandemic and here we are! It is titled as such because each poem can be seen as a mirror of myself at a given point in time.