Meeting Your Younger Self for Coffee

What happens when a single poem changes everything—and also, not quite in the way you’d expect?

This week, I sit down with poet and author Jennae Cecelia, whose piece “Meeting My Younger Self for Coffee” went viral earlier this year. We talk about what it’s like to watch your words take on a life of their own online, the surprising reality of going viral, and why Jennae still believes in self-publishing as a launchpad.

We also dive into her new traditionally published book Deep in My Feels, the power of custom poems, and what it really takes to build a creative career that sustains you. This conversation is a beautiful reminder that the best work often unfolds over time—and that success is rarely as linear as it looks from the outside.

Topics We Cover:

* Jennae’s journey from Tumblr to TikTok

* The poem that went viral—and how she really felt about it

* Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing

* The business of custom poems

* Why going viral doesn’t guarantee sales

* Playing the long game in a creative career

📚 Deep in My Feels is out now wherever books are sold.

🎟️ Join us live at Old Town Books in Alexandria, VA on August 17 for an in-person conversation! Get your ticket at oldtownbooks.com.

You can find Jennae at jennaececelia.com as well as on Instagram and TikTok.

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