Unknown the Poet

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Speed Dates! Today I am pleased to welcome Wade Stark. Thanks for joining me this week. 

First, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Wade Stark, A.K.A. Unknown the Poet. I am a self-proclaimed writer from Los Angeles, California. I say self-proclaimed because I never went to school to be a writer and I know there are many people out there that have degrees in this craft. I do not want to take away from that. I just love to write. I love to share my experiences and feelings with others in the hopes that they can help. I am also a father of 2 beautiful children. By day I am your typical 9-5 modern man hustler, working to put a roof over my kids’ heads and food in their bellies. By night I don the beanie and bandana to become the Unknown. It makes me feel like a super hero…lol.
Admirable goals. I think secretly we all want to be superheroes!

Tell us a little about your latest project.

“Life Isn’t Perfect, neither is this Book”, which is now available on my website shop, is my first self-published collection of works. A collection of thoughts, thoughts that are made up through my days of everyday living. Thoughts from experiences, that of my own and others. I see the world as the biggest inspiration The world and everything in it.

Do you have any tattoos?

I do. I have my kids’ names tattooed on my forearms.

What do you do to relax?

I really like to hang with my kids. If I’m not doing that, I like to read comics, listen to music, play video games and watch my shows. Simple man with simple pleasures I guess.

What one event changed your life?

Being there to watch my first child be born, really changed my life. The feeling that I helped create a life, helped bring a new being into the world is just something that is beyond words. It really helped me realize that life is not just about me anymore. I have to help mold and shape this child to be the best person they can be, to not make the same mistakes I did and to provide them with whatever they may need. It started me on a mission, to be a man, a man with a purpose, a man with pride.
That is so awesome. It’s amazing how the littlest people have the biggest impact on us. They truly are game-changers!

What kind of writing do you do?

Well that one is a doozy. Some call it writing, poetry, rants, and quotes. I call it writing and my final writings are pieces. Pieces of the puzzle that make up myself. I really wish I possessed the talent that some of these other writers have. The way they can make words dance on pages so elegantly. Using words that I have to look up in dictionaries because I don’t know what they mean. Sorry, you don’t get that from my writing, you get the pieces.
That’s your style. Everyone has on and no two will ever be the same. Don’t apologize for that, it is what makes you and your writing unique!

Do you think you have evolved creatively? How so?

Oh my gosh yes. I used to think that to write, you had to follow a guideline or a format, but honestly, the beauty in writing is the fact that you can write whatever the hell you want. So I did just that. I stopped trying to rhyme. I stopped trying to sound more educated, using big words. I just opened my mind and wrote. That really helped me break out of the box I had put myself into. It helped me release the fear of not being liked or accepted. It helped me become a writer that the reader can personally relate to.
That’s what’s important, really. Being able to connect to a reader in a way that speaks to them.

How would you categorize your writing style?

I let my readers do that. I don’t really put myself into a category, but for the sake of this date, if I had to categorize my writing, I would say…LIFE. You live life and you also learn from it. From your experiences, others can learn as well. It’s a large scale, this thing called life. A scale I weigh my words on every… damn…day. 

Is there a message in your writing that you want readers to grasp?

The message that I really wanted to have my readers grasp was that they are not alone. People experience many thoughts in their days. Sometimes these thoughts sink them into a state of depression because they feel they cannot talk to anyone about them, well I want them to know that they are not alone. There will always be someone out there that feels the same way they do. Maybe not in the same city, state or even the same continent, but somewhere out there…they are not alone.
That is such an important message. I’m so glad you are out there with your writing and spreading this message that is too often forgotten. 

What do you think most characterizes your writing?

The fact that it is so real. I write whenever I feel it in my gut to write. I write because I love to do it, not because I get a paycheck from it. I don’t live off of it (although I wish I could), I do it because it is me and the world around me. The world doesn’t stop so my ideas and thoughts never do.

Are there concepts in your book that may be new to readers?

Maybe not new concepts, but I do have a favorite.

Which is your favorite?

Learn to make yourself a better person. Learn to love yourself and understand that you are worth being. When you can grasp this concept, you can learn to love others and help them better themselves, which will help them do the same for others…see where I am going with this. Pay it forward.
Oh, that is a life lesson everyone should learn.

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would they be? Remember, you can’t ask for more wishes. 

1. 1. I would ask for the world to just chill the F**K out. Imagine a place where people weren’t so uptight, wound up and stuck in their ways. A world where people accepted each other, no matter of their race, color, religion or class. A world where every person helped each other. Just imagine that…I would really like that.
2. I would wish a long and healthy life to all. A life of not worrying about where they’re next meal was going to come from, or where they were going to sleep that night. A life where children could focus on being children and not this crazy life of children wanting to be adults. A life where innocence still existed. A life worth living.
3. I would probably wish for some chiseled abs. I know it seems arrogant and selfish, but hey we have to do for ourselves once in a while because dammit we are worth it.

OMG, that last one is so funny and so true! We are definitely worth a little self-indulgence once in a while. And if a genie is giving it away for free, then why not take him — or her! — up on it?  :)

What is the craziest thing you’ve done lately? 

I have been leaving my stickers around town at local coffee shops and bookstores. I leave them laying on tables and counters. It’s awesome to see them gone when I go back. Did they possibly get thrown away? Sure, probably. But there is a possibility that they could be in someone’s back pocket, on their phone or laptop, or even their car so they can be reminded of my message, and plus they look really cool.
Awesome! Spreading good cheer…ninja style!

What is your favorite movie or TV theme song? 

My all time favorite movie is a throw-back…lol. It is and will always bePinocchioo. Many fond memories of that movie. Just has a dear spot in my heart.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

If I could tell myself anything back then, it would be to not give a F**K about what anyone else says or thinks. I would tell myself to pursue the things I want and not stop until I get them. I would tell myself that goals are one of the most important things in life. But the one thing I would tell myself to always remember is that I AM AWESOME, AND WORTH THIS LIFE.
Good words.

What is next on the horizon for you? Any big projects?

My second collection is currently in the works. What separates this book from my first one, well all the pages are handwritten, in 3 leather bound notebooks. They are a bit deeper and a bit darker than my usual writing. Once I have filled all the notebooks, I am going to scan all the pages to compile one book which will be called “INK & DAGGERS”. The original leather bound notebooks, I plan to auction off separately. Why the auction? That will be disclosed at a different time, sheesh I can’t tell you all of my secrets. I need to leave you a few surprises…lol.
Ooh… intriguing! I can’t wait to find out why!

Where can we find out more about you and what you write?  

You can always find me at coffee shops and boba spots in Los Angeles and the Valley. If you ever see the guy wearing the beanie and bandana feel free to approach and ask talk to me. Online you can find me at the following:

Unknown the Poet ~ Email ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Please feel free to add me on your social medias. Don’t be afraid to send me a message or email. I always welcome some awesome conversation. I will always respond.

Thank you so much for joining me this week. You have a wonderful message to share with the world and I am glad you decided to share it here with us. I can’t wait to find out more about your writing and your upcoming project!