Unfolding

When Catriona Dejean joined my Writing My Book course, she never imagined she’d publish not just one, but two books. Her latest work, Unfolding, is a deeply personal collection of poetry born from one of the most challenging years of her life. In a recent conversation on the PublishU Podcast, Catriona opened up about the journey behind the book — a story not just of pain, but of discovery, growth, and unexpected joy.

“I never thought I would even write one book,” she tells me from her home in Eastbourne. “So to have written a second one, and a poetry book at that, feels quite amazing.”

Unlike her first book, Leading Edge, which focused on leadership and personal development, Unfolding is rooted in personal experience — an artistic response to a year marked by multiple bereavements, career change, and a sudden health diagnosis that turned her world upside down.

Writing in the Wake of Crisis

At first, poetry wasn't even on the horizon. “I hadn’t really written poetry since school,” she laughs, recalling A-level English assignments. But in the aftermath of her diagnosis, something shifted. “It wasn’t until towards the end of that journey that I started writing,” she says. “I think it was months of processing that finally found their way onto the page.”

The result was poetry that surprised even her. “I felt inspired — not in a light, whimsical way, but in a deep, pressing way — to capture what I was going through.”

A Season of Unfolding

The title of the book came from a conversation with a friend, just days after receiving the difficult health news. “She said, ‘This will be a period of unfolding,’ and at the time, I didn’t know what that meant,” Catriona recalls. “But it’s stayed with me. I had to learn to sit with grief. To sit with joy. To be patient. And to find a way to live differently.”

That word — unfolding — became a powerful metaphor for what followed: an emotional unwrapping, layer by layer. “Every day brought a different emotion,” she says. “Some familiar, some entirely new. And I had to learn to respond to them all.”

From Shock to Self-Discovery

Receiving her diagnosis was, understandably, a moment of intense shock. “I remember thinking, ‘Are you sure?’” she says. “But there was also a strange sense of relief — finally understanding why I hadn’t been feeling well.”

In the months that followed, poetry became both a mirror and a balm. “Writing helped me express the sadness and grief — but it also helped me find hope,” she explains. “Each poem was a step toward healing, toward meaning.”

One of the poems, My Name is Joy, encourages readers to find joy in the ordinary. “Don’t wait for Christmas or a big holiday. There are sprinkles of joy in every day,” she says. That phrase, “sprinkles of joy,” is something she picked up from a friend years ago — and it now echoes through her work.

Sharing the Personal to Help Others

With such vulnerable material, did she hesitate to publish it?

“Oh yes,” she admits. “These poems are deeply personal. I wondered if they were just for me.” But after sharing a few with trusted friends and receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback, she began to see that her words might serve a wider audience. “I hope there’s wisdom in them for others — especially anyone navigating uncertainty, whether through illness, grief, or change.”

It’s a brave act: turning private pain into public poetry. But for Catriona, the vulnerability is part of the purpose. “Other people’s stories helped me,” she says. “If mine can do the same, it’s worth it.”

Beauty From Ashes

As our conversation drew to a close, Catriona read the final poem in the book, Beauty From Ashes. The imagery is rich and redemptive — birds taking flight, broken pottery mended with gold, flowers blooming anew. “When you choose to believe, renewal is within reach,” she reads. “Beauty from ashes arise stronger, dear friend.”

It’s a stirring, hope-filled conclusion to a conversation — and a book — rooted in raw honesty.

What’s Next?

For now, there’s no third book in the works — “never say never,” she smiles — but Catriona is still focused on sharing Unfolding and revisiting Leading Edge, which was published just months before her health took a turn.

Wherever her journey leads, one thing is clear: Catriona Dejean has found her voice — and it’s one that will resonate with many.

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