Meet Mia Calderon: The Voice Behind The Candid Pen

From Silence to the Page

Hi there! I’m Mia Calderon, a 17-year-old writer from South Florida and the creator of The Candid Pen. My journey with poetry didn't start in a classroom; it started at 13 as a lifeline. Amidst the heavy loss of my grandfather and the profound isolation of the global pandemic, I found that the only way to survive the "quiet struggle" was to speak my mind.

Where the Angels Bloom

My debut book, Where the Angels Bloom, is a collection born from the pinnacle points of my teenage years. It is a raw, honest timeline of growing up—from the perspective of a young woman navigating the highs and lows of high school. This book explores the "plethora of emotions" we all face: love, identity, compassion, and the deep-seated anger that often comes with grief.

A Journey of Faith and Finding God

If you’ve ever felt like a non-believer or pushed God away, I’ve been there. My poetry documents my personal evolution from skepticism to a place of spiritual clarity. It covers the reality of spiritual warfare—that tug-of-war between doubt and the eventual healing found in faith. Today, I write as a testament to the power of finding God and the beauty of laying one's life down in willful submission.

Why I Write (And Why This is For You)

I know my generation often feels discouraged by poetry, seeing it as a "boring" or "hard to comprehend" art form. I’m here to change that. Whether you are an athlete, a gamer, a reader, or a non-reader, my work is for:

• The young who feel lost or disappointed in who they are becoming.

• Those suffering in silence with feelings of anxiety or condemnation.

• Anyone seeking a sense of unification and hope.

Inspired by pioneers like Mary Oliver and Yrsa Daley-Ward, I’ve learned that staying quiet is far more dangerous than speaking out. I hope that through my words, you feel more secure, less alone, and completely understood.