The Heartbeat of ‘I Love You More’

For many college students, publishing a book feels like a far-off dream. But for Imani Warren, a fourth-year environmental policy major, the dream has become reality with the release of her debut poetry chapbook, “I Love You More.” 

A chapbook is a small collection of poetry, often used to explore focused themes and emotions. “I Love You More” mirrors the chapbook format by offering 10 heartfelt poems that navigate the complexities of loving deeply and the pain of unrequited love. 

The release party, hosted at Warren’s friend’s apartment Nov. 16 was blasting with verses of love. Balloons floated gently at the ceiling, casting soft shadows against the dim fairy lights strung along the hallway. 

The apartment was designed with care, the walls lined with poetry like a museum exhibit. Each verse was a love letter, part of the cozy, intimate vibe Warren said she hoped to create.

Guests were shoulder-to-shoulder in the small, candlelit room. The scent of freshly baked cookies and lemonade lingered in the air — a sensory homage to the feelings of love and comfort.

Sebastian Duke, a third-year film major and Warren’s friend, spoke about the importance of hosting the release party in the apartment. 

“This place encapsulates everything in the book,” Duke said. “She’s surrounded by people who accept her love — we have a fully safe space where she can fully express herself and have the feeling of love reciprocated.”

Warren was vocal about the challenges she faced preparing for the release. She said she’s never read her poems for people before, and said she writes for herself most of the time. 

In addition to the initial fear of sharing her writing publicly, Warren said she had to navigate the timing of the release amid the political climate and election results.

“There’s a lot of anxiety that comes with putting something out into the world,” Warren said. “But my focus was always on the book. I decided to release it right after the election results on purpose. I wanted to remind people to always create, especially now, no matter what’s happening around them.”

The reading began with Warren seated in front of the crowd, her friends surrounding her. The atmosphere was affectionate, with the only light coming from scattered candles and the string lights overhead. 

Warren read her poems from start to finish, without interruptions, urging the audience to take it all in as one complete experience. 

“The only requirement is to read this book at once,” Warren said. “I want you to think about me for a while.”

Naomi Mixon, a fourth-year psychology major, is also part of the editing team for “I Love You More.” Mixon said the book’s themes of love and personal growth were mirrored in Warren’s reading. 

“The whole theme is loving someone more and what that means to a person,” Mixon said. “It’s beautiful that she was able to share it like this because it shows who she is in different phases of her life.”

Warren said her decision to publish a physical book instead of sticking to an audio or e-book format was intentional. 

“My biggest fear is that people don’t credit my name,” Warren said. “I want to confront everything head-on, radically expecting the love I give.”

Warren said life experiences and “The Writing of Poetry” class taught by Advanced Lecturer Phillip Sorenson inspired “I Love You More.” Living alone for the first time also played a significant role in the project’s completion. 

“My brain space changed,” Warren said. “It gave me time to think and write.” 

The poems were initially inspired by a conflicting 10-month situationship, but expanded to cover broader themes of love, including reflections on family and generational trauma, according to Warren. 

Publishing is difficult for young writers due to intense competition, high self-publishing costs, limited industry access, and a lack of support, making it especially challenging for students to break into the field, according to The Stanford Daily.

After weighing options like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, Warren said she realized these routes didn’t align with her moral values, and she chose to self-publish. 

“I wanted complete creative control,” Warren said. “I walked into my college radio station, where I work as the podcast director, and had a breakthrough when I saw a zine layout — it was the missing piece for my book. I figured out how to lay the book myself, and that’s when everything fell into place.”

This realization led Warren to establish her own small publishing company, “The Silver Cherry,” allowing her to oversee every detail from design to distribution. 

“I didn’t want anyone else to dictate how my book would look or feel,” Warren said.

For fellow Loyola students and aspiring writers, Warren gave a simple piece of advice — just create. 

“Figure out what’s holding you back, label it and address it,” Warren said. “Once you identify the problem, you can decide what to do next. There’s a lot of pressure to get your work out there, but that’s not the point. Just make something.”

“I Love You More” transcended the label of a chapbook — Warren’s message provided a testament to raw living emotion of creation. 

After the reading, people spread out to examine the poems on the walls. In a corner of the room, a love letter-making station invited guests to write their own notes of affection, filling the space with chatter and laughter. 

“I love seeing love,” Warren said. “It’s why I wanted this event to be cozy and full of connections.” 

By the end of the night, Warren said she wanted everyone to know Black women can do anything.

“I want Black women to see me and be inspired to do anything,” Warren said. “I want to inspire Black women to be the best black women that they can be and do what makes them the happiest.” 

“I Love You More” is available to purchase on Etsy. 

Featured image by Olivia Mauldin / The Phoenix.

Editor’s Note: Imani Warren assists in the production of The Loyola Phoenix’s weekly podcast ‘The Byline.’