It Wasn’t a Dream is a surrealist prose poetry chapbook about everyday experiences with unexpected characters, like a Siamese fighting fish, a free-spirited wolf, a giant talking bat, ancestor spirits, and more, at the center of these poems. These poems are slices of life seen through a magical lens that are meant to empower us and maybe even make us laugh a little during these unpredictable times.

Praise for It Wasn’t a Dream:

“In Tanya Sangpun Thamkruphat’s collection, It Wasn’t a Dream, the surreal and the magical take center stage: in the everyday. We find a charming wolf with an entourage of children, a balloon artist touring the world, a good Samaritan farmer who is rewarded by a grateful alien—nothing is impossible in these prose poems. In order to make otherwise bizarre phenomena relatable and palpable, Thamkruphat unleashes a charming, accessible style and narrative approach which brings the fantastical and the ethereal down to earth. This is innovative, memorable work! – Jose Hernandez Diaz, author of The Fire Eater and Bad Mexican, Bad American

“In her newest work, Tanya Sangpun Thamkruphat effortlessly blends poetry, confessions and flash fiction, reaching beneath the skin of language to explore the profoundly human, unifying moments of existence. Words and imagery flow together, calling to mind the surreal journeys of Borges, Barthelme, Keret and Vonnegut. Each piece exists on its own merit – yet convenience store snacks, reincarnation, the afterlife and gossiping crows all combine to serve as fascinating symbols for Thamkruphat’s singular, unique perspective. Writing through a multitude of voices, Thamkruphat sees the world as it should be seen: beautiful, mysterious, and as full of joy as it is of sorrow, pain and inspiration. After reading, you’ll have to pause for a moment, look at the title again, and remind yourself: It Wasn’t a Dream.” – Ben Bowlin, author of Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know

“Tanya Thamkruphat brings a new creative layer to her work with a set of strangely comforting tales. Each story presented different takeaways, but I think the fun truly existed in being present with each story and the imagery/ feelings associated. A delightful read!” – Cheyenne Raine, author of Maroon Daydreams

“The prose poem is alive and well in the hands of Tanya Sangpun Thamkruphat. Her collection, It Wasn’t a Dream, is full of what I come looking for when I open a book of prose poems – a pleasing randomness, outrageous claims, something to make me itch. Open and enjoy.” – Charles Rafferty, author of A Cluster of Noisy Planets