SELMA — Her poems are what she wants to leave as her lasting legacy.

“Just having something out there and a legacy, it was a dream of mine,” said Nadia Carsetta Prevo.

Her poetry book, “Nadia’s Book of Poems: A Book of Wise and True Poems,” is a self-published compilation of 34 poems and a short story.

All the poems follow a rhyme scheme and cover topics ranging from religious or political to personal.

She began writing poetry in June 2006 when she was laid off from her housekeeping position.

In the same month, Prevo spent much time with her brother because he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. He died later that month.

He has been one of the inspirations for her writing and the topic of her short story, titled “Under My Brothers Wings.”

“It’s a tribute story,” Prevo said. “He was a talented man. He also did poems, but I don’t think he had any written down. I felt like it was a gift passing down from him to me to continue on.”

The book published in December 2007, but Prevo took a year off from promoting her book when she was in a car accident in January 2008, which totaled her car and caused her minor injuries. Her extra money was then allocated to paying for the accident and health care bills.

Selling books has proven to be a slow process. She has sold 50 since 2006, but plans to market her book more now to increase sales.

Prevo continues to search for employment, but if she can sell the poetry book well, as well as her upcoming children’s book titled “The Adventure’s of Pap’s World,” she would like to become a full-time author. The children’s book should publish before the end of the year.

Flora Prevo, Nadia’s mother, is proud of her daughter and hopes that the poems will change the lives of others.

“I hope this does something for herself, plus for others,” Flora Prevo said. “Other people can get something out of it, and maybe that will help them.”

Nadia Prevo lives in Selma and has a 17-year-old daughter.

The book is available online at BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.com and Buy.com for $9.95.