In life I try not to judge the people around me. For you never know what road they were forced to walk. Today for me that point was driven home by a conversation I had with a man I have always considered to be very strong. He was telling me that his Stepmother had passed. As one would expect of a woman in her eighties. But when he spoke of her and indeed when he ever speaks of his father…. I hear a sadness there. I had always believed it was because of the distance between them. Tonight I saw a lot of what was under there. I still think he is strong, but perhaps there’s a reason for the strength. Perhaps in seeing the vulnerability in the ones we see as strong we can allow more in ourselves. We try to hold ourselves, I think, to impossible standards. Many end up depressed because of said impossible standards. So for today I will accept my vulnerable side. I will stop pretending that all i am always strong. How about you?
Author: pattimouse
Patricia Harris-
Patricia Harris is a dreamer, crafter, gamer and digital artist who loves creativity in life. A half mad poet, her writing is found all over social media and various other websites. She is a devoted mom who can be found doing a variety of art when she isn’t penning poetry and writing words. She is owner of the indie publishing company Fae Corps publishing. For more from Patricia, check out www.Facebook.com/mouseypoet or pattimouse.blog
And for a reading list of her books go to https://books2read.com/rl/PatriciaHarris
And as Serena Mossgraves -
Serena Mossgraves is a twisted faery with a love of gothic settings and an urge to scare. She’s constantly on the prowl for new ways to twist old stories into dark tales that excite and terrify. If you’re also drawn to nightmares, come visit Serena on Facebook at www.facebook.com/serenitysfall Or check out her reading list at https://books2read.com/rl/serenamossgraves
Baby Elephant has been named!
Strong heroes weak zeroes
We all have the heroes/characters we root for and ones we hate. It’s partially just human nature. Still part of it is just the depth of the character. What goes into a good character? Is it their description and the well set up scene? Or is it the easy connection the reader feels? Yes…but it is also the concept. For an example I will use Batman. He is a strong heroic character. Described as an attractive athletic male. He has a strong mind and uses it to make the world around him better. Is this what has caused the character to endure? The first time Batman was seen was 1939…take that in…this character has survived.. no he has thrived all the changes of almost a hundred years. I find myself wondering what is involved in creating such a character. Giving it the ability to grow without becoming something outdated and boring.
I believe a lot of Batman’s appeal is that he isn’t perfect. He is not some superpower who knows it all. He is human. He has suffered greatly. He is something that each person could be. So to my mind what that means is when writing, try and keep the characters plausible. Make them either some one you can see existing or someone so unique as to catch the imagination.
Indie Publishing Options
I is for Indie Publishing Options Authors who choose not to publish traditionally are referred to as independent, or indie, authors. Indie authors must make several decisions throughout their career as an author. One of those decisions is
Source: Indie Publishing Options
The voice of a rose
This is the second time I have tried to do this post. My Facebook friends list is filled with writer’s. I did that on purpose. I surrounded myself on social media with writer’s and artists and crafty people, so i no longer felt as alone. This morning, one of the writer’s, Author T L Grey, posed a question. As she posted two pictures with it…one of her (a truly lovely woman) and one of a soft white rose with pink edges….I doubt that she wanted the answer I gave her. The question? “If a rose could speak, what would it say?” My response? “That it was dying and missed it’s bush. The loneliness was unbearable.” Well at first she responded Carpe diem. Then she changed it to read “Why be one of several upon a bush instead of singled out and appreciated in the small space of time in which to bloom? The bush will bloom more flowers but this one particular flower has only a small time in which to shine.” I found this as thought provoking as the original question, and a bit telling. So I responded…”While that is true, most do focus on the ways that they are different. To their own detriment. The question was what a rose would say. I have always thought it sad that to enjoy a flower we have to kill it. So i hear the sadness of it’s own imminent demise. I hear regret that the rose did not appreciate the beauty of being a part of the bush until the bush was no longer there. Thus I hear loneliness.”
Now understand please that I do realize the fact that my response was slightly morbid. However her question wasn’t what we hear from the rose’s unique beauty. It wasn’t what does the rose symbolize. So I spoke what I feel any living thing would feel as they die. Death is usually a morbid topic.
As to her statement about being just another on the bush? Well have you ever seen a rose bush up close? No two roses are exactly alike. So it is a riotous community of individuality. I lived in a place once with three bushes. They were amazing. I admit the question and resulting conversation was an inspiration for me. So i did what my weird little poetic heart does. I did another poem for my latest volume. And because I can, I am sharing it with you…..
The voice of a rose
The voice of the rose
Depends on the ear
That hears and it’s
point of view.
The choice of a
Listening heart,
As to hear such
As sadness,
Adventure or
romantic speech.
None less valid,
Each in their own
Way right.
For why can
The voice of the rose
Not be as complex
as the Heart of man.
*her rose*
*I found this one on Google. *
Borderline
The razor’s edge
Splitting me in two.
Moments of clarity,
Only one or two.
Twisted within
my sanity…
Trying to piece
Together the mind
That sleep left behind.
Every minute
that passes
Eternity in need,
Seeking a restful deed.
No cause for concern,
Even as the clock hands
Twist and swirl,
Naught left to do
On this tilt a whirl.
Sweet sandman return
To refresh my brain,
So i can be just
Myself again!
Life Drops
As life drops down
A cheek profound,
I can’t help this longing.
I am sinking,
Writing songs not to be
Sung or even passed along.
Closing my eyes
To hide a pain
Deep down
Alone again.
Sleep to faint
A distant dream,
Silence fades
As noise fills the head,
Noise that shows
I’m not dead.
M is for Marigolds!
Insomnia demons and insisting muses.
Okay, i am often treated to bouts of insomnia. The reasons vary. Often it is just not being able to quiet my busy mind. Last night was the first time in over a month. I am up to thirty three poems out of the seventy I do in each volume for Life drops. I will likely share later one from that. I spent some time writing on the d20 game world that I have created. Lots of details still to do on that one. Managed about two fifty on my steampunk story, and another hundred and fifty on my drow novel. Didn’t get to the others. Helped my sister’s faeries do some for their Facebook page. Shared what i found worthwhile to my author page, to my shop page, and to my personal page. Still felt like I should have gotten more done. Didn’t get my crafts done yesterday. Still my mind isn’t slowing. Have cut way back on caffeine. Limiting myself to two cups of coffee a week and pretty much no pop. Heck even my tea is mostly herbal anymore. Still there are days when i can’t sleep. I’m about to try again for st least a short nap. So until I return…. may you sleep well and have only sweet dreams.
Slacker no longer
I finally have my kindle set up, mostly. Minor tweaks will always be there… but I’m finally where i have all my writing apps back. Don’t get me wrong, I can write on paper, or on the ancient laptop we have…still for me, i do my best on a touch screen tablet. So I was slacking on my daily writing. Even though I know better, I allowed myself to excuse the lack of word count by counting the days until my fire would be in my hot little hands. Not that there has been nothing from me, the latest volume of poetry is two closer to done. I have been assisting my sister with her faeries. (And working on a faery cookbook with her). I have done blogs (although not as many ). Still I am enforcing a two hour a day writing time from now on. And until my vendor show (in Keyser, wv on May 14th) i will be setting aside an hour a day for crafting.
I know i will have at least something ready for publication by December. (There may be another children’s book sooner. Depending on how things go.) Seems like my biggest issue isn’t the writing…. lol. It is the procrastinating.
Pattimouse 