So I have been absolutely busy. Writing and organizing books for publication. Problem is that I have been writing entries for upcoming anthologies… Not stuff that I am able to share. Add in a overwhelming exhaustion… I slept all of yesterday and could have continued to sleep. For me that is a strange thing. I am an insomniac, so sleep often gets left off of my to do list.
I released Dylan and the Pet Zombie, and I put Beautys Tears in to be released. I will probably be doing the book birthday post today. I realize that I forgot to do my Saturday link post for the month. This was a busy weekend… And I will be definitely telling you all about it on Thursday.
Today I am just taking a couch day. I honestly need a chance to recover. I did some yesterday. But I have to finish the resting. This time in less zombie… Lol.
Hello again. Well it’s 2020…and all sorts of jokes can be made there. For me though the first of a new decade, while life changing, doesn’t change my routine much. I submitted some poems to Indie Blue Publishing’s call that I shared yesterday. I have been accepted by the coffee house writers anthology. Serena has a story in for Fae Corps Publishing’s upcoming Light Fae Anthology “Through The Sunshine”. (The deadline to which is the last day of this month.) Fae Corps anthology, Faery Footprints, is due to publish on the 6th. There is a Facebook event for it this weekend.
I have started to build a habit of drawing every day. I have been posting the results to the Myne Drawings photo album on my Facebook page. It’s a public album that you can look at if you are feeling like it. I am hoping that this helps me to improve. Talent is something that you are born with. I have talent for poetry. It comes naturally. My brother got the talent for drawing. It is natural for him. Skill requires work. It requires practice. I am developing my ability. What are you trying to get skill at, and what do you have talent in?
Look for release announcements for Dylan and the Pet Zombie & Beauty’s Tears within January. I am thinking of maybe doing a small series of Dylan stories. I am so in love with the illustrations done by Shannon.
Dylan is such an active young man… The only problem is… The apocalypse has hit. Zombies walk, and he is not able to be out to play like he used to.
It’s a kid’s book, and a really cute one. Cyndi is currently working with Shannon to redo her kid’s book Kiko and the bananas. Due to contractual issues she had to unpublish that one. She is going to release it through Fae Corps Publishing once the new illustration is done.
My word for 2020 is change… But that doesn’t mean that I have to change everything. Marie Kondo has a good idea, at least in a way. You should keep what makes you happy, what sparks Joy. Change is a necessary thing. Stagnation comes from a lack of change. I am not one to allow myself to stagnation. So I am working on changing habits, self recriminations, my inner voice. Things like that.
Wow. A whole decade. Doesn’t sound like much… Especially after you reach a certain age. Ten years ago I published my first volume of poetry. A Pocketful of Poetry was a dream my whole life. I did not like the idea that the publisher could change the words and appearance of my poetry. So, for me, it was something that had to be just a dream until I could do it myself. I looked into self publishing… And initially all that I could find was the pay as you print options. That is not how I wanted to do things. And along came Amazon with Kdp. Suddenly indie publishing was a more viable option. Suddenly I could have a dream come true.
In the interim, I have published a lot more books. Some as me, some as Serena. 3 kids’ books, 1 novella, 1 novel, 1 anthology, 1 memoir, and 18 poetry volumes. I have been published in several literary magazines. It is very surprising what can happen in 10 years.
On a personal level, I have moved from Oklahoma back to West Virginia. I have always been a West Virginia girl, so I was miserable in Oklahoma. I have lost a hundred pounds. I have become more confident about my art and myself.
So I am ready for all that the 20’s have for me. Are you?
So, this is a milestone, and I feel like dancing. Or partying! What is a party without a giveaway? So for my giveaway… Leave me a comment. Every comment on this post, or reblog, will result in an entry. (New follows also result in entries)
Giveaway: I have a copy of Pocketful of poetry(my very first volume), and a painted tin for the winner.
Each year many of my writer friends choose a word to be their motivation for the upcoming year. I have done this in the past, but I felt like this year would be too chaotic. It was, but that is beside the point.
Let’s start with a review of this year and then I will reveal the word that I have chosen for 2020.
For me January through March crawled. I released one volume of poetry, Spilled Verse. I know that other stuff, personal stuff, happened… But at this point most of that time is a blur.
My Mom visited at the end of March. It is rare for me to see her, and her two eldest Sisters accompanied her. Both of which I have not seen since being a teen. It was a good visit.
The next thing that really happened this year was the release of Dream Drips. I did a migration to Draft2Digital in January which allowed me to offer all of my books in multiple formats.
I took a road trip in June to see people very dear to me. I also released Ink Splashes.
In July we released Under the Mists. Working with such lovely, talented wordsmiths, well it was quite a treat.
The next month of worth was October. I joined Coffee House Writers. I really enjoy working with them.
November was Nano. I have a couple of books in formatting that need releasing. I finished Beautys Tears, Dylan and his pet Zombie, and I am working on layout of Faerie Footprints.
Overall, 2019 has been eventful. I have written, and drawn, much this year.
So, I think that for 2020 my word will be change. I need to figure out what I am doing wrong and adjust to make not only my writing successful but my life. I need change, so I will be aiming for it..
Yeah I know. I usually just post my own poetry or do a spotlight for Monday… But I just spent a week with bronchitis. So I did not have a post prepared. And I felt like that was not fair to those who read my blog.
So I decided to mix the two and add a story of explanation. To change things up and hopefully give the reader a smile.
A Haiku A Day is run by an author that I worked with on Under The Mists. Haiku is for me a difficult form. I do so much better with freeform poetry. He is posting literally a haiku a day. I am in awe of his talent. Well I thought that it would be a neat challenge to try and answer his Haiku with haiku of my own. Silly right? Well I obviously did not manage it every day… But I have been able to do it a few times. Now I challenge you. Take a look at the haiku below and then go check his blog. See if you can match my answer to the original poem.
Now if you can… And send me in email your answer, I will be doing a giveaway. I do not yet know what I am going to give away. But free is always good, right?
Here are my Haiku.
The light was never hers Though she was told that it was Darkness was always home
The words choked the pen For the poet knew to be sin To lay down the pen.
Payment often comes Due in less than convenient Moments slowing life.
Sweetness fades away Memory remains to haunt him Over kisses stolen proper
Sanity is overrated insanity has benefits Missing pieces hide easy
The words outcry all For choosing one is downfall At the beginning then.
Tonight I see a Note of similarity between sleepy poet and me.
Echoes continue till We return to hear wisdom From who we once were
Fancy Dinners in quiet spaces Asking not who attended, Making no demands In the stress free zone. Loving the only requirements You really need to know.
Pattimouse 