First Dance – Poetry

 

Our eyes met across the room.

You know what they say,

Love at first sight.

It doesn’t always work that way.

Our eyes met,

The same eyes as before.

We’ve known each other a while,

As friends, nothing more.

We met halfway,

The centre of the room.

Things have changed dramatically,

Now we are bride and groom.

Things That Make Blogging and Reading Easier (Top Ten Tuesday)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book themed meme held over at The Broke and the Bookish. This week we are listing the top ten things that make life as a reader/blogger easier. This is a different one as it doesn’t involve actual books! Here’s my list:

1) Goodreads

I’ve been using this website for longer than I’ve been blogging but it’s an excellent help. It helps me to keep track of what I’ve read as well as books I want to read. It’s also a brilliant social site with lots of interesting book clubs to join for inspiration. You can find my Goodreads profile here. Feel free to add me!

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2) Bloglovin

I’ve always used this rather than google reader so it didn’t effect me as much when everyone changed over. It’s a really useful way of subscribing to a huge number of blogs so you never miss a post. I also love how you can categorise the blogs so I can easily keep up with all the latest vegan blog posts as well as Friday Fictioneers and Top Ten Tuesdays.

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3) Top Ten Tuesdays

Is it odd to include the meme in a list for the meme? Top Ten Tuesdays is a really fun weekly community to take part in. I love seeing other people’s lists and I often feel challenged when making my own!

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4) You Are Here Bookmarks

I’ve only had these for a couple of weeks but they’re really useful when you want to make notes about the books you’re reading so it’s easy to review them when you get to the end. They were only £3.95 from Waterstones!

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5) Planning

It might seem boring but the only way I can keep on top of posting on both of my blogs is my fortnightly blog planner. I print a few copies off at a time and when I think of an idea I mark it on the planner. That way I always know my blog will be updated!

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6) Charity Shops

I buy most of my books second hand. It means I can impulse buy any books that look remotely interesting without having to worry about the cost. I get some good bargains!

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7) Waterstones

This is my favourite bookshop. As much as I love second hand books, there’s nothing like the feel of a brand new one!

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8) WordPress

I previously dabbled in blogging and used Blogger. I much prefer WordPress though as it’s easier to use and you have more control.

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9) Pinterest

I get a lot of inspiration and ideas from pinterest as well as being able to pin books I want to check out. I also use it to keep a lot of writing prompts and tips which can be useful. Follow me here.

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10) Friday Fictioneers

I’d never written short stories before this time last year. Friday Fictioneers is a really fun way of writing. Every week a photo is posted and the challenge is to write 100 words of fiction using it as inspiration. It’s good practice and can be the beginning of further ideas!

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What tools/websites make your blogging life easier?

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NOTE – I am currently away at Leeds Festival but I will answer all comments when I return!

Allure of the Unknown (Friday Fictioneers)

 

Friday Fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields where an image is posted and we write a 100 word piece of fiction to go with it. Today I collaborated with Steven from In Amongst the Ebb and Flow!

Allure of the Unknown

I’m running, stumbling through the forest. Bits of tree bark snapping beneath my feet. The autumn wind chilling me to the bone. I’m lost.

There’s a gap in the trees. As the sun caresses my skin I see a building looming large over me. An eerie mixture of a castle from a horror film and the dream like manor from a fairy tale, enticing me in.

Panting for breath, I tentatively strike the front door with my knuckles.

“Hello? Is there anyone there?”

My heart beats faster as a shadow builds against the frosted glass. I am not alone.

What Inspires Me As A Writer? – Part 1 – The Power of Books

I’ve been thinking recently about the different things that inspire me to write. I’ve always enjoyed writing, even when I was a child, but I’ve never stopped and asked myself why. For the next few Saturdays I will be exploring the reasons I’ve always be inspired to write and the things that keep me writing.

This week I want to talk about the healing effects of reading. By this I don’t mean that reading can cure all ills. I’m not talking about homeopathic remedies made out of crushed up pages heavily diluted in water and I don’t mean tablets made out of compressed novels.  I’m talking about the healing effects of disappearing into a make believe world for a while. There’s nothing better than immersing yourself in the world of a character to take some of your own stress away.

I use books in this way all the time. How many of you have thought “I’ll just read for 10 minutes” and then checked the clock to find an hour had passed? Your mind loves to be occupied in somebody else’s hopes, dreams and even problems. It gives it a chance to relax and think about something else for a while.

Writing is even better. The power of writing is phenomenal. Again you get that feeling of being in somebody else’s shoes for a while. I often write for hours without realising so much time has gone by.

The power of writing is even more intense though. Through poetry you can pour your emotions, stresses and worries out onto the paper. Through fiction you can empower your characters, and therefore yourself, to make a change in their life and come out stronger on the other side.

The power of books is one of the things that keeps me writing. I want to create worlds that readers can immerse themselves in and characters that can inspire. Villians (both personified and emotional) that can be beaten and underdog characters that can rise up and stand for what they believe in. I want to create poetry that inspires readers to pay attention to things they wouldn’t usually notice and non-fiction that educates and informs.

I truly believe in the power of reading and writing and am proud to call myself a writer.

Writing Related Book Haul

 

The only problem with my job is the amount of contact with exciting books that I have. These were a donated last week and I just had to have them.

A Complete Guide to Fairies and Magical Beings – Cassandra Eason

This is such a good book. It has chapters on old legends and the different types of fairies. I think it’s going to be really good for finding out about different beings to use in my writing.

 

Poetry By Moonlight

An anthology of poetry based on moonlight and night time. After a little flick through this looks like it has some beautiful poetry in it. It also fits with one of my reading goals for 2013!

 

Watercolour Fairies – David Riche and Anna Franklin

This is a step to step guide on how to paint fairies. I’m not artistic in the slightest but some of the pictures are truly inspiring.

 

Fantasy Encyclopedia – Judy Allen

This has some of the folklore in that I’m looking at for my writing. But as a keen reader of fantasy I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of this one as well. Vampires and dragons anyone?

 

Comprehensive Writing Course

This is a proper mail order writing course with lots of booklets in on different topics in writing. It covers everything from poetry to children’s writing. I was very excited about it!

 

So that’s my little haul. I couldn’t really afford it but I think some of it will be very valuable to my writing en devours! 

Top Ten Tuesdays – Reading Goals for 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish (http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/paulas-top-ten-reading-goals-for-2013.html). This week’s theme is reading goals for 2013.

My goals are:

1. Read 50 Books – any type, any genre! Last year I pledged the same on goodreads but didn’t do too well so this is my second attempt.
   
2. Read more non fiction – I have a lot of non fiction on my book shelves. It’s mostly animal/science related stuff which I have a lot of interest in from my Zoology degree. I don’t know why I don’t read it more often.
3. Read more poetry – I write a lot of poetry but have to confess that I don’t read it very often!
4. Sort out discworld – by “sort out” I mean figure out which ones I have read and haven’t read, which ones I own and which ones I need. Then try and catch up a bit!
5. Read 10 books that I’ve owned for more than a year – I have a lot of books and yet I always read my newer ones first! I want to clear some of my “to read” shelf.
6. Read more Stephen King – I have loads of Stephen King books and keep buying more!
7. Don’t waste time on books I don’t like – I always persevere with books and then get in a rut. If I don’t like it I’m going to put it down and start a new one.

 

 

I also have some writing goals:

1. Actually start my story – I love planning but I need to start writing at some point!
   
2. Read more books on writing – This goes with the non fiction goal above but I’ve got so many of these it’s getting silly when I never read them!
3. Enter writing competitions – I’m at that point where I’m finally a bit more confident with my writing and I’m going to start letting other people read it. Scary but good!

And those are my 10 book related goals! I’m going to try and keep up with Top Ten Tuesdays because they’re quite fun (that’s another goal…) so check back in a week for another one. Also if you want to join in check out http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.co.uk/p/top-ten-tuesday-other-features.html.

Cinders

A quick poem I wrote on my way into the shop this morning.

 

This tree looks like fire

How can it bear to let go of its beauty 

As its ember like leaves glide to the floor?

 

The trunk stands up tall

Its dull brown branches reaching into the sky

As soon they will be emblazened no more

 

The frost approaches

And soon the branches will glitter and sparkle

Different beauty but the tree knows the score

 

Then into the spring

The new leaves are not as bold as the old

But will grow strong as they follow nature’s law

 

Back into Autumn

And green transforms into flame like colours

The embers are grown back, soon to be no more

 

The circle of life,

Each generation as brave as the last

But the tree remains as the trusted old core

 

 

 

An inspirational walk through the park on an autumn morning

This morning I was walking through my local park and, as always, gazing around at my surroundings. I love the crispness in the air on a sunny autumn morning and the crunchy leaves underfoot. 

I got to thinking about the circle of life and wrote this poem when I got on the train. I hope you like it!

 

Crunch

Brown, burgundy and gold

These are the leaves of old

Played the part they had to play

They have now been tossed away

What a sad life it must be

Clinging fearlessly to the tree

Happy National Poetry Day and my take on the theme..

Hello everyone!

I found out this morning that it was National Poetry Day and that the theme was stars. That was enough to inspire me!

I immediately thought of my brilliant summer with the Oxfam team. Whilst we were at WOMAD we spent quite a bit of time lying outside our tents staring at the sky. It was the most amazing way to pass the time and the experience has inspired my latest poem.

Me and some of the brilliant Oxfam Shops Festival team at WOMAD Festival 2012

 

Nebula

What makes you feel insignificant

Like gazing at the stars

Whilst lying in a field

No distraction from people or from cars

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You continue to lie on the grass

For hours into the night

Stars keep on appearing

Night adds to your power of sight

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But there is a sense of forboding

You start to realise

You’re looking at the past

And you no longer feel as wise

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Will we ever understand

What’s happening in our sky?

Will we ever know it all?

Will we stop asking ourselves why?

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Is information really power?

And will we ever really know?

The fun is finding out

The path to knowledge can be slow