Month: May 2020

covid 19, inspiration

Fabulous or Flop?

carolyncordon

When you first get an idea for something, a thing that feels important, and exciting, your whole self can buzz with the thrill of it all, and your mind focuses on that thing as it becomes the most important thing ever, for you.

This is how this Covid-19 anthology felt for me, back around the middle of April, when I first got the idea for it, exciting, and feeling like it was almost a calling, something I had to do for the greater good, kind of thing. So I put the call out for responses to Covid-19, and have received enthusiastic comments, which told me I was definitely onto something big. And then the amazing words began arriving.

So, certainly, the beginning of this has been fabulous, the writing received so far has been pretty fabulous too. There’s still plenty of time for more great writing, both prose and poetry, to come to my inbox, and surely the anthology will be a fabulous thing indeed, won’t it?

Well right now, it looks that way, lots of pieces of writing are making there way to me, and I am gradually putting them into a document that will become the book. I have various bits of writing promised to me, and I am continuing to promote this anthology and requesting submissions. And this morning I had a phone interview with the editor of one of the local newspapers, and I have hopes that that may well bring me more words to help to fill the pages.

The sky’s the limit!

Yes, the sky is the limit, the world is out there, the whole wide world, and people all over the world are living with this virus. And they’re thinking about it too, as I am, and some of them are writing about it, for this anthology. I thank them for that, and hope that the writing brings them some feeling that they have some kind of control over things, even in this strange world we have right now …

This will book number nine for me, and my first book that may become an important historical book … I have written non fiction before, but those were more personal books, while this anthology is something that reaches out far beyond me, and my life. I hope it might become a record of the time the word slowed down, went slightly mad, and then settled down to think more deeply about life, what it was, what it could be …

I’m sure many books will be written about this time, and I would love this anthology to become one of the most important books of this time, an anthology containing the various stages of this pandemic, the ridiculous parts, the scary parts, the boring parts even, and many other phases.

Don’t try to understand me by the books you can see here, only some of them are my books …

I put that photograph there to show the reality of my world, there are lots of books in it … Books are excellent things to have in your life, whether or not you read each and every one that is there with you. Glancing at them, flicking through them, or merely existing in the same room with them, they are all important things. I certainly hope the book I’m currently working on, the anthology “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing Responses to Covid-19”, becomes a book that many people have in their homes.

Whether put away neatly in a bookcase, or piled up on a table near the sofa, having this book in your home will be a reminder about the time all of us went a little bit crazy in a variety of ways. Whether it was binge buying toilet paper, or locking ourselves away, barely ever venturing out, of deciding to invite the whole world into their life (to join together to write & anthology), madness hovered at the edges, at least, of our closed in Covid-19 lives …

At this stage, this idea is still very much at the forefront of my mind, feeling fabulous. The actual book is getting more and more words added to it, from the wonderful people who’ve responded to my calls for submission of words about or in response to Covid-19. And you know what, with all of the awesomeness there’s been so far, even if the book didn’t get printed, it wouldn’t be a flop.

And given the simple way it’s being put together, and knowing I have enough money to print, and send off, enough copies to get a copy to all of the contributors, well that means it an’t not happen, unless I for some reason was unable to get to my laptop. And even that wouldn’t make the whole thing a flop, because if I couldn’t get to my laptop, that would have to mean something fatal had occurred … so the options more truly are fabulous or (shh) fatal … And we don’t want to think about that option.

So fabulous, that’s what this book is going to be, absolutely fabulous! Thank you to all of the wonderful people who’ve been along this journey with me, it’s fun, and I hope to catch up with, or meet, many of you at the launch of “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing Responses to Covid-19” – that event, planned for early 2021, will be absolutely fabulous too!

covid 19, inspiration

Getting My Words In, and Getting Them Out

carolyncordon

Today I received a book in the mail – a poetry collection, with one of my poem in it. Hooray! and I also received notification that a poem of mine is going to be in an online journal, The Crow. And after having no internet since yesterday afternoon, I was thrilled when we finally got internet back this afternoon!

I don’t know why our internet connection fell down, or strolled away, but was glad that the people at Aussie Broadband, were able to help in getting things up and going again. With the current world of Covid-19 restrictions, and being ‘locked down’ at home, keeping connected feels even more important.

I managed without the internet for those hours, but gosh, I hope that doesn’t happen too often, I like to be able to get connected! A blogger without the internet? It can’t happen! I took the opportunity today in sending an email, to get the word out about the Covid-19 anthology I’m editing too, and the result should be good.

So submissions for ‘Plague Invasion – Creative Writing Responses to Covid-19, are coming in, and I’m putting them into the document, and sending out requests for ‘writer bios’ to go into the back of the book from all of those whose words are accepted. Words in, words out – it’s an ongoing thing. And of course I will be writing some more of my own words for this anthology too.

And of course, getting the word out about this project is important, and that’s why I’ve been promoting it so heavily on my blog here. This is an important project, one of historical note, and in ten years time, we will remember that mad time when there was such a big run on toilet paper, so that the supermarkets had to limit how many toilet rolls a shopper could purchase …

Mad times for sure, and it isn’t over yet. I’m still looking for more writing, in particular prose, and would love to have prose from sports minded people, lamenting the lack of sport, or from medical people talking about the dangerous times they had, working up close and personal with this killer virus, and hoping they didn’t catch it themselves.

Or political people form any of the three level, local, state or federal, something from some people there would be a great addition to the anthology. Time for me to get the word out to the politicians and mayors I know, perhaps …

Uncategorized

Wasted Words?

carolyncordon

I’ve just been looking through some bags of ‘stuff’ I have carefully stored in our house, and realise I have written so many bits and pieces over my years, scraps and scribbles, responses to workshops, ideas written down in writing groups, hand-written, and then forgotten …

If there is a certain number of words to write in a life, I suspect I’ve written all of those words, and more, but what have I done with them? As I looked, I remembered some of what had happened at he particular events, and I realised that some of those words were re-used, to become actual typed up words, and so began another life, in another form.

Some of the words I read probably are now in yet another format, that of a printed book, and surely that is the finest format there is for a book? I certainly think it is. A printed book, the kind of thing you’d find on a bookshelf, either in a home, or library, that is what books are supposed to do, hold words, ever-ready and waiting to be read …

One of our bookshelves

But if I never do anything with those thousands of scrappy hand written words in notebooks and on scraps of paper in those bags, were the words wasted? What do you think? I remember trying to drive a manual car, after learning to drive in an automatic car. Bunny hops, and stalls were my usual fate, until, finally, after much practise, I could change gears, smoothly, and the car would move forward at the proper pace, and with no stalling, and none of those embarrassing bunny hops …

And maybe it’s the same with all of those notes I have, in all of those bags. I was practicing the craft of writing, trying to ‘drive the car’, of my writing career. Some of the workshops in those notes, were workshops I paid to attend, some were workshops others paid me to attend. So in the terms of our modern life, obviously, if others will pay for my work (presenting a workshop), then obviously the words written for the workshops have worth.

And the other words? Well, as with driving, I was writing to achieve smooth writing, that moved along, a thought, a poem, as story, a book, even. There are notes which related to my book series (three of which have been published). There are notes about another book series, which has been, not abandoned, but repurposed, and when the time is right, I may get those notes, words, out again, and move them along the road toward publication too …

So in fact, those words are not wasted, they were valuable to write, practising my craft, increasing my status as a writer too, to be able to present workshops to others, and being paid for it. So even if some of my words never make it into print, they were not in fact wasted at all!

Using words brings me joy, too, of course, and that is a good thing, to be able to find joy in doing what you do, and getting money for it too! What do you think, does your writing bring you joy? Or do you think writing is a waste of time, and your words are wasted? I hope you don’t think that. Practice is a good thing!

Uncategorized

So the Word is Out …

carolyncordon

Today, I had a message on ‘Facebook’, the way it sometimes happens, and it was someone sort of assuming I’d do something, and it wasn’t something I really do, but it is, actually now. And because this thing seemed like an interesting thing to do, I went along with it, and said some things in reply, leading to more things back, and so it is, I am going to edit and publish, something else, someone else’s big idea thing, that is good, and community driven and absolutely fantastic, if it happens …

And part of my role is to help to make it happen, if the words come, and the story grows until the time has come for it to become a book … So it suppose it’s official, I am seen (at least by a few people) as the go to person to get a book published … At the moment, I do that as a self-published writer, doing my own thing with it all, in the best way I know how to do it.

And given I have eight books published, some self-published some not, I guess I have a fair idea about the ins and outs of publishing, in a small way. And if I wanted to make that a bigger way, not a small way, well, you learn by doing, don’t you? Step by step, doing more things, bigger things, spreading the word, and range, and bang, there you are, you’re doing it.

My first book was a bit of a joke-thing, there was an idea, and some words, and a person (Ally Hean), who was my friend, and she is a great illustrator, so we just put the words together with some of Ally’s illustrations, saw a printer and made it into a book, printing out copies of it and selling the books. After that first book, I made two more in a series, self-published a memoir and a poetry collection. I’ve had a school reader published, and two more poetry collections (the most recent one a chapbook).

Three of my books, the one on the right is the first one. “Dig It! Gardening Tips for Dogs”

As well as that writing, I’ve also been the editor of a newsletter for the town closest to my home, co-editing, then editing it, and getting it printed, for around fifteen years. I enjoy doing this and being involved with others to get their information out to other people living in and around that town (Mallala is the town, and the newsletter is the Mallala Crossroad Chronicle)

At the moment, I’m working on an Anthology, and am calling for submissions of poetry and prose from other poets/writers to feel a book of words about this Covid-19 pandemic. This is possibly my biggest writing project, and is already the one that involved the most people. I’m enjoying reading the various responses to this call, and am looking forward to getting it all put together and printed.

I’ve had people from my country, Australia submit work for this, as well as people from other countries. If you think this is an interesting project, and would like to be involved, send up to three poems of thirty lines or less, and/or up three pieces of to 3,000 words of prose (fiction or non-fiction), to me at kittycordo@gmail.com – I’d love to read your words, and if they’re acceptable, they’ll be included in the anthology. The title will be “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing in Response to Covid-19”.

This anthology-in-progress has taken up much of my time since I thought of the idea, and decided I wanted to do it. But now, today, in fact, a friend has asked me to be involved helping with a book project, one that sounds very interesting as well, but of a different genre … I’ll be writing some words for the book, and will be editing it too.

So yes, I’m a writer and poet, and I am definitely an editor as well. And the way my thoughts are going, I’m possibly going to become an actual publisher, rather than only a self-publisher … We’ll see how that goes. I can see this year and into the next is going to involve a lot of editing of other people’s words, as well as my own. And I like the sound of that, a lot!

Being a publisher though, will involve a lot of administrative work, and I don’t like that anywhere near as much. It isn’t anywhere nearly creative enough for my taste. Ah well, if that’s what it takes, I’ll have to do it, perhaps with others, not just myself … Life is made up of many things, and getting out one thing sometimes has to happen before a next thing happens, so it can work out well. I’m prepared for that.

Any advice about this Publisher thing though, will be happily and gratefully received!

covid 19, Cozy Mystery

Reminders of My Former Life

carolyncordon

A friend of mine offered some advice to me recently about a possible useful thing to gain information for my previous ‘big’ project, and I could barely even engage on what that was all about. On further thought, I could see what was mentioned, might well be useful, but apart from the fact that I may not actually be able to do that because of Covid-19 restrictions, thought further about it.

I’ve become a bit obsessed about this current project, in a way that hasn’t happened to me before, or not for this kind of thing, anyway. Reaching out to other writers, to collaborate on something, just me and the world, rather than my writing group, and all of Australia, or just me and a publisher, those things have happened. But this project is different, it’s big, really big.

And it’s important too, the way writing can be, when it touches on world wide issues. And at the moment, surely this Covid-19 virus is one mighty big (and frightening) thing. So putting together an Anthology about this is my big thing, and the title of the big thing, of the book I, and the poets and writers whose work is accepted will create, is “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing Responses to Covid-19”.

White Gold …

See, a big issue, a life and death issue. An important issue. And since I came up with this idea, and began working on it, my previous writing project, that I thought was important, has faded away to not much, and I was wondering if anything much might happen until after, when my life goes back to ‘normal’. If there ever is going to be ‘normal’, as we’ve known life to be …

But at my writing group today (we meet online now, until … Until the hotel we meet at is opened up again, and we will be able to all sit at a table together and have our meetings.) So at the meeting, we were given a writing prompt, and I immediately came up with a scene for the Cosy Murder Mystery series that I’d been working on before Covid-19 came along, and it felt strange to be in the head of my main character, strange, but good too.

Because I had been wondering a little about whether I’d still be able to get into Meredith’s head again, after working on this far more worthy project. But Meredith is definitely there with me, she’s in my head, and so I can get into hers, and this reminder of that project is a little light relief, and I know I can get back into the Anthology project again, and step away if I need to, and life goes on still …

Being at home is fine, but going out sometimes is good too, and these things are important for us all, I feel. A little shopping, connections, online if real life can’t happen, Perhaps some gardening, or housework, these things can help make life feel more normal. And having a life that feels normal is a good thing, for sure … So normal is good, and having reminders about my former life, that’s good too.

A writer writes things that seem important, when it’s important to write them, but maintaining balance is good too, because it helps to keep going, and not get overwhelmed. I may have been approaching that, I’m not sure, but I feel more centred now, and feel these projects will both have their times, some days focused on one, another day doing some of the other, and it will all work out, step by step, on and on, as needed.

My former life is still there, and after this Big Project, I can step back to that other, still big, but not so worthy, project. It’s all about maintaining a sense of balance, and I can feel that is what I have, things are going well, and I can work on both of these projects, and others too perhaps, as long as there is balance …