Author: carolyncordon

Wife, mother, Poet, Writer, Art Installationist, Stand Up Comedian, Dog Enthusiast. Spending most of my time being creative in a variety of sometimes quirky ways! I have suffered in my life, I have had wonderful things occur in my life. Concentrating on the wonderful things makes it easier for me to live a great life.
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Putting My Own Work Forward

carolyncordon

This idea of mine, as outlined here yesterday, to organise an anthology about Covid-19, and its affect on us, the creative writers, who see things, think about them, and respond with our main tool, our words, and writing abilities, is real, it’s happening, and people have indicated they’d like to be involved. This is one of those humbling moments, to have other writers acknowledge that my idea to do this was a good one, and a healing idea perhaps, or at least a chance to try to understand it better.

I’ve received the first response to my call for creative writing submissions, and I felt almost scared about reading that response, at least before I’d written my own work for possible inclusion in the Plague Invasion Anthology. I’ve written my own first response now, a poem, an acrostic poem, in fact, and I will share it here, to share one possible way other creative writers may like to go.

And, because it’s relevant to my own poem, here are some trees.

And now, here is my own poem:

Plagasion

My Acrostic Response

Please stay at home. Or go back to work.

Leaving it up to us? Or just confused? 

Anger, anguish, thinking of loved ones lost,

Going down sad old paths, or fresher grief.

Aware, or maybe not, that grief takes time …

Stay together, this journey is one untravelled

In our lives before, the rules fluid. No-one

Owns this problem, unless Nature does, and

Nature is trying, yet again, to make it better …

So that’s what I’ve done, now, will you put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, to produce something that might be suitable for “Plague Invasion” and Anthology of creative writing in relation to Coronavirus – Covid-19? I hope so.

If you wish to submit your work for consideration for this project, here again, are the relevant details:

send your work before 31 July 2020, by sending it as an attachment, to kittycordo@gmail.com, using the subject of ‘submission, Plague Invasion’
If you would like to know more about this, feel free to send me a query, at the same email address, with the subject of ‘query Plague Invasion’.

Thank you, and best wishes to you, in these troubling times

Carolyn

Carolyn Cordon, Editor, Poet, Writer, and Dreamer.

inspiration, writing prompts

Call for Creative Writing Submissions

carolyncordon

I am a poet and writer, but I am also an editor too. Obviously, if poets and writers are going to present their best work/words, they will need to edit their work, before they ever show it to other people, whether friends, family, or writing buddies. And they will have to do an even more intense job of editing their work before they present it to a publisher, if they want to make the grade, and get their work published.

I have done these things, and have been published, and still receive royalties for my work, many years after publication … So with all of my experience with books, and also as the Editor of the Mallala Crossroad Chronicle, a monthly newsletter that is distributed in Mallala and beyond, as well as being available at the Facebook page. This newsletter has been going for fifteen years, and I have been the sole editor for most of those years. It is a popular item and well received indeed.

I have also been the President of Adelaide Plains Poets from it’s beginnings, it is a great group, a writing group that meets every week. The Adelaide Plains Poets also has an annual Poetry competition, and a Festival of Books too. These popular avenues assist in bringing the love of words to many others, both local, and all around Australia.

So there are my credentials regarding creative writing. The reason I want to make this clear, is that I want people to feel confident in sending me their own creative words, to be involved in being published in an Anthology. I have put together poetry collections of my own, and have also had my own creative words published in other Anthologies with other editors. So I know a bit about both collections and anthologies.

my most recent poetry collection

And if I’m going to put my attention, and my money, into putting together a Creative Writing Anthology, I want it to be something that is likely to attract attention, both of writers initially, and of book readers, once it is published. And what is the thing that is taking up the attention, and time of us all at the moment? It’s the coronavirus, or Covid-19.

The working title of this book at the moment is “Plague Invasion”. Does this get your mind working, thinking about possible ideas? A poem about being in Lock Down, and finding it so dreary you turn to creating a vegetable garden? Or an article on the same topic, perhaps. Or you may think about the work being done to keep us all safe, and the craziness of wearing face masks, whether they’re needed or not.

The uncertainty of the whole thing, and the stupid risks being taken by some levels of society, could become an article or a flash fiction story perhaps, of one of the risk takers, whether an eighteen year old person sitting closely together with their mates, or a more mature person just back from their most recent cruise, and infecting others and bringing about the closing down of some small towns.

All of these topics would be suitable, and more. You may have knowledge of all of this from a medical viewpoint, or perhaps you have knowledge of previous plagues from the past. These would be suitable too. I will be looking for as many different ideas, and viewpoints as possible. And as an avid dog lover, I would be very interested in having a look at all of this Locked Down situation from a pet’s point of view.

The memes I’ve seen about this indicate dogs loving having their humans present more often, while cats very much dislike it. What do you think? Write about it and send it in! Anything you have that may fit into this theme, that’s what I want you to send to me.

So, if you have something, please get it to me before 31 July 2020, by sending it as an attachment, to kittycordo@gmail.com, using the subject of ‘submission, Plague Invasion’
If you would like to know more about this, feel free to send me a query, at the same email address, with the subject of ‘query Plague Invasion’.

I imagine there will be around 70 to 80 pages in this anthology, it would be wonderful if it got to 150 or so pages, the answer to the size of the book depends on how many responses are received.

I look forward to reading your response.

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Sharing, For a Friend

carolyncordon

A friend of mine, (Hi John!), asked about seeing some of the novel I’m writing. I value his opinion, so have decided to put a snippet here, so John, and anyone else who might be interested, can read a bit of “Hot Winds of Death At Talloola”, a Cosy Murder Mystery, my first ever. I am far more accustomed to writing poetry, and this venture into writing these mystery novels is a big step, so I appreciate any feedback I might receive. I’m only just into this book, and have many more chapters to go.

This piece is from the second chapter, and Meredith, my main character, has gone along to the Talloola Oval, to check out the preparations for the Talloola Christmas Party, to be held at the oval later in the day, and into the evening. Meredith’s job is with Talloola Council, and putting on this event, after it not being held for quite a few years was her idea, and she hopes it goes well. She has been in the job for less than a year, and hopes to get another contract after her initial two year contract is over. She is a city girl, moved to Talloola, and enjoying the change, to country life.

**********************************************

I got closer to the oval, and was sort of pleased to see lots of residents, both adults and kids, taking an early look at what was going on. It’s good they’re interested, but I hadn’t considered that aspect. Was it going to slow things down, with people wandering around the oval? I’m sure the insurance of the various stall holders would cover anything … But the actual opening of the Talloola Christmas Party wasn’t until much later today. But if these people went home and told others that things were looking good, then, yay, more people! I hope so, anyway.

If this event was successful, we might have to keep people out though, next time. I stored the thought, away on my mental agenda. The people working, looked set up to keep people out of the way of any danger , so I wasn’t too worried, not really. And then, there was Gert, with some of the CWA ladies, heading into the football club to get their tea and coffee stall set up. I gave them a wave, when they looked my way, and continued onto the oval.

I could see Tash, sitting under the big tent, and she seemed to be getting some pamphlets organised, and I was thrilled to see a most gorgeous German Shepherd with her. Dark and tan, a male, he was just beautiful. Was he the barking dog I’d heard, that had woken me up this morning? He certainly looked big enough to be the one … I kept walking and got to Tash and the dog, which was sitting, and looking at me, sedately. 

I glanced at Tash, and asked, ‘May I?’

‘Oh I knew Merlin would attract your interest Meredith! You’re such a sucker for a dog, and Merlin here sure is an impressive dog, isn’t he?’ She laughed at me, and called to the dog. ‘Merlin, ask nicely!’ she said. 

Merlin looked at me, and put out a paw toward me, seeming to beckon me over. I strolled closer, and put out my own hand, touching his big paw, and then reached to stroke him under his chin. He arched his neck and leaned into my hand, and I rubbed gently behind his ears, not surprised when he relaxed into my hand, and seemed to smile at me.

**********************************************************

So that’s a small piece, and I hope you find it interesting, and would like to read more! I’m still in the very early stage of writing this novel, and any thoughts about what I’ve written would be welcome. For instance, I just realised, as I was getting this snippet organised, that both my main character, and the German Shepherd, have quite similar names … ‘Merlin’ and ‘Meredith’… problem or no problem, what do you think?

Merlin isn’t going to have a large part in the novel, I don’t think, or maybe he will. Merlin’s owner also works at Talloola Council, as the Dog Control Officer.

I’m happy enough to change the dog’s name, if it might be a problem. The name jumped into my mind a few days ago, as I was writing the piece, and it seemed just right for him, a wise and intelligent dog …

Anyway that’s it, time to have a coffee, and get some more of this mystery happening!

Cozy Mystery, inspiration

Committing to Your Writing Project – One

carolyncordon

Today, I will write more of my novel, a cosy murder mystery featuring the amateur investigator Meredith Webster. I will add at least 500 more words to the first novel in the series today, and will try very hard to do the same every day, until it is all finished in first draft form, then I will have selected others read it, give me feedback, with a view to getting it published.

So, that is my stated commitment, and it is up to me, to get it done, not anyone else, just me. Of course, if other people are a=watching me, and avidly waiting to read this novel, in first draft format, and will be glad to give me feedback, that will be a good encouragement. And while I already have several people lined up for this role, getting feedback on this blog would be awesome to have too!

I’ve never written a full novel before, I have written a lengthy novella though, and I have several published poetry collections, a school reader, and three amusing books about a dog named Buster. I have read many cost murder mysteries, and enjoy them immensely when they are well done. I’ve got characters, a setting, and many ideas about the town and some of the possibilities for murder there, with potential book titles.

Talloola looks a bit like this town …

I am ready for this, all I need to do is to get the first book written. Simple? No, not really. I am letting myself get too distracted by too many other, non-novel things. So that’s why I’m putting the word up here, where others can read it,and I hope give me a nudge if I don’t report back regularly with an ever increasing word count!

At the moment, the word count is at 6,249 words, so by the time I go to bed tonight, there must be at least 6,749 words. If I get more words written than that, that will be great, but I won’t allow myself to count those extra words for the next day, I will work on writing another 500 words, every day, with maybe a day off, every now and then.

So if you are a writer, and have a particular writing project that you really want to get done, then committing to it, planning it and actually writing it is important. Life at the moment for us all, I think is different, many are in lock in mode, because of the Covid 19 virus. And this means we have far more time at home than is usual. So without making light of the real deaths that have happened, it is a time we can use to work on that writing project, and find something good, amongst the bad.

So, that is what I will do, ‘Meredith’ and I will work on “Winds of Death At Talloola”, finding out who the killer is, and getting them jailed for their crimes! I look forward to you all helping me! I aim to check back every week with a new and much bigger word count. Are you going to be on the team to help me get this done? Leave a comment if you are, and it will happen!

Cozy Mystery

Strange Times …

carolyncordon

Thinking about what is going on in the world right now, I’m wondering, is there really any point in getting concerned about what is happening in countries I’ll never visit, people I’ll never know. But of course that is a head in the sand kind of thought. Places, and people, are important. Things that happen in one place bring echoes of what occurs to other places, as people doing things in one place can link with other people in other places.

I’m not only looking at this from the point of view of a world being held in stasis, at home, trying to find new ways to live our lives … The coronavirus, Covid 19 has us all looking and hoping, grasping greedily, some of us, and sharing compassionately some others. I know of city people ‘invading’ small tourist towns, causing difficulties for permanent residents, who are not accustomed to having so many people there, out of tourist times.

As a person with a chronic illness that means I may be affected in worse ways that others, I am doing my best to stay at home, as much as possible. I go outside, often, but only outside my own house, and mostly remaining on my own property. I gather herbs, and make myself cups of herbal tea, or let our dog in and out, for ‘comfort trips’ into the backyard.

But I’m a writer, so this locked in time could be the ideal time to get writing my Cosy Murder Mystery series, but, even though I have indeed written a little bit of the first book in the series, I don’t seem to be able to settle down to getting it all written, my mind is skipping around from here to there, and I write a blog post, a poem there, and perhaps another couple of paragraphs of the novel, but not necessarily in any kind of order.

I have the TV on, mostly on news channels, seeing and hearing the same news, slightly changed perhaps, watching the numbers, worrying, and staying safe inside … If I could, I’d be like Missy, my dog, lounging around on the sofa, and not worrying about anything except having food, and getting to the toilet as needed …

Missy ‘lounging around’

But I’m not a dog, I’m a writer, and even though writing blog posts is writing, what I really want to be writing, is my Cosy Mysteries … Oh brain, please, think about the people and places in Talloola, and write more words for that first book “Winds of Death At Talloola”!

So enough of this blog post, and perhaps back to my novel-in-progress!