Category: covid 19

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 …

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 …

covid 19

Self Publishing is Fun?

carolyncordon

For my most recent writing project, the publication of an Anthology about how the Covid-19 is affecting people, I’ve had some decisions to make, and have been umming and ahhing about them. One of these decisions has involved thoughts about proper compensation for contributors to the anthology “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing in Response to Covid-19”.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Some of the contributors are new to such things, and are thrilled to be having their words published in such an important book. Others are glad such a book is being printed, and are happy enough about that, with no call for compensation. There are contributors from overseas, not just Australians, and some of those overseas contributors have indicated happiness with just being in the book, with no expectations beyond just being in the book.

I’ve been pondering these matters, thinking about what I can afford, what my costs are, and how much I can afford. I’ve self published several books, so far, and have never ended up out of pocket in any major way. That is, unless I factor in my time, of course. But a writer is who I am, and writing is what I do, so I’m enjoying myself, doing the various things needing to be done.

So I’ve thought about it, and I’ve decided to provide a free copy of the book to all contributors, but will ask for postage and handling from overseas contributors. I am funding this Anthology out of my own pocket, and don’t want to send myself broke. I can afford a certain amount, but not too much … So I will cover the postage and handling costs in sending these free copies of this book to contributors who live in Australia.

So that’s that. There will be a book launch, I hope in the early part of 2021, and books will be available there for contributors, (one free copy), as well as copies available to all others there for the launch. Copies will also be available at the launch for contributors to purchase at half price, for them to keep, give to others, or sell, at whatever price they want to ask. (As long as they don’t sell them at the launch, when I’m also trying to sell books).

Copies will be available to contributors from overseas, on payment of postage and handling costs to my designated account. Unless of course they come to the book launch, when they will get their free copy! (joke there, of course!)

And there’s one really good thing about being involved in the publishing of this book – I now don’t have to think about how to spell PLAGUE!

As always, I welcome further comment about these thoughts of mine.

covid 19, poetry

Another Poetry Related Role

carolyncordon

So not only am I a poet, and President of Adelaide Plains Poets, I am also the competition secretary for that same writing group. Our writing group holds an annual competition, and has done so since around 2005. There have been many poems received from that time, and handed on for judging, then awarded. As the Competition Secretary, I am the fortunate person who gets to read every single poem entered in all of these competitions, and I have certainly read some truly awesome poems!

Every year, I know from experience, there will be a deluge of entries arrive in the mail, in the final weeks of the competition for the Open Section, and the numbers will be more than adequate for the judges to choose the awarded entries between a goodly number of poems, so that winning in our competition in the Open Section really means something significant in terms of literary quality, and so is deserving of the significant prize-money earned.

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And on looking back at numbers of poems received at this point, for years in the past, it certainly looks as though the numbers this year, despite, or perhaps because of, Covid-19. Many of us are staying home, and writing … With the theme of the competition this year being “Vision” I’m wondering whether later entries may look at this terrible virus, and the way it is being dealt with, through a visionary looking glass, and comment through their poetic words …

And if they do so, I may well put on one of my other hats, that of an editor of an Anthology concerning Covid-19, which has been the subject of many of my recent posts on this website. If any of the entries do touch on the subject of this Anthology, and I feel the quality is high enough, I will certainly approach the poets if they would like their work to be considered for inclusion in “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing in Response to Covid-19”.

This poetry competition is for Australians only, and the Anthology is open to anyone and everyone globally, and there have already been worthy submissions from both Australians, and writers from other countries … And with the closing date for submission of work for consideration to the Anthology (31 July 2020), being after the closing date for the Poetry Competition, there will be no clash. The judging will be over, and winners announced before the book submission closes. It is hoped the two things might enhance each other …

And speaking of ‘enhancing’, one of the reasons Adelaide Plains Poets holds this annual poetry competition, is to improve, or ‘enhance’ the way poetry is looked upon by people in the Adelaide Plains region, which includes Gawler, and the Barossa regions. And in particular, it is hoped holding the two Student Sections (Primary School, and Secondary School), it is hoped to pique interest of students, in poetry. I know our judge for these sections is particularly interested in reading these entries, being a former school teacher herself, and maintaining interest in this sector still.

At the moment though, this section of the Adelaide Plains Poets Poetry Competition, has very few entries, and unless the numbers of entries don’t dramatically increase, it will hardly be worth judging, which wold be a sad thing indeed. With so many schools being closed down in Australia,, this has been a difficult time in regards to getting the word out to the various schools and their students. I hope this can be changed, and ask that anyone reading this who knows Australian Primary School and Secondary School Students to please pass on news of this competition. There is honour in being awarded because of your literary talents, in addition to the generous financial award the winners will be given, if their poem is chosen as one of the three best entries in their section.

Entry form and guidelines can be found at this site, and if you are an Australian citizen, I encourage you to take a look, and enter the competition, as well as pass the news of this onto any students you know, who may be interested in being involved. And of course if you know, or in fact are, a school teacher in Australia, this competition is a worthy one for students to enter. It is an easy process, and there is no entry fee for the two Student Sections, unlike entries in the Open Section.

Poetry can bring forward creative abilities and ideas, formerly unrealised, and with our world potentially looking toward a different way of being, the theme of Vision, is one we all need to be thinking about, long and hard, as we look to the post Covid-19 future …