Uncategorized – Page 21 – Carolyn Cordon

Who Am I Trying To Convince?

July 13, 2021 carolyncordon

I wrote an article for Vocal the other day, and posted it to the site. This morning I received a notification the article had been published, which I am happy about. The article is about my published writing, and what I have planned to write in the future. This is where you can read that article, if you wish to …

I’m not sure if all of the books I indicate i may write will happen, there are a lot of Cosy Murder Mystery books I have planned, but I’m still fiddle faddling around getting the first one finished, so I’m not really sure if any of them will actually get published …

But putting it all ‘out there’ is a step that may encourage me to get a move on with it, and with the other books I’m interested in bringing into the world. Step by step, slow but sure, that is how things can happen, no need to rush.

So who am I trying to convince abouit whether these things might happen? Well myself really, because the truth is that if I can’t convince myself, then none of it will happen! I want it to happen, but wanting never actually makes a thing happen.

I need to take action, stop putting off writing more of first novel in my Cosy Murder Mystery series, and then work at getting it published, and working on the second one! And decide how serious I am about the non fiction books I mention in the article I wrote, as well as getting a move on with the next book in the Buster the Dog series.

That one is going to need me to talk with my collaborator, because I am going to bring in a new character to the series, a cat named McTavish the Cat … I will write the dog parts of the story, while my collaborator will write the cat parts. But before that happens, I need to outline the plot so we both know what is happening. And once whe have the story written, it will be time to get the book illustrated and then published.

Ah, the exciting fun of having projects to do, but the irritation at myself for my laziness! I do have a bit of an excuse, if I need one. I’ve been organising a poetry competition, and there is a FEstival happening that my writing group is working on, and that includes me.

I’m going to the the star of one of the Festival events – I will be launching my new book, the one below, on 25 July, on the final day of the Gawler and Adelaide Plains Festival of Words (Recovery). That will be a fun time!

So really it isn’t complete laziness, but some of it is that. Also quite likely a bit of fear of failure … But I’ve proven my worth as a writer, I have books published! And while self-publishing is considered more worthy these days, there is still some stigma attached to it. My next poetry collection is being published by a reputable publisher, Ginninderra Press, who have both published, and rejected my work in the past, so I know if they want to publish my book, it’s because they consider it to be a worthy book.

So while I’m not entiresly convinced in myself as a good writer, I have proof that others think I am, because they have purchased my books! I’m sure I’m not the only writer who sometimes has these doubts. I wonder whether there is a website to visit, when these feelings rise up, so that I can get over my doubts, and just get on and write!

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Haiga Poetic Form, What Is It?

July 12, 2021 carolyncordon

Well, I’m not an expert in these things, not being a scholar of years on study, but as the saying goes -‘I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like!’

I have written a little about this form with an example here Go to the site and have a look, if you wish.

Haiga is the marrying of a Haiku, with an image. The two together may connect in some way, and bring about a deeper understanding. I have written Haiku off and on for many years, and have more recently begun looking at images, and matching them up with Haiku, and so creating Haiga.

This is an enjoyable way to go, putting these two different art forms together, and while I may not be creating the world’s best ever Haiga, I feel happy with what I have been achieving. If I am the only one who sees the connection, so be it …

If you like Haiku, and Haiga, please feel free to leave a message. And if you want to see the Haiga I created today, please feel free to go here to take a look! Many thanks …

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Getting New Book ‘Out There’

June 29, 2021 carolyncordon

When you have a new book, and you are the publisher as well as writer of that new book, there are certain things you are legally required to do. So today, I sent one copy of my new book to the National Library of Australia, and another copy of the book to the State Library of South Australia. This is a necessary thing for publishers to do with new books.

So as I am the ‘publisher’ of my books, as well as the editor of this particular book (an anthology), it’s my task to deal with this part of the publishing process. It costs money, of course, to post books, but it might well lead to further book sales, and also to having copies of my book in libraries. And having books in libraries can lead to even more money being made, through Publis Lending Rights. Yippee.

I am far better at writing than I am at marketing, but I am very slowly getting the hang of it all. It’s a necessary process, but my brain whispers to me that the writing is the fun part, and it’s not interested in that marketing stuff. Naughty brain!

I love this new book though, and want to share it with as many people as possible, so I’ll do my best to be a book marketer, as well as editor, and writer … I put the word out recently to some of hte members of my writing group, that it would be great if one of us got into that side of things, for various group members, but it seems I’m the one who does the most of it, so, maybe I should step up and be that person …

But it would be great to find someone wishing to do these sorts of things, an agent I suppose, who may take on all of the ‘Adelaide Plains Poets’ group, as their clients … We don’t just write poetry, and some of us don’t even write poetry at all, but write books, fiction, and non fiction.

Being a writer, if you do it well, can bring in money, and while the money isn’t the main reason most of us write, it is certainly a welcome part of it all, if and when it happens. I’d happily do a lot more speaking in public, I like to do that, but the idea of being the person to book in for such things doesn’t make me happy at all.

That’s the kind of thing an agent would take over, if there was one their to perform that task … I’m so bad at these things, I haven’t even mentioned the name of my new book, nor plastered the screen with an image of the front cover, even though I love my most recent front cover.

So a gentle slap to make myself get onto this task – My most recent book, due to be launched on 25 July is the anthology – Plague Invasion, a fabulous book, with poetry and prose from writers from Australia and some from writers overseas. The variety and quality of the submissions was excellent, and I’m proud to be the person who brought it all together, to put it out as a book to tell the world how this whole Covid thing has been …

And this is what the cover looks like:

So this is what I’m proud of at the moment, this book and the wonderful contributors who gave me their best, many thanks to you all!

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And So The Book Is Here, Let The ‘Fun’ Begin!

June 23, 2021 carolyncordon

This is possibly my most important book yet …

I have written about important subjects in the past, Chronic Illness, Sex Abuse, for instance, and they are certainly both important subjects, but more on a personal level. This new book I have edited, ‘Plague Invasion – Creative Writing Responses to Covid-19’ is an important book on a global level, and may well become even more important historically, who knows.

I just know that when the phrase ‘plague invasion’ invaded my mind back in April 2020, I had to do something imporant with the phrase. That important thing, was to put the phrase ‘out there’ (online on this blog, and other places online), and see what happened. What happened is this book. An anthology of poetry and prose, filled with words about this awful coronavirus.

The responses go from the silliness of nursery rhymes, to the seriousness of brutal attacks and a wide variety of ideas in between. Covid has hit us all, but we are hitting back, remembering, reporting on, what has been going on.

So I am thrilled that I have produced this book, and humbled by the way others have stepped up to help me make this important document come to life, in the form af a book, a book well worth owning! If you sent me something to go in this book, and gave me permission to include it in the anthology, would love it if you sent me a message with your postal address, so I can get your free copy of the book.

Further copies will be available to contributors at the special price of $15 Australian dollars. If you would like futher copies, tell me, and I can include those copies too.

And if your words are not in the book, but you’d like a copy, the pre launch, and Festival price is $20 Australian dollars. The price after the Festival will be $25. The ‘Festival’ is the Gawler & Adelaide Plains Festival of Words, which will run from 22-25 July 2021. The launch of this book will be at 3pm on Sunday 25 July at the Prince Albert Hotel in Gawler South Australia.

So if you’d like a copy of this book, please let me know, I have nearly 100 copies of the book, just picked up from the printer today, and they’re all looking for a new home!

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My Next Book – Copies Almost Here & Ready To Be Launched!

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021 carolyncordon

I’ve worked long and hard to get this book written and put together, since putting the call out for submissions for this anthology. I’d worried at the start, about upsetting people when I didn’t like their work, and didn’t want to publish it. I much prefer to make people happy, not uspset them.

But I loved pretty well everything that was submitted to me, so then I started worrying I wasn’t being critical enough, and so this book might end up being a bit of a junk heap. But I showed the book to other people, and they loved it, so I stopped worrying about that. This is a good book, worthy of attention!

And the front cover, wow, I love the work the young man I asked to work on the cover for the book, has produced. It really hits you, bang! with the bright colours, and then you notice what is in the picture, and you get a laugh – Toilet Paper, people have been totally focussed on getting toilet paper, in Australia, every time there is another lock down, because of Covid.

I started on this project back in April 2020, and was a little concerned about putting a big effort into producing a book, and then the Covid crisis fizzle out. Not that that would have been a bad thing overall, it would have been a wonderful thing, if life had been able to quickly gone back to ‘normal’.

But the coronavirus is still with us all, and while we are beginning to look on it as a new normal, it is still awful to hear about the huge number of people affected, and how it is affecting hospitals, schools, and so many other things. Covid is still there, and we much all work on staying safe, and not drop our guard against it!

Anyway, as the world tries, in various ways, to get over this plague that is doing the damage, we must do our best with going the best we can, to keep on going, helping ourselves, and others. I am hoping the vaccinations keep on keeping on, and not too many people refuse to get vaccinated, for whatever reasons they give. Keeping ourselves safe, and eveyone around us safe too, that is what we must aim at.