Tag: creative writing

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Busy Times Are Good Times!

carolyncordon

I have so much going on right now, in my life as a writer/poet/blogger/editor, I barely know which way to look!

But the prioritisation of the tasks to be done is more or less under control, I think. I may be deluding myself about that, but time will tell, at least I hope so. I know what I will be doing every day, if there is something important I must do, because I use the calendar on my mobile phone, and I always take my phone with me, wherever I am. Except for when I go to bed.

Sleep is an important part of the day, and I value my sleep, so when I go to sleep, my phone does as well, turned off and up the far end of the house from my bedroom. Its cheeps and chirps will NOT wake me up, so I sleep well!

Having, and using that calendar has been a welcome tool to help me keep on track with what I have to do in my life. I also have a diary now, which I am trying to use as well as I the calendar … And a further tool I will be thinking about getting into my box of useful things to use, and that is a five year book for the writing down of important little things. This book has the title of ‘One line a day’, and has the room for five separate one small piece of writing, on every page. It is diary form, but with space for more than just the one year.

So I am to write down my snippet of interest on the relevant day, including the year it comes to my mind. And eventually, I might have a book filled with pith little sayings, that will be of much interest to people interested in such things, when I become famous. Haha!

The most important thing coming up at the moment, that is written about in both the mobile phone, and my diary, is the upcoming launch of my next book! This is exciting news, and I certainly wasn’t going to forget to go to it! But writing it up shows how important it is to me!

The book is my next Poetry Collection, titled ‘Leonard Cohen Is Dead’, and I honestly believe this is my best collection written yet! And today I was at an event in the Civic Centre in Gawler, the town where my writing group meets. I had to be there, for a couple of reasons, because firstly, one of our group members was one of the three presenters, and secondly one of the other presenters is the person who will be launching my book for me, and I wanted to show my solidarity to him, as a sign of respect!

When writers are able to do things like this, it leads to an even stronger connection happening. Being a writer can have the lonely times, with just you and the page/screen, putting down your words in the hope of eventually connecting with readers …

I have to get the next issue of the newsletter I Edit for my town too, and I plan to do a lot of work on that tomorrow, when the house will be mine (and the dog’s too), and all I need to put my mind to will be getting myself coffee as needed, putting out the call for pieces for the Mallala Crossroad Chronicle newsletter, and then heading off to Gawler for the writing group meeting …

I have to do this every month, and while I do enjoy doing this, it is about the only thing I occasionally feel stressed about, when or if I don’t have enough done, and the end of the month is approaching, which is when the Chronicle is due to be printed and then distributed! But I’ve seen for myself that the world doesn’t actually end if the issue doesn’t actually come on for the intended month, but is released in the following month instead.

The fact that it was out of my hands, and there could be no blame laid on me over it helped, but I still felt a bit stressed about it. It felt so wrong for the month to end without the next issue of the Mallala Crossroad Chronicle coming out! It was eventually out though, so that was fine. I hope the May issue is out on time though! So tomorrow, I will do all I can to get the issue almost ready to be sent off to be printed!

And of course, there is that ongoing Cosy Murder Mystery I’m supposed to be writing … I think I’ve done my homework to hand in tomorrow, which relates to the homework given last week, to present at the next group meeting (tomorrow). And I’ve got my next poetry collection to add more poems to … It’s going to be a chapbook this time, rather than a full collection, so that takes off the pressure a bit. And I don’t have a time frame, or due date for that, but I would like to have it ready to be published, by July next year, if I can.

So I’m thinking about that one too, and hope to continue with those thoughts, but there’s no stress for that one, it won’t impact anyone apart from me. So most of this stuff is totally under control, and is exciting, but not stressful, and these are busy times, but good times!

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One Book Launched, What Comes Next?

carolyncordon

I’m thrilled to say the launch of my most recent book, “Plague Invasion” was a success, with many copies of the book finding new homes, and many more to post to their new homes iin the following week or so.

Self-publishing a book needs so much more than just asking for submissions, putting them together, and then have a launch to give a copy of the contributors present, and actually sell some of the books.

So I’ve done that part now, and as I indicated, it was a successful day, with the money taken bringing me closer to breaking even, if I don’t factor in the time this project has taken, and other related costs. I’m enjoying what I’ve been doing, and so am happy to cover some costs.

And one of the costs is to send out books that have been ordered. I have postal addresses, so today I’ll be putting together the books to post, in Australia and beyond.

But I’ve already begun work on the next Covid-related book. Someone (I can’t remember who) gave me the idea for the title, and I’ve already begun a file on my laptop, with some contributions that didn’t get into this first book.

The second book has the working title of “Are We There Yet?” or possibly the slightly longer title of ‘Are We There Yet? Yeah, Nah …” This second, longer title will, I hope, lend a satirical tone to the project, and assist in bringing in a diverse range of creative writing responses.

I plan on this new anthology being ready to launch at about this time next year, hopefully during the Gawler and Adelaide Plains Festival of Words 2022. So I am in the middle of getting all of these copies of Plague Invasion out, but I am also looking to the next book.

Am I mad? Or am I just enjoying myself with this so much, I don’t want the fun to end?! Maybe a bit of both. But if I can do this without sending myself broke, and give some previously unpublished writers the chance to have their work in a book, without getting ripped off, I’m more than happy to do that!

I have a sponsor (my mother), who I acknowledged in Plague Invasion, and she is one of those people who had their written work published in a book for the first time, and she read the short story she wrote at the book launch, a very prooud moment for her, and for me as well!

My Mum is great! I don’t know whether she will get hooked on this writing thing, and want to be in the next book, but if she does write something, I will certainly consider it, as I did for the works published in Plague Invasion.

The book, what will the cover for the next book look like?

I was stunned at the perfection of this book cover, and can hardly wait to see what may happen for the next book. I’ll have to wait and see what works may come in, once I’ve put the call out. Not yet, I need a rest! Patrick Millikan, the young man who created the from cover image has done fine work with this one, that’s for sure!

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Why I Enjoy Being A ‘Writer in Residence’

carolyncordon

From looking at my calendar on my phone, I see I’ve been a Writer in Residence since the first Monday in February this year. I’m enjoying my time there, almost all of the time, with only one little blip that wasn’t quite so wonderful …

It was a learning experience, and a lesson that I know understand, and so I hope that particular thing won’t happen again. Being a writer in residence on a regular basis, especially if the venue you are ‘in residence’ at, is a small one means you are quite ‘up close and personal’ with the owner/manager of that venue, and if there is trouble, the owner may have to think hard about whether or not you are of value to their business.

I’ve fallen foul of this ‘up close and personal’ issue in the past, and so took lessons from that experience, and tried to be careful not to fall foul of the same thing that went wrong last time, somewhere else.

The ‘trouble’ this time, was of a different kind, and it has been sorted out, and I am still welcome to be at this venue. I am glad of this, and happily drive off to the Gallery 14 cafe in Hamley Bridge every Monday morning that aren’t Public Holidays. It’s a nice cafe, in a nice town, the coffee is good, and I can set up my books there, and write or chat, as I wish, getting a free coffee whenever I ask for one!

The coffee is good, the ‘feel of the place is friendly and creative, and I have had some lovely conversations with people who have expressed interest in what I am doing there. I’ve sold a few books there too, and shared information about my writing group (Adelaide Plains Poets) and our activities, with people, and that information has been almost always been received with pleasure.

Yes, there was one person not so thrilled with me being there, a complaint was made, but the owner and I have talked it through, and all is fine now. I’m taking care to stick to my own small table though, and not get involved in other people’s conversations, unless they begin the conversation with me.

It is easy for me to stick to writing, and just be present, taking things in, perhaps, but keeping quiet, and writing … This can lead to creative writing happening, and having someone else make the coffee for me as I write, what a fine thing that is! And if I need some sweet food inspiration to go with the coffee, I’m in the right spot for that too, this cafe bake their own delicious items at home and bring them along for us to buy, and devour, with delight!

I certainly like writing at home too, of course, but being somewhere else brings along new ideas and thoughts, and as a creative writer, new ideas are always welcome, to bring new interest to my writing, for me, and I hope for my readers too.

I don’t know how long I will go on being the writer in residence at the Gallery 14 cafe, but I certainly hope it will go on for the rest of this year, and into 2022, because I like it there! It’s a mostly pleasant drive from my house to there, easy to park close enough nearby, and the staff and other customers seem to be fine people.

And my writing group, is going to hold an event at Gallery 14, as a part of our Gawler and Adelaide Plains Festival of Words (Recovery) this year on 23 July, where we will have lunch at the cafe, then hold a “Show and Tell” session, where writers will be able to read from their own writing, for an interested audience, which I think will be an interesting ‘new’ thing for the cafe, and the writers!

Having a Writer in Residence spot in a library would by good, too, especially if that library had a cafe there too, or a cafe nearby, anyway. It’s not that I’m a coffee addict, and usually only have one or two of those free cups of coffee, and Gallery 14, because I know what too much caffeine does to my brain when it’s time to go to sleep at night!

But I do feel that coffee is an important part of my creativity, or at least it’s something I like to have when I’ve settled down to do some writing, anyway … And if there is some yummy food available too, that is a bonus! I may be trying to lose a little bit more weight, but I can adjust what I have for my evening meal if I splash out for something yummy over lunch!

Today I met some new people and we had a lovely chat, and I also chatted with a regular customer I often meet at the cafe, and he sat and chatted with me about various things. It was all pleasant, and while I didn’t actually write a lot, and didn’t sell any books, it was still a worthwhile visit, spreading the word about who I am, and what I do …

So if anyone reading this ever gets the chance to be a Writer in Residence, I say go for it, be aware of any ‘things’ happening, and work on being of value to the venue you’re in residence at!

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Life, the same, but very, very different too …

carolyncordon

I suspect this blog post is likely to have a bit of a Stoic angle to it, but that’s OK, in fact it’s a good thing. Looking at life from a Stoic angle, when things are looking pear-shaped is probably the best way to look at life, in troubling times. And these certainly are troubling times.

Writing about it here, on my writing blog makes sense though, because, well, this is where I have the most followers, and I’m hoping what I write will be worth reading for others. And a note to any newcomers to Stoic Thought – being a Stoic does not mean one must live a boring, life, with no emotional actions happening. It simply means one will accept the good, and the bad things too, and deal with them in the best way you can.

And that ‘best way you can’, doesn’t just mean best for you, it means best for you, your family and friends, your community and the entire world. So obviously, being a good Stoic is a big thing, if you’re doing it all well. I don’t imagine I will ever have a huge impact on the entire world, but if the call goes out for me, I’ll be there, doing my Stoic best!

Is writing a Stoic thing? Being a poet and writer, fiction and non fiction, books, a community newsletter, blogging. Some of it is at the more flippant end of things, some more serious. I have had lots of fun times with family and friends in my life, but I have had some terrible things happen too. Such is the way of our lives. Good and bad, and yes, if we wish to live our best possible life, we must find ways to handle all of it, and do it well.

One of my blogs talks about sexual abuse, and another of them talks of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Both of these things have been in my life. The sexual abuse happened when I was a child and teen, the MS has been with me since I was diagnosed with it in 2010, and unless there is a cure found, it will be with me forever.

I have thought long about these things, and written about them in my creative writing, firstly with the poetry collection, https://damagedchildrenpreciousgems.wordpress.com/ and more recently, https://mickjaneandme.wordpress.com/ These two books have been great and therapeutic for me, allowing me to examine things in ways where I control what is happening, and looking from a variety of different points of view. I am a firm believer in these therapeutic possibilities from creative writing. I know that other people have found help in these books, and I am glad of that.

In fact, one of my best life things to do, I suspect, would be to assist others to travel from victim to survivor, and then further, to being one who is thriving in life. This is a possible thing, I am living proof of it. I have good family and friends who love and care about me, I have a safe and secure home, with enough money available to go on living here, easily and well.

I am not held back by my Chronic Illness, and for that, I can thank both my excellent medication, and the lifestyle choices I have adopted – reduce stress, increase healthy eating, get some exercise into my life, and go on thinking about my life in positive, rather than negative ways. There are bad things in life, yes, but I am going well, and helping others to do the same, when and if I can.

So this year, 2020, was going to be the year of Great things, with the whole 2020 Vision vibe of life, but then Covid-19 came along. Did I let that make me close down, and hide away from the virus? NO! I decided what I might be able to do, to help others think about how they were doing, and how things may be improved, perhaps.

Before the year was half over, I had put out a call for submissions in response to Covid-19, and very soon I had collected a goodly number of works from around the world. I was thrilled with what I had collected, and I was encouraged to forward this ‘anthology’ to a publisher that I know, to have the anthology professionally published, if possible. I’m currently waiting to hear back from the publisher, and whether they accept this book or not, I intend to launch the anthology at the Gawler and Adelaide Plains Festival of Words, in late July 2021.

This has been my first adventure in being the editor of a big collection, and I have enjoyed it very much. There’s no telling whether or not I will take this kind of thing any further, I have certainly considered the idea of setting up as a Publisher. We’ll see what happens with this anthology first …

This ‘seeing what happens’ attitude is my Stoicism shining through. Taking advantage of opportunities, knuckling down and working when I have to. Knowing what I can do, and doing that, but also stretching myself further, to try do more. These are definitely good ways for me, and for others, to look at their own lives. It’s the old “When life gives you lemons” thing. You don’t sit back and curse, because you wanted a sweeter fruit, instead you get on with doing great things with those lemons you’ve been given!

So, overall, life in many ways is the same for us all, but oh, dangerously different, for those living where the Covid-19 virus is at loose in their community. I feel for those people, and hope that soon, scientists and other medical people can find a vaccine, or other way to finally kill the virus, for us all. It only takes one person, to spread the virus to another, and so it could go again.

Working on Climate Change, tied with action of Covid-19 seems to be how the whole world needs to go, as soon as we possibly can, for all of us!

covid 19

Poetry and Prose in My Life

carolyncordon

The first time a poem I wrote gained attention, was when I was in high school, in year 8 or 9, when I wrote a poem about a farmer who was talking to his god, and asking whether the god wanted him to kill his wife as a sacrifice. What a sweet thing that is, not …

It was a rhyming poem, not in any particular style, and not very many lines. But it had pathos, and clutched at the heart in the plea the man was making … I think I was supposed to be writing prose, rather than poetry, and I’m not sure which country’s history this was set in, but I do have a strong memory that it was somewhere in Europe that began with a ‘C’, and it might have been Carthage … I’m not sure.

I’m was more interested in writing poetry, than studying history, and this was a way I could do both of them at the same time, but the ‘writing poetry’ bit is the part that has stayed with me into my life, after stepping away for a time after school, and then stepping back in, when I needed it, to help me get through post natal depression …

And now of course, eight books later, I’m a writer, and while not earning a living with my writing, at least making a little money from it. I sell books, sometimes, and I receive royalties, and both PLR and ELR payments. Not huge amounts of money, but nice little payments any way. As someone I’ve met recently said, not a poet for the money, but for the fame!

And yes, I’m a famous poet, to some extent, for sure. I have several poetry collections to my name, plus other books in prose. I’m also the editor of the popular newsletter “Mallala Crossroad Chronicle”, as well as the president of the Adelaide Plains Poets writing group, that meets every Thursday (Online only at the moment, but at the Prince Albert Hotel in Gawler, usually). So yes, words are my thing, poetry and prose.

And now I’m doing something new, that will bring another book to add to my current list of books published. This book will be “Plague Invasion – Creative Writing in Response to Covid-19” will be an anthology containing the words of many others. and I’m currently asking people to send me poetry and prose, for consideration of possible inclusion in this anthology, which I feel will be an excellent book, with a broad range of responses from a broad range of people, from a broad range of places.

There will be some silly things, some serious things, poetry in various styles, and prose, both fiction and non fiction. These will be considered responses in prose, heartfelt poems, song lyrics about silly things, and quirky words about this strange time. Collecting together all of these words feels like a further extension of my lifelong love of words, and my life as a poet and writer, a wordsmith.

I hope many more people will join in, and help me put out stories about how ordinary people have managed to get through this Covid-19 time, when we are having to stay away from the things we love, in most unusual ways.

So feel free to submit your words for consideration for publication in this worthy anthology: send via email (kittycordo@gmail.com with the subject ‘Plague Invasion submission’), up to three poems of thirty lines, and/or three pieces of prose of up to 2,000 words in total.

I look forward to reading your submission for consideration.