Tag: inspiration

poetry

A ‘Prompt’ Idea for February

carolyncordon

A friend from my main writing group (hi Marie!), gave me an idea that I’m thrilled with, the idea of posting a writing prompt every day in February. So, I’m going to find my little box of writing prompts I’ve put away ‘somewhere safe’.

I think I know where this ‘safe place’ is and very soon, I will look for it, so I will be able to put up a new prompt every day for February. I’m looking forward to this, and will quite likely post my own response every day, if I’m happy with what I’ve written.

So the safe spot wasn’t where I thought it might be, but that doesn’t mean this Prompt a Day creative writing spectacular won’t happen, no way! My mind is abuzz with writing prompts, and I’ll easily find a new one for every day!

Finding something to write about can be a thing that stops new writing at times, but for me, the difficulty is actually dealing with all of the ideas I have. But new prompts leading to new ideas, are always good things, for writers, particularly if they have a possible new book in the offing, as I do, several new books, in fact.

One of those potential books is another poetry collection, which I hope will meet the approval of the publisher I send it to. If that is to happen though, I have to make the collection the best I possibly can, and having a broad range of my own poems to choose from will certainly help.

So I hope February, and the writing prompts I’m going to post (one every day of February), will help both me personally, and other people too, to find poetic and/or creative writing success.

So if you, or anyone you know, wants something that will give creative ideas, why not come and visit every day next month! May February be the month that really brings your writing alive!

 

writing opportunities

What is a Writers’ Lock-in?

carolyncordon

A writers’ lock in is when a group of writers all get together for a set period of time, and they write! Simple, yes? Yes it can be, if the group has a place available that has tables and chairs, and with food, drinks, and toilets available. Such a place is where my writing group meets every week.

It’s a hotel in Gawler, the Prince Albert Hotel, where the Adelaide Plains Chapter and Verse group catches up for our meetings at 4-6 every Thursday afternoon, and again on the last Sunday of every month, for the Gawler Poets at the Pub event, which has been going for over twenty years.

And every now and then, our group holds a Lock-in, and today is the day again, hooray. Personally, I have several writing projects I wish to work harder on, and not be bothered by chores at home, so today will be a great day for working on those projects, I can knuckle down and write, knowing that the other people there with me are doing the same thing, on their own projects.

The vibe in the room will be all about getting our words written, that’s it. There will be some talking too, of course, because that’s what humans do, but it won’t be lame rubbish nothing talk. Or hey maybe some of it might be, but that can help with the writing too, to have a joke too, so the pressure level doesn’t get too high. And there might well be some things the executive of the group needs to work on, and this will be a good opportunity for that too.

We’re very lucky to have this great hotel to work in,and work with, and they’re very lucky to have us there too. We have food and drinks there, and bring other people in too, when we have our events at the P/A. Many people have commented on what a lovely hotel it is, very historic, and with fine food, and a great range of drinks.

So I know the Writers’ Lock-in will be starting when the hotel opens at 11.30am, and will go through to 4, for our usual group meeting, and then there might be dinner after, for those interested in that. I hope to get lots done, but even if I don’t dramatically improve my work count, I will definitely get some sort of a start on all three projects.

If you live in or around Gawler, and you write, why not come and join us, you’ll be most welcome!

poetry, Writing

My Beautiful, Broken Ankle

carolyncordon

I am a woman, middle aged, no raving beauty, for sure, but the sight of me certainly doesn’t frighten children. My ankle though, my right ankle, that is a beautiful thing! I’m not an expert on ankles, but I know more about them now, than I used to know, because I’ve discovered more about ankles, in particular broken ones, than I knew before I broke my right ankle on AFL grand final day at the end of September this year..

My broken ankle was certainly not a thing of beauty, when I fell, and, on landing, and in twisting the ankle, broke two bones of my ankle, the tibia and the fibula. It was a twisted and painful thing, something of horror. The pain I felt when I broke my ankle was the most extreme pain I had ever previously felt.

20191002_110308

Now though, after three ambulance rides, three hospitals visited, an operation, and some fine nursing, it has all come together, to mend the break, and with some fine further work from my podiatrist and physio, I can honestly say when I look at my right ankle now, it is no longer an ugly twisted thing, but a soft, supple joint, that, even though is not as flexible as my left ankle, it is definitely now fit for the purpose of walking, with or without the help of a walking stick.

I have worked on my ankle, obeying the instructions from the surgeon and podiatrist, as well as the physio. These are the people who definitely do know a lot about ankles, and the healing of ankles that are in need of work.

My x ray I had taken recently, before seeing the surgeon who operated on my ankle, is beautiful too, with the surgeon extremely happy with how things are going. When I read of others afflicted with broken ankles, I can honestly say the way my right ankle has healed since I broke it just nine weeks ago, is a beautiful thing indeed!

And to add to the beauty and positiveness of it all, I have, in my time of needed rest and rehabilitation, written a small poetry collection, written, edited, published and now ready to be launched and made available to the world.

20191122_122645-1

Yes,”Angles on Ankles”, will be launched just after Christmas, the perfect late gift for anyone who has had physical injuries, that kept them resting, and healing! Whether a broken ankle, or any other physical mishap, there will be something of interest in this little collection for everyone!

The collection will be launched by popular South Australian poet, John Malone, at the P/A Hotel in Gawler, on 29 December, at 1.45 PM, just before the usual Gawler Poets at the Pub event, with Carolyn Cordon as the Guest Poet. There will be much happiness, and a possible showing of scars, to anyone interested!

Carolyn Cordon

inspiration, Uncategorized

Road Trip Inspirations?

carolyncordon

Today I’m heading north/west, to visit a friend. I will be driving, my car is ready for it, and I’m nearly all packed ready. I’m not taking any electronic device for writing, except for my phone, but I am taking a notebook with me to write down anything I see that inspires words …

I don’t know if any words might lead to anything, but I hope they might, and it will be good to look back later to see what I thought was important enough to write down. I’m a stay at home kind of person, so this visit to stay with a friend is a new thing for me. I hope and expect it to go well …

Surely if you begin your travels with an upbeat expectation, it’s better than expecting doom and gloom, right? I hope so. The roads can be dangerous, I realise that, but I am a careful driver, and am practiced in driving on National Highway One, I’ve done it many times.

So, nearly packed, I’ll top up with fuel soon, then by lunchtime, I’ll be on my way, Hooray! It’s good to have things to look forward too, and I’m sure looking forward to this! Maybe I’ll find some plot ideas for my Cosy Mystery series, with Meredith, my main character going on a road trip herself, finding and then solving a murder or two!

So I’ll be taking pen, notebook, Meredith (my main character who is in my head), and expectations of a fun and word-filled little holiday with my friend, who is a writer too. Poetry may happen, good food will happen tonight (already planned what I’d like to order), and lengthy chats will happen too, with a friend I’d love to be able to see far more often.

Puss in Boots is coming with me too, I hope he enjoys himself!

20191205_174026

poetry

Getting Back To It!

carolyncordon

Sometimes life will give you a proverbial kick in the guts, and what you thought you would be working on until completion, has to take a back seat. This doesn’t mean that project isn’t important, or won’t be worked on, it simply means something else is more important at that particular time.

I know what this is like, because recently it has happened to me, and even though my Cozy Murder Mystery series was taking up much of my thought processes, in August and September this year, something bigger hit me, and I ended up writing, and having published, something else entirely.

It was a big thing, and there was nothing I could do to change things around. I fell over and broke my right ankle, needing an operation to fix it, and then a healing and rehabilitation period of two months. In that rehab time, I wasn’t thinking much about cozy murder mysteries, I was thinking about ankles, and healing.

I didn’t give up writing though, not at all. What I did was write a series of poems about aspects of broken bones, healing, the things I saw and went through as my ankle mended. It’s all more or less fixed now, my ankle, and I now have a completed book, a chap book of poetry related to my broken ankle!

20191122_122645

This chapbook is titled “Angles on Angles”, and I am so pleased with what I have done! I had to rest (a lot) with my injured ankle resting up high, and that was almost the only thing I could do … I had a nifty ‘Knee Walker” that allowed me to get from sofa, to next point, but it was tiring, and I only moved on if I absolutely needed to.

The making of this little book went smoothly and quickly and I am so pleased the publisher, Ginninderra Press, like this collection and printed it super quickly. So, I now have a new book to launch, and I love book launches, especially when the book is one I have written!

“Angles on Ankles” will be launched at the Prince Albert Hotel in Gawler, South Australia on 29 December at 2pm, and signed copies will be available for $5 on the day. People who have seen this little book have loved it, and the more I look at it, the more I’m loving it too. The pain is fading, and joy in new poems is growing!

They say ‘Write what you know’, and I now know a fair bit about broken ankles! Sometimes “life” is the best theme to write about there is!