CURRENT EVENTS: New Year’s Resolutions Past and Present

NASA Releases New High-Resolution Earthrise Image by NASA Goddard Photo and Video is licensed under CC-BY 2.0

Gather round, kids! That’s right. It’s time for the annual accountability post on my writing blog. Sounds fun, right? I know you’ve been on pins and needles, anticipating this ALL YEAR, so without further ado I give you…

MY 2022 RESOLUTIONS:

This year I attempted to pace myself by breaking large goals into smaller parts with specific deadlines. Ever since I did Nanowrimo in 2007, I’ve been in love with the magic of deadlines, so I thought this would be a more helpful strategy than general goals for the year. Witness the results. 

1. CLEAN OUT MY CRAFT ROOM/WORKSPACE BY JANUARY 31st 

FAILED (by deadline/partial by year’s end). 

–I thought that I could adjust deadlines as needed, but given my mental state as well as the Herculean task of cleaning this space, what actually happened is I just postponed it indefinitely. Addressing the craft room also flew in the face of my decluttering strategy, which deals with high visibility areas first. Since I can easily avoid this room–it’s adjacent to the garage downstairs, I just avoided working on it. 

However, at the end of August, disaster struck when our septic backed up downstairs. This resulted in a hotel stay, a huge bill, an insurance claim, and the stripping down and rebuild of almost the entire downstairs. Though my craft room managed to escape damage, we threw large amounts of things in a dumpster, leaving my garage mostly empty. Since I spent so much time throwing things away, decluttering, etc. I was more motivated to work on the room. I’ve finally managed to begin this month, and though it’s just one section so far, I want to continue to work on this throughout 2023.

2. WORK ON MY MANUSCRIPT IN TWO MONTH INTERVALS

FAILED.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

–I tried. I really tried.

I SWEAR.

But every time I started to make headway, something would come up. I know others have things worse than me–I am comparatively very lucky, but after awhile I just lost the thread. I became depressed. Honestly, several times this year I went through periods of depression where I didn’t read or write at all for a month or more. I’ve always found reading to be my refuge, and I went through periods where I couldn’t stand to pick up a book; that’s never happened before in my entire life. Luckily I had some previously completed work that I used for my monthly online obligations.

So my self-imposed deadline went out the window.

3. CLEAN OUT MY GARAGE BY APRIL 1st 

FAILED (by deadline/partial by year’s end). 

Believe it or not, this is a huge improvement.

–Although I did not clean my garage by April, the septic backed up into the garage in August which resulted in throwing almost all of its contents into a dumpster. So, the thin silver lining of a poo-filled cloud is that my garage has much less stuff in it than before.

Though the garage floor has been disinfected and washed, there is still a lot that needs to be done: decluttering the shelves and some other areas, setting up an organizational system for storage, and general cleanup.

4. ORGANIZE BEDROOM JULY 1st 

FAILED (by deadline/SUCCESS by year’s end).

–Despite missing my deadline, I *DID* manage to accomplish this goal! I had a problem corner where things piled up, so I decluttered and replaced the pile with a set of drawers for clothes and blankets. My bookshelves were overflowing with projects, DVDs, and (unbelievably) books. I cleared these out and organized them: the bookshelf top displays knickknacks and notebooks, one shelf is for current projects and books being read, and the last two are for reference materials.

5. SUBMIT HERA UNCHAINED TO PUBLISHER BY DECEMBER 31st. 

FAILED (See Resolution #2).

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

–Again. Life. Complications. Depression. Deadline out the window.

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YEAR ROUND: 

*PROMOTE PINHOLES: TRAVELING THROUGH THE CURTAIN OF THE NIGHT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

SUCCESS (Partial).

–There weren’t a lot of opportunities for promotion, though I did take advantage of the ones available to me.

The reason I say it’s only a partial success is that I had plans to do online promotion via videos and interviews. I wanted to learn how to create 3d and virtual media for consumption via Oculus. Some opportunities fell through, but I decided not to create videos on my own because I simply couldn’t bring myself to make them.

*KEEP UP MY MONTHLY POSTING SCHEDULES FOR MY WRITING BLOG AND MY PATREON

SUCCESS.

Photo by Ivan Samkov on Pexels.com

–I posted once a month to this blog as well as a separate post (usually complementary) to my Patreon. One of the few complete successes I accomplished this year!

I did not mention Kaleidoscope’s publication earlier, because it was not one of my specific New Year’s Resolutions. I am obviously really proud of this book though–my best poetry collection so far!–so I would be remiss not to mention its publication. It was one of the few bright spots in my year.

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2022 REFLECTIONS:

Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com

Obviously, I’ve done better. 

In past years, I’ve done much better, with a steady decline since the pandemic started. Are we still considered to be in the pandemic? I’m not sure, though certainly people’s attitudes toward public appearances and health have shifted dramatically. This is the first year in awhile that I’ve failed at more resolutions than I’ve succeeded. If this was my report card for highschool, I would need to repeat the year.

Still, the resolutions themselves did what they were supposed to do: they kept my goals in mind, even when I kept getting derailed by life changes. 

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2023 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS:

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Honestly, I don’t feel mentally in a place to make new resolutions, as I’m still off balance from this year’s disasters. I’m not complaining. As I’ve already acknowledged, others have had things much worse than myself and my family, but it’s important to be truthful about my state of mind. I was not at my best this year, but the important thing is to keep trying. Since my 2022 deadlines weren’t helpful, I think this time I’ll keep my resolutions simple. 

1. BE OPEN TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES (even if they are outside my comfort zone).

–I admit that certain things scare me: public speaking (though I’ve made a lot of progress in this area), unscripted appearances, and (especially) anything that requires me to perform memorized material. I promise that, as long as it is within my ability, I will say yes to opportunities to promote my work or literary events in general.

2.  KEEP MAKING PROGRESS WITH MY WRITING.

–I will keep up with my two online monthly obligations–this blog and my Patreon, as well as personal projects like my Hera novel. Although changing circumstances forced me to take a break from Hera, I have not abandoned the project–merely postponed it. It may take longer, perhaps much longer, but I will eventually finish this novel. It’s been in my head for years, so I will continue to work on it. I anticipate writing smaller increments over a longer period of time, or I might even decide to write it in serial form. I’m not sure yet, other than I will continue to write the book until it’s completion (though it might take several years). 

3. TAKE CARE OF MYSELF MENTALLY. 

–My usual go-to response when things get hairy is to try to look on the bright side, but as more things go wrong this gets harder. So I will try to look for the cloud’s silver lining, while also acknowledging that sometimes things just suck. And that’s okay. And it’s okay if I need to take a break for my mental health. Acknowledging that I feel bad allows me to deal with it so I can get past it. I will continue to work on this in 2023.

I will continue to work towards my goals while knowing my limitations. I tend to volunteer for things, as well as add on to projects, and in the past year I haven’t been able to keep up. As much as I enjoy helping out, I need to recognize I can’t do everything.

And if I need to see a counselor, I will do so again. I have done so in the past, and I’ve always found it helpful. If you are struggling emotionally, I highly recommend this.

These three things seem (*fingers crossed*) within my grasp. Although I’ve had trouble succeeding at my 2022 resolutions, I’ve been relatively successful at accomplishing these newly stated goals throughout the year., So I feel confident I can meet them in 2023.  

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to buy myself an adamantium umbrella for when the sky starts falling…

Thank you for visiting my blog, and I hope you’ll return in January! I’ll start 2023 with a post about the books I’ve read in 2022, so maybe you’ll find your next great read. I hope your holidays are happy. Have a great new year. Stay safe, stay well, and read often. See you next year!

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CURRENT EVENTS: Creative BREAKS and Permission for Self Care

A-1 Bookstore of Canton, Ohio (photo taken by Cat Russell, 2021)

While I’m rewriting my draft for my second novel, Hera Unbound, I’m altering my monthly content from poems to either writing prompts or short posts about current events.  

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CURRENT EVENTS:

Last November I utilized the resources of National Novel Writing Month–aka NaNoWriMo–to create the first draft of my next novel, a retelling of the Olypian coup against Zeus by his wife, Hera, goddess of marriage. Most people who are passingly familiar with Greek mythology only know Hera as the goddess of marriage demonized as the persecutor of her husband’s mistresses/victims. I wanted to tell her story. 

Originally I planned to take a couple months off and begin the second draft in the new year, but my family has been hit by one thing after another and honestly, it just kept getting put on the back burner. I had a couple false starts that didn’t really pan out. Then, after months of triaging my life, I finally decided that instead of trying to edit the original draft, I’d just start over.  I looked over my original draft–including notes on things that needed to be addressed, redrafted a new outline that corrected the previous problems, and started over. I’m currently on chapter two.

WRITER PERMISSION: I’m giving myself permission to ease my commitments to my blog, writing short summaries instead of creating fresh poems for each post, in order to concentrate on this larger project. I also give myself permission to take a step back if and when needed, as many times as needed. I may be a writer, but I’m also a person, and my mental health comes first.

I am including this, not only to reaffirm this to myself, but to tell any other struggling writers out there, it’s okay to take a break when you need one. If you can’t write anything, go work on something else. Or binge The Walking Dead. Do whatever you need to do to find your equilibrium again. It’s not only okay, it’s necessary.

Thank you.

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*image taken by myself in 2021 of A-1 Bookstore in Canton, Ohio.

*Next Friday, I’ll also post a short followup on my Patreon.  If you’d like to read about my progress and plans for this year, you can subscribe there to support my work for as little as $1 a month! Until next time, stay safe and well, and read often!

WRITING PROMPTS aka Switching It Up In Honor of NaNoWriMo!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

November is National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo for short! If you are one of the thousands participating in the insane writing challenge to write a 50k rough draft novel within the thirty days of November, may God have mercy on your soul. JUST KIDDING! What I mean is, good luck! I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for NaNoWriMo, I never would have started writing. It gave me permission to write badly, which then turned into practice and workshops and feedback which led to getting MUCH better (despite this run on sentence, TRUST ME) to the point that I have two published books, one more to be published this month, one awaiting a publisher, and one currently in the works as my November Nano novel! 

So, if you are a fellow wrimo (NaNoWriMo writer), at the time this posts you are reaching the end of week one and entering the dreaded “Sophomore Slump”–aka week two. So here are three visual writing prompts to give you a little inspiration. See you at the finish line!

*image courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net via Creative Commons Licensing.

*image courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net via Creative Commons Licensing.

*image courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net via Creative Commons Licensing.

POEM: “spark”

colorful lights in stormy sky over skyscrapers

"spark"

I hobble out of bed at daybreak
an Igor with dreams of being both doctor 
and creation, waiting for just one spark, 
juice enough to fuel that night's creation.

Excitement looms on this horizon
pregnant storm clouds heavy with rain,
whipped overhead by hurricane winds,
ready to strike, incite the dead to life.

Petrichor coats my tongue, fills my head,
lightning flashes, blue-white channels
blaze down these rods to these hands, 
fire enough to burn, birthing this beating heart.

My blood boils, my eyes open. 



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*Thank you for visiting my writing blog. I hope you enjoyed the poem! If you’d like to read about its creation, I will be dissecting it next Friday on my Patreon. 

If you would like to read more of my writing, I will be posting once a month (both here and on my Patreon) for the foreseeable future; I’m concentrating on my next poetry collection, as well as writing a novel.

In the meantime, Happy April--aka National Poetry Month!

POEM: “untitled”

“untitled”

i remember when i thought twice,
thrice, a dozen times moreover
whether to call myself writer,
a title hallowed in my heart
throughout my childhood years,
the ones who wrote the books 
i devoured with my every free hour,
my escapes into worlds of make-believe, 
my gateway to learning beyond 
what adults prescribed for me
    
i’ve known too many writers 
to be intimidated by the title,
known their kindness and generosity,
heard of others’ lack 
lucky enough not to experience it myself

i remember when i hesitated
to call myself poet, the title 
seemed too pretentious, too artistic 
to apply to just anyone, like lumping Van Gogh 
in with the man who graffitis the roadside 
in the dead of night. but why not?
why should a canvas command more respect
than the underside of an overpass?
why should the verse of authors long gone 
hold more esteem than the coffee house clique
reciting their rhymes in the meeting place
of modern minds? the old and new both live

i’ve known too many poets 
to be awed just by the word
when their humanity alone humbles me
my own attempts to grasp each 
abiding image, each emotion collaged 
upon these pages like flowing script,
rivers of ink and electrons
imprinted upon our collective minds

with or without title, i’ll write
these words, this verse, hope
someday they will be read, felt, 
imbued with life

words change form throughout time as organic
as a climbing vine growing with each age
titles are more specific, rigid like concrete
i call myself the words
the titles themselves unknown

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*image courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net via Creative Commons Licensing.

CURRENT EVENTS: New Year’s and the New (and Past) Decade!

In honor of the decade’s end, as well as the new year, I’m posting my reflections on the past ten years as well as my resolutions for the next year. I’m obviously thankful for a loving family that I’m proud of, so this post is going to concentrate on professional accomplishments and goals.

2010-2019 REFLECTIONS:

I started submitting short fiction ten years ago, and my first publication credit appeared in Flash Me online magazine July of 2010, followed by my first print credit, the anthology The Best of Friday Flash: Volume One, and later The Best of Friday Flash: Volume Two. Over the years, I improved as a writer by participating weekly in Friday Flash and other online challenges like 52/250 A Year of Flash.

I’ve also blogged consistently and completed several rough draft novels via Nanowrimo. One of the novels, Pinholes, I edited over the course of a year into a serial, then revised into a single document and began subbing to different publishers. About four years ago, I began concentrating on poetry more than short fiction and sold a few poems to online publications. In 2017, I was honored to be invited as a guest author and speaker at the Massillon Library’s Local Author Fair; I was surprised, because I didn’t actually have a book, but they asked me as a blogger. That was my first scheduled public reading.

A couple years ago, I was finally able to attend writing events on a regular basis, so I’ve gone to writing cons and workshops ever since. Every month I go to Latitudes Poetry Night and The Write Stuff Writers’ Group. At Latitudes, I started participating in their open mic, because I planned to self-publish and hoped it would help me get over my stage fright.

A friend convinced me to try submitting to a press before I self-published. As a result, in March 2019, my first book, Soul Picked Clean, was published by Crisis Chronicles Press! At my book launch on March 30th, I gave my first scheduled reading as a published author. I spent the rest of the year promoting my book, scheduling reading events, and working on my next two books as well as my blog. I also began my Patreon page, renewed my podcast, My Writing Niche, and starting volunteering more of my time to help the writing community in general.

I’ve been lucky enough to live in northeast Ohio, a place blessed with two of the best library systems in the country–Cuyahoga County Library and Cleveland Library. And last, but certainly not least, I’ve been fortunate enough to know many lovely and creative people who inspire me both professionally and personally. This decade, and especially this past year, have been incredible. I’ll never forget it.

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Next, I’ll share my New Year’s Resolutions with you; the point of this is twofold. One reason is to set them down so I’ll see them as something solid to work toward, and the second is to publicly declare them so I’ll pressure myself to complete them. If I make a big deal about them online, I’ll be too embarrassed to not do them (or at least work heavily towards them)!

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS:

1. Submit my short story collection to a publisher.
2. Submit another poetry collection to a publisher.
3. Publish my short story collection.
4. Publish my poetry collection.
5. Market and promote my work.
6. Volunteer more.
7. Do things that frighten me.

This may seem like a long list–most people have one or two resolutions, but they are mostly variations of the same thing. Namely, I want to continue to get my work out there, put myself out there, and not let fear keep me from opportunities. Maybe admitting to that fear isn’t a good idea, maybe articulating it gives it power, but I don’t think so. I know I’m not the only person who gets scared of new things and new experiences, but if the past year–no, the past decade has taught me anything, it’s that facing my fears has been an overwhelmingly positive experience. I want to continue to grow, both as a person and a writer.

If you’ve read this far, I know this is much different than my usual poetry posts. I don’t know if sharing this helps you at all, but I hope it does. I know it helps me to read about other people’s experiences. If you would like to share your resolutions or have any polite feedback, I’d love to hear it! Thank you for visiting my blog, and I wish you the very best for the next year–and decade!

Happy New Year!

 

 
*image courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net via Creative Commons License

ON WRITING: CUYAHOGA LIBRARY’S INDIE AUTHOR CON & SHOWCASE–Part II

My last post concerned the Cuyahoga Library’s Indie Author Con and Showcase on October 13th, but there was way too much information to convey in a single post. So here, as promised, is Part II of my post about the con. Enjoy!

“Legal Issues for Self-Published Writers”

This segment of the con featured Jacqueline Lipton, founder of Authography: a company dedicated to sustaining authors with legal and other issues. She also teaches writing courses online, writes the Legally Bookish column for the SCBWI bulletin, has received awards for her fiction novels, and holds multiple degrees. Her upcoming book, Law & Authors, will be published in 2019.

“Write what you need to write, and worry about the legal stuff down the track.”

I know many authors worry about the legal ramifications of what they write, because they are afraid of accidentally committing a legal blunder, so this simple piece of advice felt very reassuring. It’s not necessarily that you won’t make mistakes, but that you mustn’t let the fear stop you from creating. If you are worried, you can seek legal advice by having a lawyer look over your work or by using some other legal resource, but the important thing is to not let fear stop you. Fear is the enemy of creativity.

In the interest of passing on some of what Ms. Lipton shared at the conference, I am sharing the photos I took of her slides (with her permission), as well as notes I took of the Question & Answer session afterwards.

Q&A:

What are the issues using quotations?

–Ms. Lipton explained that much of what you may want to use may be considered Fair Use, but because Fair Use is so uncertain, traditional publishers will want legal permission. This is a site you may consult for more information. authorsalliance.org

What about issues concerning more than one person using the same Pen name? Is it a copyright or trademark issue?

–If you or someone else uses the same pen name, you do not need to do anything. Others may have the same name, but it does not tell you anything about the underlying work. If someone is using your pen name, because they are copying your work, it’s a copyright issue anyway.

What is the definition of a Trademark (in greater detail)?

–Trademark concerns work a particular market (narrowly identified). Ex: The For Dummies series, etc.
Problems occur when you look closely affiliated with the other market. The main question asked concerning Trademark is, How likely would consumers be to mistake one product from the Trademarked product? Ex: orange arches compared to McDonald’s yellow arches for hamburger restaurants.

That completes my summary of last month’s writers’ conference. If you have any particular legal questions, I suggest you consult a lawyer or other official legal resource, but I hope this summary proves useful in a general sense.

I will post again next week, but I also wanted to tell you of an upcoming event. I am very honored to have been invited to participate once again in the Massillon Library Local Author Fair. The Fair takes place on Saturday, November 10th from 11am – 2pm, and features many talented local authors! I will be reading from my work, as well as have a table with some materials from Literary Cleveland to give out. If you are able, please stop by, listen to some cool authors, visit their tables, and maybe pick up a book!

*Permission to post photo of flyer kindly granted by Cuyahoga Library

***permission to summarize this session for the blog kindly granted by Jacqueline Lipton.
**permission to use photos of her slides generously granted by Jacqueline Lipton. The photos themselves were taken by myself.

ON WRITING: CUYAHOGA LIBRARY’S INDIE AUTHOR CON & SHOWCASE–Part I

Two weeks ago, on the 13th of October, Cuyahoga Library‘s Parma-Snow branch hosted a free Indie Author Con and Showcase. Cuyahoga Library is a pillar of Northeast Ohio’s literary community, with multiple programs and facilities supporting writers and bibliophiles of all stripes. However, I realize not everyone is lucky enough to live within driving distance of this fantastic library system, so I want to share some of the information I took away from its most recent conference. Since there is a lot to convey, I split the information between two posts.

Truly, one of the things I love best about cons is meeting new people with the same interests as myself, as well as reconnecting with others I have not seen for some time. It’s invigorating to be surrounded by creative people, and I always leave more inspired than when I arrived. When the conference started, the first panel of guests were representatives of different local writing organizations. I will link to them below, along with short descriptions.

“Find Your Writing Tribe”

Sisters in Crime

–This group meets monthly at the Twinsburg Library, primarily for female writers of crime stories, both fiction and non–although male writers are also welcome. They periodically organize field trips for members. In the past, they have visited the Medical Examiner’s Office as well as the Natural History Museum. At meetings they may have guest visitors, such as a poison expert giving a talk or a visit from a cadaver dog. In November, a judge will speak to them about criminal procedure and trials.

Literary Cleveland

–This writers’ organization hosts multiple events, both free and low cost, at various locations throughout the Cleveland area. They have published a chapbook of Cleveland stories, and will take part in the Cleveland Humanities event; they also host members-only mixers, and offer monthly poetry workshops and general writing classes. They also organize a free writers’ conference called INKubator annually at the Cleveland Main Library. Membership is $50 annually.

Skyline Writers

–A writing group that meets monthly at the Parma branch library for kind and helpful feedback. Interested parties can go to one meeting without submitting, then after they may sub a 3,500 word manuscript for critique by the group.

Literary Akron

–Literary Akron is relatively new organization dedicated to promoting writing and appreciation for literary arts in the greater Akron area. They have been working behind the scenes to bolster a number of smaller efforts around town and are planning a formal launch of the organization in early 2019.**

In the meantime, they may be contacted via email at Literary.Akron@gmail.com

Northern Ohio Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

–This local group aims to support authors and illustrators of children’s books, focusing on community and craft.
Northeast Ohio Romance Writers of America

–This organization requires membership in Romance Writers of America, although interested parties may attend two meetings for free. They meet one Saturday a month year-round (except in July) from 10am – 1pm. Other benefits include online workshops (membership not necessary), a Spring writing contest, and an annual members-only retreat in November.

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“Hybrid Authors: Best of Both Worlds”
(Mary) Kathleen Glavich & Abby L. Vandiver

This second panel of guests featured two prolific authors kind enough to discuss their personal journeys via combined traditional and self-publishing. While a traditional publisher has more control over content since they are investing financially in the work, self-publishing authors exclusively control their content while assuming any financial risks.

Mary Kathleen Glavich has written over eighty religious books since 1972. While she’s published traditionally–and still does, on one occasion a publisher broke their contract with her; she decided to publish the book herself. She enjoyed the complete editorial control she had over content and cover choices, and has since self-published some of her previously out-of-print books as well.
Abby L. Vandiver has published twenty books in the five years since she began her writing career. She began self-publishing as a way to generate revenue and get her work known, before transitioning to the traditional publishing model. In 2017, she made the Wall Street Journal’s Best Seller List, which attracted both a traditional publisher as well as an agent.

Her first book, however, was a manuscript she had written years earlier, that her daughter found in the garage. When Ms. Vandiver decided to publish, she did not want to go through the process of traditional publishing, including the waiting period for a manuscript to become a published book. She also did not want to spend money for a vanity press. She discovered she could publish her book, without cost to herself, through Amazon.*** The first two months, she had no sales, so she analyzed the best seller list and made some adjustments. Then she sold five books–still without cost to herself. She invested $25 (EREADER NEWS TODAY, now priced higher)for a promotional package, which resulted in selling 525 books!

Every book after that became a best seller in her category, through independent promotions and FaceBook.

Although she started as a self-published author, she was approached by an agent for her second book, and now has traditionally published books as well. She spoke at length about the Amazon publishing model she used, as well as the difference between traditional versus self-publishing.

At this time, Amazon takes about 70% of royalties for discounted books (.99 cent model). However, if the book costs more (not discounted), the model is reversed. Amazon also pays for each page read on borrowed books and lets you sell at your own price, although it does not allow you to publish in other formats. She suggested the discount .99 cent model as a great way for self-publishing authors to market their books, by getting their name out there and read; the discount model can be profitable.

During the Question and Answer session, both authors agreed on the necessity of establishing an author platform through social media and a website. Mary Kathleen Glavich also suggested using other local promotional media such as tv, radio, and newspapers. Abby L. Vandiver suggested promotional FaceBook parties with other authors, Twitter groups, and creating virtual box sets with other writers–utilizing their combined marketing resources. She also advised asking other indie authors for suggestions, as they are generous and love to share their expertise.

Part II of this post involves legal issues for self-published writers and will (hopefully) be up next week. I hope you found this helpful, and–if you don’t already do this–support your local libraries!

*Permission to post photo of flyer kindly granted by Cuyahoga Library

**Description courtesy of Scott Piepho

***I do not know if this Amazon publishing model is still current. I would suggest further investigation if you are interested.

POEM: Elegy for the Circus

“ELEGY FOR THE CIRCUS”

 

No more clowns, corpse-white skin,

blackened eyes, and red leaking lips,

to frighten infants with ludicrous stunts

and thickly painted cracked faces

 

No more weeping elephants, tears cutting lines in rough skin

No more grey-skinned babes separated from mourning mothers

 

No more tigers pacing cages too small for predators meant to run,

to race, to track down prey, to rip flesh between their teeth

 

No more lions teased with the heads of their masters

thrust into hungry mouths, teased with the illusion

of freedom and a hot meal with a beating heart

 

No more X-square feet per animal, less than zoo standards,

less than any wild beast was meant to live in, to pace in, to die in,

 

No more creatures forced to perform

before children dripping ice cream and disinterest

 

 

 

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For those of you fortunate enough to live in Northeast Ohio, there are two writing events tomorrow (October 13th) in the Cleveland area.

Literary Cleveland’s October Poetry workshop takes place from 10:30-12:30 at the Cleveland Main Library, led by poet Kisha Nicole Foster.

Indie Author Conference and Showcase takes place from 10am- 4pm at the Cuyahoga County Library’s Parma-Snow branch.

Both events are free, which is INCREDIBLE. I’ve attended both events at different times in the past and readily vouch for how inspiring and helpful both are. Unfortunately, they overlap, so you will need to choose which event you want to attend this year.

If you can take advantage of these events, please do so. They are well worth the drive!

 

*It should come as no surprise that I’m not a fan of circuses, and so this prompt from last year’s National Poetry Writing Month really inspired me.

**image courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net via Creative Commons License

CURRENT EVENTS: NE Ohio Writing Events and Groups

Since I am lucky enough to live in the literary-friendly state of Ohio, I have access to an abundance of writing groups, open mic events, workshops, and free writing cons. For those of you who may be in the area, I’ve compiled a short list of things you may be interested in. Unless otherwise indicated, all of them are free. You’re welcome.

Saturday, June 9th is Literary Cleveland’s poetry workshop from 1030am-1230pm at the Cleveland Main Library. This event takes place the second Saturday of each month. Bring 10-15 copies of your work to share if you would like feedback (if you only have one copy, the library will print copies for you). You are also welcome to just observe. I always learn something when I attend, though unfortunately this month I won’t make it to Cleveland.

Wednesday, June 20th is Latitudes Open Mic (poetry) from 7pm-9pm at Compass Coffee in Akron. Latitudes meets once a month. Organized by Stephen and Theresa Brightman, the featured reading will be by Greg Milo, author of Rebooting Social Studies, followed by an open mic.

Thursday, June 21st is Ekphrastic Poetry from 5pm-8pm at Bluff Blue Door Gallery in Akron. I’m not sure what this event will be exactly, but the featured poet is Stephen Brightman. I recently attended an Ekphrastic poetry event featuring his poems as reactions to the Jun Kaneko exhibit at the Akron Art Museum; it was amazing. So I’m sure this event will be fantastic as well!

Thursday, June 28th is when The Write Stuff meets from 6pm-8pm at the North Canton Public Library. This writing group meets on the fourth Thursday of every month. Their expressed purpose is helping local writers grow in the craft by offering feedback on shared work as well as sharing experiences with each other. They frequently hang out at T.D. Tailgate Grill afterwards for general chitchat and snacking.

Friday, June 29th is Poetry Night from 6pm-9pm at the Akron Nervous Dog. This event takes place on the last Friday of each month. The poets are scheduled ahead of time; it’s not open mic, but it’s always a lot of fun. Plus they make great (vegan version) London Fogs.

In August

Saturday, August 4th is the free INKubator Con from Lit Cleveland from 830am-5pm at the Cleveland Main Library. They usually have an open mic event either during lunch or after the con. You should register for the con ahead of time by going to the website for Lit Cle and clicking on the event.

Also for most of June and July I’ll be at the Ohio Shakespeare Festival on Friday nights. Volunteering to help with something you love is always rewarding, even if you are just handing out flyers or ushering people to their seats, but as an extra added bonus you can stay after for the show! Ohio Shakespeare Festival performs at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens during the Summer and at Greystone Hall during the other parts of the year. They are an amazing local professional group of actors, and you should definitely go see them!

I also suggest you visit the page for the Writing Knights writing group and press. They have multiple events every month, so it always pays to check them out!

I will continue my weekly post for a couple more weeks, as I do penance for my abysmally late post about the Western Reserve Writers’ Con last month. What can I say? My transgression has brought out the lapsed Catholic in me. Until next Friday, have a lovely week!