What moves you?

I mean, what really moves you?

I remember having a really good friend who lived 20 minutes away from me on a property. There were several falling down buildings … old and shabby and something about them enchanted me. Moved me.

Rusty roof

Weathered timber

A paling loose here

Iron curled up there

The age within

Stories held silent

Journeys unknown

Sheltered for years

A home

A stable

A dairy

A barn

An ancient shack

A haven for me

My sister recently took this photo of an old Aussie cottage, and once again, I was moved. I was moved to feel. I felt something. A tugging. A joy.

A building like this, would be my perfect writing hide-a-way. Old and shabby on the outside, and I imagine, on the inside it would be water proof, air-conditioned, and comfortable.

What moves you?

Alphabet Soup Magazine

I love a good magazine. The fist magazine I subscribed to was in primary school. It was aimed at kids and had loads of stories and poetry written by kids. I remember entering one of the competitions and my consolation prize was a stapler… I think it broke only a couple of years ago!

Let me introduce you to Alphabet Soup Magazine - similar but miles-apart-better.

 

My kid’s mag was small and black & white - possibly photocopied.

Alphabet Soup is A4, loaded with colour and professionally printed.

During my first flick through, I have to admit, I didn’t think it would grab my 10 year old boy’s attention. …. I was wrong. He loved it. He especially enjoyed reading the entries by other children.

This quarterly magazine is aimed at 6 to 12 year old children.

I found it had a healthy balance between children and adult writing and illustrations throughout Alphabet Soup.

This magazine is entertaining, educational, engaging and encouraging. You’ll find each edition filled with stories, poetry, artwork, book reviews, puzzles & competitions.

If you think this might add joy to your family pop over now and subscribe.

I have the Summer Edition of Alphabet Soup (pictured above) to give to one (Aussie) reader.

A simple "Please enter me" in the comments below will enter you into the draw.

The winner will be drawn using Random.org on Friday 4th February 2011.

Did you read good quality kids magazine as a child? What memories do you have?

Devastated

As I was working on my WIP, I came to the major climax and again splashed words on paper to get into the mind of my main character. It was only when I did this, that I could move her forward to complete my novel.

DEVASTATED

Forlorn and frozen

Taken at last

Undone, overwhelmed

Open and ashamed

In a breath

Stop to breathe

In the words

Spoken already

Turn to truth

Lose the lies

Weep no more

Your future is fine

Your past is a mess

Mercy

Forgiven

Not forgotten

Sin removed

Shame clings

Look forward

Not back

Morn the ugliness

Yesterday’s bitterness

One step at a time

One foot in front of the other

One moment of truth

Tomorrow starts new

Grace


Some brainstorm, some do mind maps ... I splash words on paper and call it poetry.

Beautiful Poetic Cards

These two absolutely amazing photos have been captured by Helen Crane.

You can purchase them as individual cards over at Footprint EcoStore with the added bonus of my words... my poetry on the inside.

Something unique for someone you love.

Pop over and check out the store... it's filled with a variety amazingness!!!!

I did post the link for these earlier in the week.. but I'm just so excited about them that I had to post again...

These really caught my attention....

Well of course this one caught my attention... they're my poems.. on gift cards... to be purchased over at Footprint EcoStore

How to help raise money for the devastating flood victims here in Australia... 100 Stories for Queensland and authors / illustrators from all over the globe have donated to the Writers 4 Queensland Flood Appeal

Marcia Alesan Dawkins tells us 10 Reasons Why the Slurs Should Stay in ‘Huck Finn’

Possibly not the right publisher for me... but Angry Robot are opening their doors to unsolicited submissions

Some great points about setting over on Amie Kaufmans Blog

The first live event for Write On Con has been set for the 5pm 24th of January (US) which would make it Tuesday morning here in Aus.

Phil Cooke tells us the Ugly Truth About Getting Published

Get Me Out Of Here

This is a poem I wrote while I was re-writing my WIP. It helped me to really get inside the head and emotions of my main character. Her name is Stephanie and she was not in a happy place...

GET ME OUT OF HERE!

The music pounding in my head

This place too wretched to find a friend

I’ll never ever find my place

I’ll never ever show my face

I’ll let this music blow my mind

It’s loud and fierce to steal the time

I know and want too much now

I won’t find it in this town

Just let me head south

Words stuck in my mouth

I want to scream

I scream in my dreams

I want to yell at you

Don’t tell me what to do

How could you misplace me?

I tell you and you don’t see

I’ll show you that I can

I’ll go and live with my friend

I’ll rule my own life

I’ll keep out of strife

Play this music

I feel so sick

I’m hiding my emotion

I don’t want your attention

Get me out of here

Never leaving is my fear

To you I have nothing to give

I want out, I want to live




How do you get into your character's heads and emotions?

The Secret Place

Friday Flash Fiction

My place, secret, dear and quiet, is down by the creek. It would be obvious to some. Completely missed by others. It’s the most beautiful place I know. Fresh and green. Lush and warm. Nobody walks past, no noise can be heard. Just the trickle of fresh icy water running down from the mountain. Hidden under then dense, overhanging, canopy of trees. Birds singing to create the majestical music. Sun poised high filtering out its glow.
I sit, I read, I dream, I think. It’s my place. My secret place. Calm. Peaceful. Isolated



Do you have a happy place in your mind?
Somewhere or something you can imagine that helps you to relax or be inspired?
Even without leaving your home?

Did you read...

Some helpful, interesting articles and blog posts I recently came across.

Last time I linked up '3 reasons why your internal editor sucks' .... Here's another artical as good as the last on Why Your Inner Critic is Your Best Friend.


Hope Clark asks... What Will you Read in 2011? & shows us a book to help writers get productive 'The Productive Writer'


Jody Hedlund asks a great question... Do fiction readers really read author blogs?

In my quandary of not wanting to use expletives in my novel I came across 'The Alternative Expletive Project' …some great alternatives, but not one that I needed.


An international contest... The Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award

One for Aussies... An all Australian frequent buyer/reader club ( I think I'll check out Barossa Women by Margaret Stiller in Feb)

See you all next time... with another bundle of fabulous links

Daily Flash 2011 ~ Published

Its out!

And I’m in it!

My story

‘A Dark Mossy Park’

can be found in

Daily Flash 2011
365 days of flash fiction

and also...

My piece of flash

'River Storm'

Can be found in

BEST OF FRIDAY FLASH Volume One

And If you'd like a little more light reading...

You can read

'Dive!'

in

Eclectic Flash Best of 2010 

My goal in 2010 was to get published...

Yayayippidoo!

Throws confetti!!!

Pops Streamers!!!

My Colour Cup

Fun Practical Twistable Cups!

These cups are just the best idea! They come in a set of six identical cups. They are white with 6 different colours under the easy to twist black band. The idea is that each family member has a colour. So you can just grab a cup, twist it to your colour and everyone knows that you are drinking from that cup. Kind of like the kiddie version of wine glass charms.

Photo copied direct from the My Colour Cup website

You can even pre-order a personalised set by giving My Colour Cup the names to print on each colour. For example, I would pick purple and make my personalised order to read ‘Michelle’ on the purple bar of each of the six cups.

If you have less than 6 in your family, you could keep some blank for visitors to use.

These cups are water proof (thank goodness!!!) That means you can drink from them and not get wet)

They are a great size, holding 500 mls each.

You can even pop them in the dishwasher for convenience.

At $24.95 plus delivery they’d make a great gift or just get them to iron out some of the possible arguments that may arise over drinking cups within your family.

And now for my attempt to show you these amazing cups on video...

Visit the Auctions for Dignity and Hope facebook page 'like' and place a bid in the next auction.

Did you see….

So while I wasn’t here, and wasn’t really reading or writing blogs … a couple of posts still grabbed my attention…


Good or bad news? Christian book sales have flattened….


3 reasons why your internal editor sucks! Over at Operation Awesome


What’s wrong with this picture …. The bath bucket…


'In Due Season' A book of poetry to be won over at Aussie Writers...



An intersting topic for Christian readers of at Princess Warrior Lessons ... Should Christians celebrate Christmas?


If you enjoyed these links let me know… I might do this once a week or so.

Happy New Year from Me to You from ABBA!!!

And again for 2012...

My sister plays a little game called Sunday Session...

It's not Sunday .... but it is the first day of 2012!!!

And on Sunday ... I'll be linking in over at Thea's blog

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

This year in bloggy land

I look forward to

Celebrating your wins with you

Cheering you on when you need encouragement

And

Sending you virtual hugs in tough times

Be blessed in 2012