Dianne K. Salerni offers monthly Spotlights of Independent Author Guild books on the pages on her High Spirited site. This month’s spotlight theme features non-fiction, poetry, and contemporary fiction for Life in the Modern World “Sightlines: A Poet’s Diary” shares good company with these other Independent Author Guild Members and their books. Floyd Orr Kevin…
Victoria Nelson’s “On Writer’s Block” covers the entire territory of writing process, not just the silences inherent in that process. It’s filled with marvelous quotations and wonderful tips. One I loved was: write your own review before the critics to so you’ll have something solid to lean against. This book belongs in every writer’s bedside…
Mara Purl, a colleague from Women Writing the West, knows the challenges and advantages of being multi-faceted in our artistic work. Mara says she’s a “hyphenate” (how cross-genre folks are designated in Hollywood.) She refers to her web site as “an eco-system with interconnecting gardens” and you’ll be amazed at the multi-talent you’ll find there….
When you receive a “Listenback” from a critique on your work, what can you do next? Use the feedback you’ve received to set up exercises to try things out. Use this releasing question: What other poems are inside this poem? Editing and re-writing are like sculpting.
Barry Yelton and I met through the Independent Authors Guild. Barry is the author of Scarecrow in Gray, A Civil War Novel. Barry is also a marvelous poet, so far assembling around fifty poems towards a chapbook titled: “On Wings of Gentle Power,” a line from one of the poems, referring to the spiritual boyancy…
Laelia anceps What is a Woman? Strength and Sensuality I filled the bath and threw in a bath tea bag of lemongrass and green tea to relax and finish reading Ruth-Miriam Garnett’s novel “Laelia.” Ruth-Miriam Garnett portrays the culture of womanhood in concentric circles from intimate homelife, to community, and hints at the broader swath…
Six-word memoir was hot this year. And, it’s fun as well. Some time back I phoned in my 6-word memoir: Country girl roamed. Home grazing sweetest. and my 6-word description of “Sightlines: A Poet’s Diary” A downhome family lovestory beyond death. for the May Story Circle Network Podcast. Frankly, I’d forgotten all about it. Then,…
Ruth-Miriam Garnett and I have great “bumping into each other” luck. I first met Ruth at the St. Louis Poetry Center gala last fall. Subsequently, we’ve magically bumped into each other 1) on the metro platform at the Central West End; 2) at Wole Soyinka’s talk at the Black Rep with her friend Lavelle Wilkins-Chin;…
Erwin A. Thompson, author of Thompson Western Series and Folk Treasure I will share my secret of being able to write when there is no time for writing. When I am in a boring job that only requires my presence, when I wake up at night and tend to remember all of the dirty deals…
Happy ALL MOTHERS DAY, you mothers and others. This is a good day to recognize the truth of Tibetan Buddhism: that every being was at one time my own mother…your own mother. Hey! that means you were mine and I was yours. Taking it into present time….you are mine and I am yours. We nurture,…