Author: Mala Naidoo - Page 3 - Mala Naidoo's Book World

Women Who Inspire

Often the women around us, those we interact with, those who do not ask for acknowledgement and serve their life’s calling with unstinting passion, must be noted to celebrate them and say thank you for who they are and what they have shared and continue to share.

Today amid the chaos in the world, social isolation physically separates us but has allowed us to deepen and broaden our thinking without the usual everyday distractions.

This quietening of the mind has heightened my appreciation for the women that inspire and have inspired many lives. As a writer of thriller fiction and contemporary women’s fiction, it is befitting that I pay homage to the women who have impacted my world.

From the corporate world, writing and publishing and health care, here are three women I salute today.

Kalyani Pillay (Entrepreneur)

Former CEO, of SABRIC, (South African Banking Risk Information Centre) Kalyani Pillay resides in Sandton, South Africa. Kalyani has inspired many in her passion for instituting protocols for the elimination of bank fraud. A job that entailed being a globetrotter spreading innovative ideas on how to protect ourselves from financial scams, and as an advisor to large corporations, particularly banks. Kalyani Pillay has been head-hunted for presentations at international conferences in her relentless fight against fraud. She has worked as a lawyer, State Attorney for Gauteng, and Special Advisor to the Head of the National Prosecuting Authority in South Africa before she joined the ranks of SABRIC as CEO. Her resilience, dedication, optimism, and integrity are qualities that inspire for as long as I can remember.

Here is Kalyani Pillay’s inspiring interview with, Dudu Msomi on her show, ‘WisdomPersonified’ to illustrate the passion, courage, determination, and humility of a woman of note.

Brenda Mohammed (Author/Poet)

Trinidadian author and Founder of the How to Write for Success Group, a rapidly growing literary group. Brenda Mohammed promotes rising stars in literature, and assists in expanding the repertoire of existing, established authors with selfless commitment through collaborative writing of anthologies in the prevention of suicide and against domestic abuse. She is a noteworthy multi-award-winning novelist and poet. As a former banker and seasoned traveller she exudes a resilient spirit as a cancer survivor, depicted in her memoir I am Cancer Free, and one who has the Midas touch in creating bestsellers. These attributes make Brenda Mohammed an inspirational woman as my peer and mentor in my role as an administrator in the HTWFS group. Brenda’s book How to Write for Success offers nuggets of wisdom on writing and publishing, serving as a handbook for writers of any genre. Her warmth and generous nature in promoting the love for reading in children is evident in her contributions and interactions with schools in Trinidad. Brenda Mohammed is highly valued by her administrators and followers in the How to Write for Success group.

It isn’t where you came from. It’s where you’re going that counts.

~Ella Fitzgerald

Queenie Naidoo (Health Care Professional)

Retired South African nurse, residing in Australia, Queenie Naidoo, in her eighties today, is passionate about healing as she ever was. She served the poor and destitute, the ill and dying with devotion. She was fondly known to many as, ‘Sister Queenie.’ She garnered the support of local doctors in the town of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, to donate medication which she dispensed at the free medical community clinic she steadfastly ran, for many years, on Sunday mornings, to serve those who were unable to access medical treatment. Her home was a haven to the ill, depressed, and ailing hearts. Her sense of humour and maternal warmth drew many to her. Her lifetime commitment to healing and supporting the physical and mental health of her patients resonates today with the selfless and potentially dangerous work of health care professionals during this global pandemic we currently face. Added to Queenie Naidoo’s inspirational credit is her creative talent in having produced a theatrical performance, God the Last Refuge, staged at the King Street Theatre in Newtown, Sydney, in 2014. Queenie has inspired me from the cradle as my loving, caring, mother and continues to do so to this day.

We never stop learning and growing with each passing day, hence inspirational individuals are the heartbeat of the societies we inhabit.

I have handpicked three inspirational women, there are many more who inspire us every day. Please share the inspirational women in your world in the comment box below.

Maintaining a Healthy Muse

Life is topsy-turvy. The news makes us morose.
But creativity must go on.

So how do we keep the momentum going when all else has fallen apart?

This time shall pass

To avoid dwelling on the negative statistics of the world’s mortality rate, look for reading matter that will stimulate your soul to breathe as the mind’s eye turns inward. This will generate refreshing conversations. Too much has been coming at us in recent weeks, but we have the imaginative capacity to redirect this towards positivity.

Movies will come and go, but a novel or poem lingers. Change your routine. Begin your day doing some inspirational reading. Download free eBooks. Load your Kindles, iBooks, Kobo readers with words that enhance creative thinking.

Roll up the newspaper, shut off the television

We need to be informed — limit this to once a day because overkill might devour your muse. Turn to poetry, short stories, novels and inspirational music. Teach the creative muse to move beyond the immediate.

Limit the online interactions.

Lend a helping hand to a fellow creative. Encourage the reading and writing of new content — unrelated to the current context. Bring the wonder of nature back into our lives, even if it’s from an armchair perspective — watch a documentary — mentally travel to another realm

Free yourself from fear

Here are some hand-picked inspirational suggestions to awaken and maintain a healthy muse. This is a brief list to get the creative juices flowing, to inject an abundant dose of ideas, if you are feeling the slump with each passing day. There are many more you might have already read and perhaps a re-read is another way to lift the lid to ignite the imagination.

Poetry:

The Daffodils – William Wordsworth
First Hush – Orna Ross
Frost at Midnight – Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Still I Rise – Maya Angelou
A Spark of Hope Vol 1 &11 – Brenda Mohammed and HTWFS

Fiction and Non-Fiction:

The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
The Catcher in the Rye– J.D. Salinger
Beloved – Toni Morrison
A Thousand Splendid Suns– Khalid Hosseini
Swami and Friends– R.K. Narayan
Half of a Yellow Sun– Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

We are not alone, reach out, touch a life or mind and enjoy the benefit of the enhanced energy this brings.

Stay safe and well.

Read or write something today.

How do you keep your creative juices flowing when things fall apart?

Writing and Publishing During a Global Crisis

Every corner of the world has been hit by Covid19 — life for millions has come to a grinding halt. Businesses have shut down left, right and centre. Bookstores have closed their doors. Libraries are no longer a sanctuary as silent voices are in lockdown.

The question tossed around is: do we go ahead with the launch of a new book?

My heart says yes but my mind says, should I? Then a voice whispers an answer: yes, launch it online, reach people who need to move out of the mental space of the current crisis we all face. We need the sanctity of books. Bookshops continue to take orders online if a digital book is not a preference.

In the face of a global crisis, publishing is vital now more than ever before — it says we are here, later it will speak confirming that we were here, and this is what we did. It is akin to writing historical fiction. The Great Books of the world brought us knowledge of people, cultures, events, aspirations, challenges and celebrations from eras long before our current existence. Without those scribes, the artists of the past, we would be as ignorant of the world as the occupants in Plato’s cave.

Literature is the light into now, the glow of the past and spotlight into our dreams of the future.

Books imprint memory

Writers have the acute ability to sense mood and observe human behaviour down to minuscule details. So, why wait? It is time to pick up the pen of prose or poetry. Each will speak of this time and of our dreams and visions. Leave the messages that say we are indeed one.

In our angst and joy, we are ONE under the sky of humanity

To ignite compassion, we must walk in the shoes of angst, or suffering, to extend love and care to others because we know it—we feel it. Stories elicit compassion and bring meaning more particularly as we sit in self-isolation to protect our loved ones and communities.

Writing and publishing must go on, as must, soft digital launches of news titles and relaunching of backlists. Lower prices, offer free titles, reach the masses by bringing meaning to the lives of those living in fear of what the next news bulletin or press conference will announce. Our uncertainty unites us in our desire for a renewed tomorrow. We inhabit the same house under a global sky.

Now we speak with the same human voice in our sans streets, sans parks, sans beaches… but we should never be reduced to fearing each other.

Keep literature flowing for generations to come—it is within our control, thanks to the digital platforms that serve us.

Keep Writing, Keep Reading.

Stay Safe.

This time will pass. Keeping hope alive through poetry and stories.

From Prose to Poetry

Poetry excites, calms, awakens, regenerates

As a thriller fiction writer, poetry has been a significant aspect of my recreational reading and inspiration for my writing. Poets of the Romantic era notably Shelley, Keats, Wordsworth and Coleridge are among my selection of favourites as has been Yeats, Sylvia Plath and Emily Dickinson. African poets Mongane Wally Serote and Chinua Achebe, to name a few. All held my attention both as a student and educator. More recently, I turn to the inspiration of Orna Ross, an Irish poet and author. I relish reading poems from a global range of acclaimed published and aspiring poets in the rapidly growing group, How to Write for Success. This attests to the thirst for new voices to be heard and fundamentally the need for poetry in an era of uncertainty where we need to be reminded of beauty and wonder.

In a post titled Poetry Educates Prose I highlighted the benefits of poetry reading and writing to enhance style and succinct writing in prose.

After writing poetry for an audience of one and gradually venturing out to my better half and immediate family circle and a few trusted friends, I took the plunge to put together a collection of my light and shade poems. It has taken a year to sift through, rewrite and refresh and refresh once again, and no doubt that process will continue as skills develop along the way. A collection titled Random Heart Poetry: Light and Shade is the window to my soul

The moon has a significant impact on creativity, and culturally the celebration of auspicious events are determined by the aspect of the moon as per the lunar calendar. Some of my Instagram posts will reveal my fascination with the moon whenever she is in my realm. The cover of Random Heart Poetry captures the essence of Light and Shade through the full moon, representative of the light we seek. The poetry collection reflects upon culture, identity, gender, race, migration, relationships and the wonder of nature.

Random Heart Poetry: Light and Shade is available at Amazon and instore at a few select retailers.

Creative Space

Psychological boundaries are either self-constructed or built by others. Whoever is doing the construction of the wall is of no relevance — both will hinder creative energy.

We need people around us as creatives just not their negative energies that overwhelm and stifle.

Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creation and change ~ Brene Brown.

Creatives are sensitive souls, dreamers in tune with what the naked eye might not see. This opens the mind and soul to all aspects of the universe and in so doing leaves the creative vulnerable.

Choose your associations. This is crucial to creative energy. People who understand the creative, appreciate the need for space to commune with the muse, nature and the imagination.

Positive vibrations come from such associations that sustain and enhance a creative life. People who understand solitude and the creative need to slip off the radar for a brief period are associates to nurture and stay connected to.

In seeking creative space distancing the self from negativity is crucial to avoiding that which mars the creative process

What to watch…

those who tell you what you should be creating
those that question what you write or why you write
those who are not writers but freely offer writing advice
those who imagine a character or situation reflects their lives. It’s good if they do — that’s being a good writer to be able to craft lives/stories that people feel connected to — the ultimate writing goal is to reach the reader.
those who scour your books and comment that your book is a reflection of your own life by ignoring that you’re writing fiction and have not got down to writing a memoir yet.

Creative energy is more critical than learning ~ Albert Einstein

Who should we hang onto?

those who can’t wait to read your next book
those who let you know what they loved about your writing and let you know what thoughts your book has left them with
those who allow you to be you — gentle, idiosyncratic or wild.
those who spread the word about your books

Choose your friends and associates with care — those who appreciate the creative in you, and if it’s a small number — that’s all you need for abundant positivity to flow

Choosing your tribe is vital to preserving creative flow and production.

Engage in activities that enhance the creative within. Turn to meditation, singing, writing or reading poetry, reading the books you have on the nightstand calling out to you, read something different, a different genre. Take a walk on the beach or in a park or forest — do whatever makes your heart sing!

We undertake certain spiritual exercises to achieve alignment with the creative universe ~ Julia Cameron

Be your wildest or quietest authentic self and gravitate to those people who appreciate you for whoever you are, wherever you are in your creative life.

~Dare to be different~

Share your thoughts on your quest for creative space.

Happy Writing. Happy Creating. Happy Connecting!

Writing Courage: Be YOU

While the world is swamped by social media and every form of communication possible — words fly at us, to us and among us at a speed we cannot keep pace with.

Yet amid this world of words there is always an aspiring writer with a story to tell — struggling with the fear that it might not be good enough — or imposter syndrome takes hold. It’s every writer’s fear each time a new book is sent out into the world.

The first step is the most difficult like anything in life — being authentically YOU is all that matters

Finding the courage to put your work out into the world is dependent on a range of factors. How serious are you? Do you have patience, and will you be persistent in achieving your writing aim? It really is about sitting down to write and then finding the courage to hand it over to a stranger. Try a friendly eye first to gauge if the story excites and entertains. Be prepared to accept whatever feedback comes your way. Everything is fixable if you have a manuscript on hand — plot, structure, style, sense etc.

As many words as there are in the dictionary, there are professionals who will guide you in the right direction. This may come at a cost and, some find friendly writers by joining writers’ forums online to share feedback/impressions of each other’s work and to offer advice

If a story is brewing and bubbling within, you need to begin toiling if you know it will make a difference to someone.

Stop pondering and get writing — BE YOU

If you’re afraid of writer’s block — news is — it does not exist. You might pause and research and redraft parts of a piece but once a story bites — something truly magical happens. You begin to write as though you are guided by that which is transmitted through you. You will only experience this when you take that first step and allow yourself to deepen the process.

Writing is not for a chosen few. We all have the language to communicate our thoughts and feelings. The imagination develops from reading and takes hold with an unquenchable thirst. This opens the gateway of the creative font as stories emerge from stories. Then pick up the pen and write all that you can at a speed that you find bearable.

Stephen King said, ‘To be a writer you have do to two things, read a lot and write a lot.’

Once you have taken that step towards writing, choose a comfortable space to call your own. This invites the magical muse to transmit through you. Begin with meditating to ease your mind, body and spirit. Choose your time of day or night — your most lucid, productive time and begin — one word at a time…
Listen to the whispers and act on them — or beware — they will go looking for the next transmitter.
Missed opportunities are of our own making because the signs do come. It took me ten years before that voice pecked at my waking and sleeping state and I had no option but to answer the call.

Writing is the blood pumping in my veins — it’s the air that sets my breath aflame

Nothing happens in life without desire, determination and persistence. Courage will flow if the mind is open to desire.

Don’t be an aspiring writer, don’t wait ten years, you have the ability to take that step but do persist.

Best wishes

Happy Reading, Happy Writing

Fiction Changemakers

If stories were never told — history would not exist — change would not occur.

So much that is fictional is drawn from reality.

The horrors that have occurred historically and afresh each day (as the daily news never fails to report) become the fictional realities writers create in imagined worlds. The fiction writer’s world is in tune with current and past societal occurrences. The subconscious mind sifts and imprints that which has emotive associations. From this collaboration of mind and emotions, the writer begins with a particular premise — then something magical happens — the pen takes on a life of its own.

Plotter or panster merge when that magic happens. Hey, presto! Fiction and reality commingle!

For this reason, mindful writing is imperative. It helps guide your book to a niche or a wider audience with a message melded to the entertainment a good book affords.

Every good story has a lesson to teach, an angst or joy to share

Where does the act of creative mindfulness emanate from?

The soul of the writer, his or her angst and joy sensitize the writer to the struggles people undergo — be it a socio-economic matter such as Charles Dickens’ novels that exposed England’s elitism, and Jane Austen’s portraits of gender and social class. These are two writers selected from a host of others of the day.

Today fictional writers create worlds around ‘me too,’ racism and power struggles. Power struggles and injustice are timeless from Fritz Lang’s 1927 German expressionist film Metropolis based on the 1925 novel by Thea von Harbouto, Orwell’s dystopian novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four and my current reading of American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins referred to as a ‘high-octane’ story, are a few in the countless number of books that connect readers through discomfit to what it means to struggle and survive.

Political thrillers expose mismanagement, and immorality while entertaining readers with suspense, the drama of high stakes, etc.

If fiction mirrors reality it becomes a record for posterity like all good books. A ‘good book’ depends on which end of the moral spectrum both reader and writer share. If a book angers and soothes, keeps the reader on the edge of their seat by creating desired expectations for the protagonist — it’s a great story penned.

Fiction should make us uncomfortable enough to question where we went wrong, and how can we rectify it

Nothing is political in writing if it showcases reality. The word ‘political’ from my apartheid history conjures thoughts of being labelled as being on the wrong side of the law. Yet a political thriller exposes heinous human behaviour in organizations that we trust to uphold justice.

Fiction is reality dressed up as the world on the pages of a good book, one that dares expose the foibles of troubled societies

Discomfit, guilt and thought

Let’s continue to create fictional realities by rocking the boat of complacency in assuring that the history of the past and history in the making generate discomfort — discomfit elicits thought and one can only hope that positive action will follow to change catastrophes that are within the human scope and rectify atrocious human behaviour.

My stories cut to the bone on forgotten voices who deserve to be heard.

Here’s to more fictional stories for all our better tomorrows.

Happy Australian long weekend. Happy pleasurable reading hours.

A Fine Art or Brutal Chop

As I work through cleaning up my latest manuscript, a first in series, I am weeding out those darling crutch words, scene shifts, and other hidden gems (I thought they were gems until I read them with an unemotional, critical eye) to clear the wood for the trees to have a better view of where my characters are and what they’re getting up to. If I don’t have a clear, error free, sense of my story, how will the editor? Worse still what would the reader do?

It’s not easy after several self-edits to handover your baby for professional scrutiny. There’s no getting away from it, self-editing is turning the eye inward without a tear, first the incision then as you pass judgement, the brutal chop of your precious, crafted words, emotions, descriptions, settings, characters, and whatever else might need adjusting in your created world.

very, really, rather, quite, in fact… do you need them?

So, how many steps are there during the self-editing phase? (These are the steps I follow which varies from writer to writer)

First, line by line, chapter by chapter, on the computer screen change the double word use, missing words, etc.
The second step is to correct timelines if there are errors.
During the third phase, put the manuscript through editing software such as Grammarly, and Pro-Writing Aid — excellent to pick up flaws the naked eye missed — spelling (American or British?), grammar, repetitions, and general style especially when that sneaky passive voice creeps in.
The fourth step is reading your manuscript out aloud and recording the story for playback editing. Rhythm, the cadence, and sense become distinct during this process which directs you back to the screen to fix those snags.
The fifth phase is print a hard copy of the manuscript and rip though it with the colours of the rainbow to show you what is working, and what needs another chop or perhaps another trim.
The sixth phase is formatting an eBook in Scrivener to read through in a different form — anything that slipped through the self-editing cracks screams out, in a new form, for rectification.

Now the manuscript is ready for the professional edit although I might enlist a trusted, closely held, proof-reader to check through once before the professional submission. Then proofreaders step in for the final check.

During the process of self-editing do not rely solely on your gut experience in making changes. Consult those in the industry that you admire, read or use as a role-model . An editing guidebook, and a thesaurus is a must have on any good writer’s desk.

When working with an editor, it should be a negotiation on necessary changes, but be prepared that there could be changes suggested that might not sit too well with you, but for the success of the book, within reason, you should take the suggestions on board.

What is the editing timeframe?

There are many ways to do this , some say spend three months drafting, three months editing. However, some write a book a month — at best I could get through two to three in a year as a part-time writer. Remember, the professional editor could ask for a month to check your manuscript.

I generally veer to three months writing, three months editing, but sometimes life makes its call on time and energy so that varies year to year, book by book.

What are your self-editing tips? Let us know how you do it your way.

Collaborate + Consider + Cooperate + Change = an excellent MS ready to go.

Best wishes with writing, editing, and publishing.

From Sydney to Seychelles

Today we travel across the Indian Ocean to meet Magie Faure-Vidot. Magie is a French-language poet from beautiful Seychelles. She has published work in English and Seychelles Creole. She is the Chief Editor/Director of the Publication SIPAY and is an inspirational supporter of rising poets and writers. She is tireless in her dedication to upholding international close connections between writers of all genres and forms.

Recently she has travelled to India for the World Thinkers’ and Writer’s Peace Meet attending two international events in December 2019 in Vijayawada and Kolkata.

Meet the Poet

Magie Faure-Vidot was born in Victoria. She is a member of the Institut Académique de Paris and the Académie Internationale de Lutèce. She has won numerous prizes over the course of her career, including the Coupe de la Ville de Paris, a Lyre d’honneur, and six silver and numerous bronze medals in various international literary competitions, and she has represented her home country at many international poetry festivals and other initiatives. Her work has been discussed in critical studies of Seychellois literature. She has also achieved some fame as an oral performer.

After living for some time in Lebanon, England, Italy, and France, Faure-Vidot returned to Seychelles. There she co-founded and continues to codirect, both the online literary review Vents Alizés and the online publishing house Edisyon Losean Endyen, both of which she runs in conjunction with Hungarian poet Károly Sándor Pallai. Her work is regularly published in Seychelles Nation and The People, and she is the Chief Editor/Director of SIPAY, the only Seychellois international literary magazine. Her poems were published in the international poetry anthology Amaravati Poetic Prism in India. In 2017, she received the prestigious Seychelles Arts Award in literature for her outstanding literary work and achievements. She writes for Spirit of Nature where she features amongst the 60 poets published in 2019.Opa Anthology of Poetry.

She is a member of the World Nations Writers Union Kazakhstan. She is the Regional Director – East Africa and Central Asia and on the Administration Council of MS.

Additional information on Magie Faure-Vidot is available on Wikipedia.

Getting to know Magie

When did your love for poetry begin?

The love for literature began when I was a kid. My parents worked on a vast agricultural property and had many animals. I loved them so much that I used to tell them small stories. We lived close to the beach and I had my private beach where I used to enjoy the sea, the birds, coconut trees, swimming with small fish, and playing with crabs. Being a loner, I had to keep myself busy. The sea carried me to faraway imaginary places. And I would always be asking my parents to buy me pencils and exercise-books.

What do you enjoy the most about living in Seychelles?

The island life, friendliness of the inhabitants, no snow but the sand.

The View From Magie Faure-Vidot’s Home in the Beautiful Island of Seychelles ~ A Creative Haven

Tell us about the International Literary Journal, SIPAY. When did it begin? What is its aim?

SIPAY saw birth in 2008 but registered in June 2009. At first, the aim was to promote the French language at 60% and 40% shared between our two other national languages, English and Creole. But now it has taken another turn. It is affiliated to Motivational Strips, and Spanish has been added to the three languages. SIPAY is now an International Literary Magazine and opportunities are given to various writers all over the globe. SIPAY is a non-political, non-religious magazine. SIPAY is distributed to the Ministry of Education for all the schools, Ministry of Culture, Creole Institute, the National Library, the National Journal (NISA), and some private individuals. One copy is posted to all contributors at no charge. SIPAY is a non-profit making publication. Money generated from the sale is reinvested in the next edition.

Describe your typical writing day.

I write when the urge tickles me. First, however, I take care of my home, family and animals – three dogs, and I feed some fifty birds every day. I then take to writing, attending to posts in MS, Lasosyasyon Lar san Frontyer, Congo Ecrit etc.

What are your future goals for literature both within Seychelles and internationally?

I’m planning my 7th book, assisting the Lasosyasyon Lar San Frontyer as a Chief Consultant and Congo Ecrit. I attended two international events in December 2019 in Vijayawada and Kolkata.

***

I extend my gratitude to Magie Faure-Vidot for sharing her illustrious writing journey. You can connect with Magie Faure-Vidot for more information on her recent literary travels and works:

Website

Facebook

Please leave your thoughts in the box below:

Through Australian Eyes

As 2020 dawns it will be remiss not to look at the world that is changing before our very eyes.

Through Australian eyes, sadly, the ongoing bushfires have encircled our lives affecting health, and mindset with loss of human lives, homes, fauna and flora — this impacts the creative soul and spirit which is closely aligned to the natural cycle of life. There is an unease that wants answers and quick solutions to a problem that has been steadily growing.

As we cry, ‘climate change’ — it is more about necessary unified ‘human change’ to rectify that which ails our burning country. Change can be initiated by ongoing fostering of awareness that we all have a part to play to improve the state of our country, the world and subsequently the human condition. As writers, this awareness becomes a moral obligation, as I see it. Books/stories are valued for the message/s they extend to make us aware that our angst is a global issue.

Natural disasters multiply around the world causing human decimation, yet the power to minimise this rests in human hands. I draw the analogy to writing, the creative arts — the passion exists, but a huge effort is required to produce quality art — passion without persistence is naught.

Literature today will speak into all our tomorrows about human negligence and irresponsibility in the quest for more. Like the wars of the past and those that exist in the here and now, it is a time for soul searching and a coming together to rectify that which has gone awry. Like editing a manuscript, we cannot take out without replenishing with good, better, and best to improve the story, poem, or essay — likewise, constant extraction from the earth must be restored.

Healing is not a band-aid fix to the problem — it takes a mammoth collaboration of all sectors of society to reach out and do what is necessary — cut back on all forms of pollution/emissions for a purer balanced tomorrow.

It’s never too late to begin afresh if it matters, like revisiting a manuscript to cleanse, to be rid of that which is not necessary, to clear the waters for something brighter, purer, clearer and better.

Let’s make the 2020’s a healing decade of body, mind, spoken and written word, the spirit, relationships and heal the earth we live on and from.

All positive contributions matter — raising one life, saving one wild animal or property is the beginning of survival from extinction by fire or other natural or human ills that befall the planet.

As we look forward to a bushfire-free future, let us remember we all have a part to play to save this beautiful land we call home.

Have a safe and happy entrance into the next decade. May it be filled with many blessings.

May peace abound and the earth receive the blessing of rain, may poverty and pain diminish.

Happy Reading, Happy Writing and Publishing.

Please add your comments below:

End Bell

As the year draws to a close in the blink of the year bowing out, it is a time to reflect on where we are, where we’ve come from and of course where we’re heading to.

Gratitude

My gratitude for a writing life is the blessing of the creative gift to tell the stories of forgotten or unheard voices and the passion to sustain this. I am indebted to the people I’ve met along the way who support my creativity by reading my books and inspiring and supporting my desire to write more.

ALLi guides my ethical author status by providing up-to-the-minute publishing and marketing advice through podcasts, publications, members’ forums and Orna Ross’ weekly, Maker, Manager, and Marketer accountability for creatives.

The vibrant How to Write for Success FB group supports seasoned and novice writers in a nurturing, inspirational forum and is a space to create and showcase some of my pieces while supporting writers on their creations in a constructive, non-judgmental forum.

Joanna Francis Penn’s Travel and Books Podcast and Mark Dawson’s SPS Podcasts are informative, entertaining and inspirational.

Writers no longer work in isolation. Seclusion is necessary for the creative process and networking creates visibility

Publishing

The third novel in the Souls Of Her Daughters Collection was completed, titled What Change May Come and a collection of short stories, Life’s Seasons was published this year. It has been a year of many things on all of life’s fronts with life experience extending understanding and the capacity to live my passion.

2020 – Onwards and Upwards

Currently, a new novel series/trilogy is in the making with the first draft complete and chilling for a month before several rounds of editing and reworking to be born into the world in the first quarter of next year.

Poetry is a calling that intensifies as evident in the post, Poetry Educates Prose. It was a joy to have my poem, ‘Listen,’ published in the December edition of the literary journal SIPAY. Coleridge, Wordsworth, Byron, Keats, Yeats and Orna Ross are poets I enjoy reading.

Additionally, supporting rising poets brings joy to my creative space.

What more…

Lots more writing and possibly looking at non-fiction and poetry publications while teaching, learning and growing.

A writing life, like reading, is the breath and pulse of life.

Have you signed up for my monthly or bi-monthly newsletters for special offers/ free books/stories and updates on new publications? Click here to enter and receive two free short stories.

As the year closes this chapter, I look forward with a glad and grateful heart.

Happy Reading, Happy Writing and Publishing this holiday season.

Season’s Greetings, may 2020 bring you the very best in peace, joy, good health, enhanced creative productivity, and abundant success in all your endeavours.

What are you grateful for as 2019 draws to a close?

Add your comments in the box below.

Writer’s Connect: Spotlight: Author Vash Karuppa

Today I turn the spotlight on South African Author Vash Karuppa whose debut novel DESTINY FOR LOVE ARRANGED is a favourite among readers in South Africa and abroad. Her novel captures the cultural significance of life, and the command and necessity of love in a voice that connects the reader to place and culture and the understanding that the heart is not entirely self-directed.

Synopsis: Destiny for Love Arranged:

Destiny for Love Arranged is a contemporary, gripping and angsty, second chance Indian romance that reveals the love of family and friendship bonds during trying times. All protagonists are of South African Indian origin.

The story revolves around Aariyan Ranjan, a highly successful CEO of a Hotel Empire and Varini Iyengar, an Oncologist, both are forced into a temporary marriage of convenience to help them resolve personal dilemmas.

Not because it had anything to do with his heart he thought stoically…, but because it suited his purposes…

While Aariyan is determined to treat their marriage as he would any other business deal, love rarely listens to logic, and what follows is anything but business. On the other hand, Varini soon finds herself gravitating toward and rejoicing in the love she thought lost forever with a hidden hope that their marriage of convenience will end in a union of everlasting love. The story is embedded with cultural anecdotes familiar to any family of Indian origin. It takes their family, friends and a life-threatening situation to show them the love they lost is worth fighting for.

In short, this is a story about family, friendship, and starting over, as Aariyan and Varini embark on a journey toward a second chance at love. You will get to share in their moments as they discover that vulnerability can be their strength and the most perplexing problems can be overcome with the support and resourcefulness of a loving family and faithful friends. This is Book 1 of a trilogy.

About the Author

Vash is a South African author of Indian origin who has been a bookaholic from about the age of five. Her addiction for books grows exponentially daily, so after spending years concentrating on her role as a corporate executive and a short stint as an entrepreneur, she decided to unleash her number one desire i.e. a passion for writing. Whilst books of most genres interest her, it was romance that captured her soul. Her writing portrays the lives and drama of ordinary people who readers can easily relate to. The crux of her stories celebrates the power of true love coupled with the timeless bonds that exist between family and friends while capturing the true essence of diverse cultures.

Vash Karuppa is a member of the Romance Writers Organisation of South Africa (ROSA)

What inspired you to write Destiny for Love Arranged?

For many years I have read articles around the call for diverse romance novels that incorporate multi-cultural aspects into a traditional romance plot. In addition, I’m a hopeless romantic myself and always had a plot in my head around a story that integrates family and friendship bonds (which I have been blessed to have throughout my life) together with a typical romance story.

When I eventually decided to put pen to paper, it all just naturally came together, giving birth to Destiny for Love Arranged. Finally, I am aware there aren’t many novels written which share intricacies of the South Indian culture and I was determined to write about it. Looking at the feedback received thus far from readers, it was well-received.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? How long did it take you to write your novel?

Being a passionate romantic and voracious bookaholic, reading was a drug to which I had an instant addiction, one that only grew with time. While books in all genres interest me, it was romance that I was drawn to. From as early as my pre-teen years, I loved the ‘happily ever after (HEA)’ syndrome hence my love with any book in the romance genre, and later as a teenager with a dream of writing my own HEA story.

Writing a novel has always been part of my bucket list, so, after spending years concentrating on my role as a corporate executive, I eventually unleashed my number one desire and passion for writing with Destiny for Love Arranged

I didn’t really plan on publishing my work though, because I started writing for my own fulfilment. However, when a few of my friends read the script, they encouraged me to consider publication and so it happened….

The hardest part of completing the story was not knowing how to stop. I had so much more to tell but owing to publishing rules on limited word count and reader expectation of the length of books I had to cut out a lot from the original script.

What’s your typical writing day like?

Owing to a “day job”, I tend to confine my writing to nights for at least 2 hours a day in the week and whatever time I can hijack on the weekend.

My best writing is done in a quiet space in my little apartment directly next to a window where I can have the warmth of the sun and sounds of chirping birds to keep me company while writing.

Who is your greatest source of inspiration?

My 92-year-old maternal grandfather has undoubtedly been the inspiration behind my love for writing. He taught me how to read and then introduced me to the word of writing through the books he wrote and is still writing might I add.

What are your future writing plans?

Books 2 and 3 of the Keshavam Industries trilogy is almost complete and will be released between December 2019 and February 2020.

I have a new series planned for the rest of 2020.

Destiny for Love Arranged is on Amazon for your reading pleasure.

You can engage with Vash Karuppa on:

Happy Reading! Happy Writing! Happy Publishing!

Black Friday: Marketing Social Media Platforms

A few quick pointers to get your books out there this Black Friday.

Connections to the worlds of writers and readers is the yardstick for successful writing. This is by no means limited to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Pinterest has proved a visual platform ideal for authors marketing their books. Additionally, sites such as Authors Den is a valuable promotional website and getting eyes on you the author.
Blogging about authors or influencers you admire is beneficial in opening up to diverse audiences as well as touting bloggers who are keen to blog about you the author and your books.
There are many more platforms on which you could market your wares, as it were. Commaful, and Hello Poetry are other forums I have recently looked at as cites that raise awareness and showcase your talents. Tumblr is another option to consider.

The question is, how many sites do you use when the sky is the ceiling of choice?

Life’s Seasons – A Collection of Short Stories

Souls Collection

Try as many at first, see what’s your best fit and persist with those. The ratio that is palatable as cited by Dalma Szentpaly, from PublishDrive, on the ALLi Poetry Podcast, is the 80-20 rule — to avoid overkill in an already saturated arena, market your books in twenty percent of your posts but be yourself in 80 percent of your posts. Let readers know what you represent, whether you will be their ‘to-go-to person — an authentic influencer.

The paid options are certainly BookBub, Amazon Ads, Kobo, D2D etc. When choosing unknown platforms do your research first to avoid untold losses.

Try, test and then persist.

Happy Marketing, Happy Selling, Happy Reading!

Share your marketing tips in the comment box below or what you might try as a new marketing tool.

Teacher Spotlight: Early Creative Influence

Writers might be influenced by a family member who writes, or motivation is drawn from a much-admired writer. I come from a reading family and absorbed that passion as a child. This brought many pleasure-filled hours to an introverted child. More on this can be found on my, about page.

Why Teachers Matter

The early teenage years opened another door — the door to the other side of reading, equally exhilarating — notably writing. This influence stemmed from my brilliant, nurturing high school English teachers.

One such teacher was Ms Devi Anderson.

Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education ~ Aristotle

My fourteen or fifteen-year-old first impression of my new teacher was that she was so young, vibrant and intelligent. She was passionate about literature and brought Shakespeare to life in our South African classroom, drawing connections, making her students feel the angst and joy of the bard’s characters, and life situations.

She was selfless and spontaneous in conducting weekend literary discussions on the texts studied, and additional literature she selected to extend students’ knowledge and passion for such works — yours truly devoured it all. The discussions were just that — not teacher-talk like so many classrooms of the time. You mattered and your voice was valued. You were praised for trying. Ms Anderson was a godsend to many, more particularly to me. Her presence in my school life had a profound influence on my teaching with a passion and thirst for literature.

In a flashback moment, I recall a lesson on haiku poetry. It was my first lesson on this poetic form, Ms Anderson made it accessible and intriguing with her easy-going, warm manner. Every student received her attention, each made to feel that the work done was worthy of praise and encouragement. To this day, many moons later, I remember the poem I wrote, as a somewhat angsty fifteen-year-old. Here it is (I might have to retreat from global after this revelation!)

Haiku (5-7-5)

‘I stared at his face

Wondering at his beauty

Confused, I slapped him’

My English teacher thought much was said in those short lines, there was laughter followed by a deep conversation on my haiku attempt — the adult ‘me’ now blushes that it might have been a dead giveaway on some infatuation — a missed opportunity, perhaps? Memory does not serve well on that count! The moment remembered is a teacher who made my effort worthwhile.

I am not a teacher but an awakener ~ Robert Frost

From Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night with the love-sick Duke Orsino’s famous lines, If music be the food of love, play on… to novels and poems introduced, my love for literature grew in intensity under the nurturing tutelage of Ms Anderson. Those early days, for which I am eternally grateful, paved the road to writing novels and short stories, and occasional poems in my adult life.

As Shakespeare’s fate would have it, by accident most strange, a bountiful Fortune, (The Tempest), so together with the helping hand of a schoolmate and Facebook, I reconnected with Ms Anderson across the Indian Ocean — I wanted my inspirational teacher to know how influential she was, when two roads diverged in a yellow wood, (Robert Frost), I followed her teaching passion.

Today, these brief months later, we are Facebook friends, and I know my students, past and present, will enjoy knowing this. Many lessons along my teaching career raised the appreciation I had for my English teachers with Ms Anderson sitting at the helm of the list.

It is with gratitude that I share her influence on my teaching career and writing life and the joy in reconnecting with her.

The impact of a teacher who makes all the difference, is never forgotten.

Please share your memorable teachers and their influence on your life or choices in the comment box below.

Poetry Educates Prose

A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
Its loveliness increases; it will never
pass into nothingness …
~John Keats

Poet or novelist, one, the other or both — one grows into the other almost instinctively to develop the ideal creative state.

Writing improves with consistency and ongoing learning of the essentials of the craft. The art of writing expands the imagination and bulks the creative muscle by triggering the desire to know more, to research, to read, to push boundaries, and feel joy — a perpetual quest of the writer.

Voracious reading of all forms and more particularly poetry, the fine art of saying much with an economy of words, is a skill worth learning to enhance prose writing skills. Poetry as a literary form is laden with layered sensory imagery, conveying pain and joy, the state of the human condition and a celebration of nature which when emulated in prose fiction, is the lyricism in narration or the cadence of poetic storytelling.

‘And above all, poetry is compacted metaphor or simile’ ~ Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing

The habit of reading poetry grows the writer’s ability to choose appropriate/effective language or specific words that says it all with brevity. We live in an era where attention span is brief, access is quick, and impatience governs desires.

Saying it all in four lines:

Hear it, See it, Feel it, Believe it…

Spring Song

Hark, I hear a robin calling!
List, the wind is from the south!
And the orchard-bloom is falling
Sweet as kisses on the mouth

~Lucy Maud Montgomery

Little bursts remain to sustain…

Invictus

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul

~ William Ernest Henley

There is an intensely intimate, mindful experience apparent in poetry, a purity that makes it more personal where prose is more social, and when married with a sensitivity to both forms, the reader benefits from the writer’s authenticity.

As a teacher, evidence points to incremental learning leading to lifelong knowledge. Piecemeal understanding is committed to memory in meaningful short bursts of information whereas lengthy mindless memorisation disappears after the moment of recall.

Poetry speaks in the rhythm and profundity of its brief lines, a boon in holding the attention of the reader.

Poetry read before sitting down to write prose or read as the last activity before sleep, sharpens the ability to borrow from the poetic form and style for precise, well-formed ideas that touch with the depth and clarity that poetry engenders.

If writing in a particular genre or establishing an emotion in a prose scene, turn to poetry that’s appropriate in that instant and feel the passion and power of the words and those left unsaid, then a deepening of thought processes emerge to heighten the imagination. Reading poetry written in any period has the inspirational ability to enhance overall writing.

Crafting poems for creative leisure or publication is beneficial as self-directed editing of what works and what requires reworking. Poetry cannot hide intention and purpose, it’s stark, it’s true, a visual and emotive painting through words. This skill shapes brilliance in prose writing.

Poetry and prose are close cousins of the writing family. Read as many novels as you would poems, or more to capture that sweet spot of simple, short, stunning sentences, one after the other, until a story is born.

How many poetry books are there on your bookshelf? The internet is a valuable source, but there’s much to be said on having a book in your hand as you read, delight in, make note of, absorb and contemplate.

For aspiring writers: Write a poem today on any topic, let it tumble freely onto the page, then try your hand at prose. Watch the magic unfold. An open mind is necessary to attain this joy, and brilliance in prose writing.

Happy Reading. Happy Writing.

Share your thoughts on the benefit of poetry in prose writing.

Creative Mindfulness

The mind is a powerful seat of creativity — when nutritiously fed, it leads to abundance in creative output and a mood of positivity.

Creativity blends, binds and benefits humanity. The practice of conscience mindfulness is essential for inner and outer harmony. A calm state is conducive to creative thought when mind and emotions are in sync.

Dwelling on the positive elicits the creative mindset through meditation, listening to inspirational or relaxing music, motivational talks, and reading, listening to or writing poetry. This creates an enhanced feeling of joy and general wellbeing. Consciously choosing what we give our attention to is either of benefit or dismantles our equilibrium. The choice rests within. Daily Flow Practice Inspiration Meditation enhances my day, bringing inner calm to invite the muse or conscious mindfulness to create new worlds and people that have a message to share.

Consciously choosing what we give our attention to is the act of mindfulness

To foster the creative state, a mental and emotional journey has to be undertaken, nurtured internally. Pain can be turned into positive creative energy by daily writing about the pain, the angst we feel. Keep a daily journal or diary at your bedside or on your desk and write to diminish the gravitas of the struggle — this conscious decluttering allows freshness or the sunlight of positive energy to seep in.

Turn pain into positive creative energy

Climbing a mountain takes sheer physical effort and stamina to reach the summit, so too is harnessing positive energy — it needs work. Who we engage with and how we engage is as important as what we read, write and listen to. Surround yourself with the company of positive people. Choosing what we eat has an impact on physical wellbeing, and if neglected it erodes wellness, clouds judgement and infiltrates every aspect of life. Equally choose how you will interact with life by rewarding yourself with what you enjoy, taking in a movie, buying yourself flowers or picking a bunch from your garden. The simple things yield profound benefit for body, mind and soul.

Elevating the mind can also be as easy as taking a walk in a park or alongside a river. For me the ocean brings peace. Walking along a shoreline cleanses my mind and frees my soul. Reading poetry is as beneficial as taking a walk in nature when poetry speaks to the spirit. Take time out to seek the simple pleasures of life. We don’t have to climb a mountain to prove how strong we are.

I have been losing myself in the delight of reading Allowing Now – A Book of Mindfulness Poetry by Orna Ross, launched on Friday 25 October. If you’re looking to soothe your soul or settle a disquieted mind look no further for mindful inspiration.

See into the delights of nature…

Look around you and see into the delights of nature — leaves dancing in the breeze, a beam of light peeking through clouds, the silver ripple blinking on a river or the gentle unfurling swish of a wave on a shore. The musical twitter of birds at first light is a celebration of life, a new day and a clear mind.

Make positivity your journey to a creative state by writing a positive thought, your wish for your day upon rising, and a thought on what you are grateful for before turning to sleep to return refreshed for another creative day.

Happy reading. Find your joy by choosing that which fuels your passion, creates wellness and makes your soul sing.

Please share, comment and spread the spirit of creative mindfulness.

Bundled to Go!

We thrive on the continuous feed of a series and the pace, the desire to know more — the adrenaline rush and thrill of the unexpected. Emotionally we are hooked when we pursue more with the fervent desire that it won’t end.

Bundled books/boxsets continue to be what readers want in instantaneously following through on a story in the heat of the action, or to know now with the next flick of the digital page rather than later, not wanting to wait months or years for a sequel or the tenth in series.

Sequels/Trilogies/Series

Trilogies and sequels are good takeaways when on a long haul flight or the daily train or bus commute to work.
Writers often write a trilogy or series with two or more ready to be released in quick succession to fulfil the reader’s need to have the next in series ready to go.

I have been writing novels one at a time with each book reading as a standalone novel, and when the second book is released with some marketing and social media awareness created, the next book is picked up by readers — either by the same readers who read the first in the trilogy or others who pick up the second or third. Either way, it is a win situation as the books are being read, regardless at which stage of the collection — this is every writer’s joy.

A writer will create ( I avoid saying ‘produce’ as it implies a mechanical rather than a creative process) at their pace, and use personalized strategies to generate interest. There’s much to be gained from listening to podcasts and Facebook live presentations on how writing and marketing work best for some. The key is to follow, listen and learn to educate oneself on the modus operandi that works for you.

Retail Platforms

In signing up for a Draft to Digital webinar I picked up that boxsets or book bundles do well on that platform. Amazon’s KDP Select allows readers to grab the boxsets/book bundles for future reading and has the benefit of price countdowns as strategic marketing. When the downloaded, saved books are read, the author accrues higher royalties and with Kindle Unlimited, there is the page-per-read royalty scheme. In the active ALLi and SPF FB groups, much is to be gained from interacting with or reading posts on the latest publication trends and experiences.

Trial and error, like all good lessons in life, allow for the best decisions on how to market your book.

Timing

If considering doing a boxset consider when is the appropriate publishing stage for your books. I did a sequel boxset a year later and trilogy boxset six months after the third book was published — all books may read as standalone novels so the boxset/bundling offers another price point and convenience of access on the go.

Digital Requirements

A boxset requires a separate ISBN to be identified as a new collective publication. As far as book covers go, the 3D image is most suited to Amazon and flat covers for Apple Books, Kobo, or D2D as your platforms of choice.

Across Time Souls

A backlist, if not a series, can be offered as an omnibus collection or if teaming up with other authors writing in a similar genre as you are, makes this another avenue for book bundles at competitive price points to best serve the reader. The royalty split must be legally agreed upon for equity and professionalism to prevail.

Happy writing, Happy publishing, Happy Book Bundling!

Please share your ideas on box sets or book bundles in the comment box below.

Shake It Up!

Most fiction and particularly thriller fiction feeds off suspense created by secrets, fear, challenges, and the element of surprise. Lies, deception and the battle for truth keep readers on the edge of their reading seats. Compelling characters extract emotional responses. Do we love or hate a character?

Beginnings

Beginning a chapter with suspense is good when it cranks up what happened in the preceding chapter. Here’s an opening from Across Time and Space:

Meryl awoke for the second time that night aware that she was alone in this vast villa beside the olive grove. She saw a faint strip of light under her door. With a tight knot in her stomach, she tip-toed to the window and peered out — all she saw was the same inky blackness.

Endings

Ending a chapter on a cliff hanger creates the suspense desired to make the reader turn the page. This can lead from dialogue or stylistic narration. Here’s a closing line from Across Time and Space:

Sirens blared, shattering the earlier deafening quiet that had unnerved Meryl – police vehicles approached from the main road which led to the house.

Red and blue flashing lights appeared in the haze of diminishing light.

Across time and Space, three significant men in her life converged… two looking on… the third, a mystery.

Secrets

In Souls of Her Daughters, Dr Grace Sharvin harbours what she considers a shameful secret. Who is Boetie Arendse and how does he know Grace?

At midnight while Felicity and Patience slept, she slipped
out into the storm. Dressed in a pair of black pants and a white
t-shirt, she held her face up to the lashing wind and rain. She
yelled with as much force as she could muster, ‘out, out you
demons! I want to feel whole again!’

Surprise

In Chosen Lives, the reality of characters past traumas is revealed in the Mission’s personal testimony sessions as the reason for their chosen career paths. Audra’s arrogant disposition takes a turn when she reveals her identity after a terrifying ordeal with her boyfriend.

My name was Sophia, I am Audra because that is what Ramón called me during our year together, he said I reminded him of Audrey Hepburn, in the movies Romina watched, but he liked to call me Audra. I run the Audra House Foundation in Florida for abused teenage girls.

Suspense

The shooting of Andre Malakov unfolds through a series of court hearings in Vindication Across Time and unexpected relationships appear, to confound the reader, the witnesses and the legal team. Here is a line pre-empting Ana’s testimony in Vindication Across Time

What Ana was about to reveal left all, including Gildo Mondo, in a state of confused disbelief.

Minutes, hours or days…

Timing must be strategic to drip feed the reader before the heavens come crashing down on unexpected realisations. The pressure of time for the desired outcome cranks up the adrenalin on hope or despair depending on the situations that arise. Better yet is toying with the reader leaving them believing they think they saw a situation coming but could not be sure. Add in the puzzles, give some carefully chosen clues, but not enough to take away from the story being a page-turner.

First-Person

First-person narration creates riveting suspense and equally, authorial narration creates suspense by, for instance, keeping the villain elusive. This draws the reader towards the villain/protagonist in search of who he or she might be and what they might be pursuing. These lines are from the story, Wandering the Earth, in the short story collection, Life’s Seasons.

I feel impending dread in knowing I will be forty in six months.

My life has been strange and wonderful. I cannot say for how much longer, I will withstand being witness to the atrocities of the world. It leaves my days in anxious anticipation of what next and how much more…

I have not been at rest for a long time.

Dramatic irony

Make the reader feel empowered, the dramatic irony borrowed from Shakespeare is a great technique to keep the protagonist ignorant, but the reader informed. How can we forget that ‘honest Iago’ was not that at all, or ‘the glib and oily art,’ of Goneril and Reagan, King Lear’s conniving daughters were signs of their clawing, callous natures? Show the reader a truth or two while the protagonist is blissfully ignorant. Cruel but necessary to crank up the heat.

Challenges

Add in a few challenges, give the protagonist a few dilemmas that will invite consideration, or a veering away from held values and morals, to do the right thing for the greater good. Throw in a new character, one who might have information on the villain or perhaps have witnessed a crime.

Fear

Fear heats up things, something unnatural, bizarre, or psychic confirms that reason alone cannot halt nor control the situation — that creeping to the edge of the reading seat with that pounding heart feeling. Grab it at the right point in the story for maximum effect. Exploit the senses, sight, smell, hearing and touch. The sudden arrival of a heavy gust of wind that pushes a door open — that cold air swishing over you as if somebody was hurrying past you — you look up and there’s no one but you in the room!

When readers are vested in the life/lives of the characters they are more likely to spread the word that a book ‘must be read’ because…

A reader wants to be moved, not by tears alone. They want to be afraid, they want to hope, they want to understand pain, and all the while supporting favourite characters from the side, or throwing mental daggers at those they loathe.

What fictional book have you read lately that has ‘moved’ you and left you with an unforgettable memory?

Happy Reading, Happy Writing!

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Writing Through Adversity

Writing has been well documented as having therapeutic value. Do you keep a personal diary, or a journal to record moments that are significant to you? Would you write a memoir or autobiography? Have you tried poetry writing?

Fiction is an avenue that has therapeutic benefit when writing about angst through fiction or poetry. This has value in reaching readers who might face a similar situation. Receiving a reader’s comment on connecting with a character or situation makes writing move from the realm of fictional entertainment to enhancing life, creating a sense of belonging through the power of story/words that whisper, ‘there are people who go through this, you are not alone, it’s not you…’

Human difficulties like our joys are universal and part of our shared humanity regardless of demography or any divisive label. We learn from each other, we share with each other — altruism is part of our human ‘feel good’ makeup. We feel good or secure in knowing that challenges are not unique. This is where fiction like a memoir/autobiography/biography and poetry has the ability to say, ‘I see you, I hear you, I feel your situation.’

‘In our angst and joy we are one under the sky of humanity’

Oftentimes something heard, something seen, or read triggers the imagination to create a story/poem — these seeds have their origin in human experience. Everything in life has imaginative storytelling potential. Historical fiction is a genre whereby much from history or literature is reimagined to suit a particular context adding timelessness to a story.

Poems and stories, when turned inward, create… growth… healing… self-awareness

Shakespeare’s The Tempest reimagined by Margaret Atwood in her novel, Hag-Seed is an example. Prospero becomes Felix a theatre director in a present-day context — he is grieving the deaths of his wife and daughter and has been backstabbed by an aspirational colleague. His vulnerability is an evocative point of connection with the reader. Professional or workplace strife present timeless human dilemmas, but when tastefully explored as a novel’s premise or ideas, it has the potential to speak to many isolated, lonely individuals — there is no shame in being vulnerable. Shame sits on the shoulders of those who abuse vulnerability. The most endearing people, in reality, are those who have experienced hardship, financially, in grief or loss, abuse or ill-health — having walked in the shoes of many with struggles, wires empathy — as human experience should be if we hope to coexist in peace and harmony.

Fiction can remind us why it is essential to be true to who we are in our expressions of self and in our interactions with each other.

In Souls of Her Daughters, Dr Grace Sharvin who heads a busy medical ER has unimaginable frailties but her strength is in her capacity to reach out to others while fighting her own demons.

Life’s lessons come from the adversarial people met, and they become the basis upon which writers craft their villains. A little bit of this and a little bit of that blended in a cauldron and hey presto! The (im)perfect villain is born! The good people we meet shape perspectives on why adversarial individuals have no place in a shared world.

Timeless heart-warming and gut-wrenching stories on life’s challenges and celebrations.

Literature is a luxury, Fiction is a necessity — GK Chesterton

and

Albert Camus said, Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.

Who can argue with such pearls of truth now?

Life, literature, news of the day, and history portray human experiences that provide inroads to new fictional stories and evocative poetry that connect rather than divide by exposing, celebrating, loving, grieving and understanding what it really means to be human. We all, whether real or fictional are indeed not alone in adversity.

Which novels and poems would you recommend to readers on overcoming adversity? Have you read A Spark of Hope?

Author Proficiency and Professionalism

Author professionalism is not negotiable in a world where access to all we say, do and create is out in the world with a click.

It costs nothing to be supportive of aspiring authors and accept that there are oceans of experienced, seasoned authors out there who act as mentors and are deserving of respect and acknowledgement. Blog about the work others do put yourself out there to be blogged about and while you find your way to being noticed as a writer, notice others in a personable, professional manner.

The publishing landscape is rich and diverse with an ever-growing space for all. Collaboration is vital as learning is never exhausted. As a teacher, this lesson was all too clear with constant syllabus changes or when students challenged an idea and a new wave of thought was born. Like classrooms without borders, learning is a two-way process, and so too is the writing, and publishing world.

Pride and ego waste creative energy—aiming towards excellence is a humble, hardworking process. No one person is gifted in the craft without commitment and extensive effort in being worthy to be viewed as a mentor/master of the craft.

Being proficient is ensuring great covers clothe your labour of creative love, and that they appeal to the genre and audiences’ interest. Having your work edited is an important step in the writing process to rise to professional standards in the industry. (although creativity is not an industry for me—a labour of love for sure!) Publishing services come with a price tag if it’s quality that matters. With quality, the stamp of professionalism is assured.

Never compromise your values…

Professionalism as an author like any walk of life is also about expressing thanks and appreciation without the ‘I’m the artist’ big-headed attitude. Collectively a professional outlook makes success a possibility. Professionalism can be challenged when confronted by unethical practices in the publishing ecosystem but as always it’s best to walk away, let it be, there are plenty more avenues out there to pursue, that might well be a better fit for you. Like any job, if the fit is not good, move on to greener pastures, or create your own. As a writer, you steer the vessel on the path you choose to take.

Alliance of Independent Authors /

Authors are among some of the most exploited people if unaware of the pitfalls. The way to armour yourself is to sign up for authentic associations, register for webinars and Facebook live sessions, attend conferences, network, to educate yourself in knowing that the allure of being published comes with ethical responsibility. Read, research and find your way with the confidence that you are proficient and professional.

Writing is a solitary process but being an author is a collaborative role. Aspiring writers, you are not alone. Pick who you follow, to wisely ensure you are protecting your craft and practice.

Happy Writing/Creating and Publishing.