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?
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
Forthcoming Title This April
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.
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.
More on why poetry matters:
Poetry is the unadorned human face reverberating with timeless truths ~Mala Naidoo
When power corrupts, poetry cleanses ~ John F Kennedy
Happy Writing, Happy Reading!
Share your love of poetry in the message box below.
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.
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.
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.
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
The Peacock Opinion Award
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 itsaim?
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:
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.
A good story, like good food, is an unforgettable experience.
In the creation of fictional worlds, the protagonist comes to life through his or her foibles, eccentricities, habits, relationships, hobbies, voice, mannerisms etc. While sensory details include the sounds, we hear and the images we see, through the words on the page, the degustation in a fictional novel brings the reader to the table, heightening the sensual effect in a shared meal with characters.
In my debut novel, Across Time and Space, the aging Ben loves kippers and poached eggs for breakfast. In the sequel, Vindication AcrossTime, while breakfast is important, especially when Ben and Meryl overhear a conversation in a tiny restaurant, on the dark history of the mysterious Professor Andrei Malakov – it’s the journey through South Africa’s gustatory delights that bring drooling joy as barbecued corn on the cob – braaied mielies, to locals, on the breathtaking beaches of the Cape, chilli pineapple in, Sweet, salty, hot and pungent collided, tantalising Michael’s tastebuds. And then who can forget the delectable Kaapse snoek! In contrast, back in Florence, Meryl consumes endless cups of coffee as the trial drains her emotional and physical strength. Her favourite chicken pasta and prawn linguini meals are left untouched as her mind swims with horrific thoughts on where her life was heading.
In the trilogy, Souls of Her Daughters, Chosen Lives, and the third book, out this April, What Change May Come, Thai Delight, a fictional place, is Patience’s favourite restaurant, but both sisters, Grace and Patience find great joy and comfort in cooking and eating their mother’s signature chicken curry – their memory of her is alive in love and food. Grilled salmon, thoughtfully prepared for an elderly neighbour is pushed aside as she perspires through, and relishes Grace’s fish curry, saying, You have your mother’s touch with the delicate spicing, what a scrumptious meal... There are wonderful Mediterranean breakfasts, turmeric lattes and cardamom chai for a full international array of gustatory heaven!
I need chillies to warm my soul’ ~ Patience says in Souls of Her Daughters
From the spicy to the crisp – ham and cheese croissants, in the April release of What Change May Come, complements the racy change and quick food that others bring to Grace and Patience.
Food and fiction are a formidable combination, setting the mood of the moment, letting the reader into a part of the character’s life that we all enjoy – eating as a necessity, or social activity, regardless of what we eat, or where we eat it.
Food will always feature in my fictional tales as comfort food, memory food, and soulful food.
As the New Year settles in, I’m following through on my creative intentions for 2019, to reach out, to connect in a global publishing landscape to learn and share ideas.
Through this shared landscape, I met and was inspired by prolific, Trinidadian author, Brenda Mohammed. She is the author of twenty-one publications, including the non-fiction book, How to Write For Success, a valuable advice book on achieving your personal best as a writer.
Brenda is also an award-winning author of Zeeka Chronicles, a Young Adult Thriller, and I am Cancer Free , a memoir, in the category Health and Fitness.
As a cancer survivor, banker, and writer, Brenda heads the rapidly growing How to Write for Success Group on Facebook for new and aspiring writers.
Getting To Know Brenda Mohammed
Author: Brenda Mohammed
Biography:
Trinidadian Brenda Mohammed is a renowned, multi-genre, award-winning author and poet who has written twenty-one books to date.
She is a former Bank Manager of a leading International Bank in Trinidad and Tobago, and holds a Diploma in Banking from the Institute of Bankers in London.
When she branched off into Insurance she obtained a Diploma in Life Underwriting from the American College, USA.
Achievements
In November 2018 she received two book awards from Readers Favourite International, at an Awards Ceremony at the Regency Hotel in Miami. The awards were for I am Cancer Free in the category Health and Fitness, and Zeeka Chronicles, in the category Young Adult Thriller.
Brenda is the Founder of the group How to Write for Success.
From the Author
Becoming an author was not on my agenda.
My plans changed drastically when in 2005 I was faced with a life-changing situation. Diagnosed with cancer and living to tell my story inspired me to help others afflicted with the disease to cope. I documented my heart-wrenching experience of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer and my long and painful journey to overcoming the death sentence. In time, the essays transitioned into a book, I am Cancer Free: A Memoir, that tells my true story as a cancer survivor.
The book was published on June 3rd, 2013, and was available on digital stores worldwide. It had been read by so many people that it won the McGrath House Indie Book Awards 2016 in the non-fiction category. It also earned a five-star review and five-star seal in February 2017 from Readers’ Favorite and won an award in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards 2018 in the Health and Fitness category.
Encouraged by the rave reviews, I went on to write six fascinating memoirs, a five-book science fiction series, two children’s books, four books of short stories, one self-help book, How to Write for Success, two crime fiction books, and one book of poetry.
The science-fiction futuristic thriller series Zeeka Chronicles: Revenge of Zeeka also won an award for Best Science Fiction in September 2017 from Metamorph Publishing Summer Indie Book Awards, a five-star rating and five-star seal from Readers’ Favourite, the gold award in the category of science fiction in Emagazine Readers’ Choice Awards 2018 and placed in the top ten in the Author Academy Awards. It also won the Young Adult Thriller category in the Readers’ Favourite International Book Awards 2018.
Of my other books, My Life as a Banker was awarded for Best Bio/Memoir in Metamorph Publishing Summer Indie Awards 2016 and Your Time is Now, which contains a section of inspirational poems, received the IHIBRP 5 Star Recommended Read Award Badge.
Motivation
Words from my brother David V. Khan before he died:
‘Your book makes very pleasant reading, and your literary expression is superb and easy to follow. You have excellent talent, and you should follow up on a leisurely basis with perhaps publishing a book of short stories. With fiction, you will have a greater opportunity to use your imagination and your undoubted descriptive ability.
You used the word “fantasize” to create a situation. This is an outstanding quality, which you should continue to use because it is imagination, which disposes of everything, coming from within you. It creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which are everything in this world.’
It creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which are everything in this world.
Influencers
My Father, Dr Andrew M. Khan [ Deceased] – A great Educator in Trinidad and Tobago. My Brother, Justice Addison M. Khan [Deceased] – Former President of the Industrial Court in Trinidad and Tobago. He wrote several law books which are being used in schools and Universities. He won a National Award from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for meritorious service. My Brother, David V. Khan [ Deceased]– Acting Comptroller of Customs and Excise in Trinidad and Tobago. He loved Literature and encouraged me to write. My Husband Rashiff Mohammed, a former Bank Manager and Executive in a car firm – Although he has only read one book I wrote on my father’s memoirs, he has been very supportive of all my careers – Banking, Insurance, and Writing. He was my rock when Cancer struck.
Favourite books
The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
Brenda is selfless in inspiring, aspiring, and new authors in that anything is possible with commitment and humility in accepting that as writers, we too, are a work in progress.
I offer my gratitude to Brenda Mohammed for sharing her amazing journey as a prolific multi-genre, multi-award-winning author.
Please start the conversation today by adding your thoughts in the comment box below on sharing, supporting and learning from a global community of writers.
Time and technology have propelled us through 2018 at the speed of light. While the end is nigh, it’s nostalgic as memorable, or a year quickly fading and forgotten.
A nostalgic or forgotten year? What’s your choice?
It has been an incredible year on the writing and publishing front with changes appearing at every corner. While embracing change is the way forward, it has been challenging keeping pace with the rapidity of change in the publishing landscape.
Keeping informed and grounded is paramount to keep creative energy buoyant and abundant. Associations with professional writing bodies, tuning in to the wise and wonderful is essential.
the year certainly sped by in a haze of complete joy and heady energy.
The Rain, A Collection of Short Stories, an unplanned visitation that appeared between resting a novel draft before editing, took hold with an unstoppable fire, in the middle of the Australian winter, warming my heart and heating my hands, for a July 2018 publication.
The joy of writing is soulful, delightful and inspiring and brings to mind the memory of the amazing Aretha Franklin’s timeless, universal words breaking the wall to being voiceless, to find the necessary space through writing/music/painting that is unshackled by difference when it ignites, consumes, connects, offers hope, and entertains – surely that is the meaning of life!
It has been a year of connecting with writers near and far, the lovely Queensland author, Rhonda Forrest in the post, Australian Voices, and reading her novel, The Shack By the Bay, that invites the reader into the stunning North Queensland setting. Meeting online, award-winning, inspirational, Trinidadian author, Brenda Mohammed, author of How To Write For Success, a non-fiction book, and the famed fictional Zeeka Chronicles, and many more.
Valuable inspiration is drawn from ALLi’s Director and Founder, Orna Ross, poet and author, on the creative process and the creative business mindset, essential for authors/artists. Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn podcast provides up to date inspiration and information on publishing trends, and Mark Dawson’s SPF podcasts and courses are valuable resources for all writers. Online inspiration is abundantly available from well-informed, forerunners who selflessly share their experience in supporting aspiring and new authors.
Receiving readers’ comments on what they enjoyed or how they connected to your books is the sheer joy of knowing it has moved someone. It’s the validation needed to go on. Equally, it’s accepting that one learns something new every day, to improve, to become the best at what we do.
Looking back is undoubtedly encouraging the way forward to 2019, to reach out, share, connect and create.
Moving ahead, onwards and upwards is what matters the most, by networking in a shared global, writing community.
May the new year usher in abundant creative energy and books galore!
Happy NEW YEAR!
Happy writing, Happy reading.
Share your thoughts in the message box below to start a New Year conversation on your writing and reading aims for 2019.
An interesting question recently from a reader prompted this post on whether the names of my characters were people I knew. As a writer I could say, yes, I do know my characters between the pages of my books, and fiction mirrors life as the angst, joy and foibles of individuals.
Meanings behind names have always intrigued me.
I choose names for some characters that befit their personalities and behaviour or represent the opposite of what they are. In Souls of Her Daughters, Grace and Patience are indomitable women in the face of the catastrophes that befall them. Grace’s mother, Varuna, has her name taken from the Sanskrit equivalent that attests to her strength as one who embraces all, hence she is the embodiment of the god of water and the celestial ocean surrounding the world. Her inner strength and capacity in how she copes with the murder of her devoted, humble husband, and subsequent chastisement and ostracisation by her extended family does not alter her essential goodness. Grace, Varuna’s biological daughter, and Patience, her adopted daughter endure horrific persecution, of a cultural and tribal nature – Varuna will stop at nothing to ensure her family is reunited, while she continues being a person for others in her neighbourhood.
In the sequel to Souls of Her Daughters, Chosen Livessees the introduction of new characters, who are named in a similar vein, sometimes with demographic relevance, or drawn from Greek mythology – Xandria, defender of humankind, much the same as Alexis – helper or defender. Zuri, a Swahili derivative, means inspirational, beautiful, truth-seeker, and more. The head of the mission in Chosen Lives, an underground movement for a new world of women leaders, is named Masuyo, which means to profit or benefit the world. A mission recruit, running a school for women in India is Akanya, meaning peace and humility which she exemplifies in her interactions with others.
On the other hand, the character, Felicity, family friend and colleague to Patience, is far from what her name suggests, given her difficult childhood – her razor-sharp mind is admirable. The Arabic name, Azmil, means light, given to a young man who lost both his parents at the hands of rebel forces in Pakistan. The work he does, at the Well Study Centre, makes him the light to many orphaned young women. The snatched memory of his mother fosters his commitment to young women in his community.
The character, Audra, has a childhood of neglect by affluent parents, her name as explained in her testimony, is a celebration of the beauty of Audrey Hepburn. As she says, ‘to my Ramon, I was Audra.’
A multi-cultural cast of characters representing diversity in harmony
The third part of this trilogy, being written, will follow through with similar thought for new characters that emerge. Each of the three novels is a standalone read, too.
In my debut novel, Across Time and Space, and the sequel Vindication Across Time, Keres Bathory is a name drawn from a combination of Greek mythology and a historical character – a combination of one who disturbs the universe.
On her quest for her writing holy grail, what will Meryl sacrifice?
Aspects of a character’s behaviour might be drawn from observation which is married with imagination to serve the role they play in novels.
What’s your fascination with names in stories or the people you meet?
So many voices, so many stories in a country as diverse as Australia, each sharing a connection to people and place.
Today on the blog we have Rhonda Forrest, a high school teacher, from beautiful, sunny Queensland. Rhonda began writing under the pen name ‘Lea Davey’. Her first two novels, Silkworm Secrets and The Shack by the Bay were published under the pen name, Lea Davey, however her latest novel, Two Heartbeats, published October 2018 has been published under her real name, Rhonda Forrest. Having always lived in Queensland, the vast AustralianOutback and the pristine Whitsundays feature strongly in her stories. Rhonda Forrest shares her story and tells us more about her writing journey.
Meet the Author
Rhonda Forrest/Lea Davey
Biography – I was born in Brisbane and grew up in Rochedale, which at the time was a rural farming area. It was a fabulous place to grow up and as kids, we spent our time playing in the bush, riding horses and living in a community where everyone knew each other. I married at the age of 21 and my husband and I moved to acreage at Bannockburn where we lived for thirty years. Along with a menagerie of animals it was here that we brought up our three daughters and made life-long friends with many of our neighbours. At the age of 40, after a multitude of different jobs and running my own business, I decided to study. After 4 years of full-time study, I graduated as a high school teacher of History and English. Recently we have moved to Tamborine Mountain and live between the mountain and a 100-year-old cottage with a rambling garden up in the Whitsundays. Both places are quiet and idyllicplaces to live and write.
Writing Journey – As a child, I loved reading and was surrounded by books. My mother who is 90, still to this day reads every day and as a teenager, she always handed me her books after she had finished them. Nothing was off-limits and I vividly remember being enthralled by books written by Harold Robbins, James Michener, Wilbur Smith and Jackie Collins. I used to always think that one day I would write a book, however, it wasn’t until about five years ago that I had time to seriously think about pursuing my writing. Long hours spent out on a tinnie in the middle of the ocean fishing, allowed plenty of time for daydreaming and the story of, The Shack by the Bay began rolling around in my head. Once I started writing the words flowed easily and I knewthat I had found a new passion in my life – writing!
Genre – All of my books are different. The Shack by the Bay is contemporary historical fiction, Silkworm Secrets is contemporary fiction and Two Heartbeats is Romance. My favourite genre is historical fiction although I also love to read true-life stories.
Motivation – If you want to do something you should just have a go at it. I don’t think I ever considered failing, actually I don’t think about the end result that much, I just go for it. Really you have nothing to lose and once I start writing it’s hard to stop until the story is finished. The editing and parts that come after the actual writing for me are the hardest parts and I would love just to be able to write and to have someone else do the rest for me. But when this is not possible I stay motivated, buoyed along by the lovely reviews and comments I get from readers. With writing, it is not about the money that you make (because that is limited) but rather the motivation that comes from readers who love your books. One of the most exciting things is to look on the Brisbane library website and see that all 5 copies of your book are being borrowed!
Influencers – Probably the biggest influence for me in relation to my writing was the Australian author Coleen McCulloch. It was after I read her book, The Thorn Birds, in 1977, that I decided I would write a book. It took 40 years to have time to do that, but eventually, it happened.
Favourite Books – Just recently I read Boy Swallows Universe which is set in Brisbane so lots of familiar places and just a fabulous entertaining read. My Instagram page has a countdown of my top 50 books and these range from Mao’s Last Dancer to All the Light We Cannot See as well as, The Old Man and the Sea and Australian classics, The Cattle King and My Place. I have so many favourite books, but I do love historical fiction. The Garden of Evening Mists, A Good Muslim Boy and The Space Between Us are also some of my favourites.
If you want to do something you should just have a go at it
Stories that make us ‘experience’ a moment within a scene comes from the creation of suspense when characters or events invite expectation from the reader, stimulating the desire to read on. Often several revised versions of a suspenseful moment might be necessary to achieve the desired effect to make the moment memorable for the reader, creating unease or anticipation. Feeling, seeing, perceiving and dreading imminent danger could be achieved through highly charged descriptive language and use of sensory imagery, which, when effectively done leads the reader to walk in the skin of the protagonist, seeing, feeling and breathing through the character’s eyes.
A voice recording of the suspenseful scene allows the writer to assess whether the desired effect – the light and shade have been achieved. This might lead to a reconsideration of how to enliven suspense in a scene. The first draft of such a scene most often requires several tweaks before the effect is achieved. The joy in crafting your stories is that you are in control, as the writer, to entertain the reader.
Listening to haunting or suspenseful music helps to centre the imagination in the creation of tension, suspense and anticipation.
Try your hand at writing a brief scene that builds suspense.
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Here is an example of a suspenseful moment:
‘The wind howled down the craggy cliff dotted with rocks like crooked fingers in erect, forbidding stance. Within minutes dark clouds drew a veil over sunlight — day turned to night as she cowered under the overhang of a swaying rock. Flapping batwings in frenzied flight sent a cold shudder coursing through her.’ (MN)
Here is a snappier version of the moment- which example do you prefer?
‘The wind chilled the marrow of her being, her refuge beneath a dangling rock threatened — dark clouds curtained daylight as mounting flapping bat wings made their deafening panicked flight.’
What would you add, take away or recreate in such a moment where the protagonist is challenged, losing his or her grip on the situation?
Pop your visualisations/ideas of this moment in the comment box. I would love to read your versions of this moment or your own ideas. (MN)
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This excerpt from an overview of Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot’ has chilled many a reader at the thought of what lurked between the pages of this riveting book:
The town knew darkness…and the awful, heavy silence of terrifying images grotesquely dancing in and out of the shadows…
But no one living in Salem’s Lot dared talk about the high, sweet, evil laughter of …
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Here are two brief excerpts from my novel, ‘Across Time and Space’
1). She knocked at the door.
It opened with the force of a heavy gust of wind. Meryl jumped away gasping. Framed in the light of the candelabra, Ana looked chalky-pale against her black head of hair left hanging about her shoulders…
2)….she awoke for the second time that night aware that she was not alone in this vast house beside the olive grove. …the silhouettes of two figures bending over loomed on the wall…
Try writing a suspenseful moment, use a piece of haunting music to beckon your muse forth!
The oasis of literature we have been reading since time immemorial inspires us to continue reading, be it a writer of choice, genre or writer’s style that draws us into the writer’s world, forming connections to events, people and places. Inspiration gained leads the reader’s quest to search for meaning in novels, plays and poems. When discovered, a universal consciousness emerges to tell us we are indeed not alone or different.
Writing makes a difference when given thoughtful and respectful consideration
The writing urge and process emanate from a place that resides deep in the soul of the writer. It could be a major world event or a passing incident that triggers an emotional connection, thus fueling the passionate purpose to create understanding which fosters human connectedness. This motivates tireless hours of writing. A message, when written from the heart has the potential to inspire and reverberate across time and space.
Voices and visions of human atrocities never die, they visit as the muse that beckons the creation of stories, plays and poems on suffering, fear, loss, hope, and above all, renewal.
Literature, through the writer’s lens, has the power to provide profound life lessons while entertaining the reader.
Writing with passion in the voices and visions from different contexts suggest that we are indeed connected, regardless of our geographical location or ethnicity. A universal consciousness provides clarity, anytime, anywhere, to anyone, on the necessity to improve the human condition.
The written word should unify rather than divide.
Happy Reading, Happy Writing
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