Another Open Door

The other day I received an email from my publisher with news of upcoming events and mention of a publication known as "Pocket Poets". This hooked me straight away. I needed to know more and let it be known. My publisher then advised me that my interest would be forwarded to his wife who, is in charge of this publication. By the end of the day I received an email with the necessary info in the form of a pdf.

I perused it and asked a few questions. Satisfied with the answers I got; I have now found another avenue for other publication opportunities. I immediately made a new folder on the old computer and will embark on the project along with the already well advanced anthology.

To put you in the picture as to what I'm babbling on about; we, the author, choose a theme and write twenty poems relevant to our chosen theme. Because it will only be the size of the booklet this is why it is called Pocket Poets. It is published in the same format as a regular anthology but with only twenty poems or less if any of the poems take up more than one page. I can reuse verses previously published but they must be listed on an 'Acknowledgements' page. This also includes blog sites.

It should be easier and quicker to complete a shorter manuscript ready for submission (if I'm lucky) and the cost per unit is set at $5 RRP.

Like I said before it hooked me straight up and; nothing ventured, nothing gained. I will keep you posted.

As of 30/04/18 I will also know if  a poem I wrote with the 'Wild' theme for a competition gets published. Should I be lucky, I will post the details both here and on Facebook.  It will be my third publication since 2012 and my getting published dreams have well truly come to fruition.

Until the next blog, cheers guys.

As a Writer...

Isn't it funny what influences those of us who are writers?

It might be a poem or it could be a story (which I haven't written for quite a while actually). The choice would depend on the topic and what our strengths are. For me, without sounding egotistical; I could go either way.

 Influences such as TV, social issues, our favourite authors or an easy one here; family and friends could become topics of drama or humour (possibly a parody) or a historical event. Music; now there's an option and, for me, it has influenced quite a few poems in the new anthology.

The influences for us scribes are way too many to list.

You, my readers have been subjected to not only my poetry but my short stories and issues that have grabbed my attention (usually to the point of annoyance).

Of all of the lessons I've learnt over the years as a writer both at Para West Adult Campus (now Northern Seniors College) from people such as Eric Payne; my biggest influence, Arthur Poole and Alan Mc Bride,who helped me get published for the first time in ten or so years to the lecturers at TafeSA (Professional Writing 2012-2015) it was Eric, who, in Creative Writing that told us that, as a writer, we had to love what we were about to do(write) and if not; don't start. It makes sense because if your heart isn't in it you will NEVER achieve a final polished, publishable piece that you can be proud of. This is the key factor as to whether you make it or not. It is also something I will always remember because it is what got me published in 2017.

For those of you old enough to remember Cat Stevens or Leo Sayer; these guys were great lyricists and this shone through brightly in such memorable songs as Lady D'Arbanville, Peace Train, Father and Son, How Can I Tell You,  Just A Boy, The Show Must Go On, Moonlighting and Long Tall Glasses respectively. The lyrics were not only honest, almost haunting  but also cleverly written good poetry and I guess this why I still like putting them in the CD player and zoning out while I listen to them.

Two other musical influences on me are the ever popular Neil Diamond and a very gifted keyboard player, Rick Wakeman who put literature (Journey To The Centre Of The Earth) and historically;The Six Wives of Henry VIII to music as well as so many other great albums.

So there you have it... my latest Rambling for now.  So 'til the next one; hope you liked it and can take something away from it apart from the fact that I might possibly be, dare I say, strange.