Tag: poetry

Ditch It. Switch It. A Story…

Most of us have only one story to tell. I don’t mean that only one thing happens to us in our lives: there are countless events, which we turn into countless stories. But there’s only one that matters, only one finally worth telling. The tale of someone’s life begins before they are born.

Listen to my interview with former Regional Director turned Radio personnel, singer, songwriter, Poet and Musician shares how he Ditched It to do what he loves in order to follow his passion. Learn the strategies he used.

Most important his audience was exposed to the inner secrets of the man behind the mic.

Stay tuned for new book soon to be released “Your Career: Ditch It. Switch It”

Cheers!

Love’s Here To Stay…

Curling up with you for awhile today

Showering my love for you to stay

 

Though you’re far away, I feel you so near

And bask in memories so precious, so dear

 

Longing for you seems measures away

Words without end, there’s so much to say

Memories,  soft kisses, light smiles along the way

 

For you I long

For you I cherish

For you my sigh, my bliss, my all

 

For all the militias so very far away

Love’s wounded, but it’s here to stay

 

Dedicated to Military families that distance separates.
Dr. Shelly C

 

The Beauty. The Ease To Write…

The ease to write

Success Strategies

I miss you.

Your tender love.

Your Warmth relax.

Your strokes caress

With you everything is okay.

My joy complete

My stress eased.

My space breathe.

My words flow.

Indeed …you take my breath away.

You are My love. My joy. My peace.

That’s the reason I WRITE

To tell my story

To Release

To encourage

To motivate

To captivate

Because what’s inside can’t wait to be released

I thank you. I praise you.

I Can’t wait to be with you again.

My heart. My writing soul.

View original post

Getaway To The Waves. The Sea. The Shore.

Waves splashing. Seas rough. Birds chirping. Softly. Quietly. Then louder as if composing a song. As if complaining … oh why so rough?

Now they fly. They soar. They meander. Still chirping high above beneath the sky. The white clouds embrace.

Waves calm down. Storm’s afloat. Passes by the outskirts as if to say, I’ll stop by next time…whenever that is. Behind it leaves weeds on the shore. Washed up. All aghast.

She Reads By The Sea

Book in hand she reads by the sea. Listening. Listening to the sounds of the waves. The birds. People shouting indistinctly in the distance. Soaking up the sun. Then softly covered by the clouds. Be still my soul.

Trees. Palm trees sway softly. Tenderly. Hear the birds call. The sun shines brightly against the afternoon’s wave.

The Right Time To Write

‘Tis the right time to write. To pray. To listen to the still small voice. Speak. Help me listen. Help me hear you. Don’t let me miss what you must say.

Peace.

Why Writers Write…10 Reasons

img_5189-1

I write because there’s something in me that needs to come out.  I am at peace when I write. Writers write for many different reasons. Some personal, experiential, or environmental. Christine Caldalzo created a pictogram of 10 reasons writers write. Here I share 10:

10 Reasons Writers Write

  1. They love to write
  2. To express their thoughts
  3. To communicate
  4. To share experiences
  5. To tell about events
  6. To share their feelings
  7. To persuade
  8. To teach
  9. To Ask Questions
  10. They want something

Does any of the above resonate with your reason(s) to write? Any missing that you would like to add? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

 

Register Now to attend Writers Retreat

Write Not Under Stress Or Duress But From Inspiration…

Who are you fooling? Can you write a book in 2 days? Absolutely! But only if you are inspired with  the words just flowing like milk and honey from what’s deep down inside. It might be an experience that tugs at your heart through inspiration, trauma, dreams or more. No edits, just letting the words flow.

The Stress To Write

I was chatting with a fellow author at a recent book festival and he shared that he does not write under stress or duress but by inspiration. Me too! I write best from inspiration and not under the stress-to-write. I share that because at the upcoming 2 Days to Write Retreat, you will find the space to getaway! A mini retreat. This will be more about sharing your writing project with a group of like-minded writers where you can receive feedback on your writing project. After all, your work will be shared by the mass and not just for you only (though some choose to go the me-only route).

The Challenge

Participants are encouraged to challenge themselves to a writing project that can be shared at the event. It might be a cadre of poems, short-stories or excerpts of a longer writing book project. Share. Get critiqued. Append. Share again. It will be well worth your writing project as you push through your goal.

So Register now for early bird rates and book your place to join us on this 2 days to write small group retreat.

Cheers!

Toni Morrison. Novelist, Essayist, Editor, Professor Emeritus. The Tale…

Inspired. Informed. Educated. An iconic life exceptionally captured in one piece by author and educator Tiffani Knowles.

Excerpt cited. Read Tiffani’s full piece here

It was 1965, after splitting from Harold, when she began her career as an editor at Random House where she was instrumental in publishing American writers and luminaries such as Angela Davis, Henry Dumas and Muhammad Ali.

Yet, she knew there was a story that still needed to be told, one she hadn’t read or seen before.

At first, she was private about her own writing and would do so as a pastime very early in the morning before her boys would wake.

“I remember reading the ‘Bluest Eye’ and thought it was wonderful,” said Robert Gottlieb, a Random House colleague and the chief editor of the Alfred Knopf sub-division.

When Random House got wind of the fact that she was publishing, they wanted to keep her work in house and so, with the exception of one book, Gottlieb got to edit all of her books while they were published through Knopf.

Her first book, as Morrison claimed, intentionally eliminated the white gaze without “codes or notes explaining things to white people,” as she decided to put the entire plot on the first page.

“Quiet as it’s kept, there were no marigolds in the fall of 1941. We thought, at the time, that it was because Pecola was having her father’s baby that the marigolds did not grow.”

It was 1970 and “The Bluest Eye” boasted a story inspired by a conversation Morrison had had with an elementary schoolmate in Lorain many years before.

Her friend told her she had been asking God to give her blue eyes and he never did.

“How painful … can you imagine that kind of pain?” Morrison recounted for filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders in the “The Pieces I Am” documentary. “So, I wanted to say, this kind of racism hurts. This is not lynchings and murders and drownings. This is interior pain. It’s so deep to know that an 11 year old would think that if only she had some characteristic of the white world, she would be OK.”

I’m Too Old…

img_2608.jpg

I’M TOO OLD

I’m too old for a new career

I’m too old for changing what they say

I’m too old for finding sweet love

I’m too old for my dreams to come through

I’m too old

I’m just too old

Silly…

You’re never too old to live your dreams

You’re never too old to change your life

You’re never too old to go after your heart’s desire

You’re never too old to do anything you want

You’re never too old.

Never. Ever. Too Old.

~Dr. Shelly C

The Stops…

img_3905

The Stops

Stop worrying about what was.

Stop wishing

Stop living in a wish list ….

Wish I was this, wish I was that

Wish I could do this

Wish I could that

Stop wishing and just do it

7 Books Every Writer Should Read…

img_0395.jpg

Readers make writers and writers make readers 
~ Carl McKever

Writers write for many different reasons. Never Meaningless, the reasons are specific to each writer. Naturally writing for ordinary work as in preparing policies, reports, or memos differs from the writing writers do, which often is for their own satisfaction. Some writers write poetry. Some write short stories that ignite passion, joy, or pleasure as in fiction writers. Others write non-fiction sharing their own true stories, those of a loved one, or some about topics they care about as in Success. Whatever your reason for writing it makes sense to read a lot in order to write with finesse that satisfies yourself or your audience.

7 Books To Strengthen Writing

Here are 7 books that will help to strengthen your craft:

  1. Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr.
  2. Working People Talk About What They do All Day by Studs Terkel
  3. How Fiction Works by James Wood
  4. The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross
  5. Kill All Your Darlings by Luc Sante
  6. On Writing by Stephen King
  7. Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t by Steven Pressfield

Happy Reading!

Cheers!