Tag: poetry

Can you write?

writing, create, write, blog, authorsCan you write:  if your #2 pencils are not sharpened?  If your desk is messy or clean?  If you haven’t showered?  If the wrong music is playing?

I have been writing non-stop since seven in the morning.  I got up, fed the dogs and the cat, put on my pot of tea,  put the dogs out, washed my face, brought the dogs in, and then sat down just to check my e-mail.  It’s one o’clock in the afternoon and I’m still in my night-gown with a T-shirt hurriedly thrown over it, bare footed, , drinking cold tea, and still at it.  My cat is sprawled over my desk to the left of the keyboard (for once, she’s not walking on it, adding words I don’t want, like  ddddrrrrzzzzzzzzz and qqqqqqqppppbbb4bbbb.)  I am in my studio surrounded by art that I love, mementos that I have collected, photos of people I love or have loved, and my siren’s song calls……..writ.process

I’m probably undiagnosed ADD because, all at the same time, I’m editing my second children’s book preparing it for audio production, writing this blog, and corresponding with my producer for the new audio-book.

These are some of my rituals as I greet each day.   I thought it would be fun to read about other authors’ rituals and processes in a casual and intimate look behind the scenes into their world.  The new series begins this Tuesday, Jan. 15th.

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview at least once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Ann Purser (our first interview) Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Mark Childress, Charles Bukowski, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me, we shall sneak into these writers’ special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create! write, create, writing, authors, blog

Pushing out Experiments (part 2)

Haiku poetry, poetry, female poets, Japanese,A Poet You’re Not!

In talking more about experiments I need to go back to 2010.  I began writing poetry in my head.  Wait just a darn minute!  I thought,  I’m not a poet!  I don’t know the first thing about pentameter, or phrasing, or any of that stuff!  Cut it out!,  I ordered my brain! ……No sale!

So I began to put it down on paper to see what I might have.  One day I remembered a little silver journal that sits in my bookcase where I keep quotes that I like and don’t want to forget, tidbits of this and that, and (surprisingly) quite a bit of what I, myself, had scribbled over the years and tucked away.  (Remember what I said about the drawer and letting your writing rise like bread?)

So with my trusty ‘delete’ key at the ready, (the letters are practically worn off that key) editing and re-writing and with much trepidation I considered publishing my first book of poetry, “Butterflies and Bullets“…….but a little voice (the one that keeps me from exposing myself and keeps me from experimenting)  kept poetry, Haiku, family, love, betrayal, death, grief, recoverywhispering, “Who do you think you are?  A poet now?  HA!”

To protect myself  if someone actually said: “She thinks she ‘s a poet now?!” I subtitled the book: poetry, musings and other stories.  Then I showed a proof to an acknowledged poetess to see what she thought.  To publish or not to publish, that was the question.  With her encouragement  (she thought I had some good stuff) I told my ‘little voice’ to shut up; I was going for it.

Well, I’ve never sold a single copy to a stranger. Plenty of friends and family say they love it but no real customers buying it for the love of poetry.  An experiment that failed.…or was it?

This opened my brain and my heart further and I began to write Haiku.  I had read the great Samurai warrior-poets for years and it must have rubbed off on me.  For months I had an unfinished book with all the poetry written but the pen & Ink art work that I wanted to include wasn’t completed.

Enter my new website…….(May 2012) I started getting hits on my Haiku poetry. Almost every day!  There has been a wonderful Renaissance of this time-honored poetry and people were coming to my site looking for more.  So I put my book, “The World of Haiku” on the front burner and completed the art work.  My audience was calling!

It’s only been out about eight weeks and it is selling!  No one is as shocked and amazed as I am. I have since added a companion book, a Journal to inspire others to try their hand at writing Haiku.

So, writers, keep pushing your experiments….keep writing….if one thing doesn’t work try something else.  Yeah, the money’s nice but what we, as writers, really want is for people to read what we write!  Right??

Wind Horse ©                                                             Haiku poetry, Japanese poetry, Japanese art,

running free, wild, brave
tail streaming high in the wind
hoof pounding the earth

horses turn their haunch
to show their scorn for the storm
and nature’s tantrum

allows man to think
he can command elegance
and tame the wild heart

Trisha Sugarek

(image used with special permission by Lori Smaltz)

 

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DON’T MISS NEXT WEEK’S BLOGS WHEN I START A NEW SERIES, “Behind the Scenes” INTERVIEWS with other AUTHORS!

Rain essays and more from this writer…

rain essays, poetry, love, betrayal, loss, friendship, writings, musings, An excerpt from the "Rain Essays" and 
part of my book of poetry.  

Rain on the Face of Africa

  The great Serengeti’s broad face lies in the African sun,

 dry, weathered, cracked, thirsty for the season’s tears

Storm clouds gather on her brow like an old lady’s curls

Promises, promising, an empty promise

                                The rains are too late. The children of the Serengeti

                                    lie down on her dusty bosom, never to rise again

                             A desperate waiting fills the air Continue reading “Rain essays and more from this writer…”

A writer’s gratitude

books, authors, book stores, women writers,Last Saturday was my book signing at the iconic book store, E. Shaver’s Book Sellers. (shaversbooks.com) What a special day!  The staff at Shaver’s made me feel so welcome.  They had a nice spot all set up where the first thing the customer saw when they walked in was my table displaying my books.

The store is a collection of cozy little rooms filled to the rafters with BOOKS!  Old, original hardwood floors that creak when stepped upon.  And outside the occasional clip-clop of horses’ hooves as carriages drove by the front door. I wouldn’t have been half surprised if Charles Dickens and his good friend, Edgar Allan Poe had walked in.

Both  my illustrators stopped by to show support. Lori Smaltz, the photographer, was there with her gorgeous coffee table book of celebrated cemeteries of Savannah (Bone Garden Enchantment).  She has done most of my photo-collage covers for my books.   Jefferson O’Neal, a wonderful artist and the illustrator for all of my children’s books, stayed and signed kiddie books with me.

During the three hour event we enjoyed meeting new people; tourists dropping in, regular customers that shop at Shavers all the time, and a few of my personal friends.  I met a lady from Sri Lanka, in remission with stage four cancer.  What a beautiful spirit she had…her outlook was so loving and positive.  Then there was Celia (a realtor with Sotheby’s) who marched in, came straight to my table and ‘browsed’ my books.  She quickly picked out two; one for her granddaughter, Mimi, and my novel for herself.  The staff told me later that she supports whatever is going on at Shaver’s and is very generous.  What a nice lady!   My hair stylist came by with her son, Cameron, (a sweetie) and they bought all of my children’s books.  Thanks! Andrea!

And then there were the four-legged shoppers!  E. Shaver’s is pet friendly and in they paraded, knowing they would be welcomed. A beautiful springer spaniel with the sweetest face.  An Airedale with a harness that said, ‘service dog’.  But you could hardly take him seriously with his one cocked up ear; making him look like he was always asking you a question.  It was a hoot!  And then little ‘Evie’, a mutt with chihuahua, wire-haired terrier and probably six other ingredients; Evie is a bounding, jumping, bundle of pure joy!

The funny, human observation that I made was that some customers would NOT look at me.  As if they thought,  “Oh no. If I look at her, I’ll have to buy something!”  Very funny,  but that’s just me and my weird sense of humor.  I was just so grateful to the owner and staff at Shaver’s Booksellers.  They have taken me in, supported my work and are willing to share their limited shelf space with my books!  I am blowing them kisses!blowing kisses, grateful, women writers, book stores

BOOK SIGNING TODAY !!

    I hope you will come out today for my

BOOK SIGNING !!dragons, elves, fairies, dragon, fairy tales, new book for your child, new fairy tales, running away, friendship

  Shaver Book Sellers, on Madison Square in Savannah  
to hold a book signing.

              This event will begin at

2PM today, November 17th.

              Shaver’s carries all of my children’s books, my poetry and novel, “Women Outside the Walls”.  Also available, today only, will be most of my play scripts.

Come by and say “hello” and enjoy this historic, iconic book store that is locally owned and operated.

SHAVER’S BOOKSELLERS

326 Bull Streetgreed, ecology, elves, warlords, love, friendship

Join me at my Book Signing on Saturday!

BOOK SIGNING

dragons, elves, fairies, dragon, fairy tales, new book for your child, new fairy tales, running away, friendship            Shaver Book Sellers, on Madison Square here in Savannah has invited this author to hold a book signing.

              This event will begin at

 2PM on Saturday, November 17th.

              Shaver’s carries all of Sugarek’s children’s books, her poetry and her novel, “Women Outside the Walls”.  Also available will be most of her play scripts.

Come by and say “hello” and enjoy this historic, iconic book store that iswomen's fiction, prison, love, family, writing,  locally owned and operated.  Enjoy a beautiful fall day in Madison Square.

 

Shaver’s Booksellers
326 Bull Street (Madison Square)
Savannah

children's books, fairy tales, bullying, literacy, new books for kidshaiku, poetry, japanese, haiku poetry, pen and ink artwork

 

Book Signing next Saturday

BOOK SIGNING

haiku, poetry, pen and ink art, poems, Japanese haiku,
Shaver Book Sellers, on Madison Square here in Savannah has  invited this author  to hold a
book signing.

This event will begin at  2PM   next Saturday, November 17th.

Shaver’s carries all of Sugarek’s children’s books, her poetry and her novel, “Women Outside the Walls”.  Also available will be most of her play scripts.

Come by and say “hello” and enjoy this historic, iconic book store that iswomen's fiction, prison, love, family, writing, locally owned and operated.

 

Shaver’s Booksellers 326 Bull Street (Madison Square) Savannah

children's books, fairy tales, bullying, literacy, new books for kids

 

Writers need a break too….be certain to re-charge!

I had almost forgotten how to take a break. Spoil myself, sleep in late, eat ice cream, read some fiction over a cup of tea.

It’s been a very busy, productive summer. Since July first,  I’ve published twenty-one of the “Shortn’Small” series of short play scripts. Finished writing “Bertie, the Bookworm and the Bully Boys” and released my second book of poetry entitled “The World of Haiku”. Just released is my newest book, “Monologues 4 Women”, something I have wanted to write for a while now.

writers, bloggers, blog, creative spirit,      But now with the successful completion of “Monologues…” I’m  forcing (almost) myself to take
a break this week. I chose to do it at my cabin in the woods.
Fall is here and you can’t walk anywhere without the crunch of leaves under foot. There is a cheery fire in the fireplace and the feather quilt is on the bed for snuggling during night-time temperatures of 37 degrees. The Canadian geese are on the pond taking their break on the long flight to warmer climes.

The book I’ve chosen to curl up with, during my ‘pause’, is by an old friend
(or so it seems as I’ve been reading her for thirty years) Nora Roberts. It’s her latest trilogy,  Inn Boonsboro.  The thing that I love about Nora  is that she always seems to sneak in a little tidbit that only her dedicated readers would pick up on and enjoy.
In “The Last Boyfriend” the story continues as the three Montgomery brothers are putting the final touches on an old, abandoned building which they have re-purposed into the Boonsboro Inn. Each room is named for a historic, romantic couple. Nick and Nora (The Thin Man), Elizabeth and Darcy (Pride and Prejudice),  Jane and Rochester  (Jane Eyre), Westley and Buttercup (Gone with the Wind) and  Titiana and Oberon (A Midsummer Night’s Dream).

And here comes the oh-so-clever part:  The last room is named Eve and Roarke, the romantic and exciting couple from Nora’s own series,  “…….in Death” written under the pseudonym of J.D. Robb.  They’re not historic; they are iconic and they are hers!  I love clever!!

This isn’t a book review.  The point I’m making is sometimes we writers get so caught up we forget to fill our tanks, re-charge our batteries,  get centered again.  And we need to remember to do just that, give our creative spirit a little R&R.  Have you spoiled yourself lately?

Haiku (Renku) Poetry and How to Write It (Part 1)

haiku, smaurai, Misashi, poetry, writing, blogging, blogs        Haiku (Renku) Poetry, an ancient form of writing poetry from Japan, is very strict in its structure. One section of three lines. The first and  third lines must be five syllables. The second line must be seven syllables.  A reference to nature is usually found somewhere in the poetry. My Sumi-E ink and brushwork you see here is an ancient Japanese technique.  In Renku poetry You write three or more stanzas using the same 5-7-5 discipline.

Tip:  When I first write haiku I don’t worry so much about the structure on the first draft.  I get my thoughts down and then start editing words (syllables) until I have the correct structure  of   5-7-5.  This works best for me.

Tip: Over the centuries (and certainly in the US) Haiku has been reduced to one section of three lines.  In ancient Japan culture (11-12th centuries) a haiku had three sections of three lines.  I prefer to write in the ancient style but it is acceptable, by some, to write a complete poem in three lines.
Continue reading “Haiku (Renku) Poetry and How to Write It (Part 1)”

A foggy night, at a ferry landing, inspired me…(part 4)

ferry landing, poetry, foggy night, blogs, writing, I was sitting, late one night, at a ferry landing, waiting and watching the boats ferry back and forth until it was my turn to board.  Fog horns, misty fog, reflections on the black water, the screech of the gulls, and the silent hunting of the pelicans.

The wet air, the silence, the sound of a lone fog horn warning vessels of danger.  The fog smearing everything I looked at… I was inspired  to write poetry.  But the scene could have inspired a murder mystery writer to write about a body, weighted down, being slipped into the water;  or it could have inspired a romance writer to write about two lovers parting as the boat docked.  Never to be together again.  For me, it was poetry.  Here is an excerpt of what came out of that black night……..

FOGGY NIGHT  © 

The white orb, saturated with tidal flows 

peers through the veil, 

a ghost ship slips up the fog laden channel

 Night gulls’ sing with strident cries 

fog seeps in, the tide rolls out, 

day is gone, the night creeps on 

Trees, dressed in ebony, drift by 

water glistens, injectable methandienone online in uk gold and wet 

Night is soft and tender, edges blurred 

damp seeps into cloth, hair, bone 

Fog casts tents of light over the landing 

Hunters of the sea know not day nor night 

Fishers all, white feathers stark 

against the night shadows 

Palm trees, silhouetted against the ochre gauze, 

brushes hardened with black paint……

I raced home as I had nothing to write with in the car.  Opening my front door, I dropped my keys and purse onto a chair, tore off my coat as I sped down the hall to my studio.  Waking up my computer, my fingers flew across the key board, lest I forget the words that were born in the night. 

To read more click here for the book, "Butterflies and Bullets"