Showing posts with label author. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

2023 Retired Poems on My Poetry Forum

At the end of October 2022, My Poetry Forum went dark. 

In light of this website going defunct, all poems have now been retired from public review and comment. Undawnted has other poems and forums in the public sphere, but in the future will concentrate more on our YouTube Channel and Undawnteum sites. This change will ensure that our readership will have access to free reads in times to come. 

We are so sorry this snafu has occurred. 

Please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel, as well as bookmark Undawnteum. There is a wealth of information already on the site, currently under construction, for you to read about Undawnted's creative spark, DL Mullan, and her writings. 

While you are here, sign up for A Novelist Idea and take your creativity to a whole new level. 

Thank you so very much for your time. We appreciate and adore our readership. 

Team Undawnted  

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Undawnted's YouTube Channel offers poetry shorts to full-fledged poetry feature films in our Poetry Slam section. This new playlist will give you more of the rhymes you crave.

Subscribe for more award-level poems written by DL Mullan.

Thursday, August 25, 2022

Summer is Coming to a Close

On Undawnted, we follow the meteorological seasons. September 1st, therefore, is the beginning of our Autumn Cider Seasonal Reads programming. The season lasts until November 30th of each year. 

But don't fret, Undawnted is still in the Summer Time swing! 

We have one more publication for this season that has yet to be released: Saint (III) in the Devil You Know. The exciting and heartwarming conclusion to the Saint trilogy. 

This August we have re-released Saint (I) in the Big Easy, published Saint (II) in Communion, and now the last installment will go wide on August 30, 2022.

We are elated to bring you these novelettes! 

This series is tied into Undawnted's Exclusive Legacy Universe. So, there is sure to be some weird and creepy prologues and epilogues to tantalize your senses.

What is next for Eavanlee and Girard? The answers lie in the upcoming Legacy Universe Taskforce Crossovers

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If you would like an invitation to the Member's Only activities, then subscribe to A Novelist Idea Newsletter. Subscribers always get the goodie bag. Contests, freebies, events, parties, projects, tours, and more!  

Have a great and spiritual day, 

Team Undawnted




Saturday, April 2, 2022

Thank You: Sonoran Dawn's Celtic Green Book Event

Undawnted had a wonderful time this morning at the Celtic Green Book Event for April 2, 2022.

We will see you all at the next one set for July 2022.

 


 

 Have a great and wonderful day!

 

 

Thursday, March 3, 2022

WordCrafter “Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog” Book Blog Tour: an Undawnted Review

Do you love chocolate? Who doesn't? 

Chocolate is a great way to make bridges between strangers. The sweet can also renew our connections with each other. How, you may ask? 

Robbie and Michael Cheadle have got that question answered!

If you combined cake decorating, a child's imagination, recipes, and storytelling, you would have Robbie and Michael Cheadle's latest publication of their ongoing series: Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog. 

This book delights and enlightens the reader to become their own hero with their wonderful cast of characters. When the chips are down, who are you going to call? Well, it's not the Ghostbusters.

Parents and children can read along while baking their favorite Sir Chocolate desserts. An inspired idea to bring together the imagination of children with the real-world application of baking, so families have a group activity that makes precious memories.

Reconnect with your children or child-like spirit with the entire series.

*****

Purchase Links

Paperback: https://tslbooks.uk/product/chocolate-fudge-saves-the-sugar-dog/

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Fudge-Saves-Sugar-Dog/dp/1914245547

Ebook: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/michael-cheadle-and-robbie-cheadle/chocolate-fudge-saves-the-sugar-dog/ebook/product-j7k4e6.html?page=1&pageSize=4

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Author Roberta "Robbie" Eaton Cheadle

Robbie Cheadle is a South African children’s author and poet, with ten children’s books and two poetry books.

The eight Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions that children can make under adult supervision.

Robbie has also published two books for older children, which incorporate recipes that are relevant to the storylines.

Robbie has two adult novels in the paranormal historical and supernatural fantasy genres, published under the name Roberta Eaton Cheadle. She also has short stories, in the horror and paranormal genre, and poems included in several anthologies.
 

Robbie writes two monthly posts for https://writingtoberead.com called Growing Bookworms and Treasuring Poetry and one monthly post, under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle, called Dark Origins: African Myths and Legends.

Robbie has a blog, https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/ where she shares book reviews, recipes, author interviews, and poetry.

 

Follow Robbie Cheadle at:

Website: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

Blog: https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bakeandwrite


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Join our community's Book Event!

 


Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Undawnted's A Novelist Idea Newsletter is Available for Sign Up

Well, we did it! 

Undawnted has its very own newsletter: A Novelist Idea. It's not a forum. It's not a mailing list. It's not a paid subscription service. 

 A Novelist Idea is on Substack and it's free. Sign up is at:

Hurry and sign up. Don't miss out on our first month of activities. February is being sent out today!

We cannot wait to see you there! We have wonderful plans for every month of the year, plus publication release dates, website updates, as well as DL Mullan news. 

Learn. Grow. Master... with Undawnted. 

See you there!

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*****

A writer at heart, Undawnted's own creative spark, DL Mullan, began writing short stories and poetry before adolescence. Ms. Mullan decided to showcase her literary talents by publishing collections of her poems. She also writes novels, designs apparel, and creates digital art.

Ms. Mullan has a number of poems published in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. She produces her own book cover designs for herself and others. She is an award-winning digital artist and poet. 

Currently, she is embarking on a successful prose career. Join our community of creators... become a Fearless Phile.

Be a part of Undawnted's growing community!  

Join A Novelist Idea on Undawnted's Private Substack.  

Thursday, December 2, 2021

WordCrafter Lingering Spirit Whispers Paranormal Anthology Set Blog Tour: Undawnted Interviews Roberta Eaton Cheadle

About the Anthology Set 
 
Lingering Spirit Whispers Paranormal Anthology Set, which is released today, December 1st, 2021 from WordCrafter and is available for purchase.

This anthology set is a bundle including Whispers of the Past, Spirits of the West, and Where Spirits Linger. All three anthologies combined into one convenient paranormal set for lovers of ghost stories.
 
Amazon Books

 

 

 

*****

Author Interview:
Roberta "Robbie" Eaton Cheadle
A contributor to all three anthologies in the set for a total of five stories. Titles: "The Last of the Lavender", "Missed Signs" (Whispers of the Past); "Ghost in the Mound", "The Thirstyland Journey" (Spirits of the West); "Listen to Instructions" (Where Spirits Linger).


As a poet, writing in the horror genre of the paranormal/supernatural is a different tone then the succinct and lyrical form of creative writing, how do you find writing horror? Is it a challenge?

As far back as I can remember I have always written poetry and played with words, forming them into descriptive paragraphs that, as a young girl, I thought were quite delightful. I have also always enjoyed books about people and their everyday lives and grew up reading L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon series. These were the books I attempted to mimic with my descriptive passages.

At the age of ten I progressed to adult books. I had read everything in the children’s library and wasn’t allowed to borrow adult books. I resorted to reading my mom’s books behind the couch. I am the oldest of four girls and my mom was a very busy mother. She never missed me or noticed me stretched out on the floor behind the couch with one of her books in my hands. My mom was a Stephen King fan. I worked my way through The Shining, Salem’s Lot, The Stand, The Running Man, Cujo, Christine, The Talisman, Firestarter, Carrie, and Pet Sematary. These books scared me to death, but I loved them. When I had exhausted mom’s King collection, I moved on to her collection of Charles Dickens books. These were beautiful leather-bound books with thin, wispy pages.

My reading tastes remained dark, and I favour books about war, paranormal and dystopia. As a result, transitioning from writing poetry and children’s books wasn’t difficult for me. That being said, I might not have thought to attempt writing horror if I hadn’t come across a short story competition on another writer’s blog. An idea for my first horror story, The Willow Tree, came to me and I decided to give writing horror a whirl. Since that first attempt in 2018, I have written two supernatural historical novels and written dark stories for inclusion in nine anthologies, three of which are the WordCrafter anthologies.


Writing children’s books are often more visual creative than writing short stories, how do you use your gift for visualization in your writing craft of long narratives?

The feedback I receive from readers is that my books are very descriptive. The feedback has been positive despite my initial concern that modern readers don’t like a lot of description. Descriptive prose is my writing style, and I wouldn’t want to change it.

I have lived through some difficult experiences including numerous house robberies, thefts of cars, two children with chronic illnesses necessitating numerous operations and hospitalisations, and a home invasion when my mother and I were tied up and I had a gun at my head.

When I write, I insert myself into the circumstances of my story and visualise how I would feel, think, and react. I draw from my own negative experiences and try to capture the essence of them on paper. I always write dark literature for adults and my characters are usual either ghosts who are already dead or people who are destined to die. I have written about death from a gunshot numerous times in my stories.

Why am I drawn to writing dark stories? I do not know as I am naturally an upbeat and positive person.


Out of the five short stories you have written, which one was your favorite? Which one was the most unsettling? And, which one drew from one of your real-life experiences?

My favourite of these five short stories is The Ghost in the Mound from Spirits of the West. This was based on a real event in South African history where a wagon train comprising of nine ox-wagons was attacked and all the families were killed in the ensuing fight. Afrikaans women did use termite mounds as ovens to bake bread and some of these mounds are enormous. I had the idea of a young mother hiding her baby in one of these old ovens to save it from death during an attack and from that idea, this story was born.

The Thirstyland Journey from Spirits of the West is the short story that is the most disturbing to me as it is the one that is most closely based on a true story. The outcome and deaths in that story are all real and it was a most tragic situation as there were several children who died. Life for pioneering families was extremely hard and many of them died of sickness, starvation, or thirst, and during attacks.

Missed Signs from Whispers of the Past is the story that is most closely based on a real-life experience. The reason I say this is because the main character suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and has a horror of germs and illness. The character of Sean is based on someone close to me who suffers from this illness. I like this story very much.


Would you like to visit a real haunted location? Have you already? What would you like to experience at a haunted place that would help you as a horror fiction writer? If you have a past experience, did that help you write your stories?

My husband and I have travelled extensively in the UK and South Africa. We favour visiting sites of historical interest, especially battlefields, forts, castles, and museums. We have visited several sites that are believed to be haunted. Our own house, which is the original farmhouse in our area in Johannesburg, is believed to be haunted by the ghosts of a gang of bandits who hid in the house and were killed in a shoot out with the authorities in 1929.

I am open minded about ghosts and spirits, but sadly, they have never chosen to reveal themselves to me. I would be interested in experiencing a paranormal phenomenon, but I don’t think I have any gifts in that direction. I do experience the dark horror of certain places and I am imaginative so I am able to write my stories without having any real supernatural experiences. I am particularly interested in the psychology of murderers and people who die unnatural deaths as a result of murder or war.


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Thank you, Roberta Eaton Cheadle for your understanding of the horror genre and storytelling. If you would like to know more about Ms. Cheadle, please see his biography and links below:  
 
 
Author Bio

Roberta Eaton Cheadle is writer of young adult and adult fiction in the supernatural fantasy, historical horror, and historical supernatural genres.

To date, Roberta has published two novels, Through the Nethergate and A Ghost and His Gold, and several short stories in various anthologies including Whispers of the Past and Spirits of the West, and Where Spirits Linger edited and compiled by Kaye Lynne Booth, and Spellbound, compiled by Dan Alatorre.

Roberta has a historical supernatural novel set during the Second Anglo Boer War in South Africa coming out in early 2021.

When she is not writing, Roberta enjoys working in the garden and creating fondant and cake artworks. 
 

Author Links



Join Our Community Event


If you like this interview, then read the others in the Lingering Spirit Whispers series: 


Wednesday, December 1, 2021

WordCrafter Lingering Spirit Whispers Paranormal Anthology Set Blog Tour: Undawnted Interviews Jeff Bowles

About the Anthology Set
Lingering Spirit Whispers Paranormal Anthology Set, which is released today, December 1st, 2021 from WordCrafter and is available for purchase.

This anthology set is a bundle including Whispers of the Past, Spirits of the West, and Where Spirits Linger. All three anthologies combined into one convenient paranormal set for lovers of ghost stories.


Amazon Books

*****

Author Interview: Jeff Bowles 
Contributor to two of the anthologies with two stories, including the winning story in the 2019 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest, "A Peaceful Life I've Never Known" (Whispers of the Past). The other is "Wenekia" (Spirits of the West).


How long have you been a creative writer? What is your favorite genre? What is your favored format? Poetry? Short story? Novel?


I've been writing for about ten or fifteen years now. I like speculative fiction of all types, most especially anything that does something new and different with the genres. I get bored easily. Novels are my favorite to write and read, but for the first bunch of years I was at this, it was all about short fiction. I've written a lot of things in a lot of different genres and modes, but I always come back to fiction. To me, it's the ultimate form of storytelling and more or less has been since its invention.



Your winning story: A Peaceful Life I’ve Never Know, was this narrative based on a real-life experience of yours? Or, was this story from your creative well? What makes this story so tangible that it speaks to the reader?

No, Peaceful Life is loosely based on the wilder side of singer and poet Jim Morrison of the 60s group, The Doors. No spoilers, but some things happen toward the end of the story that take it deep into horror territory. I kind of used Jim as a jumping off point, but he definitely never did anything my character Douglass has done. I liked the idea of a rock star who thought he could get away with anything. I think it's kind of a visceral story, and that's why people react to it. I like visceral storytelling. Like I said, I get bored easily.




How do you write? Do you write from characters’ point of view? Are you plot-oriented? If you have done both, which one works better for you?

Very often, I give myself an easy concept, a jumping-off point, and then I start writing and don't stop until I have something resembling a story. Editing takes longer this way, but very often I find I get something unique and startling out of it. It also works pretty well when I outline and plan everything out, but for the most part, I start with concept and character, and plot rolls out from there. There's so many ways to write fiction, almost as many as there are fiction writers in the world. I like that about the craft. There are some rules, but none of them are precisely what we'd call "hard and fast." In other words, sometimes writing rules are made to be broken.



Where does your creativity stem from? Did you have an active imagination in childhood? Is writing your only creative outlet? Or, are you into other forms of artistry? Painting? Photography? If no other forms at this time, would you like to try out one? If so, which type of creative non-writing format would suit your curiosity?

I'm also a singer and a songwriter, which has come in handy, because I started writing music when I was a young teenager. My ability to use language in an effective way stems from that. I'm not much of a painter or artist, but I do some of that stuff, too. I've always been a creative person. I get itchy and anxious if I go too long without doing something creative. So it's always been projects of various sorts for me, first with music–recording music, performing music–and then when I began taking my writing seriously when I was about twenty-two or twenty-three. I also keep a YouTube channel called Jeff Bowles Central, where a lot of my creative endeavors end up in one form or another. I love this aspect of my life, and I definitely feel kinship with others who are also creatively inclined.



****


Thank you, Jeff Bowles for your unique perspective about creativity and the writing craft. If you would like to know more about Mr. Bowles, please see his biography and links below:  
 
Author Bio
Jeff Bowles is a science fiction and horror writer from the mountains of Colorado. The best of his outrageous and imaginative work can be found in God's Body: Book One - The Fall, Godling and Other Paint Stories, Fear and Loathing in Las Cruces, and Brave New Multiverse. He has published work in magazines and anthologies like PodCastle, Tales from the Canyons of the Brave New Multiverse. He has published work in magazines and anthologies like PodCastle, Tales from the Canyons of the Damned, the Threepenny Review, and Dark Moon Digest. Jeff earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing at Western State Colorado University. He currently lives in the high-altitude Pikes Peak region, where he dreams strange dreams and spends far too much time under the stars. Jeff's new novel, Love/Madness/Demon, is available on Amazon now!

Author Links

 



If you like this interview, then read the others in the Lingering Spirit Whispers series: 


Friday, October 22, 2021

Works in Progress: Short Stories, Novels, Plays, and More!

Undawnted's very own author, DL Mullan, is typing up a storm. 

When the nights are cooler, writing becomes a cozy career. From two short stories and novels to a play plus the movie reviews and workshops for writers, DL Mullan is adding to her list of published and soon-to-be published publications. 

As release dates become closer, updates to this site and its pages will be announced. We don't want you to miss a thing. So be sure to follower her on all her social media sites.

If you like our creative products and services, then please share with your creative writers, artists, and poets.

2022 will be a busy year here on Undawnted. 

We hope you will join us. 


Have a great and wonderful day. 




Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Exciting! Autumn Cider 2021 Begins Today for Undawnted's Seasonal Reads Program

As the evenings turn cool, fire pits are decorated with people cooking marshmallows and wearing sweaters.

The holidays are close at hand. First, we get to enjoy the descending darkness into longer nights. We get costumes and candy... and fireside stories from beyond.

How do you get your fall fill? Well, read, of course!

Here are some of my reads for your reading list:

Fiction
Novels  
In the Name of Blood: Vampires are Relative
Novel about the supernatural ties that link people between the ages. 

In the Name of Blood: Vampires are Reactive
Novel about the supernatural ties that link people between the ages. 

In the Name of Blood: Vampires are Restorative
Novel about the supernatural ties that link people between the ages.

Novellas
Haunted
Is the life you have really your own? Walk-ins are unwelcome.

*****
Nonfiction
Articles, Essays, & Research
TBA

*****
Poetry
Chapbooks 
The Descent: a darker breed of poetry  
Haunting... paranormal... cryptic... literary and contemporary fantasy. 

Habitué
Are we our own best enemy?


Long Form Poetry
Baptizing the Dead
Beware... the Devil may come bearing gifts.

Structured Poetry
TBA

 

Autumn Reads and Workshops runs September 1st to November 30th.

 

 

 

 

Seasons are Changing: Last Day for Summer Time Reads for 2021

The last time of meteorological summer is upon us. Be sure to take a final look at our Summer Time Seasonal Reads program. 

Next stop: Autumn Cider and exciting new reads!

 

When summer rolls around, we are ready to sit by the pool with an iced tea. A book is worth all the rays of the sun. Summer is about finding time for yourself, to relax. 


The days are longer. The nights are warm. Summer is the fantasy season of our lives.

Out by the water, what to do? Read with your sunglasses on, of course! 

Here are some of my reads for your reading list:

Fiction
Novels 
Crossing Kaitlin 
Kaitlin Lane has made some mistakes in her life, but being a part of an FBI investigation may be the biggest one yet.

Novellas
Saint in the Big Easy
What happens when you discover the only person who can save you is you?   

Saint in Communion and Saintuary
What's next is anyone's guess.

Saint in the Devil You Know 
What do you do when the devil dances in the pale moonlight?

*****
Nonfiction
Articles, Essays, & Research 
A Writer's Guide to Writing
Push the envelope and become great.

***** 
Poetry
Chapbooks 
Effloresce
Escape into Poetry with this dynamic chapbook about nature's volatility. 

Long Form Poetry
The Rain: Monsoon in the Desert
Deep... emotive... lyrical... epic poem!

Structure Poetry
Thrice
Three line poetry variations like Haiku, Senryu, and Tanka, as well as non-structured poetry.


Summer Reads and Workshops run June 1st to August 31st.



Friday, December 25, 2020

Welcome Sun Gods/Goddesses to Your New Life on the Hero's Journey

Today was the astrotheological day of resurrection. 

The day of the Winter Solstice the Earth begins its trek back to Spring. In ancient times, the sun looked like it stalled in the sky for three days. So that is where our mythologies (and religions) get the idea of dying and being resurrected on the third day. The narrative is prevalent in the stories of ole.

For instance, December 21st is the solstice. December 22nd, 23rd, 24th are the sun's immobile days (death). December 25th, the sun moves upward in the sky again and thus the sun (son) is resurrected. 

Every winter we go through our own personal hero mythology. This year, we again have been resurrected into our hero journey. We come out the other side and begin a new year. At this time, we make our resolutions, a blueprint, for the coming 365 days. 

So take some time and ponder the possibilities. You are on a hero's journey. You died, defeated death, and was resurrected. Your reward is a new year. You are living mythology. You are the hero. You are the god/goddess.

As an enlightened entity, what wisdom do you want to impart on the world? What are your goals? What is important to you? 

That is the mindset of a fiction writer creating their next protagonist, threshold to adventure, and positive story. 

Have a great and wonderful day. 

 

 

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Autumn Cider Tshirts

I was so excited about the Autumn Cider mug for my Seasonal Reads program that I had to create my very own shirts... Autumn Cider Plain or Autumn Cider Reads.


Autumn Cider Plain
Autumn Cider Reads













Now read in style.

Buy your own for a job well done!

Thank you for supporting this disabled author. 

 -~o0o~-oOo-~o0o~-

For more ways to support Undawnted visit our publisher's, Sonoran Dawn, Zazzle store collections. 


Saturday, January 27, 2018

Art Imitates Life... but is it good Storytelling?

When does a writer and storyteller imbue their creations with a social, political, or economic reality? When does the intrusion become a spectacle instead of mood and setting to a story? 

As a writer, I have been struggling with this balance of fantasy and reality in my fiction stories for quite some time. I watched television shows that blur the lines too much and I am unable to be their viewer any longer. 

I want to be entertained not dictated or sermonized or shamed. 

I feel this way about my writing. When a character comes forth, I write that character as I am shown. I don't create circumstances in order to further a social, political, or economic agenda. I have done my research through my editorial days at the Villa de Paz Gazette to understand what is real and not real. I tend to stick to those points more than what I see on other newscasts or sites. 

Hode: The Legend Lives Again is a great example of using facts instead of the constructed false reality that pervades on the television and in movies. 

In the second installment of Hode, the character of Will Scarlet has come to me in two divergent modalities. One way has been that of a straight man. The other way was of a gay man. Which do I choose? 

I am not a Social Justice Warrior, but I am also not going to shy away from the topic either. 

Since there is so much in your face political correctness, I am heedful of using any triggering facts, figures, or events... then Saint in Communion and Saintuary comes along and my character finds herself on an old Louisiana Plantation. It is a long story. I guess you will have to read the three book series when they come out this summer.

So when is using real situations considered storytelling and when is it labeled: social justice? 

Inquiring minds want to know how to mirror reality without falling prey to its shortcomings.

Have a great and wonderful day!


Thursday, November 30, 2017

Winter is Now in Session

December has begun my Winter Reads.

So check out my sidebar menu and see what  I have available for this season!

Have a great and wonderful holiday season!




Tuesday, October 24, 2017

The Descent, Poetry for Halloween

Halloween is upon us. Are you craving poetry with that spooky, dank feel? Then look no further than The Descent: a darker breed of poetry

Buy your ebook copy today!

The Descent is available on Lulu.






Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Link to Me on LinkedIn

Want to join me on LinkedIn?

Come on down. Have fun reading my resume and endorsing my featured skills! Start a conversation.

Author Artist Editor Publisher

Villa de Paz Gazette

Ashford University


Have a great and wonderful day!



Wednesday, June 14, 2017

New Book Marketing Design

How is this for showing off?

More like inspired by. Not too shabby. I think this new design feature will only be available to those publications which have been previously released and leave the soon-to-be released as the normal two-dimensional design. 

So be on the lookout for my publications (with a link to Lulu through Sonoran Dawn Studios) when you see this neat three-dimensional design here on Undawnted.

Have a great and wonderful day!




Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Narrowing Down the Contents

The contents of the upcoming poetry book: Effloresce are being worked on at this moment!

With a newly revised cover, Effloresce is shaping up to be more than a book themed on nature, but a powerhouse of imagery, philosophy, and observation with some politics thrown in. The environment is not about carbon dioxide, it's about how we respect the natural flow of the Earth's processes. 

Until we can get our act together to detoxify our planet, we will have to educate others on the real injustices we face... not the made up ones for the sake of funding and political points. 

Effloresce has a wonderful mix of poetry styles and has three sections. 

Visit the book's page, Effloresce, to see if your favorite poems will make the cut. 



Saturday, December 31, 2016

Happy New Year's Eve

This day is a time for reflection and gratitude. 

2016 was a year of ups and downs. At first, the year seemed lost to the negative funk, but then turned around at the end of spring. 

Then the year ended with a mix of highs and lows.  

So today is about releasing the negative and accepting the positive into our lives. To do that, make a list of what you are thankful for.

I wanted to take this moment and thank all of my readers, customers, and fellow writers. Your support and encouragement has been warmly received. I only hope to aspire to greater heights to entertain and inform in this next coming year. 

Thank you. I appreciate every good vibration sent my way. I am grateful for the opportunity to write for you. 

Have a great and wonderful day!



Thursday, December 1, 2016

Author Versus Writer

Let the games begin!

An author is someone who originates or creates. A writer is someone who is an author or writes stock options. The dictionary is a great place to reflect and gain knowledge. 

There is a school of thought online that states: if you are not optioned by a press or publisher you are therefore not an author. As seen by the two definitions above, that is a fallacy. Writer and author are interchangeable. 

For a long time, I used the term "writer" to identify myself because I had not published a book. When I had published my own writings, an article arose stating that self published writers should not classify themselves as authors. That in doing so self published authors were just giving themselves trophies for showing up. 

I assure you: I did not just show up. I have been writing since junior high school. I have many third party writing credits to my name as well as awards for poetry. I have several degrees that took the effort of writing to attain as well as I have taken college creative writing courses.

Then I pondered on the dilemma a bit further. Was this a case of publisher snobbery? You can only win the title of author if you lick the boots of some garish halfwit with a license?  

Publishing houses have been in control of the written word for a very long time. Writers have had to subject themselves to agents and supply chain demands and criticism for centuries. Now with print on demand technology and the internet, agents and publishing houses have some stiff competition called the free market. 

The monopoly is finished. No more social engineering people to write certain stories or outcomes. People can write for the simple joy of writing. 

But there are so many bad writers out there, how do we weed them out? 

The market will weed out bad writers. For the rest, writers could take a leadership role in making sure good writers are lifted into the public eye more readily by buying and reviewing their books online, creating and publishing anthologies at their own standards, and assisting fellow writers in the writing process. 

I have opened up Sonoran Dawn Studios to publish my own works as well as create and release short story and poetry anthologies in the near future. 

Writers have an enormous opportunity to shape the future of writing, if they stop depicting writing as an authoritative caste system deployed to bully and control the act of writing to the point where writers and authors mean two distinct ideas, then writers can become their own gatekeepers as well as mentor younger or less seasoned writers. But writers will need to take a stand to guide the market.

There is room in the world for literary and pop culture writing. 

Writers, authors must make sure that their field is free of hacks that seek to reign in writing back to the cloistered control system that has yielded profit before people. 

Writing is a craft. It must be developed, exercised, and studied. Writing must not be limited by small minds. 

So next time you think of an author... think potential. 

Have a great and wonderful day!


Also published as Writer Versus Author on Authorsden.

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