Dimes (and Pennies) from Heaven

Today as I was walking into the pool, I happened to look down and there was a shiny dime.  It was almost obscured by the glint of the rain upon the dark asphalt but as I almost walked on it I saw it.  I look down when I walk due to the fact that I kinda trip over things if I don’t.

What’s so great about looking down and finding a dime in the parking lot?  Well, since my Dad passed, I’ve found many dimes and also pennies.  I never used to find loose coins before or if I did it was the occasional quarter that I would find.

Dime I found in the parking lot today the day of this post

I have amassed a small coin collection from all the pennies and dimes I have found in these past 4 years.  What do I do with them?

I spend them, share them, deposit them, drop them in those Take a Penny cups you sometimes seem at cash registers, etc.  I don’t usually examine them too much looking at the year or where it was minted.  Maybe I should be looking at these happenstance coins more closely when I stumble upon them.

I am rather happy in the sheer act of finding the coins.  It makes me think that my Dad’s presence is out there somewhere looking after me.

Yes, I am kind of New Age - I do believe everything happens for a reason.  It’s unreal how some things simply happen or come to be if you are in the right place at the right time or let them happen.

I don’t actively look for the coins.  I don’t even give it any thought other than some of the strange places I’ve found them - places, truly, where no coin should be.  One day I was at home and looked down and there was a penny in the carpet.  It had no business being there in the just swept, just vacuumed floor.  Nope.  No one had been around emptying pockets or loose change or anything.  It was not there one second, and the next it was.

Sure, there is probably a rational explanation to all of it.  Loose coins fall out of people’s pockets all the time.  Notes, sure do!  (As a writer, I love to find dropped notes and use them in a poem - depending on what the note is about of course).

I will keep on walking, though, and not searching for dimes and pennies.  Somewhere out there somehow, some way, I will keep believing my Dad made sure that those coins were meant especially for me.

The Traveling Postcard, a True Story

About a week ago, a friend of mine gave me a postcard — the postcard pictured here. She had been to a coin show in Charlotte, NC and she told me there was a guy selling old letters and postcards. She saw this card with “Bush’s mansion” on it and knowing it’s my maiden name, she bought it for me.

I was glad to have it. I love old cards and letters especially postcards. I collect postcards! Yes, really. I have collected them from all over the country and some from a few overseas trips.

This postcard was intriguing because it was sent to a person living on the street where my Dad and Uncle grew up in western North Carolina. It was also interesting because of the picture on the front where someone had written “Bush’s mansion.”

I couldn’t imagine where this picture on the front of the postcard was taken as the text indicating its location was marked out. I looked it over and showed it to a few people. No one recognized anything about it. No one identified it. No one claimed its history.

My Uncle used to keep up with the history of our family genealogy, and knows quite a few people. About a week ago, I decided to mail the card to him where he now lives in Washington, DC.

With work and everything in-between, I forgot about mailing the old card. I did take a picture of it, though, front and back so I could look at it later.

Yesterday, he called me to thank me for sending him this old postcard. And guess what? He recognized the building on the front of the card, as well as the card’s recipient.

How? Why? What? When?

My Uncle said _he_ was the one who had originally written and mailed the card! He wrote the card when he was 19 maybe 20 years. He was out of town in Raleigh for the summer. Upon writing the card, he crossed out the text identifying the location on the front putting “Bush’s mansion” in its place — he told me it had actually been the old NC Governor’s mansion.

He wrote and mailed the card to their neighbor across the street at the time. He didn’t know the house number, so he put their name and the street name and city, state and zip only on it. Still, the card wound up in their mailbox — a benefit of living in a small town. He signed the card “Col. Bush” — he said that was due to his aspirations to be a Colonel. He didn’t quite make Colonel, but he actually is a retired Captain in the Navy.

Today, my Uncle was amazed at my having sent this old postcard to him last week. He thought I’d found it cleaning up at my Mom’s house as I’d mailed the card to him along with some other old books and things.

I told him I hadn’t found the card while cleaning. I relayed to him that the card was given to me by a friend about a week ago!

I’m always joking with my friends about how everyone needs that New Age everything happens for a reason friend and how I’m that friend for them. And yes I do meditate, do a little yoga, use essential oils, go see Tibetan monks (well I’m going for the first time to see them this weekend,) and I am a vegetarian. In this case, though, yes real life, reasons, coincidences here ya go!

The friend who got the postcard for me at the coin show has been my friend for about 10 years. We’ve stayed friends all this time occasionally hanging out together or with our families.

I have always believed that yes you do meet people for a reason. I also believe you have to constantly be open to possibilities, and that things happen for a reason.

Two days after my Uncle called me and solved the mystery, a cousin in an online family group I belong to identified the picture of the Governor’s mansion. So far, besides my Uncle, that’s the only other person I came across with an inkling as to the card’s history.

The next time I send a postcard, though, I will remember this one sole card won’t be traveling alone. I will remember that this postcard my Uncle labeled as his home away from home for the summer aka “Bush’s mansion” traveled in 1949 from him to his neighbor to present day at a coin show in 2019 to my friend, to me and then finally circling back to him. This card brought with it a circle of life, a message in a bottle, a postcard from one friend to another.

Some people you are simply meant to be friends with. Some people are meant to be in your life.

And that my friends is the way to travel through life. As I learned this week, even the simplest things such as a postcard bring with them a reason!

Writing on the Road

I'm one of those writers who needs adventure.  It doesn't have to be anything extreme - simply getting out of town and doing something different will do.

I find that I get a lot of work done on my writing when I travel and more so than when I'm at home.  I've had time to consider this and I believe it's because I'm not at all distracted (well maybe a little) when on the road.  I can simply concentrate on what I need to do for my writing. 

Of course you  have to go about your daily or even weekly routines to keep things going.  So how can you capture that same kind of simple focus for your writing at home?

1. First of all keep a schedule and stick to it as best you can.  
2. Make a list (on paper, on your smart phone) of what you want to work on each day.  
3. Let your family members know what you are doing so there will be less interruptions.
4. Clear up and keep your work area so you aren't distracted by anything you find to be unnecessary clutter.
5. Take breaks.
6. Relax.
7. Enjoy!

Keeping things simple will help your writing grow.  It really is that easy!

Just Keep Writing

I often run into people who are writers, who write sometimes or who want to be writers.  They lament to me quiet frequently about not being able to write.  No time for it.  Can't get the words out, right.  And so on.

I'm like their go to writer therapist - I say that with a smile.  It's good that folks associate me with being a writer.

It's quite simple to be a writer if that's what you want (no I'm not talking "publishing" here - I mean actually writing).  You have to write!  And read this sentence twice.  You have to read!  You need to study writing to get better at it.  You should take a class, join a writers group, read a reference manual or how to book to improve your skills.

The next part is to simply write!  It's kind of like where it's said to stay healthy exercise some each and every day even if only for a few minutes.  So write something every day.  Even if it's one line in a journal. 

If you are a singer, you need to practice with your voice.  If you are in advertising, you have to come up with marketing ideas.  You get the gist! 

So put aside that TV remote, get off your smart phone (unless it's your writing tool), stop playing that game, and jot down that sentence, that paragraph, that poem, those pages.  Soon you will be writing ... all the time!

Creating your own Writer's Retreat

Do you work when you are traveling?  I always do, it seems.  I find I get some of my best work done while traveling.  It's probably really due to the focus - limited space to write, limited time to work on certain projects, limited wifi.  It's easy to get  a lot done in a short amount of time. 

For me, taking those blocks of free time during a road trip are my own writer's retreat.  I can simply work on projects I want to work on at the time.  I don't have to worry about any other distractions (usually) from home.  It's a great way to help your creative juices reach their flow.

Next time you are traveling, take a few breaks along the way to create or work on your projects.  Not only will you have uninterrupted time (hopefully) to do so you might reach a new perspective or two.

Happy Writing!

Publishing Tips

Are you looking to get published?  Have you been published?  How do I get published?

I get asked those questions many times.  There are several ways to go about getting published.  One of the quickest is to write a Letter to the Editor of you favorite publication whether it be a newspaper, magazine, or online.  Another is to volunteer to write something for a local newsletter.  Yet another is to write for the place where you work if they use writing materials.

If you have a poem or short story or something else you want published, you should search for markets using resources in your local library or look online. Be sure to read the full guidelines and check out the publication before you submit.  You do this so you make sure what you are submitting is a good fit. 

To get books or articles published, you would really do the same thing.  You might even want to submit to literary agencies to see about getting an agent.

It takes a lot of hours to search and find places to send your work.  The reward, though, will be worth it when that first publication credit comes in (and it will!) 

Good Luck!

Reading Your Poems in Front of an Audience for Beginners

I've been writing for a long time, since I was a kid.  I've been writing poetry not as long, but for many years.  Yet this year, 2018, was the first time I really got in front of people to read my poems.  I had read a few here or there when I won an award or had a poem published in a Lit Mag or two and I was invited to a reception.  Other than that, I had never really read my poems in front of an audience.

For my first reading as a featured poet, I read in front of a group of about 45 people.  Since then, I've taught poetry in schools, at Arts events, and have given a few more readings from my poetry books and one of my fiction books.

Everyone has their own personality and style as well as types of work from which they'd want to read.  The first thing I'd highly recommend you doing if you are wanting to read at an open mic or even give a reading is to read your own works (words) out loud!  Yes, simple advice, but it will make you more confident about what you are reading.

Next, you may want to rehearse in front of family members or the mirror.  Third, you may want to plan what you are going to read (poems or sections from your book) and also plan what you are going to say. 

Fourth, practice!  Just like a musician practices, you as a poet should practice reading!  It will give you confidence and also give you a chance to make sure that you know how to pronounce everything! 

Fifth, be yourself!  Don't try to make yourself into an extroverted performer if you are not. 

Good luck out there and happy reading!

Lyrics and Poetry

Songs and lyrics evolved into what we know as poetry today more or less.  Can you still use lyric writing for your poems?

If you are telling stories within your poems, it is certainly a good start.  You can take memories and put them together as verses in a song and even use a common refrain or phrase throughout the poem.

What does a lyric mean to you?  Is it a full song?  Maybe a few lines from a song?  Maybe a verse or two. 

Say your poem out loud - what's the lyrical quality to it?  Is there rhythm or not?  Does it rhyme?

Lyrics of sorts can weave back and forth through your words.  It's like having an overall theme or notes to follow to complete the work as a whole.

Poets used to perform their poems out loud on stage, on street corners (and some still do.)  Spoken word poets are reciting their lines in lyrics, but poem like ones, so to speak. 

A poem needs no music, but it can sound like a song all the same ... that gentle or fast flow, that repetitive catchy hook, those end line rhymes or not. 

Writing a lyric poem will gives another way to work out the flesh of a poem just in more of  form, albeit a loose one.  After you've written it, say it out loud, sing it out loud, put it on the page -- which way do you like it the best?  The nice thing about poetry is that you can pick one way or two or all three and still come up with a good poem.

I'd Rather Be Writing or Writers Don't Take Holidays

How do you stay in tune, in touch with your writing?  You can talk about it with other writers in writing groups, or make posts online.  Maybe join an online group. 

To me, though, all of that is simply talking - not that any of those endeavors are not worthwhile or worth spending the time.  I prefer, though, to just write something.

When I sit down and look at it for my writing these are what I'm currently writing:  birthday cards, holiday cards, thank you cards, notes with cut outs from the newspaper, my writing journal, my writing ideas book, my poetry ideas notebook, a poetry memoir, a non-fiction book about poetry, 3 blogs, poems, a novel, one letter to the editor and a song!  Make you tired?  It doesn't make me tired!  What makes me tired (and cranky) is if I don't write something for the day, each day even on the weekends. 

Even when traveling, I always take something to use for writing and I do write on the road.  Some people want to talk all the time.  Me, I just want to write!

Journaling for Beginners

There seems to be an unspoken rule, that if you are a writer then you must journal, you probably love it, right?  Well not necessarily.  I have been writing in journals before it became a verb!  I've always written something:  song lyrics, stories, essays, book reports, poems, plays, articles, ad copy, etc. so writing in a journal is a natural thing for me.  I carry a couple of them with me at all times.  In one, I jot down maybe a few words or a sentence.  In the other one, I may write paragraphs of things I want to vent about to really just myself.  I don't write my journals for others to read.  If I did, that would be a memoir!

The important thing to take away from journal writing, is that you are exercising your writing skills well by writing.  It's just as important to practice writing every day as you might do with a sport or a music piece you are trying to play or maybe a presentation or speech you are giving. 

You can find cheap journals in the dollar store, or make your own or even use a notebook - many sizes and types of paper are available.  You may use your journal for any type of writing and include ideas in it as well.

Journaling is a great way to connect with your writing skills and thoughts.  It will keep your writing sharp and fresh!

PR for Poets

What is PR for poets?

There's not a lot on it.  Most of the PR for writing is focused on generalized writing.  There are resources out there, though, if you look hard enough.

Approaching the sale of poetry, though, is or can be a little different.  First of all, how exactly do you want to sell your poetry?  Is it a poem you want to sell?  A picture of a poem?  Maybe a book of poetry or chapbooks?  Maybe you want to put your poem or a few lines on a novelty item like a keychain, tote bag, or pillow.

That's the first step - is where you plan to sell it.  If you are selling pieces of poems or single poems, then you can use an online service that prints pictures on things and use those - maybe sell them at craft shows.  As far as books go, I've found that selling them at readings or giving a reading and selling them later has generated the most sales for me.  The next avenue that has been useful is email.  Then, of course, there's social media.  Pick the SM avenue that works for you - where you engage the most with your audience.

To be honest, I'm still learning how to generate PR for myself and my poetry.  It's a learning process for me. I think you have to explore all your options and then pick one or two that really work for you and start you focus there.  The rest, then, will hopefully start to fall into place.