Category Archives: Uncategorized

Share A Poem On Ink and Quill

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Jennifer, at Ink and Quil is generously offering the opportunity to share one of your poems, or a poem by a poet other than yourself. Kevin

Jennifer Calvert's avatarJennifer Calvert Author

quillShare a link here of your favourite poem/s, which you have written or a poem written by a fellow poet. Or both!

A poem/s which may have moved you, or are close to your heart. A poem, you thought about, long after you finished reading it.

I will repost all links.

As you are probably aware. I love poetry. So I can’t wait to read and share your links.

Please feel free to reblog this post!

I want to support my fellow bloggers, by sharing their work.

A small way of saying I appreciate you.

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Untitled (1)

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“Nymph, I wonder where you are going
Your hair
In the midnight air
Blowing.
Your face is a mask
Dare I ask
What be your task?

The gate’s hinges squeak
And the owl speaks,
“She may do as she will
For good or ill.
The light is on in yonder place.
Oh her face
Such passing grace”.

—

“Man why so pale of face?
Why pace
You so
To and fro?
Your eyes fixed on the clock
Straining to hear the gentle knock.
Your sweat
Carries the scent of regret.

The owl winks,
“Methinks
Some things are better left unsaid
As mere conjectures in the head.
Do they ill or well.
Be it heaven or hell
I will not tell”.

“Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind” Is Now Available In Braille

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I was delighted to receive the braille edition of my book, “Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind” in yesterday’s mail. As I wrote in my post of 19 January (http://newauthoronline.com/2016/01/19/touching-words/), “While I am a huge fan of ebooks there is, in my opinion no substitute for their physical counterparts”.
The braille edition of “Lost In The Labyrinth” joins the accessible version of my first collection of poetry, “Dalliance” and is comfortably ensconced next to it on my bookshelves.
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) have done a good job of work, with the poems being nicely set out on the page. Unfortunately 2 of my poems, “Under The Stars” and “Wind Chimes” have been misrendered with separate titles being assigned to integral parts of both poems (I.E. the coherence of the poetry is interrupted by words which form part of the poems being incorrectly assigned as titles for separate (non-existent) poems). As the poet, I know how the poems should read. However, if RNIB add “Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind” to it’s catalogue, others may be confused by what has happened. Consequently I have notified RNIB of the errors which will, I hope be corrected.
The misrendering of 2 of my poems underlines for me the importance of proof reading prior to a book going on sale and/or into libraries. Painstaking checking and re-checking (whether of braille or print books) is important as badly presented publications can create a poor impression of the author in the reader’s mind.

(“Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind” is available as an ebook in the Amazon Kindle store and can be found here, http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AF5EPVY?keywords=Lost%20in%20the%20labyrinth%20of%20my%20mind&qid=1452670393&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1. I am currently working to produce a print edition which will, I hope be available in mid to late March 2016).

Kevin

Who Cares

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When I pass away
My books will stay.
Who can say
Whether readers will delve
Through dusty shelves
And discovering my book
Take a look
Into my soul.

The whole
Me
Now free.
No longer able to care
About those who stare
At what I wrote
In earnest or joke.

What is this desire
That my words light a fire
In hearts I will not know?
I am lust
Dust
And scribbles on a page.
‘ No great matter, when I am mouldering in the grave.

I am not brave
And grope
For hope
In the here and now.
For the plough
Will not disturb my sleep
Nor will I weep
In the solitary grave.

As a writer, will I ever become famous?

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I had better cancel my viewing of that luxury apartment in Mayfair then …

Jack Eason's avatarHave We Had Help?

Orwell

One of my all time literary heroes – Eric Blair aka George Orwell  1903 -1950

~~~

Probably not. All that any of us who are serious about what we do can ever hope for is to keep on writing. Most of us are lucky if we make a few pounds/dollars per year. Very few ever achieve fame and fortune. J.K.Rowling immediately springs to mind as an obvious modern day exception to the rule.

Even once you have shuffled off this mortal coil, there are still no guarantees of fame, despite the world’s book shelves being full to overflowing with dust covered books penned by dead writers. But then again back here in the land of the living, so is the list of those who were never read, or are ever likely to be by all accounts, despite the majority of them being gifted writers.

But will anything I write do…

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Results Of The Poll To Choose A Book Cover For “Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind”

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image

A big thank you to everyone who voted and commented in response to my request for help in choosing a book cover in respect of my collection of poems, “Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind”. As of today (19 February) cover number 11 has attracted the most votes (a total of 8). In addition number 11 has gleaned the most favourable comments. I have therefore decided to use that cover for the forthcoming print edition of “Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind”.
Once again, a huge thank you to everyone who participated in choosing the book cover, either through voting, commenting, liking my post or sharing via social media.

Kevin

Please Help In Choosing A Book Cover For My Collection Of Poems, “Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind”

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The purpose of this post is to ask for your help in choosing a book cover for the print edition of my recently published collection of poetry, “Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind”,

To this end I would appreciate it if you could please vote for your favourite cover (numbered on bottom left of each cover). It would assist me if you could add comments explaining your choice.

The following poem, “Lost”, provides a flavour of the poems to be found in the book and will, I hope aid you in choosing a book cover:

Lost

My thoughts lost on the damp air
Going who knows where.
The sodden grass
I pass.
Where children play
But not today.
No ball
Or bird call.
Only the rain’s incessant fall.

Many thanks for your help.

Kevin

Current Cover

51IICDd2chL._SX312_BO1,204,203,200_

New Cover Alternatives

Cover tests 2x2 1

Cover tests 2x2 2

Cover tests 2x2 3

Cover tests 2x2 4

Cover tests 2x2 5

POLL IS NOW CLOSED

The Politics of Writing Diversity: Guest Post by Elizabeth Roderick

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As someone who is visually impaired (I am registered blind but possess some limited residual or mobility vision), I was interested to read the author’s perspective on the portrayal of diversity. I agree, authors should not self-censor as this leads, almost inevitably to pedestrian writing. The writer also addresses the complex issue as to what extent people are objectively disabled and to what degree society causes them to be so. The fact of the matter is that I am blind. No amount of obfiscation can alter that fact. I also regard myself as being disabled in that I have difficulty in performing certain tasks, for example finding my way around in unfamiliar environments. However the perspective of others undoubtedly impacts (sometimes very significantly) on the lives of people with disabilities or other health conditions, (for instance poorly designed environments can make it extremely difficult for visually impaired people to live and work independently). Kevin

areece's avatarAmy Reece

Today I am thrilled to welcome Elizabeth Roderick,  a colleague from Limitless Publishing, with her thoughts on some complex issues having to do with diversity. Please make her feel welcome and leave a comment.

The Politics of Writing Diversity

Note to readers: I use the term “neurodiverse” in this piece. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it refers to people generally called “mentally ill”. I prefer “neurodiverse” for reasons I will explain in the article. Thank you for reading.

Writing is a complex art. Words can be interpreted in so many different ways, depending on the background, culture, and experiences of the person interpreting them. We have to be aware of this, especially when we touch on emotional subjects such as diversity. However, if we have political concerns in the forefront of our minds—if we are walking on eggshells trying not to offend anyone—we run the risk of self-censoring, of…

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