I am delighted to be the first guest writer on Ink and Quill,the blog of Jennifer Calvert. For my guest article please visit the following link, http://jennifercalvertwriter.com/2016/02/27/first-guest-writer-on-ink-and-quill-k-morris/. Please also check out Jennifer’s writings which can be found here, http://jennifercalvertwriter.com/.
Yours truly, reading my poem, ‘Fire’, which can be found in ‘Dalliance; a collection of poetry and prose’.
To purchase ‘Dalliance’, please visit:
For the UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dalliance-collection-poetry-prose-Morris-ebook/dp/B00QQVJC7E
For the US: http://www.amazon.com/Dalliance-collection-poetry-prose-Morris-ebook/dp/B00QQVJC7E
I will be spending much of this weekend preparing for my first poetry reading, which will take place on Wednesday 10 February, (http://newauthoronline.com/2016/01/29/poets-corner/). My colleague and fellow poet, Toby Wheeler has sent me a list of poems he will be reading and it now falls to yours truly to knuckle down and make my own selection! There being so many poems to choose from makes my task difficult. Where I to read all the poems I’m minded to recite the hour allotted to the reading would pass by without Toby having an opportunity to showcase his excellent poetry. Consequently I need to be ruthless as regards my selection criteria.
I intend to read poems ranging from the humorous through to the dark and brooding. I have already determined that the first poem in my latest collection, “Lost In the Labyrinth Of My Mind” which is entitled, appropriately enough “Lost will be read. I am also inclined to recite “Autumn Rain” which can be found in “Dalliance; A Collection Of Poetry And Prose”. Turning to the humorous verse, I am minded to read my poems “She Stood Upon Her Head” and “Shall I Compare Thee”, both of which appear in “Lost In The Labyrinth”.
If all goes well, the event will be videoed and if things go swimmingly the video camera will actually work and an edited version of the reading will appear here!
(For “Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind” please go to 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. For “Dalliance; A Collection Of Poetry And Prose” please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dalliance-collection-poetry-prose-Morris-ebook/dp/B00QQVJC7E. For a selection of Toby’s poetry please go to http://www.writeoutloud.net/profiles/tobyw.
To hold one’s own book is a wonderful feeling. The tangible representation of one’s endeavours writ large. For most authors the pleasure is enhanced by the ability to read the print editions of their works. However, for me as a blind author (who is unable to read print) the situation is rather more complex. I can read ebooks using the text to speech facility on my Kindle. I can not, however read the print edition of my book, “Dalliance; A Collection Of Poetry And Prose” which sits on the bookcase in my living room. While I still derive pleasure from taking the print edition of “Dalliance” in to my hands, it is not the same as being able to sit in an armchair, flick through the pages and pause at random to read a poem.
I got round the above issue by getting the Royal National Institute Of Blind People (RNIB) to transcribe “Dalliance” from the electronic file held on my computer in to braille allowing me to possess an accessible (physical) copy of my work. Yesterday I sent the electronic file of my latest collection of poetry, “Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind” through to the RNIB. I await the braille edition’s arrival with eager anticipation! While I am a huge fan of ebooks there is, in my opinion no substitute for their physical counterparts.
Kevin
A friend asked me recently whether I intend to publish a further collection of my poetry. The answer is yes, I aim to publish a further collection in early 2016.
Drawing together the book will entail reading through poems and determining what (and what not) to include. It also means deciding which poems to publish (as is) and which to amend. Finally the book will be proof read by a professional proof reader. As regards the latter, I always publish my poetry as written by me (poetry is a very personal thing as it expresses the poets inner soul and it is not, in my view the role of a proof reader and/or editor to suggest changes to the language and/or style employed by the poet. I use a proof reader to check for typographical errors and to correct punctuation by, for example replacing a comma with a semi colon where necessary).
As with my previous collections, I intend to include poems on a variety of topics, rather than producing a book replete with nature or humorous verse and nothing else,as this is what I personally look for in an anthology/collection of poetry. Variety is as someone once remarked, “the spice of life”.
For my previous poetry collections please visit http://www.amazon.com/Dalliance-collection-poetry-prose-Morris-ebook/dp/B00QQVJC7E and http://www.amazon.com/girl-wasnt-there-other-poems-ebook/dp/B0155KSKOC.
Kevin
Many thanks to Rebeca for reading and reviewing my book, “Dalliance; A Collection Of Poetry And Prose”. For Rebeca’s unboxing video please visit https://booksandmessybuns.wordpress.com/2015/11/16/out-of-the-box-1/. For Rebeca’s review of “Dalliance” please see https://booksandmessybuns.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/review-dalliance-by-k-morris/.
Many thanks to Sacha Black for featuring me on her website (http://sachablack.co.uk/2015/11/06/interview-with-author-kevin-norris/#more-3193). In my interview I refer to being in the process of revising “Dalliance; A Collection Of Poetry And Prose”. The revised edition is now available in ebook and print format.
Kevin
Many thanks to Sally Cronin for featuring my book, “Dalliance; A Collection Of Poetry And Prose” on her blog. For Sally’s 5 Star Treatment of “Dalliance” please visit the following link, https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2015/09/30/five-star-review-dalliance-by-kevin-morris/.
Kevin
I have updated the ‘Reviews of my books’ page (http://newauthoronline.com/reviews-of-my-books/) so as to include a number of recent reviews in respect of ‘Dalliance’.
On checking my reviews today I was delighted to see that “Dalliance; A Collection Of Poetry And Prose” has received the following 5 star review,
“I loved the sheer variety of the pieces in this book – and the lyrical nature of the writing. Most beautiful. Two, in particular, stood out for me: ‘Dark Angel’ and ‘The Great Cycle’. Both evoked the connection we have with the world – though in very different ways, one being a physical bond with the natural world, the other a more inanimate ‘friend’! I thoroughly recommend this exquisite little collection”.
(For the review please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3PJBPNU2ESSIH/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00QQVJC7E).
Many thanks to the reviewer for taking the time to read and review “Dalliance”.
Kevin
K Morris - Poet 