On Monday 6 March, I offered readers the opportunity to win 2 (free) signed copies of my collection of poetry “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind” .
I am delighted to announce that George Agak answered correctly and will receive a signed print copy of “Lost in the Labyrinth”.
For George’s blog please visit HERE.
One copy of “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind” remains to be won.
To enter the competition and be in with a chance of winning the one remaining book, please visit HERE.
This week has been an interesting one.
On Thursday I fell into conversation with a colleague and learned that he has downloaded my poem, “Raining” onto his phone. He will, he says read it when in reflective mood, especially while camping.
To read “Raining please visit, https://newauthoronline.com/2015/10/28/raining/.
Yesterday (Saturday 4 February), I was stopped on the way out of the block of flats in which I live by a gentleman who asked
“Are you the poet?”
“Yes” I replied.
I was a little surprised by the question. Then I remembered that the communal noticeboard has a poster advertising my collection of poetry, “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind”, which displays a photograph of yours truly, together with my guide dog Trigger.
The poster has been affixed to the noticeboard for several months and I was delighted that it had illicited an expression of interest from my new neighbour.
Never one to lose an opportunity to gain a new reader, I offered the gentleman a copy of my recently released CD, which he was pleased to accept.
The CD features me reading 13 of my poems.
If you would like to obtain a copy please email me at newauthoronline (at) gmail dot com.
You can find details of all my published works here, https://newauthoronline.com/about/.
I am pleased to announce that Croydon Radio (http://croydonradio.com/) will be interviewing me, regarding my latest collection of poetry, “Refractions”, at 5:15 pm (UK time) on Saturday 26 November.
This is my second appearance on Croydon Radio. For my previous interview, in which I discuss my collection of poetry, “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind” please visit (http://moyhill.com/lost/assets/km-interview-croydon-radio-2016-04-09-16-00-53-edited-64k.mp3). For “Refractions please go to (https://www.amazon.com/Refractions-K-MORRIS-ebook/dp/B01L5UC2H2). For “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind” please visit (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-labyrinth-my-mind-Morris-ebook/dp/B01AF5EPVY). For my interview on Blogtalk Radio please visit, (https://newauthoronline.com/2016/10/17/poet-and-author-kevin-morris-interviewed-by-annette-rochelle-aben-on-blogtalk-radio/).
Kevin
I was honoured to be interviewed by Annette, on Blogtalkradio, regarding my poetry and other meanderings.
The show also includes me reading several of my poems.
A big thank you to Annette for interviewing me!
Kevin
I posted yesterday (24 September) regarding the availability in braille of my collection of poetry, “Refractions”. In that post I also mentioned the availability of my previously published collections, “Dalliance” and “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind”.
All of the above books where transcribed into braille by the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s Ivybridge Transcription Service, and should be available to borrow from RNIB’s Library,
While I hold braille copies of “Refractions”, “Lost” and “Dalliance”, on checking the library’s catalogue this morning I was unable to find any record of my books having been added to RNIB’s stock.
I have raised a query with RNIB and await their response.
If anyone is interested in obtaining a braille copy of any of the above books, please contact library@rnib.org.uk in the first instance, (please feel free to mention that the publications have been transcribed by Ivybridge).
If you experience problems in obtaining my books in braille please don’t hesitate to contact me at newauthoronline (at) gmail (dot) com.
Kevin
I was pleased to learn from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), that my collection of poetry, “Refractions” will be made available in braille. Only a tiny percentage of print titles ever make it into braille. Consequently I am pleased that RNIB have agreed to transcribe “Refractions” so that I and other readers of braille can access it. My previously published collections of poetry, “Dalliance” and “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind” are already available in braille from RNIB.
For details of how to obtain my books in print or electronic format please see my “About” page, https://newauthoronline.com/about/. To contact RNIB please go to http://www.rnib.org.uk/.
In a recent article in The Daily Mail, entitled “Forget the Age of Plenty, We Were Happier in the 1700’s” (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3756368/Forget-age-plenty-happier-1700s-Briton-s-content-life-era-slums-gin-mothers-workhouses-today.html), it is reported that research shows the 18th century was the period in which people were happiest, despite the grinding poverty in which much of the population lived.
The above article reminded me of a comment made by a reviewer of my collection of poetry “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind” that “ There is a feeling of nostalgia in some poems, e.g. “Modernity”, (https://emmalee1.wordpress.com/2016/05/11/lost-in-the-labyrinth-of-my-mind-k-morris/). The poem is reproduced below in order that my readers may judge for themselves:
“Give me something real
Not this plastic I feel.
Give me books in cloth boards
That I may not be bored.
Give me a chime
To measure time.
Give me solid wood
To caress and love.
Give me objects that last
A link to the past.
The world moves fast
Vast
Nothingness beccons.
Enumerable seconds
engaged
In rage
Against the gleam
Of the machine
That haunts my dream”.
(For “Modernity” and the other poems in “Lost in The Labyrinth of My Mind” please visit http://moyhill.com/lost/.
Many thanks to Annette for the following review of my collection of poetry “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind”:
“I am so happy to have a copy of this book. Author. Kevin Morris, has such capture of the world around him and uses his command of words to craft poetry
that stimulates the senses. One of the poems in this volume, spoke to me specifically. Autumn Breeze made me smile, as I am an autumn born, baby and that
time of year always makes me smile. Congratulations, K. Morris, on a most delightful, though provoking book that I shall read again and again”.
For the original review please visit this link, http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1737069156.
Kevin
On my way home from work yesterday evening, I passed a familiar block of flats. The evening was a pleasant one, with a warm summer sun warming me as I strolled past the familiar apartments. A ball was being kicked, it’s sound mingling with that of the birds which twittered overhead.
I could hardly believe that this self-same location had, in November 2015 prompted me to pen the below lines:
“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”.
One might be tempted to construe that the difference in weather is the sole determinant of my mood. Had I written a poem yesterday evening it would, no doubt be marked by an absence of melancholy (in sharp contrast to the above lines). Doubtless the miserable state of the weather on that November day in 2015 influenced my poem. However my mood on that particular day was (for reasons which I can not now remember) one of introspection. The bleak weather combined with my state of mind, to produce “Lost” (the title of the poem quoted above).
It is interesting to speculate on how my poem may have differed had children been playing football despite the foulness of the weather. Would it have been quite so introspective in nature? Would I have written it at all? The honest response to both questions is that I don’t know. Perhaps I wouldn’t have written “Lost” or maybe a poem imbued with rather more light than darkness would have found it’s way onto my blog and (later) into my collection of poetry “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind”.
External factors such as the weather, combine with the poet’s state of mind to produce poetry. Of course rain is by no means always a source of melancholy. It refreshes the earth bringing out the scent of the wonderful plants with which England is blessed. Had I been walking in a park at the time of that November shower, with the scent of autumn leaves and the last of the summer flowers filling my nostrils, I may well have written a different poem, one characterised by a less melancholic tinge. However Autumn has the power to kindle melancholy irrespective of the state of the weather. The dead leaves underfoot signify the dying of the year and one is acutely aware that winter’s iron grip will soon be felt throughout the land. So who knows how my poem would have differed (assuming I had, in fact penned one) in the event the circumstances of that November day in 2015 had been different.
(For “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind” please visit http://moyhill.com/lost/)
Kevin
I am in the process of compiling a further collection of my poetry. This is, on the face of it an easy task. There are many poems, consequently it’s simply a question of pulling them together in a single volume. Well not quite, for there are a number of issues which I need to address prior to pressing that “publish button:
1. What criteria ought I to employ when choosing poems for inclusion? I could (as mentioned above) simply include all the poems written since the publication of my previous collection, “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind”, (http://moyhill.com/lost/). However, while I am happy with all the poems on this site, newauthoronline.com (I wouldn’t have allowed them to go live where this not the case), I don’t believe that each and every one of my poems is worthy of inclusion in a new collection, at least not in their current form.
I could make my determination on the basis of “likes”, including those poems which have attracted the most “likes” and/or comments. This is the approach which, broadly speaking will be adopted by me, for, in general the pieces receiving the most “likes” are my favourite poems and are, in my view most worthy of inclusion. However there are other poems which (while having received fewer “likes” are of special importance to me and will, on this basis be included. While public appreciation of one’s work is a wonderful thing and I am extremely grateful to each and everyone of my readers who likes and comments on my work, in the final analysis I write for myself rather than to please (or displease)! An audience. If the poet (or any writer for that matter) becomes a slave to the preferences of his readership he (or she is lost.
2. Which publishing platform should I use? I will certainly use Kindle to distribute the ebook version of my forthcoming collection. For all Amazon’s problems/issues (and it has quite a few), the company remains, in my view the most effective mechanism for distributing ebooks. In addition to the ebook I will be producing a print edition. Many readers still prefer hard copy books and having spoken to a number of young readers (in their late teens or early 20’s) I know the love of traditional books is not confined to the middle-aged and older generations.
I will, of course keep you posted on the collection’s progress.
Finally I would like to close by saying a big thank you to all my readers/followers. Your comments and “likes” help to keep me writing.
Kevin
K Morris - Poet 