Tag Archives: Writing

#Writers Wanted for Brand New #Medium #Publication

06 Wednesday Oct 2021

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Writers Challenge is brand new and needs YOU!

If you enjoy participating in writing challenges and flexing your literary muscles by taking up an unscheduled and, perchance, unorthodox writing prompt, then you’d enjoy writing with us.

If you’ve learned valuable writing skills from the challenges you’ve encountered along your writing journey, then we’d love for you to share them with us.

If you simply enjoy reading great flash fiction, poetry, writing tips, and want to network with other similarly-minded writers, then you’ll love being part of us.

Writers Challenge is all about the challenges we face as writers and the writing challenges we love to face. Add your skills to our ever-growing community of writers and we’ll enjoy the writing challenges together.

Morgan here 🙂 I’m not sure if you’re on Medium or if you’re interested in broadening your writing reach…or just interested in networking with other writers, but Writers Challenge is currently seeking new writers.

I’ve started this publication on Medium as a place where writers can share the wealth of their knowledge about the struggles we all face as writers. By sharing informative and/or inspirational articles, we will all grow as writers.

The publication will also have regular writing challenges/prompts simply for the sake of flexing our writing muscles and for a little fun.

If you’re interested, please do stop by and comment to join.

You can learn more about How To Join here 

Thanks so much. I hope to write with you there 🙂

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~Morgan~

Burning Question #3 – What #TypesofWriting Do You Prefer?

24 Friday Sep 2021

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writepic

Here it is, Burning Question #3. (insert wild, cheering, jeering applause here)

What sort of writing do you prefer to do the most? And, of course, Why? (Please do leave YOUR smoldering answers in the comments section, since this is rather the point )

MY Smoldering Answer: I particularly love writing description and it matters very little what it might be that I’m describing (within reason). In fact, I have a story I’ve presently laid by for a while, unfinished, but occasionally still work on or read over (I know you understand how that works, even though it sounds insane); the story is about two young people living on an island (just to dumb it down to the bare minimums). In this story, I actually wrote an entire chapter…12 single-spaced typed-pages, just describing the island as it passes through a single day and the only “exciting” thing that happens is that a thunderstorm rolls across the island during the afternoon. Sounds boring, yes, but reading it is rather like taking a holiday without leaving your chair.

Description can take a lot of different forms, however, and more recently I’ve enjoyed writing /describing the beautiful, yet often quite sinister, world of Jindaryn in my Novelette “Dark Fey”. Writing these suspense scenes has also become a particular favourite, of which there are many in this current tale.

And being a lover of words, I could, of course, continue describing my fancy for description, but describing such a fancy might lead you to describe my description as a touch more than fanciful.:)

~Morgan~

Spanking the Pomegranate – The Triumph of #Communication

19 Sunday Sep 2021

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Pomegranate

I cannot speak for other languages as I do not know any others fluently, (unless you are including Dlalth, but since that is one I made up myself for my story Dark Fey, it really doesn’t count) but the English language is a curious thing. Have you ever noticed how often we say things that mean something entirely different from what we are actually trying to say? Our slang is chock full of examples. (such as the one I just used.) Chock? How does a word that means to block or stop something from moving; a ships fitting or cable, or an anchor or brace, end up in an expression that means completely full? Even Wiktionary cannot say for sure.

I loved the Linguistics class I had in high school; learning all about words, phrases, slang and etymology; what’s not to like, really? For someone (like me) who spent their free time constructing grammatically correct, compound, complex sentences worthy of praise from Charles Dickens and then diagramming them (correctly, I might add!) just for fun; explaining that I enjoyed the systematic study of (the English) language is like saying Mr. Spock is Logical or Hobbits have hairy feet. It’s a given.

The variety of vernacular that exists, depending on the region (or country) you live in is truly amazing or, one might say, is enough to make your head spin or leave you gobsmacked. As I have lived in several distinctly different areas of the country (that country being the US) I’ve picked up more than a few catch phrases (although how I picked up an inanimate object and what exactly said object was catching I am by no means sure).

In South Central Pennsylvania, where I presently reside, there are a plethora of colloquialisms derived from the Pennsylvania Dutch community that are peculiar enough to make anyone who is not from the area stare at you like you just started speaking Klingon should you happen to use one. For example, if you are embarrassed about something you Feel Your Nerve. If you cannot sit still you are Ruchy. If you want me to move down lower in my chair or make room for you on the park bench you would ask me to Ruch Down or Ruch Over. Similarly, the milk bottle is not empty, It’s All, and you don’t turn off the light, you Make Out The Light.

When I lived in the South (Alabama to be exact, which was an experience worthy of its own bizarre post) I swore left and right (although I never actually turned my head) that I would not be Fixin’ or Reckon’ anything. Nevertheless, I often found myself saying things like It’s Fixin’ to Rain, which means It’s Getting Ready to Rain, or It’s Fixin’ to Get It, which means Things are About to Get a Little Crazy. Fixin’ simply means Getting Ready, unless, of course, you say I’m Fixin’ to Get Ready, which, literally translated, would mean you are Getting Ready to Get Ready, but in reality it means you are already Ready to Do whatever it is you are going to do. Confused yet? I Reckon’!

(Disclaimer to my friends across the pond: As I am not British, {a tragedy I will forever lament}, I believe I understand the proper use of the following examples of British slang, but should I be mistaken, please do feel free to correct me)

In America we say Ta! when we mean Goodbye and Cheers! when we mean Thank you; however in England they say Cheers! when they mean Goodbye and Ta! when they mean Thank You. In America we ask if someone is All Right? when we are concerned over their health or state of being; however in England saying All Right? to someone is like saying Hi, How are you? And if someone in England said to me Give Us a Bell, being American, I would raise a delicately arched brow and hand them a bell, when what they really mean is they want me to call them (or ring them) on the telephone. Perplexed? Me too!

The differences in our own language are endless and with all these intricacies, dialects, regional connotations, and interpretations about (or around, depending) not to mention slang usage and hyper-text abbreviations, it is a miracle that we understand each other at all. So the next time you (or I) labor for hours masterfully interweaving descriptors, plot, characters, research, and good old fashioned fancy into something post-worthy; yet it ends up sparking only minimal interest (or the editor/publisher requests an absurd number of rewrites), take heart! Even if only a handful of readers ultimately respond, you can still consider it a triumph of communication in a sea of chaff.

OH….any for those of you who were lured in by the double-entendre of this post’s title, Spanking the Pomegranate is simply a culinary term used for liberating those delectable little jewels of sweetness from the otherwise inconsequential husk of the fruit.

~Morgan~
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Beautiful Photograph found on pinterest

How Do You Know it’s Write? – A #Perspective on #Writers #Inspiration

28 Saturday Aug 2021

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snow

August…BLECK! (I’m not entirely sure that is a word, but I’m going with it) This week has been the hottest week of the year (so far) and I am one unhappy little camper. Tuesday 94 degrees; Wednesday 96 degrees; Thursday 97 degrees; Today (yep, it’s Friday!) 98 degrees with enough humidity to make it feel like the notorious sauna outside (Or In HERE, Thank you Cosmo Kramer). Under these circumstances, being an autumn and winter person myself, I am not likely to be found out of doors under many circumstances if it can possibly or, with a little ingenuity, be avoided. Thank God in His Heaven for the man who invented air conditioning!

Unless, of course, your central A/C unit has burned up. Uh-huh, you heard me correctly: hottest week of the year and me with no A/C. (Weep for me if the tears will come!) Now for someone who will happily go for a walk in 30 degrees and flying snow, this situation is certainly not ideal, and for someone (like me) who has a sunlight allergy (It’s true, but that’s an entirely different post, yet again) and literally becomes ill if exposed to heat for any great length of time, the situation is more like HADES on Earth. Fans are wonderful, yes, and they are of great benefit when you are sitting at your computer writing with three of them pointed at you (as I presently am) and have ice packs draped over your body to keep you cool; still, when its 95 INSIDE your house…..(again, feel free to commiserate tearfully should the spirit so move you )

Understand, my wonderful sister and her family live less than 5 miles away and their A/C unit is working perfectly; cool, dry, sweet air abounds and the tropical swelter of July is blissfully locked out of her home, yet here I sit, (enjoying a free sauna whether I want one or not) typing away rather than tearing out of here like I’ve just seen a 6 foot tall spider in the dining room. One might question my mental stability (and probably with good reason!)

What the Harry Potter is wrong with me, You ask? Nothing. Well, nothing that can be easily diagnosed. The simple truth is, I love writing this much and I love sharing my writing so much that I would willingly subject myself to the tropical torture of 95 degrees and 99% humidity (OH please let it rain!) rather than go postless for a single day (again, not sure if that’s a word, but you all understood me so it’s staying…)

So if you ever find yourself wondering if you are on the right path, doing what you are “supposed” to be doing, using your gifts as intended, you might consider what is it that YOU would endure to do whatever it is that you want/like to do. If you find yourself answering that you would rather go sit in the A/C, that you would sacrifice nothing, or you would find the path of least resistance in order to achieve your objective, you may just want to reconsider your strategy.

(and now, if you will excuse me, I’m going to submerse myself in Happy Thoughts!)

Let it Snow! Let It Snow! LET IT SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Morgan~

Translation: Journey to Elysium – An #Author’s #Perspective on #Acting

13 Friday Aug 2021

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Translation

Some people love to read. They devour books in days, feasting upon them, one after the other like a box of chocolates left open in a room filled with hungry people. They are the speed readers, capable of interpreting 1000 words a minute; they turn pages like a camera snapping pictures, but do they truly enjoy the beauty of the written words? Do they share the emotions of the characters and grasp the subtle connotations being so generously offered by the writer or do they simple read, following the Get it, Got it, Good, Moving On mentality.

Believe it or not, I don’t read a lot of books. I tend to be a slow reader, painfully slow. I read to myself the same way I would read aloud to someone else, with inflection, with emotion, and often I re-read passages several times to be sure I understand what is being said or not said, shown or not shown, felt or not felt, it’s the writer in me. Therefore, I do not often read the book when there’s sure to be a movie coming soon, anyway. There are, of course, exceptions. I have read Tolkien’s glorious trilogy; I’ve perused many of the historical reenactments of Philippa Gregory, and I’ve savoured the challenges of Dickens, Austin, and Poe, but more often than not completing one book takes me, on average, a year. Particularly because I detest abridged versions; if I cannot sink my teeth into the sumptuous banquet the author has created, in its entirety, and relish each delicious morsel, then I’d really rather not, thank you.

Some of us take days and others take months to absorb what’s scribed upon the page; it’s a form of translation and at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter how long the process takes. Perception of an idea, ideal, symbol, or suggestion: this is the desired outcome, the goal of all authors, but there are many forms of translation and many levels to reaching the ultimate objective.

A book can sit on a dusty shelf in a library, patiently waiting to be picked up. It can be deviated into a shadow of its former self by one company or another, reducing it into bridge notes. It might be fortunate enough to be adapted into a performance worthy of the stage or it may achieve the dubious distinction of being made into a movie.

Translating a masterpiece of words, phrasing, sub-text, symbolism and point(s) of view into film is a daunting undertaking that I cannot even begin to fathom and would never take on, not for any inducement; however, having said as much, there are those individuals who prefer this painstakingly complex ordeal over the actual reading of said work of genius and I give them credit. Granted, there are far fewer remarkably stunning adaptations than there are second-rate disappointments, but this is the danger inherent in translation. Often, simply too much of the scope and magic of the original is lost in the conversion, for whatever reason: low budgets, creative differences, mediocre photography, deficient acting.

A perfect example of the blunder of taking an extraordinary book and slapping it in front of a camera with seemingly little forethought is the 1990 film Lord of The Flies. I LOVE the book, to me, it is unquestionably a magnum opus and I’ve read it more times than I care to mention. The intoxicating descriptions and profusion of symbolism throughout are enthralling. They are also the essence of the book, but when it was adapted for (this particular) film, those composing the translation seemed to pay little heed to the book’s all important imagery.

Simple things, like the colour of the characters hair, were disregarded. In the book, the protagonist, Ralph, is blond…and for good reason: he is the representation all that is good, light, and right in society. The book’s antagonist, Jack, has red hair and is described as quite unattractive…again, for a purpose. He represents all that is dark, savage and unbridled in the world. Two significant representations, but in the movie they are reversed. In fact, nearly ever symbol of the book was inverted or ignored in the movie and the result was utterly, devastatingly disappointing.

But for all the travesties of injustice that exist, there are also tour de force demonstrations of the exquisite magic that is possible when masterful and insightful directing, collaborative production, skillful artistry, breathtaking cinematography, and incomparable acting unite. When the final translation of a single idea, conceived in the mind of the author, takes on physical, emotional, and spiritual manifestation through the eloquence of an actor who is fully committed to the embodiment of the charade, all else pales by comparison.

For a book, and, often, for me, this is the moment Valhalla opens, the instant when Elysium comes into view, this is the Attainment of Utopia and the Achievement of Enlightenment. When the supreme privilege of witnessing the brilliance of perfectly executed translation brings us to the Gates of Heaven and we watch the magnificent spectacle in awe and adoration.

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~Morgan~

What We Don’t Speak Of…..What Ive been up to- #WorkInProgress

31 Saturday Jul 2021

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What We Don’t Speak Of…..is what Ive been up to.  Well,  this and I’ve been finishing the final revision of book three of The Mercy Series…. while also working on this new Non-Fiction book, writing a little bit each day.

Today I created a page for this new book on my website. I’ve uploaded part of the preface and a comment box for feedback.

I would LOVE for you to pop by, have a read, and leave a comment about what you think. It would mean a lot to me and the feedback would be invaluable. ❣

If interested, this is the link: https://www.cynthiaamorganauthor.com/upcoming-projects

The Meaning of Life? – #Musings and #Thoughts for #ChangingTimes

24 Saturday Jul 2021

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Book and volume

(A rewind post from 2013)

I need some BnV!

Excuse me??

Yes, you heard me, I need some BnV. I don’t honestly think I can live without it. (Book and Volume that is.)

I must confess since I began writing this blog, (which, if I continue confessing I wasn’t entirely sure about starting off with,) I have found myself wanting to write more and more and more and more, found I have far greater inspiration than I’ve had in years, and found an unparalleled sense of accomplishment in “seeing” (so to speak) that others find my particular form of creativity (or madness, whichever you feel is more relevant) enjoyable, interesting, amusing or, at the very least, frighteningly intriguing. (Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience with yours?) Well, let’s face it, BnV does have a certain indescribable quality about it that makes you scoff, shake your head, and yet, come back for more. (yeah, it has that affect on me too!)

But to come back to my original point, in the past 25 days (I know, just 25 days!) (yes, I agree, its seems longer) (you may choose to insert interminable here…) I have found such pleasure in writing again that it’s hard to put into words….which is a bit of a conundrum given that writing is, after all, the crux here. I’ve often wondered how writers can lock themselves away from the rest of the world, eat little, talk less, and simply immerse themselves in their craft, letting the world go on without them, little caring, little worrying (maybe), but I no longer wonder about that. Now it is me (or, to be grammatically correct, should that be I?) who finds herself wishing she could do the aforementioned: forget the world, the job, the tedious responsibilities of life (though not the cat!), lock herself away from all resort (rather like Ophelia) (sorry, I did it again, but don’t let me deviate into Shakespeare… just yet!) and write until I come up gasping for breath.

Without BnV, where would I be? I admit that sounds a bit dodgy, perhaps risqué. My apologies for the double entendre (I think)(it’s just so catchy, really), but in all honesty, I sometimes feel that compelled, THAT enticed….to write, that is, and to hope that whatever it is I am saying will either make someone out there in the byzantine blue smile, chuckle, or have one of those OH! moments. (or, at the very least, that said hypothetical person doesn’t run off screaming like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone.)

Admittedly, 25 days is not very long to come to such a epiphanic realization that my writing means more to me than most anything else, but there it is in its undeniable, inexorable splendor. Sure, I’ve heard it said since I was a child that finding your passion and pursuing it is the only way to truly be happy working through the salt mines of life, but I’ve also heard it said, over and over, again and again, as I am sure many of you may have, that I should get my head out of the clouds and concentrate on the serious matter of getting ahead in the world. Making it big, securing the future, having a reliable, steady 9-5’er that will pay the bills, put food on the table, yadda, yadda, yadda. (To quote Elaine Benes) So who can blame me that it took this long to have the aforesaid epiphanic insight? (yes, I just like “saying” that word!) Well, besides myself, really, since I’ve known since I was 10 years old that writing was what I loved to do best.

Ok, so you’re probably wondering about now what my point is? Well, as I said in my very first post,(go ahead and re-read it, I’ll wait for you) I’m far more likely to natter on endlessly about nothing in particular than anything specifically, so in reality I don’t truly need a point right now; however, you are in luck because I do, actually, have one. No drum roll please. No tympanic reverie necessary. No triumphal horns pealing in proclamation; no, my simple and unadulterated point is just this: (ok, I agree, I adulterated it quite a bit in the last few paragraphs, but let’s not be mean spirited…) that I think Curly from the movie City Slickers put it best:

One thing

Curly (Jack Palance): Do you know what the secret of life is? [holds up one finger]
Curly: This.
Mitch(Billy Crystal): Your finger?
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean shit.
Mitch: But, what is the “one thing?”
Curly: [smiles] That’s what you have to find out.

~Morgan~

Annoyingly Effervescent – The #InternalDialog Vs. #External #Challenges

23 Wednesday Jun 2021

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Laughter Yoga

Someone told me the other day, (believe it or not), that I should be a bit more quiet, tone it down, reel it in, (shocking, I know!), and I was left staring at “said person” in utter amazement, not to mention bewilderment.

It’s difficult for me to explain how inane a suggestion this truly is, unless you know me, then you completely understand, but suffice it to say that this is like suggesting to a vegetarian that they should try hamster BBQ because they really might quite like it! I’m not saying that I’m in any way one of those persons who suffers from excessive personality (syndrome), not at all. I’m sure you know the type, one of those who shows up 20 minutes late even though they appear to recently have ingested, at the very least, enough caffeine to fuel the next flight to the moon; and I certainly am not one of those that shows up and shows out, licks everyone’s elbow, pats every bum, and generally makes a showy noise of themselves..nope, not me at all. I beg to differ. Quite the opposite, really.

However I do confess to a particular cheekiness (or impishness) that some less than cheerful souls might consider irritating, exasperating, even confusing; particularly because I simply love to throw a smile and a giggle in for good measure when I can see it’s the last thing in the world the person I’m conversing with would normally do. (You know how deviously satisfying it is to be excessively pleasant to someone who is exceedingly disagreeable, I know you do!)

Yep, Architect of Antics, that’s me! Prompter of Playfulness. Instigator of Insanity (comparatively speaking) After all, if you can’t laugh, why live? Why breathe? Why look at this goodly frame, the earth …this most excellent canopy, the air,… this brave o’erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, …(if all you are willing to see is)… a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors. (Yes yes, Hamlet again… but I promise I won’t digress any farther, it just illustrated my point so well!)

Now, I will admit that I do have the ability to prattle on about nothing in particular with little or no contribution from anyone else, and (as I am sure you are already very well aware) I can write about anything or nothing the day long, but, in all honesty, it isn’t because I’m flighty, preposterous, or feather-brained (“Sometimes people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t they”)(No that wasn’t Hamlet, THAT was The Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz, silly!) or because I simply like to hear the sound of my own voice…no, I have a brain, I assure you, honestly, trust me, (but the internal mechanics and knowledge of my mind are yet another post…)(Did I hear you shout amen?!)

I simply prefer to be happy.

I prefer to share the joy of living that overflows inside me; to give someone a smile for no apparent reason; to step even slightly out of my way to bestow a kindness, if only to see how they react with amazement or bewilderment and then smile back because happiness is, in actuality, infectious. Why not? Doesn’t it beat the alternative: waking up in the morning with a growl (ok, unless it’s before 5am, then growling isn’t necessarily the only thing I’m apt to do), arriving at work with a snarl (again…unless it’s before 5am!) and spending the foreseeable future, for all intents and purposes, mating with maliciousness?
So for someone to suggest that I should put a damper on that buoyant side of my nature is like trying to suggest to the wind that it really ought not blow in a certain direction, or for the tide to simply not rise or fall.

I’m Bubbly, ebullient, vivacious, perhaps even somewhat sagacious….ok and maybe, potentially, ever so slightly, annoying effervescent.

laughter

~Morgan~
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Images found on Google Image search

BnV???- A #Blog About #Words, #Shakespeare, #Poetry, #Positivity and so much More!

08 Tuesday Jun 2021

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BnV???

So, here we are, post number two already and you’ve come back for more.  More, in spite of the askance glances you may have received or the incredulous responses to your description of your initial experience here to your friends or colleagues or strangers on undergrounds and, yes, perhaps, even against your better judgment.  Yet regardless of your reason(s)… Welcome back intrepid voyager!  And while I cannot offer you a tiny cup of refreshment or a miniscule packet of peanuts to fortify you on your journey, I might just be able to offer a few potential explanations as to why you may be here.

Morbid Curiosity?  A Predilection for the Bizarre?  Sheer Insanity?  Or maybe….just maybe….although you can’t positively say why, you actually enjoyed that preliminary assay into The Book and Volume of this Distracted Globe.  If any of these are the case (and even if they aren’t), let’s get down to it, shall we?  The Book and Volume of this Distracted Globe, Book and Volume, BnV…what does it all mean?  I’m sure you’d love to gain some insight, apparently, since you’re here again (a state of affairs about which I am over the moon, by the way), with that perplexed look on your face.  Lucky for you, I’d love to elucidate on that very topic.  (for clarity’s sake, the BnV topic, not the puzzlement on your face.  We’ll leave that for another post).

First and foremost there’s the obvious (and almost certainly not all that innovative) Hamlet reference (my absolute favourite Shakespeare play ever, of all time, always). For those of you unfamiliar with this marvelous tragedy: the following is Hamlet speaking about his Father, now a ghost, who only just told his horrified son about his foul and most unnatural murder…  (Go ahead, read it…I’ll explain, I promise!)

Ay, thou poor ghost, whilst memory holds a seat In this distracted globe. Remember thee?
Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records…
…And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmix’d with baser matter!

OK, so there you go…(although you had no idea you were going to read Shakespeare tonight and hopefully it wasn’t especially horrific or scarring for you.)  This Distracted Globe is, to put it bluntly, Hamlet’s skull and The Book and Volume is his mind and all that it contains.   So Yes, BnV- otherwise known as Book and Volume- is my brain, in all its splendid absurdity and eccentricity poured out for you…yes YOU…on the pages of this otherwise non-descript little blog.

I know…its positively intoxicating (or potentially terrifying), isn’t it?

Secondly, ( you forgot already, didn’t you, that I was talking about the blog and not the whirlings of my  mind) , BnV is a blog about nothing and everything, about the commonplace and the atypical; it’s a place where you may find poetry I’ve woven or tales I’ve spun;  it’s a place for me to share insights (or revelations, as I like to call them ) that I might have on any given day (which, with any luck, will hold some significance for you as well and not leave you sitting there wondering, yet again, what exactly it is that I’m blathering on about.)  Visiting BnV could also lead you to discover a new recipe I’ve created or could find you reading all about some character I’ve come across or created, or why I loved, hated or generally became nauseated by the latest flick I’ve seen or book I’ve read (although I am more often found writing my own rather than reading one by another). Potentially, you could also find yourself looking at a pictorial review of my day, should I have the most inconceivable impediment imaginable and find myself without anything to say (which, if you know me at all or even if you are just getting to know me is something you must be quite certain never happens).

So, BnV?  Yes.  And now you know why….or why not.

The Book and Volume of this Distracted Globe -#A #Blog’s Humble Beginning

06 Sunday Jun 2021

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In Honor of BooknVolume’s Eight Blogoversary I am re-posting the very first post that brought us all together….

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The Book and Volume of This Distracted Globe

Or Book and Volume

Or BnV

Admittedly, I am an amateur.  Sure, I’ve heard about blogs for years, heard people talking about posts round the proverbial water cooler, but I’ve never actually read one.  Nope, not a single one, but I know how to spin a tale; I understand and appreciate the basics of English grammar (although I don’t always obey proper form and I do love a split infinitive) so I thought, why not?  Give it a go.  Have a bash, what’s to lose, really?  Bit of time.  After all, how hard could it be, sitting at my laptop listening to the sounds of the ocean, or a nice thundery rainstorm, or the ethereal music of Delirium all thanks to the wellspring we know as You Tube.  And even If the only person who finds said blog interesting, amusing or, if I’m lucky, entertaining, should be me than that’s just splendid; because if you can’t take a little time out of your day to amuse yourself, then perhaps you’re taking things a bit too seriously. (but I digress)

So here it is, entry one.  Or post number one.  Or what have you.  Now, for those of you who do not know me (yet) perhaps this would be an opportune moment to insert some sort of disclaimer, alert you to some of my comparatively annoying idiosyncrasies, and enlighten you to some of my peculiarities. (Most of these are one in the same by the way)  So here goes: first and foremost I’m a word enthusiast, aficionado, and devotee.  I love, admire, aspire to emulate and find myself positively piqued (by) Shakespeare, Dickens, Austin, Blake, Poe, or the like.  Odd, perchance, but I’m quite certain you’ve probably already ascertained this for yourself.  Yes, words….words….words.. (to quote the Master).  They fill me with inspiration, they bring me to tears or sometimes they make me LOL, ….they can often, also, bore me to bits (insert government or math related blather here).   So you may find yourself reading ten pages of paragraph long sentences brimming over with 6 syllable words just to find out that all I’ve really said is I don’t actually have anything to say.  Yeah, I’m good at that.

I should also probably warn you that, although I find a great many things interesting and will, most likely, remark on any number of them in a given post, I don’t have a particular objective in mind ( at this point anyway) for this blog.  Variety is the spice of life after all, so one never knows what I may sit down and prattle on about, at length, mayhap insipidly, but at the very least ( and dare I say, hopefully!) you won’t find yourself feeling preached at when you’ve reached the end.  That, you may be sure, is not my intention.

So there you are and here I am, two partners in time; one sharing, one gaining (little or nothing, but perhaps at least a smile…if I am successful) giving and receiving, for better or for worse….(yes, I see the direction this metaphorical segment is taking and I would break off, but where this is going illustrates so well another of my quirks, which is, though I hate to admit it, that I do tend to find meaning in even the simplest things)…so to get back to my metaphor… if you think about it, being a writer and a reader is rather like being in a relationship ( I was going to use the M word, but we barely know each other yet).  There’s good, there’s bad, there’s mutual intrigue, there are laughs and tears, arguments and betrayals of one form or another, but in the end, it’s generally worthwhile.  (there, that wasn’t too bad, was it?)

Ok, so you’ve read four paragraphs now and, although I’m only going on instinct, I’m thinking I should probably begin to wrap this up.  Not very educational, to be sure; not very interesting, conceivably, but maybe, just maybe, when you are at work tomorrow talking to your friends ( or if you haven’t any of those at your job ) your colleagues, or when you’re stuck in traffic on your way in or way home talking to one of the aforementioned on your cell, or when you’re chatting with some stranger you just met on the tube, you might just tell them about what you did last night.

How you were sitting at your computer/laptop/iPad/electronic devise of some sort, bored with the mundane, hum-drumness of Facebook and Twitter and you decided, (possibly against better judgment), to strike out on your own.  It was then that you happened upon the most… (insert adjective of your choice here) (yes, interactive blog….nifty, eh?)… blog you’ve ever read in your life and, although you’re not sure if it was about anything in particular, you did have a laugh once or twice, but it didn’t last long and, while it seemed inane at the time and, although you thought you’d never be interested in reading it again, you can’t stop thinking about it.  In fact, you can’t even say why.  What you can say is that the author might just possibly be off her hinges, one pie short of a picnic, not quite reaching warp speed; still, she had a way of writing that made you want to read more….maybe,…although you can’t be certain because there was only one entry.   And now you’re left with the most annoying set of circumstances imaginable because all you really want to know is, what the heck is she going to be nattering on about next?

~Morgan~

Subtle

28 Wednesday Apr 2021

Posted by in Poetry

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Subtle

Colours of Silk,
Soft Hues’ Shifting Sand,
Silence Lifting
Like the Most Gentle Hand.
Moonlight Singing
Of Distant Dreams;
Lavender Mantle,
Melancholy Themes.
Mist of Whispers,
Reflection of Light,
Subtle, Silvery,
Lullaby Night.

~Morgan~
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Beautiful Image found at: favim.com

Long Night- #Poetry of the #NaturalWorld

26 Tuesday Jan 2021

Posted by in Poetry

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fc19a3ef5f821284a63baa912d37f634

Velvet Lavender in the Glittering Night,
Stretching, Reaching, for Ribbons of Light.
Yawning Boughs that Nod their Heads,
Warmly Tucked in their Snowy Beds,
Dreaming of Summer’s Languid Days,
While Starlight, Dancing in the Dark Skies, Plays.
Stillness Caressing the Silence, Seeking
Winter’s Breath, Quietly Keeping,
Until Sunlight’s Kiss Stirs Once More,
Upon the Chill of Long Night’s Door.

~Morgan~
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Beautiful Image found at: The Startrail.com

Preface to #Dystopian #Fantasy The Mercy Series

22 Friday Jan 2021

Posted by in The Mercy Series

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I know, I know…I’ve been inordinately quiet lately and have been posting infrequently.  My humblest apologies 😦  I’ve been working on book three of my newest series, The Mercy Series, for most of the year along with marketing, promotion, reviewing, and…oh yeah, my 9-5.  It hasn’t been without some fairly remarkable results however.

Im delighted to say that The Mercy Series has already won multiple awards, including the Independent Author Network Fantasy Book of the Year, Readers Favorite Silver Medal Finalist for Fantasy Book of the Year, Amazon Best Seller, 3 Readers Favorite 5-Star Reviews, and the single-most, absolutely exciting thing of all has been contracted with GoldenNetwork.TV for their upcoming ROKU Streaming Library!

Because I’ve been working hard developing this story, I thought I would share the preface of book three…which prefaces the entire series, really.  I hope you’ll find it intriguing!

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Long before human beings were created, the Angels and Archangels existed; their abode, the Realm Beyond.  Beyond the earth-plane.  Beyond cognitive perception.  Beyond sight, sound, and touch.  The Beyond is where all forms of energy originate and to where all forms of energy return.  It is where perfection is considered the norm; where all beings are made up of energy that is in harmony with all the energy around them. In this place, darkness and light, positive and negative, power and fragility are balanced.  There is no evil intent and there is no selfish thought.  It is a place of peace, harmony and accord where each energy has a purpose that encompasses positivity.

In the great spans of time before the reign of humans, a portion of the dark energy that existed in harmony with the light chose to separate itself. Its purpose became sullied; its compassion grew self-limiting and its generosity twisted into greed.  This dark energy beguiled and tempted, drawing power from the bright, positive energy it devoured.  It expanded, taking and manipulating, perverting and distorting, until its influence became too disruptive.

Like a contagion against which the body defends itself, the malignant, encompassing dark force was opposed by the positive forces around it. The battle was mighty and pitched the entire cosmos into chaos.  Some energies were lost and others chose to follow where others would not go; yet ultimately positive energy prevailed. Banished to the Realm Beneath, the corruption of darkness was expelled.  It was not destroyed.

To eliminate the opposite of itself, even though it posed a great threat, would be to create instability.  It would cause in imbalance of energy.  The Realm Beyond is balance and equanimity to its very core.  It cannot create what it is not; thus, the darkness was expelled, but not eliminated.

Between these two opposing dominions lies the earth-plane.  The realm of all that is corporeal.  In an attempt to balance the disorder created by the expulsion of dark energy from their realm, each Archangel gave a portion of themselves, of their energy, in the creation of humanity. Traits such as strength, loyalty, kindness, patience, obedience, forgiveness, mercy and other positive attributes were gifted and human beings were given breath.  They gained dominion over all other forms of life, yet as the wheels of time turned the earth-plane became a domain of perpetual conflict, where light and dark clash unceasingly; where positive and negative, once again, do not balance.

The earth-plane and the realms Beyond and Beneath are connected through spiritual corridors that forms of energy understand how to traverse.  These corridors are utilized every hour of the day and night as the battle continues.  Darkness seeks to consume while light strives to achieve harmonious stability and in a final effort to reunify, four powers of inconceivable influence are released.

The Horsemen Ride.

Read Reviews and find Links for the series here

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~Morgan~

#StayTuned #Podcast – A Chat about #Books, #CharacterDevelopment, #TheWall, & More

29 Sunday Nov 2020

Posted by in Authors Books Reviews & Interviews

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“Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would” …work at The Wall Music Store (Sorry, but it has been Far Far too long since I dropped some classic lit on ya!) (Moby Dick, if you were wondering).

At The Wall, I met and hired a young man by the name of Troy.  Nice Guy.  Reliable, diligent, and lots of fun to work with.  He knew his stuff when it came to music….so it’s no surprise that now…um, several years later (wink wink), he should be the creator of his own (well, his and his friend Howie’s,, actually) podcast.

“Stay Tuned is 2 dudes with dreams of entertaining you. If you have any questions or suggestions please email us at staytunedtnh@gmail.com. Follow us on Twitter @staytunedtnh Stay Tuned is a podcast about everything happening locally and beyond. We have experts in sports, news, health and just about anything beyond your imagination. Sit back and hear some voices from the past, present and future.”

To make a short story long- I was recently invited to chat with them about my books, my writing journey, things I’ve learned along the way, and how I come up with the crazy languages I put in all my books. (and a few more things, too!)

Listen to the Podcast here

It was great fun and I hope you’ll sit down with a cuppa and have a listen 🙂

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~Morgan~

Jaspar the Amazon Parrot – An #Interview with a #YABook #ChildrensBook #Writer

26 Saturday Sep 2020

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Jasper is no ordinary parrot.

He lives in the rainforest, which secrets he’s eager to explore. Jasper loves his home and his family, and he’s also in charge of his younger brother Willie – a responsibility Jasper takes very seriously.

When he meets Charlie – a spider monkey with a penchant for food and a laid back attitude – he realizes he’s in for an adventure he never thought possible.   Even if this means getting into danger and worrying his mother to no end.

Exploring the boundaries of the forest, Jasper understands that there is more to the world around him. Who are the strange new creatures that have come there? With Willie and Charlie by his side, he will soon find out.

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Sharon C. Williams is a native of New England and was raised in Northern Maine. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, son and a flock of birds.

Sharon has a B. S. degree in Chemistry. Plus, an A.S. degree in Biology and in Math. She loves to read, sketch, take pictures, walk, exercise, go to the movies, and listen to music. She is a budding bird watcher, and knits on the side. She is a huge sports fan of baseball, basketball, hockey, and football. She is also a shutterbug and is always looking for the next big shot.

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Hi Sharon…let’s dive right in, shall we?  Tell us what do you love most about Writing? I love the freedom it gives me. You can write about anything you want. All one has to do is look around, feel or do a picture or word prompt. Literally all I have to do is be observant. Making things up out of thin air is magical. I guess it is hard to explain the love I have inside when I write. Perhaps only other writers might get it. It’s pure joy. It’s just hard to explain but yes, pure joy.

I entirely understand!  How did you get your start writing?  My husband had told a friend of mine earlier that he felt I wrote well. Upon her telling me this I thought to myself, “Why not?” I started seriously writing in the Fall of 2009. I had a story in my head that would not let me rest. Having two surgeries at the end of 2009, non-related, gave me a lot of free time to put to paper the story.

What Inspired you to write your book? I started with the idea of writing a book for any future grandchildren I might have. Thinking on  what kind of story to even begin with I literally looked around my house. I was hoping for something to hit me in the face.

Laying my eyes on him it hit me. Jasper. You see I live with my main character. How many people can say that? He is our Amazon Yellow Cheek parrot who we rescued and adopted in 1999 at the age of five.  Knowing I could use my knowledge of birds it just meshed together for me to connect the dots.  Learning about where he is from, the Amazon rainforest, made me want to write about the issues there. Plus, I wanted to engage kids in entertainment and also educate them at the same time.

Pets are such a blessing…and in this case, not only to you! Thats awesome.  So, when you’re writing, are you a painstaking plotter or are you a discovery writer? I’m a discovery writer. I love letting my characters decide where my manuscript goes. I also don’t want to take the time to plot. I feel, as far as I am concern, that it restricts my creativity. I love to free style. Majority of my books have arrived from me free styling.

Although it’s often hard to select just one, do you have a favourite or least favourite character?   You’re right, it is hard. But I would go with my main character, Jasper.  This is do to the close connection and interactions I have with him. We rescued and adopted him in 1999 at the age of five. He has been with us for 20 years now.  He is truly a special animal. His personality and his mannerisms are all over this series. So you see I was already in love with him prior to writing the book.

Ok, that was kind of a gimmie.  How about tips for aspiring writers…what would you best advice be? Believe in yourself and your book. Sometimes you might be the only one who does.

I say that too, but it’s so true.  If you don’t love your book, who else will?  Besides your own, what types of books do you like to read and does this differ from the genre that you prefer to write? I grew up loving horror and mystery. That has not changed. I always been someone who love watching horror films and that just translate to books. Being from Maine I am fortunate to have the great one, Stephen King, in my mist. The genre I prefer to write in is a hard one to answer. I write in a variety of genres and they all excite me- children’s, (I’m known for this one), true life, comedy and action and adventure.

As a writer, but also a reader, is there a book you consider a must-read- and if so, why?   Story Engineering by Larry Brooks. In fact anything by him will help you in some way. I had never heard of writing a book in the way he breaks it down in such an effective form. I just about highlighted the entire book and earmarked the rest. His methods are simple but just so effective.

OK, here’s the hard one…at least, I think so…what is the hardest part of editing- grammar checks, reducing content, or something else? For me it would be grammar checks. I am too good at using past tense and the misuse of commas in my WIPs. But the real hard part is I hate to edit. I rather be writing away coming up with characters, plots and conflict than to take time and work on edits.    I am not one of those authors who edit as I write. I rather just write. So when it comes to this part of the puzzle I am filled with dread.

And just because ….Do you have a Mantra- a Quote you try to live by?  Love your book like no other. If you don’t love it why will anyone else?

I’d like to thank Sharon for sharing her stories about Jaspar with us.  The series sounds perfect for YA readers…or anyone who wants a smile of a read 🙂  

Please look for Sharon’s books on Amazon

Sharon’s Author Page

Goodreads

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~Morgan~