writing about writing – Rivers Renewed

Blogging Update: February

Well if you’ve been following my work for a while you probably have seen some subtle changes. I seem more focused on what I’m seeing or feeling inside. Whatever I’m doing on a personal level, it’s working. I’m more at peace.

Some of my readers probably thought I had closed the shop, packed my bags and headed for the airport! Well, not so.

I’ve made a decision. This site is too old! It’s clunky, overloaded, and cumbersome. I love this blog though and will keep it here. However in a few months I’ll create a new one. Lighter, with a different type of writing. And I will post a lot less. I’m developing it. In the meantime I’ll still be here.

I am different. I’m different than I was, and I see the world and writing in a different way, than just a few years ago. I am no longer a fundamentalist and don’t want to be one ever again.

I write differently and what I read lately has been very exciting to me. I’m reading Deborah Harkness’ books, called a Discovery of Witches. She’s an amazing writer and her books are nothing like Harry Potter. They are not gross, and they seem to me like a more refined, sophisticated version of the Marvel movies.

I’m also reading some Anne Rice books, but her later work. I’m avoiding the early works because of them being way too gross and/or spicy. Yikes! I mention her because she is one of the best writers I have ever seen. Later in life she was a person of faith.

So I only read women authors now, because of their “voice”, their writer’s voice. And I noticed that when I write fiction the main characters are women. Remember Emma the Time Traveler series? And then there was Ally the Trans Woman.

See what I mean? I’m different now. Still a work in progress.

Thank you so much for reading!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! This is such a beautiful time of year. At least for a little while we can freely talk of peace and love and being kind to one another.

Isn’t that amazing??

And I don’t think of this holiday as just one day. It’s a season. Ever heard of the “Twelve Days of Christmas”?

Many of you have a different faith than I do, so I wish you all Happy Holidays! Wherever you are around the world, may you have a blessed season of peace, time with family, rest, and provision for all of your needs.

I will be taking a holiday break this year. I know, I know what you’re thinking! I seldom do very well with taking breaks! I try, but I’m a writer so I write.

So as a compromise I will be sharing some older work, for about the next ten days or so. And I’ll share a couple new posts next weekend. I will check your sites on occasion. I love your work!

Thank you so much for reading!

Let’s hope that next year is a better one. Amen?

Peace.

Amazed by Our Journey

No I’m no mystic, just a writer seeking more than mist, the tossing and shaping of words, by channels of the sea

I walk, and I am alone again….. seeking and perhaps that’s the danger of wordsmithing,

forever a quest, will we allow the heart to be open enough, risking?

Or do we cloud walk only long enough to use the heart?

I think of it more now, maybe as enjoying our gift

flowing, then becoming amazed

by our journey,

Synthesis

When who we were blends with who we are now, a beautiful synthesis

shapes our phrases, and our wordflow forms

a new creation.

Never losing

who we truly are.

Well my attempt at simply sharing archives did not work. There were no technical problems. Yet I would look at the old poem and change it just a little.

And little more, and a little bit more…..and you get the idea. A synthesis, creating something completely new.

I guess in a way people are like that too…..always new yet not losing the core

of who we are.

Blog Celebration

I’m very proud to announce, that of this writing my blog has more than 2,900 posts here! Wow. Can you believe it? I can hardly believe it myself. It didn’t happen overnight!

Some time ago I mentioned that this site is maxed out, completely full. Did you know there is a limit of memory on each site? I made some room and now it is full again.

Rivers Renewed to the MAX!

I’ve decided to share some of these beautiful posts, from years ago. For example 2017 was a great year! For the next few weeks I’ll be celebrating with classic poetry along with new work, while I’m renovating, which means cataloging, archiving, and making more room.

I will be retiring from blogging sometime in the future, maybe even later this year. Yet every time I consider retiring, I find more inspiration. Maybe that’s the way writing should be.

Thank you so much for reading!

Wishing you peace.

Follow Your Heart

I write of peace, of nature, healing, discovery, renewal, of God being in the woods. There is spirit and wings, for each of us I think. A quiet heart seeking.

Yet within each of us there are different rivers, sources of inspiration. For example I love writing fiction. Did you know I had a fiction blog at one point?

And with yesterday’s post about the Capitol riot you saw yet another river from my heart. If I had the time (and I don’t) I could start a blog offering political analysis and commentary.

And yes each post can be a risk, if we push the boundaries of where we were. For “Flags and Banners” I was already expecting a much lower response. It’s the nature of that type of post.

And that’s ok.

So my point is – explore who you are as a writer, as an artist. Take chances, discover the new……and most of all……follow your heart.

Peace.

Writer’s Light

As I write this, light dances through the window over my shoulder with shadows from the shades and pine trees moving across the wall. I realize I write a lot about these pine trees, and the red maples, oaks and poplar trees, as if there is a strength hidden.

I hold the hawks close to my heart, or it could be, just that one that likes to fly close to me, at eye level. It can see it now in a larger sense that courage takes wing and sometimes leaves a feather as a souvenir of victory. Sharing more than light, and clearly defining my true self.

The sun is now moving a little closer to the horizon, as I squint…..closing the shade.

Up on the Ridge

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When I went up on the ridge that day I had my raincoat on, the one with the hood,

and checked for my mask in the ziploc. Seeking my rock, my thinking rock, my prayer

and meditation rock, there was comfort when I found it and I sat down silently, even in the rain

I could sense the quiet of the forest. I closed my eyes and quieted my spirit…..realizing I didn’t need to find some new deep revelation,

or write a poem producing lightning on a page, some awe inspiring lines, one poem

out doing another, until the lines faded. That was all nonsense. I could just be who I was,

and write quietly of healing and nature, and peace. Praying on a rock up high, sitting in the rain.

Art Blending

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I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the series, The Colors of the Night Sky!

This was an exciting, pushing back the boundaries time for me. It was something new, and I purposely blended different types of writing.

Did you know you can blend different genres? I think science fiction, fantasy, and romance, work well together.

I also blended some poetry with prose, especially in the first piece.

Colors infused was something I enjoyed trying also. Don’t you just love purple?

Now I have a decision to make. I’ve ended the series here, but there is so much missing……

due to squeezing in the story into the wordpress format. I need to go further with this story, stretching my wings, developing and filling in the rest of the story.

Fiction is not most popular type of post, and I think the least favorite with readers.

That showed up big time in my blog this past week but I expected it.

So….I will cut back a little here while I think about it.

I love writing so thank you for reading!

Creative Writing and Spice

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This is a creative writing blog, and as you probably know, I love writing poetry and fiction!

And I am a person of faith. I was a very conservative person years ago, but no longer.

No, it was not Donald Trump that changed my views, but his success confirmed what I already knew.

Anyway it’s been at least 5 years since I walked away from conservativism.

Now, I’ve said these things, to let you know that I do have boundaries, or a framework for my writing.

I don’t ever remember typing a curse word here. I don’t condemn anyone that does, but I’ve decided not to.

When it comes to love, it is God given and perfectly natural to write about. Can it go overboard? Absolutely!

Some people of faith though avoid love like the plague, but I think that’s a real shame.

I’m a writer, and this young couple we have just met in The Colors of the Night Sky will find each other, and yes there will be some spice.

I will not go overboard. My intention is to write a great story, that’s authentic.

I’m having a great time writing!

Thank you for reading!

Tag: writing about writing