Happy Monday! Happy May!

I’m a little remiss on my poetry but today I want to present the winning poems of April’s Poetry Contest. Congratulations to them again and I hope you enjoy reading these as much as we judges enjoyed reading them

1st Place 
INSPIRED INSANITY by Coralie Rowe

Inspiration does come
And it also does go
What inspires me to write
I really don’t know

Sometimes it is
The whisper of a word
Other times it is a thought
That’s really quite absurd

I dream of oceans
Being kissed by the moon
I envision creepy specters
That would make you swoon

I paint visions in my mind
Using words as my art
Some are dark and spooky
While others are from my heart

Just little random words
I write as they come to me
A joyous culmination
Of inspiration and insanity
***

2nd Place
Words Expressed by David Jacks

I don’t always find my words
too easily expressed.
So if I were to speak them,
sometimes they are suppressed.

But if pen touches paper,
such worlds I can create.
It then frees me from my own,
as if lifting a weight.

Cut the strings that hold me down.
Please tie me up no more.
Let loose feelings once secret
and open wide the door.

I can’t do this on my own.
Writing helps me to find,
all the things that were once sealed
somewhere deep in my mind.

For all the thoughts left behind,
I must pour out my soul.
Forever searching for them,
just to make myself whole.
***

3rd Place
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS by James Matthews Byers

The subtle sound of soothing calm-
A bumblebee in flight;
Anointed treasure in my palm-
Considerate delight;
Amazement on a newborn’s face-
Transitions, foot to mouth;
Impressions of a living space-
The springtime in the South;
Combustion of a beating heart-
Removed from single life;
Conditioning a humble start-
A husband and a wife;
Perplexing rhythm of a song-
Commanding vocal cord;
The distance, short or ever long-
The pen, a mighty sword;
Forever in a lover’s eyes-
The sigh of falling fast;
Chameleons in their disguise-
The colors floating past;
Commencement of a wild parade-
An alter full of hope;
The jester and his vast charade-
The hangman and his rope;
Surrender to the burning fire-
Intrinsic is the fuse;
And so these many things inspire-
Combined, they are my Muse …
***

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Thank you to everyone who participated but a huge Congratulations to the winners! And a big thank you to the judges as well to the authors who contributed their work for prizes!

Speaking of poetry and awards, my poetry book, THE BOOK OF NOW, just won it’s second award! First I won a Silver Award for Poetry in the 2017 eLit Book Awards and now I’m the winner of —- drum roll —————-

2017 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite, Book Cover Non-Fiction

I must say I had an idea for my book cover and I knew how I wanted it to look. BUT I am NOT a designer and I am pleased that Marisa-rose Shor of Cover Me Darling created the most fabulous book cover for me. She translated my wishes perfectly and designed a beautiful custom cover (from scratch, no stock pictures photographs). Thank you, Marisa! I share this award with you.

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NOW– NEW BOOK COVER REVEAL!! I’m so excited! My newest book is about to be released. Now I can share the book cover with you (also designed by Marisa-rose Shor) and with model Haleyy Loan. I’m delighted to present the new book, THE GYPSY THORN.

Isn’t it awesome?? Stay tuned because the release will be this month. And you will want to get your copy. This is a prequel novel that sets up the Evening Bower series. The first book is projected for October 2017. That’s right. THIS YEAR.

So, read my Midnight Assassin – A Tale of Lust and Revenge and follow that one up with The Gypsy Thorn. Then you will be ready for the first in the new series.

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Thank you everyone for your continued support of my books and for checking in here. Please feel free to leave comments (I moderate them but they go up the same day in most cases). And also continue to send me questions via my contact sheet or on my Facebook Author Page. I love hearing from you and I will answer your questions on my next live chat, this month.

Yours Between the Lines,
Sherry

Three years ago, I was a guest at a function with a friend of mine and as I was introduced around, one lady said, “Hello, and what are you?”

I smiled, shook her hand, chuckled a bit and replied, “Um, human?” 

She did not seem amused at my response though her companion (a male), did chuckle. She cast him a sideways “look” and pressed on. “No dear, I mean what is your job?”

“Ah!” I nodded. “Well, I’m a retired US Air Force veteran and a…”

Before I could finish, she interrupted with a tone of irritation behind her tight smile.

“Yes, I heard that already,” she frowned and sounded very exasperated. I stared to become uncomfortable. “I mean what job do you do NOW?” She was leaning into my space for emphasis (I think).

“I am a writer.” I said, flatly.  “Actually, I’m an author.”

She stared at me and said, “I heard about your hobby, dear. But don’t you have a real job?”

And then snarky me smirked, leaned in very close, and whispered, “I’m actually a midnight sex goddess but I don’t like to brag.”

“You aren’t very funny.” She huffed and her companion laughed out loud as she jerked him away.

“Obviously.” I laughed and went to get a coffee refill.

This conversation serves to highlight something I think most writers experience. Unless you have a full-time job as a journalist, creative writing professor, professional blogger, ghostwriter, magazine editor or some sort of profession where you draw a regular paycheck for your written words, you have met the enemy who thinks you have a frivolous hobby as a “writer” and basically you are a waste of space.

Worse, if you are a self-published, Indie author, you most likely have met the demons who believe you are a narcissistic, egocentric hobbyist.

Among writers, editors and other creative people, the world of the Indie Author no longer draws the skepticism, cynicism, and mockery of years past. However, there remains a large population of the traditionally published, the yearning-to-be-published, the I-only-read-NY Times-best sellers readers, and a whole generation of writers over 50 who think self-publishing means vanity press. You know, pay the publisher on proviso that you buy 500 books (or more). Or someone will ask, how can anyone possibly be seen as serious if you don’t have an agent and a Simon and Schuster, Random House or Harper imprint contract?

The times they are a-changin’ but maybe not as fast at the “real world” level as magazines and literary books might want you to believe.

There still exists this idea that if you are a “real” author, then you are a James Patterson, Patricia Cromwell, or JK Rowlings making serious money and doing nothing else. Or, what is really believed is that you are a struggling author, barely surviving. Anything else assumes that your writing is a hobby, something to be done in the dark, late at night, when your “real” work has ended (little do they know this is truer than they realize). Worse, you are some late night hack, posting to fly-by-night websites who serve no purpose but to annoy and clutter the already overpopulated web landscape.

The truth is that the Indie Author is becoming as mainstream as the traditionally published author. And most of the long-term Indie Authors (the ones who are serious and working at a book or two a year), make more in royalties than the new traditionalists (unless you wrote Harry Potter, The Historian or Fifty Shades of Grey). Still, the stereotype continues that assumes Indie’s are lacking in talent or know-how to achieve traditional publishing, when the truth is that traditional book publishers are fading in the shadow of the Indie author. Writers and those who work with writers know this.

The Indie Author is a trailblazer, a risk taker, a storyteller, a historian, a reporter, a teacher, a parent, and a child. Inside every author all these characters exist, live and breathe and are merely waiting to be born. The Indie Author knows that to deny this need is to deny oneself true self. The author knows no sex or race or religion or creed other than the Indie Manifesto – “To write the best there is, to share, to write again.”

The problem is that the average guy on the street, or woman in the party, does NOT know this. The word is not out to the everyday person. The average “Joe” is still operating on stereotypes and the battle to overcome stigmas continues. Few understand that being a writer, to become an Indie Author, is the work of the heart, and usually fills the same need as breathing.

Sadly, those who do not write DO NOT GET IT. The only way to convince the uninitiated and uninformed is to write the best damn book you can and sell it to them.  We’ll win them over one well-crafted book at a time, one story at a time, one best-seller, one award-winner, one neighborhood tale, one fan fiction, one biography….one extraordinary effort at a time. It may take time. Be patient. Rome was burnt in a day but it took centuries to build the legendary city.

Be prepared. The truth is NOT out there. The Indie Author is not a fully accepted member of society. Outside of the bigger cities, people are unlikely to understand your self-serving, narcissistic, self-actualizing, vanity book. Press on anyway.

I’d like to put in one little proviso. Once upon a time, I was warned, “You can’t confuse what you do with who you are.” In other words, you are not your “job” and your job isn’t you.  A caution not to define ourselves to our work so that we don’t become our jobs and forget that we are so many other things beyond our work. However, writers often do define themselves with their work. I am a writer. A writer writes. I write. Therefore I am a writer. But again, we are so much more too – wives, sisters, mothers, doctors, priests, lawyers, librarians…see what I mean? So I will remind you not to confuse who you are with being a writer. But let writing become a part of who you are. You write. You are a writer. And hopefully, you will be an Indie Author.

Meanwhile, the lady who tried to put me down for being a non-functioning member of society with a writing hobby? She’s since purchased my book and I heard her tell another woman, “Oh yes, I know her. She’s an award-winning author. You haven’t read her poetry? Do you live under a rock? It’s been out over a year….”

There you have it. One book at a time. One person at a time. Write well. Sell yourself. Sell the concept and success of the Indie Author and convert the enemy at the gates!

(I must add a true confession – I may be an Indie Author but I’m a bit of a reading snob. I haven’t read that many Indie Author books and remain in the mainstream book boat. But I’m improving, discovering many bestselling, NYT Indie Authors, something that there simply weren’t many of three years ago. I’m evolving)

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And now for poetry month — And in recognition of April being Children Abuse Prevention Month – here is my offering in poetry. Remember that poetry tells a story, faster and tighter than any short story or novel. Poets seek to succinctly and tightly present the truth as impactfully as possible. That’s why they are special writers. They view moments through the micro lens and present the macro issues. I tried with this one in my poetry book, THE BOOK OF NOW.

 

Good Monday morning, readers and writers everywhere!  I hope your Easter weekend/school break/vacation was supremely happy and restful. Ready to get back to work? I am. But first I wanted to break from the usual weekly articles and touch base on a few odds and ends.

NEWS:  I am delighted to announce that the eLit Book Awards were announced over the weekend. I am the proud SILVER Medalist for The Book of Now (TBoN)! Let’s have a group hug!AND On Apr 14 I started a FREE Giveaway of ebook copies of TBoN. TODAY is the last day to get your free Kindle copy of it. I will NOT be offering this book for free ever again.  Now is your chance! Last day is TODAY. RUN!
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Next, the Poetry Contest ended yesterday. Judging begins today and winners will be announced on APRIL 26. Stay tuned for the LIVE announcement (see below) and I wish all the entrants good luck!

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I’ll be on the radio! Join me on Yvonne Mason’s blogtalk radio program OFF THE CHAIN on FRIDAY, April 21, at 8pm. We always have a great time and we’re planning to discuss poetry. Call in and ask your questions. And share your thoughts with us! I look forward to our hour together. Click the link and listen live or check back later and listen to the archived program.

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NEW BOOK STATUS:  I’m finishing the final edits on the new book. I finally selected a title and all will be revealed soon. Get ready because I hope to have the book available by the end of MAY!

What is the new book? If you read my MIDNIGHT ASSASSIN – A Tale of Lust and Revenge, then you met Drahomira, my deliciously sexy vampire. She’s back and she’s setting up the reason for the new series called The Evening Bower. This prequel will introduce a variety of characters who will come together (some sooner, others later) in the new stories. Drahomira is my connector, my facilitator (just don’t tell her I said that), and she’s bringing trouble in her wake.

I’ll keep you posted with more information soon.

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New FACEBOOK LIVE EVENT on APRIL 26 at 9pm. The Poetry Contest Winner announced, news about the new book, info on the Space Coast Book Lovers Event, and a few special shout outs.  Mark your calendar!

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Finally, I know I don’t say it often enough but thank you to everyone who supports me with you friendship, your encouragement, you cheering when I do well, your uplifting inspiration when I do poorly, and for filling my life with smiles and laughter. You are all my inspiration and I treasure you.

Next Monday I will have some poetry and thoughts about poetry to end National Poetry Month.

Until then I remain,
Yours, Between the Lines,
Sherry