tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51725380294540026342024-03-19T15:50:09.275+11:00Behind Sally's BooksFlorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.comBlogger965125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-77355756135683562512021-11-17T10:15:00.006+11:002021-11-17T10:19:02.523+11:00Queen of Tarts<p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.extasybooks.com/Queen-of-Tarts-1" target="_blank">Buy Queen of Tarts 1</a> </span></p><p>Queen of Tarts! I intended to write a shortish book, making it one of four titles riffing on cards...Who knows why- must have seemed a good idea at the time.</p><p>Anyway, I went for it when the opportunity came to write a Halloween story. I named my heroine- Queenie Hart, and afflicted her with what she calls the Caledonian Curse, in that, every October, her speech and thought patterns get taken over by a cranky and highly suspect Scotswoman. Queenie doesn't want, or like to burst into a flood of Gaelic or, worse still, cod stage Scots invective when anyone annoys her, but there it is- come October, that's exactly what she'll do.</p><p>The Caledonian Curse has lost her jobs, friendships, boyfriends and is about to lose her the unit she has lived in by default since moving in with a work friend who subsequently moved out. It's not all about loss, either... it can also be about cost, as Lassie Haggis, as Queenie eventually dubs her extra personality, has a penchant for online shopping for everything from a round trip to Scotland to a case of Islay Malt and a bagpipe serenade. It's possibly unfortunate that Lassie Haggis is in control when Queenie encounters James Stuart (not the king or the actor) at Circular Quay...</p><p>I had a wonderful time writing Queenie's story but, par for the course, it went long. Eventually, it went TOO long for the publisher who had taken it on. Therefore, I split the ms into Queen of Tarts 1 and Queen of Tarts 2. The first one ends on the edge of October, with a sinister rustling in the belfry. The second ones ends on the night of Halloween. Q#1 came out in October. Q#2 will be out in late November. Having left Queenie in a position where she's solved her most pressing problems, I realised there was still more of the story to tell. Therefore, I wrote Queen of Tarts 3, subtitled The Twelve Tarts of Christmas. (Did I mention Queenie is a baker?) In this one, most of the remaining mystery is unraveled... It comes out in late December. I had a wonderful time with bats, The Belfry, a rackety 96-year-old landlord, a grumpy landlady, a load of fairies, tarts, a basket of childhood, a mysterious painting, a bus called Ethel... anyway, it was all enormous fun. </p><p>Oh, and naturally, I needed to know what happened to the grumpy landlady, Angel Petty, and to her new tenant, Penny Bunn, and so I wrote One Hundred Roses which comes out in February. I badly wanted to write Ninety-Nine Shamrocks for St Patrick's Day, but my computer crashed. Maybe next year.</p><p><br /></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi711PU3tnJ3iDnfq0htaB6zZzi-VQe_s_JR4ACSBk0Q4YW8DJzrCUjkg_41jrG8p56NxAZvKmZxifAkzRPOd0i6TVK0uRoI6IaXQh4j02L1fvA5WmuVi9v6-Iuo4V7wRzOLLvuVEddOyE/s900/QUEENOFTARTS1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi711PU3tnJ3iDnfq0htaB6zZzi-VQe_s_JR4ACSBk0Q4YW8DJzrCUjkg_41jrG8p56NxAZvKmZxifAkzRPOd0i6TVK0uRoI6IaXQh4j02L1fvA5WmuVi9v6-Iuo4V7wRzOLLvuVEddOyE/w426-h640/QUEENOFTARTS1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0162UUZg0vU7wDxvpWgiOcgpNKS7rqFlLRI-jSAk3FSjRNULh0VyZxqGlAMWPZ7N7WTS_ErY2POE3rRgB3JFTJ4RTadxCNOyzOc0UPzpxTOnFyKg8GMGoIITdpJcdWgfKH9RFL6fm2c/s1350/QUEENOFTARTS2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0162UUZg0vU7wDxvpWgiOcgpNKS7rqFlLRI-jSAk3FSjRNULh0VyZxqGlAMWPZ7N7WTS_ErY2POE3rRgB3JFTJ4RTadxCNOyzOc0UPzpxTOnFyKg8GMGoIITdpJcdWgfKH9RFL6fm2c/w426-h640/QUEENOFTARTS2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbxHKcgol46_FhiXfQYPOCaWxE0S84pVttz358dfDwbAGkuZkaUM8EXQEwof0DYBjzNlFxUI4NhPrLjPGCOXpkp7W57eBTWSgG9T07mOBrFf7J_hnRwZ5Kvm4Fae1pgSwOOIkPBAFXgA/s900/QUEENOFTARTS3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbxHKcgol46_FhiXfQYPOCaWxE0S84pVttz358dfDwbAGkuZkaUM8EXQEwof0DYBjzNlFxUI4NhPrLjPGCOXpkp7W57eBTWSgG9T07mOBrFf7J_hnRwZ5Kvm4Fae1pgSwOOIkPBAFXgA/w426-h640/QUEENOFTARTS3.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-29535898223834467882020-05-14T08:20:00.002+10:002020-05-14T08:20:13.661+10:00Queen of the May<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3xGom0RqpHjfx5iwMEOv76qSNOeJBIf-rOGLl0UDLOJ1zhfkA44X0eSVQ9k3nv2JY7DDv58IRV8moPjUvXvzhB0kF7IVl-iRsJIdGkp_4NP2pDtsMAXiV7k89G4kW7z-c2wIZh5Qtpo/s1600/QUEENOFTHEMAY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3xGom0RqpHjfx5iwMEOv76qSNOeJBIf-rOGLl0UDLOJ1zhfkA44X0eSVQ9k3nv2JY7DDv58IRV8moPjUvXvzhB0kF7IVl-iRsJIdGkp_4NP2pDtsMAXiV7k89G4kW7z-c2wIZh5Qtpo/s320/QUEENOFTHEMAY.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Well, it's been a while! I just wrote a FB post and suddenly remembered my blog. So, here it is, polished up.<br />
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<span data-offset-key="51pjd-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">My new romance Queen of the May is available right now! <a href="https://www.extasybooks.com/978-1-4874-2803-7-queen-of-the-may">HERE.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span data-offset-key="6eg0n-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">May Day, I thought... might write a book for May Day. So I did. As a few of my local friends </span><span data-offset-key="6eg0n-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;">might possibly remember, way, way back in the day the Devonport Choral Society put on the light operetta Merrie England. 1979, that must have been... May, that must have been. In Merrie England, there's a song called The May Queen Comes. I've always loved the music from Merrie England, and I got to sing some of it on stage. I'm not the best singer in the word by a long chalk, but Mum and Dad were musical, and my sister did the photography, and I got to be part of the chorus. So, I sang and danced and had a village maiden's costume. It was wonderful fun. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span data-offset-key="6eg0n-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Mind you, I got married a week after the show ended, so that was a busy year. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span data-offset-key="6eg0n-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I think all this was in the back of my mind when I was writing Queen of the May. This book isn't autobiographical in any way. Lucy isn't in Merrie England. She's NOT in a musical called Queen of the May, and that's the whole point. She could have played the lead, but she didn't. (No way could I have ever played the lead, or even a named part.) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span data-offset-key="6eg0n-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Nevertheless, I got to invent a new musical, and play with costumes, and interesting china, and invent a loved series of children's books... oh, this book has all sorts of the things I love in it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span data-offset-key="6eg0n-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Queen of the May is part of a long running series, but it stands alone easily, because most of the characters are new or have appeared only once before, in tiny supporting roles.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></span></div>
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Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-82704732848975301852019-08-31T22:56:00.002+10:002019-08-31T22:56:39.999+10:002019 in Focus: August<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegOz6atL3m48JgC5Qj2WYMaG8BFP-Fpadb6QHOdJBkabaESHuZmQJXMzvKWBjikiNzacAUETvel7n0jE9isd9biPo9TZmQPFNiHb13tsVs29kEOJ24GpXRApTBAuVHIHlk3RlT_yYICc/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegOz6atL3m48JgC5Qj2WYMaG8BFP-Fpadb6QHOdJBkabaESHuZmQJXMzvKWBjikiNzacAUETvel7n0jE9isd9biPo9TZmQPFNiHb13tsVs29kEOJ24GpXRApTBAuVHIHlk3RlT_yYICc/s640/cover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2019 in Focus: August has gone to print. </span><br />
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<b>Every day in August I went for a
walk with my camera and took photos. I chose some to represent each day and
wrote accompanying verse. Every photo and all but one verse was created on the
stated day (that one was done the morning after). The photos are not <i>all </i>in focus, but when I chose a fuzzy
one it was for a good reason.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>I knew I’d be away for part of
August, so the theme is Home Away Back.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>I made some of the photos into
sets or collages. A few of them have been digitally altered to remove something
ugly and intrusive or to create a flipped pattern. This was done in Paint. Colour,
brightness and contrast are left natural and I didn’t use any effects. The
coloured frames and text were mostly done using sampled colour from the photos.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b> I managed to contain the size to 149 pages this time; let's hope I can keep September to a reasonable size too!</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span>Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-64778515216893761642019-08-18T22:41:00.000+10:002019-08-18T22:41:07.849+10:00Jigsaw Cards RemadeJigsaw Cards Remade<br />
Well, they never did turn up, so I remade them using three sets this time...<br />
Here are a few samples.<br />
Pick one from each set to get an idea.<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">OBJECTS<br />
hat horse ink bottle statue ice ice-cream Jack jumpers joey kite<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"> kitten kettle
bird computer dingo dog cake brumby lake tree ring<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">DESCRIPTORS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">A strange A
flying A painted An inky An ice Black Purple sparkling<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">An ugly An
angry A shining A scary </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A dripping A
weird A tiny <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">ACTION<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">I want I need I
don’t want Scared of Running from Looking for I found<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">The teacher
asked for Hunting for Finding Losing Chasing Packing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Selling Buying Inventing
Discovering I laugh at Racing Getting rid of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Ideas:<br />
I want a strange hat...<br />
Looking for a flying statue<br />
Discovering an inky cake...Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-79957601333973389292019-08-17T10:06:00.001+10:002019-08-17T10:06:40.521+10:00Jigsaw Cards AWOL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DQ_bOg0ycnrHOjJc4qOrRqU2x9Ntv4XLcCGTvwULXDA0KoV_qZYZIIOHiN6-YBrP_9wUiLDRxPNdMwTZ6P_CG-PZONItWMcR3Vt-KI8v1lMTwaYSfgrJyNfB5S7bTeFtQM7A9A8GEpk/s1600/everything+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DQ_bOg0ycnrHOjJc4qOrRqU2x9Ntv4XLcCGTvwULXDA0KoV_qZYZIIOHiN6-YBrP_9wUiLDRxPNdMwTZ6P_CG-PZONItWMcR3Vt-KI8v1lMTwaYSfgrJyNfB5S7bTeFtQM7A9A8GEpk/s320/everything+front.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
Jigsaw writing... I'm holding some workshops in Townsville next week and (naturally) I can't find my jigsaw writing cards. I'll have a look in a few more places, and then probably give in and make some more. This time, I might try three different cards rather than two, and make one set all objects, one set all subjects and one set all modifiers. Wish me luck!Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-70381041169541384382019-08-16T23:09:00.001+10:002019-08-16T23:09:48.597+10:00Blossom Perspective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuXnlraqxWX3xsQm1vJtUQbG2Yi_7iGPINIfl_t_gAPpu8CvIjfU75-Tarz6Cw9KmKc3Air-O3mS7S-aS144Y0v4FgJf4QeryAz-jn6us_YLIfzFwlVzElZmBSunrlwmiErecOJsRt9U/s1600/IMG_2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuXnlraqxWX3xsQm1vJtUQbG2Yi_7iGPINIfl_t_gAPpu8CvIjfU75-Tarz6Cw9KmKc3Air-O3mS7S-aS144Y0v4FgJf4QeryAz-jn6us_YLIfzFwlVzElZmBSunrlwmiErecOJsRt9U/s320/IMG_2521.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This photo was taken in the dusk looking up through blossom. Interesting effect... It's the kind of thing that inspires thoughts and makes you look at things differentlyFlorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-10595459539871121652019-08-15T14:20:00.001+10:002019-08-15T14:20:09.119+10:00Line 11 Page 111 2019 in Focus: June<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7e462b; mso-no-proof: yes;">Just to keep an eye to see<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7e462b; mso-no-proof: yes;">How long the nest would stay be-egged<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #7e462b;"><b><i>I thought (you know) that roaming dogs</i><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7e462b; mso-no-proof: yes;">And kicking kids would have them pegged<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-74177367054083258332019-08-14T14:18:00.000+10:002019-08-15T14:18:13.962+10:00Line 11 Page 111 The Pixie GripLine 11 on Page 111 doesn't stand alone, so here's the paragraph.<br />
<br />
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"Peter, can I
tell you something I’m scared of?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Bogles?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She giggled. “Not
while I have gingerbread in my pocket. Currie says if I ever see a bogle it’s
<b>probably someone with a bogle manifest, and gingerbread is bound to help.”</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“It works on goats,”
Peter G remarked</span>Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-36408358643910234142019-08-13T23:42:00.002+10:002019-08-13T23:42:43.631+10:00Pearl 8I'll be beginning work on Pearl 8 soon. I have an idea to use a different setting.<br />
So far, we have books set mainly in the meadow, on the cliffs and an island, partly on a snowy mountain, in the forest, at Ogrefest, Big Rock and near the pond. The Kingdom, where all the stories take place, has lots of different landscapes and next time I rather like the idea of a desert.Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-18145286406690357662019-08-12T23:13:00.000+10:002019-08-12T23:13:40.742+10:00Gravity Defying Rock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfzhV0a7UgzLRe4-8pUPcj8CtE5l8cYJprQeePpyEjJjYjZ2JnKTVTTqg7D04ZEmDnbhvK_CDY5fsc06iVtdKq7V2Q8LIrCetY7mfRUsOlFbAYMHPXi-ihln2PzWFHRyu5EsGRqHbEok/s1600/poem3aug12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="991" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfzhV0a7UgzLRe4-8pUPcj8CtE5l8cYJprQeePpyEjJjYjZ2JnKTVTTqg7D04ZEmDnbhvK_CDY5fsc06iVtdKq7V2Q8LIrCetY7mfRUsOlFbAYMHPXi-ihln2PzWFHRyu5EsGRqHbEok/s640/poem3aug12.jpg" width="395" /></a></div>
I saw the weirdest thing in one of my photos a few days ago. I didn't see it in situ, just later, when I went through my pictures. It was so odd, I went back today for a look and there it was... the gravity-defying rock.<br />
I wonder what the story is behind that one?Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-62724594251901760262019-08-11T11:13:00.001+10:002019-08-11T11:13:22.209+10:00Slam PoemFor the poetry slam today I need a poem to perform in under two minutes. I had FOUR to pick from... These are below. DECISIONS DECISIONS<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>SLAM</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slam!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bam!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Kipper ham!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Don’t ask me whence<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that </span><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;">reference came<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I remember it<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I know<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Vaguely up from long ago<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>But I confess<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I do digress<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Don’t you find <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>it funny how-<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>things-linger-in-the mind?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slam!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dunk<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What the… <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Um…<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bunk!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I don’t play basketball<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>At all<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Although I’m tall…<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I’m prone to fall<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>No co-ordination see<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Balls are mysteries to me<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I hardly give a toss…<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>(Well, that’s the
nation’s loss…)<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slam!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shots!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Not? <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>You sure?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I thought I heard it
somewhere<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Between the lemon and the
salted hand<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bad for the liver anyway<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I’ll take chocolate any
day!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slam!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slam!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stamp the floor<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slam!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bang<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The door<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>No more <i>please<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Temper tantrums court
disease<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slam!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sorry<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yes I am<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>It was the wind in the
door<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>For sure<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slam!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>It’s <i>poetry?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I do believe…<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>You’re bamming me?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>(D’you like my word? It’s
out of Georgette Heyer)<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Muse on fire!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slam!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Worse?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>You wanted <i>verse?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>That’s just perverse!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>SLAM!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slam<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;">slam</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; line-height: 107%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>FOLLOWING THE DRUM</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Oh, once I slept in a feather bed<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>With woollen blankets warm<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Now I’m glad to lay my head<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>On a cloak that’s old and torn<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Oh, sing with me a merry catch<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>As summer days will come<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My love he is a soldier boy<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And so I’m following the drum<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>With a patter patter tat<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And a rattle and a scrap<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And the beat of the marching song<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I’m ragged and worn<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And my hose are torn-<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yet I am following along<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Oh once I ate from a silver plate<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>With sauces rich and rare<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Now I’m glad if I’m not too late<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>To find some bread to share<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Oh sup with me on a scraggy fowl<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And dream of sugar plums<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My love he is a soldier boy<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And so I’m following the drum<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>With a patter patter tat<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And a rattle and a scrap<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And the beat of the marching song<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I’m ragged and worn<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And my hose are torn-<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yet I am following along<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Oh once I wore a silken shawl<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And a bonnet of ribbon trim<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Now I’m glad if I’m clad at all<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>‘Twixt my ankles and my chin<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Oh sew with me in a sturdy stitch<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And do not prick your thumb<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My love he is a soldier boy<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And so I’m following the drum<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>With a patter patter tat<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And a rattle and a scrap<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And the beat of the marching song<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I’m lame and tired before my time<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>But still I follow him along<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Oh, I'm lame and tired but I still smile-<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And still I follow him along<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa"; line-height: 107%;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
</b></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;">MEMORIAL HALL </span></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve always liked the memorial hall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rosy bricks in that soft blending<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Penned between pale mortared lines<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">In that peculiar zone of pink and brown<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">I walked around the memorial hall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Observing every side, till, bending<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">I spotted dark and white; the signs<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of the pride of a younger, bygone town<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">I often admire the colour scheme<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">And my mind walks back to a funny scene<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I and a friend stood upon the stage<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">As angels in a Christmas play<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Looking back, it’s like a dream<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">For who remembers it but me?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">We wore, I remember, long white gowns<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nighties? Maybe. They came down<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Right to our slippers (silent soled)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stand there quietly </i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">we’d been
told<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Teachers smiled in the bygone town<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">At good little girls in flowing gowns<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stiffened wings of wire and gauze<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Affixed to our shoulders… well, because<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Good little angels must have wings!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just as they must herald things…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wired-on wings but wait, there’s more!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oh! I remember kind applause!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The piece de resistance I recall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we stood on stage in the rosy hall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Were tinsel halos made of wire<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Above our heads; awe inspired!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">There we were, standing straight and tall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Be-winged, be-haloed in the hall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">But then- disaster almost struck<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Two little halos tangled up! <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">There we stood tilting head to head<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Would real angels feel our dread?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gowned and winged with halos stuck<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">We<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>stood quite
still and trusted luck<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The curtain fell on our Christmas play<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">A teacher came while it still swayed<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Briskly she untangled us<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">And <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">praised </i>us!
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Girls! You made no fuss!<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">And we felt <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">special</i>
in a gratified way<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">‘cos we’d been angels for a day<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">So oh, I love the memorial hall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">So many memories enthral<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">And when you read the sign you’ll see<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The memorial hall’s older than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me…<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></b><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy"; text-align: center;">S</span><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa"; text-align: center;">weet Charity</span></b></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Miss
Charity Curtin <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The locals
are certain’s<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>a vicarage
mouse to a T<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>She’s shy
and obscure<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>and
extremely demure<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>as she
offers you scones with your tea<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>She lowers
her gaze<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>and looks
gentle and grave<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>in her
grey Sunday hat and pelisse<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>When you
come to the house;<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>she’s as
meek as a mouse<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>and a
typical vicarage miss.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>But<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sweet
Charity isn’t at all as she seems<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>when we
meet after Matins is done<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>She casts
off her grey<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>in her
sauciest way<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>soon after
the hymns have been sung<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>With hair
pinned in curls<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>She’s the
merriest girl<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And her
smile turns my stomach to water<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>With her
arms brown and bare<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>She has
laughter to spare<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";">Not </span></i><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";">your typical vicarage daughter<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Her father
the vicar <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Has no
fear of snickers<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>He trusts
what his daughter’s about<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Such a
God-fearing girl<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>tho’ her
hair is in curls<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>does her
duty with never a pout<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>There
isn’t a rift<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>between
papa and miss<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> as he knows she’s a treasure for certain<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And what
about me?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>oh, be
sure I agree<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>for I’ll
marry Miss Charity Curtin<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And when
she’s my bride and we’re off on our own<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>and the
wellwishers left far behind<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Then
she’ll let down her hair<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>and
happily share<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>whatever
the future we’ll find<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>She’ll
dance like a willow<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>and sleep
on my pillow<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>forever
the love of my life<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I’ll be
thanking the Lord<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mrs
Charity Ward’s<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";">not</span></i><span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"> your typical vicarage wife<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Make a
joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come
before his presence with singing. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Estrangelo Edessa";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>(Psalm
98) <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Lucida Calligraphy";"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" /></span>
</b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-60084624167707413702019-08-10T11:16:00.000+10:002019-08-10T11:16:16.369+10:00There's a... I have a dozen or more books to edit for others.<br />
I have a book to finish writing for a deadline.<br />
I have a lot of books waiting for me to write.<br />
So... why am I writing verse?<br />
'Cos there's a poetry slam tomorrow... that's why!Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-25996632946892786262019-08-09T00:07:00.002+10:002019-08-09T00:07:29.365+10:00Pearl's Still Progressing...I'm still working on Pearl the Friendly Unicorn. Here's a piece where Pearl meets a new friend. This material is first draft, so it may not make it into the book.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">‘You’re a bat!’ Pearl said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘I
know,’ it said. ‘I don’t know what you are though. You look like a horse with a
spike on its head. It’s a pretty spike, though.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pearl
laughed. ‘Thank you. I’m a unicorn. I’m not surprised you didn’t know. I’m the
only one in the kingdom, as far as I know.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
bat squeaked, ‘Pleased to meet you. I’m sorry if I upset you. I was flying
about catching my supper, and I didn’t really see you. I hunt by sound, you
see.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘That’s
interesting,’ Pearl said. ‘I’m Pearl. What’s your name?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>‘Flit,’
the bat said, ‘but you probably don’t want to talk to me. I make most folk
nervous.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-84031559337767653062019-08-08T10:09:00.002+10:002019-08-08T10:09:59.289+10:00Following the Drum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskTHoOCGucEWC82KpBCbd4i3HyLv8sg38M16m6O42BbnDLS1dtylKamvPMvv4Z6XioLbajz6Z1qONMAGYCHjlbuUTXFVH-gL6BXtjyKlQaTeDQOhnv4mceMBgfWFtTJ0MATowj4cqHOc/s1600/long+ago+love+songs+cover+jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskTHoOCGucEWC82KpBCbd4i3HyLv8sg38M16m6O42BbnDLS1dtylKamvPMvv4Z6XioLbajz6Z1qONMAGYCHjlbuUTXFVH-gL6BXtjyKlQaTeDQOhnv4mceMBgfWFtTJ0MATowj4cqHOc/s1600/long+ago+love+songs+cover+jpeg.jpg" /></a></div>
Every so often, I get an email from someone who has encountered one of my poems on the 'net and who has been trying to find its provenance. These people think the pieces are "old", you see. The one that attracts the most queries is called Following the Drum. It's in my collection Long Ago Love Songs.<br />
<h1>
<span style="font-family: "lucida calligraphy"; font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal;">F</span><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal;">ollowing the Drum<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Oh, once I slept in a feather bed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">With woollen blankets warm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Now I’m glad to lay my head<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">On a cloak that’s old and torn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Oh, sing with me a merry catch<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">As summer days will come<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">My love he is a soldier boy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">And so I’m following the drum<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">With a patter patter tat<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">And a rattle and a scrap<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">And the beat of the marching song<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">I’m ragged and worn<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">And my hose are torn-<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Yet I am following along<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Oh once I ate from a silver plate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">With sauces rich and rare<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Now I’m glad if I’m not too late<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">To find some bread to share<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Oh sup with me on a scraggy fowl<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">And dream of sugar plums<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">My love he is a soldier boy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">And so I’m following the drum<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">With a patter patter tat<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">And a rattle and a scrap<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">And the beat of the marching song<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">I’m ragged and worn<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">And my hose are torn-<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">Yet I am following along<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<div>
<i><span style="font-family: "estrangelo edessa" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
</div>
Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-54473545089848331932019-08-07T17:31:00.001+10:002019-08-07T17:31:08.905+10:00Pearl - a work in progressI'm writing Pearl Number 7! Here's an excerpt.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
“Do some magic for me,” said the frog.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
The other frogs croaked crossly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
“You’ve got to ask politely,” one said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
“Don’t see why. She does magic for that firebird and
that ogre girl.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
“They’re her friends, Splotch. You’re not her friend.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
“Does it matter?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
The other frogs laughed. ‘It matters,’ one said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
‘’If I had more bugs than I can eat, I might give some
to you, because you’re my friend. If you weren’t, I’d expect you to ask
politely.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
‘Sorry.” The big frog cleared its throat and started
again. “Please, unicorn, would you do some magic for me?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-55613779841106771572019-08-06T00:27:00.003+10:002019-08-06T00:27:42.430+10:00Inspired by a Branch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFI1eWSsA_94w0bKk_FDuz4S7240vqBfjwPlsQNWInMnfh1gfwq2wLVrkyE9I-1I995jRd0eA7kp03mnnJ_kGY19MLxSuaR54Yp4bs7DKqXisIIop-Vaqc29QJad_yEZFpOM8Rq2WbaE/s1600/poem3aug5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1311" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFI1eWSsA_94w0bKk_FDuz4S7240vqBfjwPlsQNWInMnfh1gfwq2wLVrkyE9I-1I995jRd0eA7kp03mnnJ_kGY19MLxSuaR54Yp4bs7DKqXisIIop-Vaqc29QJad_yEZFpOM8Rq2WbaE/s640/poem3aug5.jpg" width="524" /></a></div>
<br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-31986426328671707532019-08-05T01:00:00.000+10:002019-08-05T01:00:03.340+10:00Husband of the Year - Not<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A Chocolate Misapprehension<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chocky Lochie loved his choc; he loved his chocolate a lot<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Choc-fuelled, he vaunted grant ambition for a
high-choc-chief position<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For this honour Chocky knew he had to render something new…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So Chocky Lochie made a plan; a clever-clogsy kind of scam<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He went to Marge, his patient wife and swore upon his
munching life<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If she would lend her time machine he’d polish it and make
it gleam…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chocky Lochie took the helm and high-tailed to the Aztec
realm<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Parleyed there and made an offer for the contents of their
coffers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Roaring, “Chocolate ahoy!” this chocolate-consuming boy<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Flittered back to Chocolate Town hoping for his new renown.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With eagerness and fell intention he proclaimed his <i>own
invention<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chocolate as you’ve never eaten! Now, I <i>know </i>it can’t
be beaten! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Beaming with benevolence the judges soon dispelled suspense<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But their faces frowned and scrunched for Chocky’s loot
could not be munched…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bravely though, they raised and sipped. The chocolate foamed
and oozed and dripped<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ick! It had a bitter taste and Chocky’s efforts went to
waste<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You see, he’d never realised that modern chocolate is
disguised<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The bitter foaming peppered slop is now a solid moreish
block <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So Chocky Lochie made an error…now he lives in constant
terror<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Marge will find her time machine was pawned to finance
Chocky’s dream.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-11253385448383981392019-08-04T10:06:00.001+10:002019-08-04T10:06:35.901+10:00A Lament on a MisnomerThink before you use those words people come up with!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not a chocoholic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The term just drives me nuts<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So please refrain from using it<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And if you really must<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Explain to me in syllables <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of choc or o or hol-ic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Exactly how you parse the term<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(It’s giving me a colic)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I boozed unto excess<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’d be an alcoholic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s alcohol plus ic, you see<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(And pretty melancholic)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now play the game of mashing terms<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And look at chocoholic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And you will see it flouts the form<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s horribly shambolic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chocolate plus ic, you see!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So give that fake the flick<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And say the proper term with me<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am a chocolate-ic.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-62323303808961457572019-08-03T01:30:00.000+10:002019-08-03T01:30:03.981+10:00Xanthe and the Seaman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRY5d-1ejU9mQXgb_Cojv-B69jD9JSI6Td9k-U4VbE-Uz2GxX1s6zCUqhVoBXFK_acbwRjAtYgQWIDDwT57aGMr9tXiumdM2-k22sZkom-TF84Ni5K2IsofrBoMiYyH2nuwAITwN14lCs/s1600/XANTHEANDTHESEAMAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRY5d-1ejU9mQXgb_Cojv-B69jD9JSI6Td9k-U4VbE-Uz2GxX1s6zCUqhVoBXFK_acbwRjAtYgQWIDDwT57aGMr9tXiumdM2-k22sZkom-TF84Ni5K2IsofrBoMiYyH2nuwAITwN14lCs/s320/XANTHEANDTHESEAMAN.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
My brand new novella Xanthe and the Seaman is out now! If the cover looks a bit familiar, that's because it shares a cover picture with my July book, Betony Buys Adventure. They're both part of the Fairy in the Bed series and also the Scorched Souls collection. I've been a bit curious about the seamen ever since I mentioned them, in passing, in Honey and the Harvest Hob back in 2017. Now one of them is a major character. Another one appeared in <i>Betony</i>, but he wasn't always a seaman. Mor, the hero of <i>Xanthe and the Seaman, </i>is. He's one of the oddest heroes (using the term loosely) I've so far invented. If you'd like to check it out, it's available through this link:<br />
<a href="https://www.extasybooks.com/special-collections/scorched-souls/978-1-4874-2517-3-xanthe-and-the-seaman/">https://www.extasybooks.com/special-collections/scorched-souls/978-1-4874-2517-3-xanthe-and-the-seaman/</a> - but only if you're 18+!Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-67935844951261497592019-08-02T00:31:00.000+10:002019-08-02T00:31:00.925+10:00Writers Read<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHxCmxZe1z-CGBOhPsYykg3biI6_GDlZq9z1SFVKjbrqU58TW5ut7lI-JDgaax0VSkovXSrSIQO7G_nKKcSve55fLf1pB366J76Ybn-Z0pw0MTSEL-PZBSbIdYLex7GOfXsenDKaxROM/s1600/header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="851" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHxCmxZe1z-CGBOhPsYykg3biI6_GDlZq9z1SFVKjbrqU58TW5ut7lI-JDgaax0VSkovXSrSIQO7G_nKKcSve55fLf1pB366J76Ybn-Z0pw0MTSEL-PZBSbIdYLex7GOfXsenDKaxROM/s320/header.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
This pictorial comment is the header for a new blog I have started which is especially for authors who wish to advertise their new books. I hope it will remind them that for our industry to survive, people <i>have </i>to buy new books. And yes, that has to include authors! I've said it before and will no doubt say it several more times...<br />
<br />
If anyone reading this is an author, and has a new book to advertise,let me know and I'll be happy to host your book on the new blogs. This pair differs from my Promote Me Please pair in that for PMP I send questions to the author to answer whereas with RealWritersRead, authors send me whatever they wish to showcase.<br />
<br />
Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-63723522750968107472019-08-01T10:14:00.000+10:002019-08-01T10:14:09.481+10:002019 in Focus July<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1ssXthb6lCylaGGoa91a37lH-OhvvouuQmSORTN65MqYcPSqLo3x3e9amfL1khE8wUCnqUs_d0Htu0N7JHKX7spFrkCEtl9wVNWbFYUqnekqvAlb_2ErGpQaf0xa-y300FALDTo_zvI/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1ssXthb6lCylaGGoa91a37lH-OhvvouuQmSORTN65MqYcPSqLo3x3e9amfL1khE8wUCnqUs_d0Htu0N7JHKX7spFrkCEtl9wVNWbFYUqnekqvAlb_2ErGpQaf0xa-y300FALDTo_zvI/s320/cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>2019 in Focus: July has gone to the printer. As usual, it's a book of verse and photographs, each taken/written on the day in question. This is the cover I chose, and below are the other cover pics I auditioned, along with votes from people who gave their opinions. In the end, I decided on a different picture, as you see!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Every day in July I went out for
a walk with my camera and took photos. I chose some to represent each day and
wrote accompanying verse. Every photo and verse was created on the stated day.
The photos are not <i>all </i>in focus, but
when I chose a fuzzy one it was for a good reason. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>July came in blustery and wet. I
liked the idea of using water or wind for a theme, but water has featured in
every month so far, and wind and my camera aren’t good friends. Therefore, the
theme for this<i> </i>edition of 2019 in Focus is <i>Patterns and Perspectives. </i><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>I made some of the photos into
sets or collages. A few of them have been digitally altered to remove something
ugly and intrusive or to create a flipped pattern. This was done in Paint. Colour,
brightness and contrast are left natural and I didn’t use any effects. The
coloured frames and text were mostly done using sampled colour from the photos. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3emGKkaSF0aDzVWrn98ZZ7kjwjVUAi_sK7romgII2zONpdW6tNfcIJC1WS6QIMnDJyvLuguY-tEzuLbZRj_bjYkWILZUjg98Es4m6kZZwOtlSxd-vfmxj-9zQ6W8XYuKPsi68hdap0I/s1600/vote+count.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3emGKkaSF0aDzVWrn98ZZ7kjwjVUAi_sK7romgII2zONpdW6tNfcIJC1WS6QIMnDJyvLuguY-tEzuLbZRj_bjYkWILZUjg98Es4m6kZZwOtlSxd-vfmxj-9zQ6W8XYuKPsi68hdap0I/s320/vote+count.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-26928734459415202142019-07-31T01:30:00.000+10:002019-07-31T01:30:01.030+10:00Tell Clancy's Challenge<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">My stories aren't about problems. I prefer the term challenges. Even then, my books are not about challenges. They're about characters who have challenges. There's a subtle difference. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_1N6rLbJp0-3OUeP8Mip2jWQoiW3_b5bDpni-BsaZ8cCxJUPWLJSuqHODQgQlqg3EVoa7Jwg4hd_8rOLtYv9BgyRslSNZyFai6pSUotxArWQcHKC-W11_pXiLwviYNZpmDer_sGvozA/s1600/trinity+street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_1N6rLbJp0-3OUeP8Mip2jWQoiW3_b5bDpni-BsaZ8cCxJUPWLJSuqHODQgQlqg3EVoa7Jwg4hd_8rOLtYv9BgyRslSNZyFai6pSUotxArWQcHKC-W11_pXiLwviYNZpmDer_sGvozA/s320/trinity+street.jpg" width="204" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Tell Clancy, from <i>Trinity Street, </i>has an enormous challenge, but her first one in the book is understated. Tell, who feels herself to be an ordinary girl, is best friends with Camena de Courcy, an orphan who lives with her elder sister. Camena is a certified genius, but her social development lags well behind her intelligence. Tell is challenged by her need to protect Camena while interpreting the world for her friend, and also interpreting Camena for the world. It's a challenge that leaves Tell precious little time to think of her own problems.</span><br />
<br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-55529315928341337042019-07-30T00:25:00.001+10:002019-07-30T00:25:19.432+10:00Foreign Languages? Me?Using other languages when I don't speak them myself can be complicated, especially when there are different forms for male and female... Is that <i>la </i>or <i>le </i>in French? <i>Ami </i>or <i>Amie</i>? Fortunately, in fantasy, I can avoid that problem because although my alpenfee might speak a kind of German and my courtfolk might call their parents Maman and Papa, the languages are not <i>exactly </i>German and French or Welsh, or Gaelic or Swedish... I can base a few lines on one of those languages and if I get it wrong... well, my characters are NOT Swedes; they're fjiordfee and as such they don't properly speak Swedish!<br />
<br />
Here's an alpenfee madchen using a kind of pidjin German to an English speaker...<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">“Liebchen, I think I must
have made that for the man-to-be. It has gathers and cuffs, so it can get
bigger as you do. Do you like it? If not, I can make you one for the lad-you-are.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">“I like it this way. It’s <i>dashing.</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F9FA; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">“I’m glad. I like folk to
feel right in my clothes, even if they’re a <i>kleines bisschen Zukunft.</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">He must have looked
puzzled, because she laughed and said, “a small bit future.” Then she offered
her hand as if he’d been a man already, and went to fit someone els</span>Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-83894787183762901622019-07-29T00:30:00.000+10:002019-07-29T00:30:03.615+10:00Arrival<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVOa_IZ2u58zlPPpnfG8-FPK3xPOjBKnYD78acK_oV_IP7CxLOSCP6OM1LMfHycUcUu7U9uLCJ12dnWGjCQMp_h_YS735tSg0uaqvDn-ueaCfo-vwwTG2q486zlvp8WSFAFONf2Z7bxw/s1600/BETONYBUYSADVENTURE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVOa_IZ2u58zlPPpnfG8-FPK3xPOjBKnYD78acK_oV_IP7CxLOSCP6OM1LMfHycUcUu7U9uLCJ12dnWGjCQMp_h_YS735tSg0uaqvDn-ueaCfo-vwwTG2q486zlvp8WSFAFONf2Z7bxw/s1600/BETONYBUYSADVENTURE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVOa_IZ2u58zlPPpnfG8-FPK3xPOjBKnYD78acK_oV_IP7CxLOSCP6OM1LMfHycUcUu7U9uLCJ12dnWGjCQMp_h_YS735tSg0uaqvDn-ueaCfo-vwwTG2q486zlvp8WSFAFONf2Z7bxw/s1600/BETONYBUYSADVENTURE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVOa_IZ2u58zlPPpnfG8-FPK3xPOjBKnYD78acK_oV_IP7CxLOSCP6OM1LMfHycUcUu7U9uLCJ12dnWGjCQMp_h_YS735tSg0uaqvDn-ueaCfo-vwwTG2q486zlvp8WSFAFONf2Z7bxw/s320/BETONYBUYSADVENTURE.jpg" width="213" /></a>Betony has just stepped through the stag stone to an island called Arrival. After a largely-drab life up until now, she finds herself somewhere strange.<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">I suppose most of us have thought about being dropped somewhere utterly strange and wondered what we'd do. Betony, having little interesting reality to hark back to for context, thinks about things she's read, but she also notices the ambiance of the place, thinking back, and forth and then focusing on the present.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">She
stared around, but it was every bit as dark as it had been at the Stag Stone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">She never thought, for a moment, she was still there. The shift in
temperature was too marked. Then there were the sounds, the smells, and the
feel of something shifting under her feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">“Is that sand?” she said in wonder. She rested her hand on a dark rock
and found that, too, was warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">There was no answer, so she looked at the driver to see what he had to
say for himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">“Hello?” Betony turned on her heels, which sank into the presumed sand
with a faint crunch. Had he darted behind the rocks?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">She spent some time searching and then gave up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">She was alone. She knew it. She was alone on a stretch of sand in a warm
place, lit only by a few faint stars. The rhythmic sounds and the perfume in
the air told her this was a tropical beach. The glinting movement out to one
side must be the ocean and behind her were obvious trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">So, my time of my life experience
is a desert island holiday.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">She frowned, wondering, as she often had as a child, why they were
called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">desert </i>islands. The ones she’d
read about were never deserts. On the contrary, they teemed with life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">Especially the one in the </span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">Lost Island <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">series.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">She hadn’t read that series as a child, and just as well!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">She put her hands to her face and explored her temples. If this was Virtual
Reality it was extraordinarily realistic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">No headset. Not VR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">Well. </span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">She had two options—Meltdown or Immersion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">Betony turned again, hearing the slithering crunch of sand under her
boots. A playful breeze ruffled her hair, and she tasted salt on her lips. More
stars glittered into view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">Oh!</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">Immersion was the obvious choice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.extasybooks.com/978-1-4874-2535-7-betony-buys-adventure/" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Betony Buys Adventure</span></a>Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5172538029454002634.post-47347954292834245392019-07-28T00:19:00.000+10:002019-07-28T00:19:08.629+10:00The Cèilidh Betony was visiting Bodhran Island in the star pin when she got mixed up with a bunch of leprechauns holding a <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">cèilidh... She gets passed along from one partner to the other, and meets Maura Dervla, the granddaughter of Dervla Flower O'Shea, an earlier character... </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Her new
partner was older and shorter but he, too, had green skin, the dark green of
olives. He smelled of fresh-cut grass, which was delightful. He smiled with a
merry crease to his cheeks and introduced himself to her as <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/4/null" name="_Hlk5513490">Fergal son o’ Padraig son o’ Lorcan Hillman</a>. That was
all she heard before someone else snatched her into his arms and dropped a
sweet kiss on her collarbone.</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">No, her arms, as Betony saw, as the young
woman twirled her around. She was a redhead dressed in a green skirt and white
blouse cut so low her bountiful breasts rose from it like proving dough. She at
least wasn’t green. She was small, coming up to Betony’s chin, but she grinned
up at her and flashed a dimple.</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“Road rise
to ye, lovely! Tis good to be alive!”</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“It is,”
Betony said and meant it. </span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The girl
spun her again, her bosom bouncing along with her red hair. “Maura Dervla,” she
said. “And you?”</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“Betony
Field.”</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“Not of the
green way, lovely?”</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Betony shook
her head.</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“Braeside, I
expect. Sure, ye’ve the bountiful hips for it.” </span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“I don’t
understand.”</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“What order
are ye?”</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Still
puzzled, Betony turned the question about. “What order are you, Maura?”</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“A colleen,
darlin’, an’ I thought from your dress, perhaps you were the same.”</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.45pt;">
<i><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“Oh, no.
My—the highlander gave me these clothes to wear for the dance.”</span><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />Florahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10668867058378084452noreply@blogger.com0