Psst….I’m a Writer

Alright! This is top secret information. I have confidential and restricted data that cannot reach the ears of the ‘not one of us’. They are out there. I see them everyday. Ignorant faces pasted upon wobbly heads, they swirl and contort, exuding meaningless froth from misplaced orifices.

My ‘never to be revealed’ encounters with them have left me tongue-tied. My otherwise pompous brain quietly switches off, leaving me incapable of intelligent dialogue. Faint whispers flee my lips, their battered frames jumping to harsh premature deaths. This makes them smile, they enjoy the discomfort. The air around us is heavy with guilt and insecurity, suffocation humbly waits its turn. Continue reading “Psst….I’m a Writer”

What Does It Mean To Be a Writer: A Conversation

Author Ken La Salle
Author Ken La Salle

Guest post
by Ken La Salle

I was having breakfast with a friend the other day and, as it often does, our conversation moved towards my writing career and what recent developments I had to report. As usual, I was full of news about this or that – new articles I was writing, new opportunities I was exploring, and the like.

My friend’s name is Sean. He and I have known each other for quite some time. I could sense a bit of irritation in him, even as I spoke, so I asked him what was on his mind. To my surprise, he didn’t quite know how to put it. “You always talk about all that other stuff. What happened to just writing?” he asked.

I explained to him something I’ve only recently come to terms with myself. “All that other stuff” is what being a writer is all about. Pick any publisher at random and they’ll tell you what they want: A writer with a platform, with a following, with an audience. Being a writer in the 21st century means putting just as much work into cultivating those things as I put into the actual writing. Continue reading “What Does It Mean To Be a Writer: A Conversation”

Techniques to unblock the creative flow – Meditation teacher and author Dr Lesley Phillips shares her secrets

Guest Post
by Dr. Lesley Phillips

Let me start by confessing that I am a relatively new author, and I did not suffer from writers block at all when I wrote my first book “The Midas Tree.”

Although I do teach people how to access their intuition and creativity through meditation. Writing a novel was a new experience for me, but allowing my creativity and intuition to flow was not. I attribute my success in writing “The Midas Tree” so effortlessly to the meditation techniques that I use every day to keep myself clear.

My hope is that I can share some of this knowledge with you and that you will find it useful if you ever hit the common bump on the writer’s path, known as writers block. Continue reading “Techniques to unblock the creative flow – Meditation teacher and author Dr Lesley Phillips shares her secrets”

Miami Book Fair International 2012: An Author’s Point of View

Guest post
by Renee Pierce Williams

Who was it that said, “If you build it, he will come?” Well, Miami built it and they came. Miami draws in people from all over the world and continues to do so every year during the month of November. The eight-day book party draws hundreds of thousands of book lovers. The first fair was held in 1984 and was initially called Books by the Bay. It was then renamed the Miami Book Fair International and has become the finest and largest literary festival in the world.

The fair is enormous! Several blocks in the downtown area surrounding the Miami Dade College are blocked off to host the event. The minute you walk through the gate, you are overcome by the staggering number of people, hearing the multitude of different languages, the aroma of fresh food being prepared and the background music being performed by international artists. Excitement fills the air as authors, vendors, celebrities and the general public move through the crowd just to get a glimpse of all the showcased books, offered attractions and activities. Continue reading “Miami Book Fair International 2012: An Author’s Point of View”