Rose Petals, Book Pages!

December 8, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 5 Comments

Roses and books, two of my favorite things. To compare them seems an oddity, yet I never tire of the endless variety of each. Nor of receiving or giving either one and in slightly different but similar ways I receive the same amount of pleasure, although perhaps with a bit of uniqueness to each.

Roses are wonderful to behold and to touch. And although the bloom fades quickly the memory of the fragrance and delicate beauty lasts ~ until the next one. As the bud of a rose slowly unfolds it’s blossoms just so a book unfolds its story through the pages. And at the conclusion of the book, the memory lasts ~ until the next one.

ROSE PETALS, BOOK PAGES

Creation of nature, Creation of man

I partake of your glory

whenever I can

fragrance of flower

touch of written word

rose petals, book pages

seductive allure

Dissimilar dichotomy

nothing to share

rose petals, book pages

yet both are there

mine for the pleasure

mine for the ages

I revel in your wonders

rose petals, book pages

Hoping everyone’s week has started off well!

~ Penny

Haibun Thinking – Reading a Book!

November 12, 2014November 12, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 15 Comments

This week’s literary quote prompt: “I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book!”~ Jane Austen (Pride & Prejudice)

“Lost in the pleasure of a well written book”

Books (of the hold in your hands and turn the pages kind) are special to me. There’s a quality unique to the printed word on paper not to be found in today’s electronic readers. Disparity, clear and obvious to a book lover. One format meant as a convenience – a temporary reading experience. The other packaged in a form to become a permanence – an addition to who you are.

Apart from physical substance and texture, often enhancing the reading experience, the very act of picking up a book and opening it makes, for me, the reading process more personal. After reading, favored books reside on bookshelves acquiring a sense of an addition to family and friends. Your favorite authors, your favorite stories, your books of learning and literature repose near at hand for a return visit when so desired.

I wonder if books that are now electronic applications will eventually replace all the hardback and paperback books? I hope not. The me that is a reader, hopes not. The me that revels in each new book I acquire, hopes not. Books fill me up with all those things that I might otherwise miss.

advancement sometimes

less than one would wish for

a new emptiness

Haibun Thinking is a (weekly) opportunity for writers to stretch their writing skills. Honing their style of the written word. For more information click HERE. Your talented and friendly host, Alastair, will get you started. Be sure and click on the blue link icon to read the excellent entries, while you’re there! Thanks to Alastair for his time and effort in bringing this opportunity to us all.

Thank you for stopping by, hope you enjoyed,

~ Penny

A Passion for the Written Word.

November 11, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 15 Comments

Whether you are a dedicated writer or an avid reader, it is passion that moves you.

For the writer it is the longing to write, his or her passion – to embrace the muse. For the reader of the written word, their desire – to be passionately moved by the words in some manner.

The following prose is a dedication to those who love to read and write, for it is a truth; you cannot truly have one without the other.

Passions From Within

There is that … in your words,

exciting passions from within.

Ethereal and gentle they provoke

a lingering, craving, longing, intensity

from the reader.

Your words move, readers slide into your words

lulled senses alive.

Honed words are your tools to be shaped.

Passion ignites –

endless and enduring from the written word.

Your passion for writing … to be shared with the reader.

Penny L Howe

When you go to a Library to read the last thing you expect …

October 28, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 25 Comments

… Is this! How wonderfully glorious! This was filmed at the public library in Valladolid and the unsuspecting patrons kind of got their minds blown. Very cool! Hallelujah singing. The song is sung with such heart. We are humanity! We do all belong together!

I hope you enjoyed,

~ Penny

Mondays Finish the Story – Grandpa’s Collection of Company

October 27, 2014October 27, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 13 Comments

Grandpa’s Collection of Company

Little did we know that Grandpa was a collector. He’d never shown any inclination to collect anything of any kind. The few old vehicles out in the barn were there only because when one would stop running, it was easier to leave it parked and go get another one that did. When my sister suggested we visit Grandpa one weekend, I must admit neither one of us were prepared for what we would find.

Even though it had been a fairly long time since our last visit, we decided to surprise him one weekend by dropping in unexpectedly. When we arrived he was surprised but seemed happy to see us. We were invited in, and then couldn’t believe what we found inside.

There were books everywhere. Piles upon piles of them. Stacked in every conceivable place. I’m sure there had to be thousands of them.

“Grandpa” when did you start collecting books,” my sister asked. “And why?”

“A few years back,” he replied. “I get very few visitors, family being busy and all, so I decided that books would keep me company. They don’t leave or forget about me, so I’m never disappointed or alone.”

My sister and I had nothing to say.

For more information about Mondays Finish The Story Writers Challenge, click HERE. Barb will be happy to assist, should you wish to write and enter a story of your own, or just read some of the other entries.

Hoping your Monday was a positive one for you and that your Tuesday will be even better.

~ Penny

For all you Readers out there …

October 5, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 33 Comments

It’s Sunday here in Northwest America and there is nothing, I’ll repeat this, nothing that can beat curling up in a comfortable spot with a good book. In my case, the more mysterious and filled with adventure the better! Can’t talk more, my book is waiting for me.

Have a wonderful and relaxing Sunday. Pick up a good book and read. It will do wonders for you, I promise!

With much affection and do remember to take care of you,

~ Penny

A Good Book!

June 22, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 15 Comments

When I want to leave my worries behind, I lose myself by opening the pages and becoming immersed in a book. A good book!

I wish you good reading!

~ Penny

Writers Write – Right? A Promotional Post!

March 31, 2014April 2, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 9 Comments

That’s what we do! In whatever way we accomplish this – we write!

Promoting our written words can be much more difficult, so anything that helps to get the word out (ha,ha) is a good thing!

I was asked a little over a week ago to participate in a writer’s “blog hop”. If you have followed my blog for awhile you’re aware that it is with great infrequency that I engage in these activities. However, in an effort to further the writer’s cause, I’d like to thank Dee Strange for her invitation. This version of blog hop involves a 3-step process of participation.

Part A – answering questions, Part B – introducing the writer who invited you to blog hop, and Part C – passing it on.

Part A: Penny’s Q & A

What am I working on? With the patient support of my publisher I’ve been working (for over a year on an inspirational (achieving self determination) nonfiction book for women. In addition, I’ve been working on several fictional pieces.

How does my work differ from others of its genre? Well, the hope is that the inspirational book will actually make an impactful and positive difference, that it won’t become “just another reference book” to occasionally review, but something that makes an immediate difference from the first reading on.

Why do I write what I do? Because I love words and reading them. Because I like to create. Because I care.

How does my writing process work? I do my most creative writing early in the morning, or adversely late at night. Perhaps the stillness of those time periods has something to do with this. During the day as a thought or idea comes to me I will take a minute to jot it down, in a paper tablet or on my ipad. There are times when I can write for 3 or 4 hours and force myself to take a break before getting back to the written words. Other times my writing will be of short duration.

Part B – Introduce the person who brought you into the blog hop:

Allow me to introduce you to Delia, the writer.

Delia Strange was born in Aucklnd, New Zealand (north-west of Hobbiton aka Matamata) and lives in Brisbane, Australia. She wrote sci-fi stories in her teens, speculative horror short stories in her twenties (some were published), then put the writing aside for a little while and tried to act normal.

Normalcy didn’t work in her thirties so she resumed living in another world on the page instead of just in her head. Along the way she picked up her closest friend as a co-writer and together they mix all fantasy genres (science fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance). In 2014 she began an indie-publishing project for her science fantasy Femme, and is blogging about the process.

Blog: http://strangewriter.wordpress.com/ Twitter: @strangewriter42 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeliaStrangeAuthor Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13582300-delia-strange

Part C – Find 3 more writers to be the next blog hop participants and introduce them in your March 31 blog post. They will write their own entries a week after you (7 April) and then they will each find 3 people (for 14 April) and so it continues on from there. Promo your blog post as you see fit.

And here in Part C is where I, Penny, leave the script. When reviewing the fellow bloggers I’ve come to know in the last several years (online), I realized there were hundreds of them currently published or in the process of getting their first book “out there”. It was impossible to choose only 3 from among them.

What I would like to humbly suggest is – those of you who fit either of the above “published or about to be published” categories, are encouraged to participate in this blog hop. Follow the directions above and please reference Delia Strange as the writer who encouraged participation in this promotional and self help event.

Thanks for reading, hope your week has started out well for you,

~ Penny

Writer’s Tip (content, promotion) – Who are you writing for?

March 16, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 25 Comments

Be sure your subject matter is something your reader can really get into! Something they will enjoy! Something that holds their interest.

… Once upon a time there was a village filled to overflowing with many delicious and succulent humans!

“Well now that sounds really interesting.

I think I’ll read some more of this fine story!”

*****

(A good tip to think on! Are you writing for yourself or for your reader?)

Thanks for stopping by. Have an excellent week ahead!

Penny

Your Creative World … and beyond!

September 30, 2013September 30, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 27 Comments

… How full is it?

Good morning, my Monday morning. (Your Monday morning, midday, afternoon, evening or Tuesday depending on your location on our planet.) So what are you up to in your today of things? What’s your creativity quotient?

How many wonderful words will you write today? How many photographs will you take? How much creativity will come forth from your mind as you convert personal thoughts, feelings and ideas into the beautiful rhythm of life – inventing creative patterns in a myriad of expressive ways; words, photographs, paintings, crafts, music, electronics, numbers, actions.

It’s all up there inside of you. Just waiting for that signal in your mind … that catalyst … that “something” that fills you with so much energy and desire, you just can’t help yourself with the need to creatively express.

And before you decide it’s not going to happen today, think again! Why not? You’re talented, capable, gifted (You are too – I heard that!). Take a good look around. View things from the eyes of an artist (you). What do you want to do with what you’re seeing? Your vistas, your imaginations, your creations … yours.

Yes, turn on your muse. It’s the on and off switch located in your brain right next to the other wants and desires switches. It’s the biggest one! Turn it on! You know you want to.