Tonight I launched my new book of short stories, ‘New Horizons’ into the largely unsuspecting literary world and, at the same time, won first prize in a poetry contest at AllPoetry for my poem ‘Fusion’, based on Emily Bronte’s classic novel, ‘Wuthering Heights’.
Multitasking at its finest, perhaps!
‘New Horizons’ has also received some rather lovely reviews today.
It is rather nice to feel so affirmed as a writer. I think I’ll keep going.
My second book, ‘New Horizons’, launches on Sunday, November 20!
My second book, ‘New Horizons’, launches on Sunday, November 20!
I’m seriously excited about that.
New Horizons is available as a paperback on Amazon or blurb.com
and as an ebook on Amazon, iBooks, & kobo stores.
These sixteen short stories offer insights into how people respond when they encounter experiences and events they have not foreseen, or when they discover new horizons in their lives.
Shiva XIV Synopsis
ng grown up in Bellingham, Washington, Lyra is a nature and animal lover with a ferocious love of epic stories of every genre, but especially sci-fi and fantasy.
For the latest news and possible giveaways please visit the Facebook launch event page for the book https://www.facebook.com/events/1251196588275748/
So, there’s supposed to be a supermoon tonight. And my inbox had two email alerts that conditions were great for seeing the southern lights – the Aurora Australis.
In fact, ever since I signed up for those email alerts, it’s been overcast or raining every single time the “conditions have been ideal”.
And true to form, it’s pouring rain tonight. The only thing anyone around here is seeing in the night sky is lots of water.
So, what’s a girl to do?
Write nutty poetry. That’s what.
Just for fun, I wrote this and put it up on Twitter. It had a pretty positive response, so the evening has not been a total flop.
I am excited to announce that Festival for Poetry have featured the poem I submitted to them for consideration.
I am excited to announce that Festival for Poetry have featured the poem I submitted to them for consideration.
You can read the poem here: Rogue Wave by Joanne Van Leerdam
I hope that if you enjoy it, you’ll go to www.jvlpoet.com and look under “new writing” for more.
You can subscribe to my mailing list there, too, so you don’t miss another update!
Remember to check out ‘New Horizons’, too! It’s launching next weekend and I’m keen to see it take off!
I’m very excited about the launch next weekend of my second book, ‘New Horizons’.
I’m very excited about the launch next weekend of my second book, ‘New Horizons’.
I’ve crossed into another genre and publishing a collection of my short stories, related by a common theme of people encountering new things, making a fresh start, or finding a new direction in their lives.
‘New Horizons’ will be available as a paperback or ebook from Amazon or Blurb.com, and as an ebook on iBooks and kobo.
Follow this universal book link to pre-order:
books2read.com/newhorizons
October 8th is Indie Author Day.
I’m part of a group of writers who are hosting a 24 hour event on Facebook, where there are discussions, book giveaways, and lots of fun to be had…
October 8th is Indie Author Day.
I’m part of a group of writers who are hosting a 24 hour event on Facebook, where there are discussions, book giveaways, and lots of fun to be had.
It’s been really encouraging to be part of the first six hours of the event. People have been so friendly and positive, and it feels great to know that we are experiencing similar things on our various journeys of writing and authorship.
Things got a little quiet earlier on, so I told my fellow writers about the picture of the centuries-old wine cups and accompanying information board that my friend sent me from a museum in Singapore with the caption, “I await the writing!”
The cups and the information really were lovely, and I found them to be inspirational.
Before the end of the night, I had crafted a poem for my friend that I could be proud of.
Their responses were delightful.
How can I be anything other than encouraged?
Thank you, Vicki, Shelley, and Susan.
I hope my readers and followers will look up your books, too!
There’s always a bit of trepidation when you do something new and you’re not sure how it’s going to go.
There’s always a bit of trepidation when you do something new and you’re not sure how it’s going to go. ‘Leaf’ has been available for just over three months now, and I’m very thankful and excited to be getting positive reviews.
I don’t want to blow my own trumpet, but I am really thrilled about these two readers’ responses that I’ve received recently.
Both of these people, and others who have given my writing positive reviews and ratings, have encouraged me more than they realise. Sometimes being a writer is a really lonely thing, because there’s a whole experience and process you have to go through before you can know if anyone is actually going to understand and connect with what you’ve written. To know that my poetry has had such an effect on people is both motivating and incredibly humbling.
‘Leaf’ is my first published collection of poems in which I explore my own humanity, experiences, and observations about life in a way that will challenge the reader to see things from a new perspective.
‘Leaf’ is listed on Goodreads, and available as a paperback or an e-book on Xlibris, Amazon, iBooks and kobo.
Saturday, October 8th is the inaugural Independent Authors Day.
Our Indie Writers’ Cooperative on Facebook is hosting a 24 hour long marathon festival, celebrating writers, sharing ideas and conversations, and giving away free copies of our books!
If you’re in Australia or New Zealand, or anywhere west of there, the event will run from Saturday evening to sometime on Sunday, depending on your time zone.
Feel free to join us at the Indie Authors’ Day Writers’ Festival on Facebook anytime during the event and enjoy the company of some fantastic, and very creative, people.
WordyNerdBird 