Plans for March, NaHaiWriMo #28 and more

The last NaHaiWriMo prompt: kitchen

the boiling water –
her eyes surveilling the pots
and her children’s hands

Plans for March

I'm happy I've survived the February NaHaiWriMo challenge and I've joined one more daily haiku meme, Carpe Diem and a weekly haiku meme, Haiku Heights.

I plan to keep writing for all these challenges and add one that requires photos weekly because I need to force myself out of the house more and this would be more than well passed time: health and creativity.

In March I'm going to publish some of my haiku as an e-book. I've thought about it for a while, I've done most of the work, now I just have to figure out the formatting thing, but by the end of the month I'll have it done - one more goal achieved!

In what concerns writing, I want to keep being active on my blog and gain more visibility on the internet. I'll limit my posts to one a day, gathering all things in the same place - I've learned that from Alex J. Cavanaugh and Retro Zombie.

I'll also write a series of short articles about haiku - my current passion in writing.

In the first half of March I'll finish writing my posts for the A to Z Challenge 2013. My topic list is ready, some of the articles are outlined and ready to be written.

Blog Hops and Fests in March

On March 1st I'll be busy with the Bloghop of Joy, hosted by Kyra Lennon and Clare Dugmore.

 

I'll also visit the Back from the Future Blogfest hosted by M. Pax, Suze and Nicki Elson.

 

For March 14th I've signed up for The National Wormhole Day at Stephen Tremp.

On March 18th I'll be writing about favorite movies for Top 10 Movies Countdown Blogfest hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh.

I don't think I'll have time for much else in March but I'm ready to overcome my plans!

Carpe Diem - Butterflies; Writer,'s Digest - Descendence

I'll soon start to keep my haiku at different memes and challenges in the same post.


My haiku for Carpe Diem, a daily haiku. Today it's all about butterflies:

a stroll through the woods
in the winter cold and snow -
dreaming butterflies

For the Writer's Digest Poetic Asides Prompt nr. 212, a haiku sequence about descendence that I didn't post yet because they seem to have a problem.

Evolution

present becomes past:

sustained metamorphosis –

evolution key

Darwin's theory –

more than a controversy:

plain reality

humans admiring

some rare specimens at zoo:

chicken or egg first?

fossilized monkeys:

searching for the missing link,

some unknown species

February, NaHaiWriMo #27

The word today: garage

by the garage door,
the singing of cicadas
yields new spring decor

Carpe Diem #132 Strangers

wind caressing trees -
a late winter symphony
sang among strangers

Just found Carpe Diem, a daily haiku challenge challenge and loved today promt: strangers.

February, NaHaiWriMo #26

my secrets and tears
all gathered in same closet,
opened just at night

Two more promts and I'll achieve one of the goals for this year: write daily for at least a month. It was fun to do, it was motivating and knowing that I have to post a part of my writing daily, even more, on a theme, was the engine that kept me working daily.

February, NaHaiWriMo #25, Haiku Heights #210

#25 NaHaiWriMo - living room

rustic living room,
five o’clock tea ritual
after painting time 

 

#210 Haiku Heights - Shimmer

shimmer of the stars,
constellations, galaxies
mind wanders - wild dreams

 

February, NaHaiWriMo #24 bathroom

the sun on the sky
reflected in the clear lake ,
time to take a bath

February, NaHaiWriMo #22 living room # 23 bedroom

#22 - Living room

mom's living room vase
holding her wedding bouquet
a memory lane

#23 - Bedroom

the bedroom window
facing North - constellation
gazing every night

Today I'm posting my haiku for Friday and Saturday because I'm taking the weekend off and didn't want to skip any of the promts. 

See you in a couple of days with fresh eyes and well rested and relaxed!
Have an extraordinary weekend!

Haiku Heights, #209 Sugar Haiku

under summer sun,

gathering my dreams of love

acacia sweet scent

Written for Haiku Heights, #209 SUGAR

I've just discovered Haiku Heights and I had to sign for it.

This week I've been editing and proofing the haiku I've selected for publishing. It's fun to re-read my old poems, especially the first ones. Some I don't even remember writing. Others are burned in my mind because of the circumstances and powerful memories accompanying them.

I've also been planning and documenting my materials for A to Z Challenge. I've chosen my theme and I've decided on format - it took a while because I wanted to combine too many things and didn't know how. But I have a good feeling about it now. I'm not saying more for now.

This weekend I'm going in the country side, take a break from PC and technology. I might even take some pictures of acacia trees in winter!

February, NaHaiWriMo #21 turquoise

bits of summer love:
his eyes and the laguna -
turquoise butterflies

February, NaHaiWriMo #20 white

one of the spring hints:
in the awaken garden
white hyacinth scent





Spring is close!

February, NaHaiWriMo #19 blue

blues and jazz for souls.
in the sad winter evening
an ocean of tears

February, NaHaiWriMo #18 green

under the bright sun,
gardens of roses and mint:
fleeting shrines in green

February, NaHaiWriMo #17 black

an old crow watching
over the silent village
in the dark of night

February, NaHaiWriMo #16 red

My Haiga for today:

February, NaHaiWriMo #15 orange

neither sun, nor moon,
the orange on the table,
the scent of winter

February, NaHaiWriMo #14 Harbour

a veranda swing,
some hot tea in winter cold -
harbour for old souls

Indie-Kissing Blogfest

For the Indie-Kissing blogfest hosted by The Indelibles, a scene from a short I'm working at.

Mason stopped in front of her and without a word, caught her face into his hands and kissed her. She kissed him back and he knew he wasn't wrong: they belonged together.
"What the hell, Mason? I'm not your rebound girl. Don't think that your macho, seductive stuff works with me!" Mason felt confused. She'd kissed him back. Why was she reacting like that? This wasn't what he'd expected.
"I don't want you to be a 'rebound girl'. I like you and I respect you. And I thought you had feelings for me too. Last week when you were talking to Callie I was there and I overheard you. And..."
"Of course I'd speak nicely of you, we're friends, but that's it. Nothing more!" Lina interrupted him.
"Are you sure about that?" Mason asked and before she could answer he was already holding her in his arms, kissing her, again. Another stolen kiss, but gentler, more passionate and he could tell her lips were searching his. She didn't pull back.
"Stop kissing me!"
"You're kissing me back, so that's pretty encouraging! You can't keep telling me that we're just friends. I'm not trying any macho stuff on you, I'm trying to tell you I want to be more than friends."
"It seems it doesn't matter what I think and want."
"It does. I just wanted to be sure you like me in spite of your protests. I won't try to kiss you again. I'll just do my best to show you I meant when I said I like you. I know I have to work a lot to earn your trust." Lina looked at him, saying nothing. Mason took his coat and headed to the door.
"See you tomorrow at Sarah's."

Meeting Shane, Vampire Bite Blog Hop

For the Vampire Bite Blog Hop:

An excerpt from a WIP where people and vampires live in peace, but no interaction is allowed.

Don’t try surprising your boyfriend on Valentines Day! I did it and I ended up being more surprised than him: I didn’t expect to find my best friend in his bed.

I didn’t wait for explanations. I didn’t want to stay there more than I had to. Surprise, anger (more likely fury) and other mixed emotions aside I left his loft on foot. I didn’t feel capable to drive and finding a cab on Valentines Day was almost impossible.

I walked without really knowing where I was heading to, taking turns at random, unaware of surroundings and people. Finally, tears found their way from my eyes to my cheeks. I couldn’t see anymore, I didn’t know who I was bumping into.

And then I bumped into him. I had the impression that I hit a wall. I wanted to continue my wandering but he caught my arm and whispered in my ear in the most seductive and threatening voice: “Be careful who you’re walking into.”  I cleared my eyes to find a handsome man watching me curiously.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t see you” I managed to answer, still watching him.

“Why are you crying?” His tone was sharp but it held so much power! I answered the question without even realizing.

“Just caught my boyfriend cheating on me with my best friend.”

“His Valentines Day surprise for you?” he smiled showing his fangs and getting closer to me. God, he was a vampire! My face must have betrayed my fear because he whispered to me: “Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you. When and how did you find out?” he asked, curiosity in his voice.

“We were supposed to meet at the restaurant but I knew he was home so I wanted to stop by to leave together from there.”

“Would you like my help to pay him back?”

“Yes,” I answered to my surprise. My reason must have left me because I would have done anything to keep him close.Him. A vampire.

“My name is Shane. Who are you?”

“I’m Denise. You’re a vampire.”

“You’re really observant” he answered in a mocking tone. “I’m a vampire with a soft spot for crying women and a lot of hate for people who cheat. So, to what restaurant were you supposed to go to?”

“Chez Gregoire.”

“A good one. Now, let’s stop by your ex and ask him and your friend to take a long walk to that fancy restaurant in their underwear. We’ll watch them to see if they get there before the cops get to them. Ok? ”  

I nodded. "But you're not allowed to do that. What if you get caught?"

"I won't."

“Shane, are you going to hurt me?”

“No. I’m not.”

“Are you going to hurt them?”

“Just their pride. Would you like me to hurt them?”

“No. Humiliation is what I want them to feel” I answered with total certainty.

“Would you like to be the one who does it - ask them to walk around summary dressed? Would you like to be able to do that?” he asked watching me expectantly. I knew what he was asking.

“I… I don’t know.”

He took both of my hands. “I get it. You had enough surprises for one day. Let’s go laugh a little and then I’ll take you home. You have this tendency to bump into people, vampires, whatever gets in your way. It’s not very safe, you know?” he smiled again and it made me forget my pain.

Meeting a vampire and breaking a few laws can do that to you.

February, NaHaiWriMo #13 Tree shade

shadow of a tree
following the winter sun,
caressed by cold breeze

February, NaHaiWriMo #12 river

February, NaHaiWriMo #11, woods

The wolf was the symbol of Romania in Medieval times and the eagle and the cross are on the present emblem of Romania.

Old Times, New Plans, Decisions

So, I've been keeping this blog, more or less up to date, for a year and a half. For all this time I didn't try too much to step out or build a readership. I just wrote for myself and for anyone who wanted to read it. I've been doing the same outside the blog, too.

That is why I've gathered a lot of poems and a bunch of unfinished or unpolished fiction pieces both in English and Romanian - my native language. Because I've been writing for more than 10 years. I haven't thought much about publishing until about a year ago - I've dreamt about it for a long time but didn't really consider it. But when you have about 5 notebooks of handwritten poems you want to type to store on digital support it kind of makes you think about it.

I've sent some of my poems (not very consistent) to different magazines in Romania and the U.S. simultaneously. My Romanian poems got rejected, my English ones were published.I was disappointed by the rejection received in my own country, which only enhanced my surprise and happiness when those sent to U.S. magazines were accepted. I was thrilled when they asked for my permission to reprint them in yearly anthologies. I don't think one can write better in a foreign language than in maternal one, but I've stopped questioning Romanian publishing a while ago.

That made me think about publishing and documenting the process. I've done that for the last year or so and I've tried to learn as much as I could. but the best way to learn is by practicing. So I've read, I've followed tendencies and I stood on the side lines until I considered I was ready.

In the last three months I've been choosing, editing, arranging and reading and re-reading some of the poems I want to publish. I won't even try to publish to Romania - the process is painful and somehow vitiated.

I'm aiming for U.S., I'm going for self-publishing. And I'm going to start with poetry. I don't know how much people really read poetry today. I think not enough. I don't think I'm the one to solve that problem - sure, I encourage people to read poetry - but I want to fulfill my dream of publishing my poems. Not for fame or for money. Just for the sake of sharing them with the rest of the world.

More than a year ago I've started publishing poetry on my blog regularly mostly because a friend asked me if my life model was Emily Dickinson. I did get the point and the sarcasm in his remark. That is why I've typed my poems, started publishing them on the blog and now want them published.
I mean, I'm still young and have years ahead to publish, but what better time than the present?

I've read about self-publishing, I've learned about the process, I know the theoretical part, but I'm guessing that actually publishing is a little more difficult than it sounds when told about. I didn't actually find many poets blogs or testimonials documenting their experience in self-publishing. Even more so, foreign poets self-publishing.

It doesn't matter. I'll do it anyway. It doesn't cost me a thing, but it fulfills a long time dream.

This post is only published so I don't get to change my mind, to make me stick to my plan.
Don't laugh, I need to go public, otherwise I won't do it soon.

February, NaHaiWriMo #10: Garden

Today I went for a modern approach.

dyind thief,
repenting - dreaming
of Paradise