October

October - a long time since my last blog, but nothing writerly has happened. When I don't commit to writing then I drift. Anyway, a photo of the fantastic Virginia Creeper in the garden which is lifting my spirits at the moment, as I think about an elegy I want to write for a friend.

YOU WRITE LIKE

So I think I'll give it a go and type in a piece of fiction.It's analysed as like James Joyce. Wow,I admire Joyce, although I still have't finished Ulysees,and have no intention of reading Finnegan's Wake,but I love Portrait of the Artist and Dubliners.

Then I type in a poem, and again it's analsed as James Joyce style. I'm feeling really smug.Then I think perhaps it's fixed so I type in my shopping list and that is not in James Joyce style! This has me thinking about my voice and my style-the aim of every writer is to have their own style, their own voice, so I need to keep writing until I've found it.

After 3 months not blogging I'm back-thank you Rachel America for telling me you'd read my blog. I thought only two of my friends read this! I wish more people would follow me if they read it, as it seemed crazy writing it for two friends I see weekly and talk about the events I blog about.

A writing course in North Wales and I'm inspired again! But back to the kick and hurt of reality,and a car that worked well last week tells me with its computer tickertape that it has "engine failure" and a red light comes on.Back to the garage again.

Still last week was brilliant. Time to relax and write,talk poetry,read poetry,swim in the sea and eat fantastic flavoured ice cream.

Hay Festival

Been to the Hay Festival.Had a great time.The atmosphere is wonderful even though the place is frentic with people, talk, ideas, coffee, cake, wild flowers.I love the festival, and love being in Hay.

ENTRIES

The first entries for the Cwrtnewydd Scribblers short story competition have arrived,which is exciting. There are still six weeks to go before the closing date of 30th of June,still plenty of time to write your summer themed story. Cash prizes and publication-all very tempting-so download your entry form and get writing.

GRACE IN LITERATURE

On Saturday I attended the lecture given by the Rowan Williams,Archbishop of Canterbury, on Grace in Literature. I knew Rowan Williams was a poet and a theologian, but he is also an academic and a fine lecturer and linguist, reading Welsh cynhanedd and Italian from Dante.

Rowan Williams is an unassuming and erudite man. A gracious man.He wore a suit and dog collar with a wooden cross around his neck, while the college officials dressed in academic regalia. Afterwards he turned up at the drinks reception to talk to people, and he had to be called in for the official dinner.

World Book Night

Today I am giving away copies of Seamus Heaney's New Selected Poems.I have 48 copies to set free.Each one has a number.If you receive a World Book Day book register this number with the World Book Night website.They can then monitor the book's journey-for these books are to read and share. Last year people were asked to apply to be book givers;to choose from the list a book they felt passionately about and to give it to others. Today my box of books are being liberated-sending poetry out to a wider readership.Read and pass the book on.

Short Story Competition

Today the Cwrtnewydd Scribblers have launched their first short story competition-Summer Sun, Summer Fun - for stories up to 1,500 words.
Entry is £5 for the first story,and £3 for subsequent entries.
Prizes are £40,£20,£10 and publication in our anthology.
For more details check out the Cwrtnewydd Scriblers' website.

Snowdrops

At last Spring is on the way.Yesterday I saw snowdops and catkins.I thought snowdrops were called Liliwen bach in Welsh, but that's not given in my dictionary. Yesterday was the Chinese new year ,and now we are in the year of the rabbit.

The Poetry Laureates

With the recent appointment of Liz Lochhead as the National Poet of Scotland, Makar, we have three female Lauureates- Gillian Clarke is National Poet of Wales, and Carol Ann Duffy the Poet Laureate. Gillian Clarke has also been awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for poetry.

It is wonderful to see women in the top literary positions, as women write more poetry than men. Most creative writing classes have more women than men in them,and yet more men get published.

Now we have a triumvirate of women. Let's hope it inspires us all to write and publish poetry.

January

Already half way through the month and I have a new car. It's great not to have to walk everywhere,but this car ,although 10 years old,and a little too big for me ,is full of electrical gismos. Yesterday,I left the lights on and flattened the battery. Got it sorted,but now it tells me that it's Saturday 1st January.

I don't mind beginning the month again, perhaps I'll get down to some writing. It's always hard to get back into routine, and each day I postpone doing things makes it even harder to start.So I need to buy a new notebook. I had a new expensive sketch book I was saving.My daughter found it and has used it for her exam revision. So to the pound shop for something cheap that I won't mind spoiling.The hardest part of writing is the starting.

NEW YEAR

So the new year is here-Blwyddyn newydd dda or perhaps Blwyddyn newydd austere. Over the past years I have tighted my belt,but now the papers are saying it will cost £160 just to cover petrol increases, VAT increases,and higher food prices.

I have spent the morning cleaning out my car,which having failed its MOT is off to the scrap yard. It is eleven years old,but it needs a lot of little things doing to it, and all those little things add up to a lot of money. I paid it last year,but not again. So the option is to go without a car. I don't need one;it is an expensive luxury .

I wonder how long I can manage carrying my shopping home, catching the bus,and giving up things not on a bus route. I didn't have a car until I was in my early thirties, but it is lovely to have mobility.Still the way petrol is going up it isn't the time to think about another car,and I can't drive for another week anyway because of my carpal tunnel operation.

On a brighter note the date 1.1.11 looks like binary code,stark tall winter trees standing to attention.