Just A Thought

Just A Thought

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If you don’t promote your craft, no one else will!

No matter how cheesy this might sound, it’s the truth.

Artists are the first to put themselves down and don’t place value on their own worth.

I guess that’s where the phrase ‘hungry artist’ came from.

Brilliant set of people who choose to stay hungry 😉

There’s a difference between blowing your trumpet – which by the way is allowed, so long as you are not too noisy with it – and managing your skilled craft.

P.S. Have you checked out this opportunity to get paid for your creations?

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Author Zone

Author Zone Launching – Bring Your Books

reading

A writers’ journey can be a lonely and arduous trip and the success of a writer is the collective effort of all those who surround him/her.

I know that I am a small time blogger out there but I believe so much in the strength that lies in unity.

It’s been in my heart for quite a while to find ways of contributing, encouraging and promoting my fellow authors around.

Many are struggling to get their works out there and the challenge of breaking into the limelight of traditional publishing is humongous.

We are the only one’s who can attract and drive our own growth in here. Buying and reading bestsellers is brilliant, all well and good, but contributing to lift up a fellow writer in our midst from one level to the next should be our collective care because it matters.

Support your fellow author/artist/writer/blogger. Collaborate with each other to help them grow.

The truth is that purchasing a book from a little-known author barely costs much. If you are buying 3 books a month, pick up one from an author in our midst, the cost is not even up to a cup of coffee at Starbucks, Tim Hortons, London Dairy or where ever it is that you love to get your sweetness.

The idea behind ‘Author Zone,’ is to highlight a number of authors and their books bi-monthly.

If you would like your book highlighted, please feel free to contact me. I would also try to do a review of a book once a month.

Please share this as much as possible to reach as many authors/writers as we can.

Thank you for your support.

Jacqueline

Today’s Highlights

Rhymes of the Times

judy-martin

 

A lighthearted look at life through rhyme

Readers’ review

If you love rhyming poetry, and a bloody good laugh, this book is for you. Short at just 61 pages, you could get through it during a cuppa and I promise you will laugh the whole way through. Martin is a master at rhyme, and also with twists, there were a few poems with unexpected endings, one particular line caught my eye for its clever analogy:

Judy Martin is a gem. A supportive blogger friend and talented writer whose lighthearted look at life through her words make me smile. To get the book, you can check out this link. 

 

Everything Smells Just Like Poke Salad

nutstrok

 

A Readers’ review

Wonderful tales . . . all connected. Well written. At times poignant . . . at time hilarious. A nice little book that I very much enjoyed reading. Thank you Ms. Bethea for sharing the stories of your family with us.

Linda’s gift of story telling is awesome. You only need to read her words to get a good dose of laughter bubbling in you. To get the book, you can check out this link.

The Daily Post

Broody or moody…

Pensive is an upper-class word that means reflective
another way to say that you are introspective
or maybe a bit ruminative

Whatever stokes your senses to be cogitative
it’s all good to be perceptive
though some prefer to call it meditative.

Some writers love to use grandiose words like stamp duty
a pensive man they would describe as broody
which makes him sound more intense than moody

…and excuses his behaviour that might be kooky
especially in those romantic books that are juicy
or those paranormal stories that tend to be spooky

Of late I have been a bit pensive
a gamut of thoughts run through my head making me restive
I need to sort them and get progressive.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Pensive, The Daily Post Prompt


Below is my first Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

I hear you in my thoughts…

Your words of wisdom,

of love and encouragement…

They are etched upon my soul.

They keep me warm.

**

*an excerpt from my poem*

Blog · Featured Blogs

Featured Posts # 51 …Let me share your post links.

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‘PLEASE KEEP SENDING IN THE LINKS.’ 

Today’s featured blogs are:

Sophia You have to read Tanya’s posts on Post Prodigal Son to appreciate when I say that she’s a wonderful, talented writer. Her flow is so natural, so sublime. I will leave you to take the time and be the judge 🙂

Laugh till it hurts: Living with MS (multiple sclerosis) is a tough call but with a positive attitude to get through each day with humour is a blessing in itself. I laughed even though I knew that the issues she addresses are tough. Here’s my comment below:

You tell this in such a lighthearted manner that one can’t help but laugh. However, I know it must also be a struggle and strain sometimes and it’s a good thing that you’ve got a positive disposition and your grandma is a wise woman. Laughter is good medicine.

A quick drive-thru to say hello can gain you a friend.

‘Do you want more eyes on your words?’

Well then, add your LINK INTO THIS LOOP.

P.S. Comments are disabled here to keep the loop tidy. Any comments or link you want to send can be added through the link in the post.

Thank you for your understanding and regards.

‘We create a cohesive community when we come together.’

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha


Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

Brand me whole as only you can

That the entire score of me

Knows nothing but the fullness of you.

Lifestyle · Writing

Keeping It REAL…Streams of consciousness Saturday.

It’s been a real struggle trying to resist joining a whole lot of challenges that I see flying around the blogosphere.

They always sound absolutely interesting that a tiny voice in me keeps nudging me to do more. My reluctance stems from the real knowledge and fair idea what getting involved would mean in real-time for me. MORE OF MY TIME.SoCS badge 2015

I honestly don’t know how not to give a 100% and over when I am doing something.

I like to be that dependable. When I do less, I gain no real satisfaction and feel as if I am slacking off and letting something down.

I know these are good ways of connecting with others as well as practicing new techniques especially since I advise people to push the boundaries of their comfort.

Ruminating over it, I said to myself, Jacqueline my dear girl, you can’t seem to resist the bait of A-Z and more. Maybe, you should just take a little nibble and shelve something else. Hmm! REAL tussle in the mind. So what do you think?

Now, to get to some real talk on this post of mine.

It’s really been occupying space in my mind of late and each day the question grows.

We writers write for refined, elevated and so many other reasons. A writer will primarily tell you that they write for the love of it and not for the money. Sometimes, it does seem to me that we fail to calculate the real worth of our writing simply because the words flow easily from our minds to the tips of our pens and my wondering is that there might be need for a paradigm shift in this sort of thinking.

When you think about it, that passion for writing that we have, is been paid for with our time and other odd jobs. Won’t it be lovely if we shed other odd jobs and earned decent Ka-ching from our blogging, writing efforts?

I love writing. I love arty things. It’s beyond a passion for me and it’s not an alternative. It’s a compulsory pull.

I am trying to make conscientious effort to explore honest means of earning real cash from my endeavours. That’s the bottom line and it doesn’t make me less a writer to want to earn from the sweat of my fingers.

To live the lifestyle that I want without being enslaved to anybody, it has to work.

My conscientious effort requires reading more, researching more, learning more, having the courage to jump out of the window and all that. All these things will take some real good chunk of my time. There are no hard and fast rules to them.

I am however convinced that with dogged determination, hitting some pay; I am not sure about the dirt part, will really sweeten the pot.

Well there it is. Thank you Linda for today’s prompt word ‘real.’ It’s made me to dwell a little bit more on an issue that’s been running around in my head.

©  Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Blogging · Life · Lifestyle · Self Help · The Daily Post · Writing

Money, Money, Money….

I think I have mentioned it before in this space that my dear friend WordPress is quite telepathic enough to know my thoughts and need, thus providing prompts that echoes my thoughts, even if he is stingy in meeting those needs.1455545985148[1]

I spent a good number of my years before now, racing along the corporate corridor in search of the big corner office.

It was without doubt a worthwhile growth experience. I enjoyed my corporate ladder years with all it’s attendant stress and perks, but my life is turning several new and beautiful bends and there are some nuts in the fire of my writing life, which hopefully should yield ample dividends.

I love to keep a positive outlook and frame of mind because it is always better.

I got into blogging for several reasons asides the obvious reason that I am passionate about writing.

One of the reasons that I would like to explore henceforth, is how to turn my passion into my pay master, that way it’s a beautiful win-win situation.

I know that writers write because they love to write, but they equally have to live and what better way than to earn from the sweat of your passion.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

The Daily Post Money For Nothing.

If you’re like most of us, you need to earn money by working for a living. Describe your ultimate job. If you’re in your dream job, tell us all about it — what is it that you love? What fulfills you? If you’re not in your dream job, describe for us what your ultimate job would be.