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A Community of Writers and Photographers

Category Archives: Announcement


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With heavy heart

My dear friends and community,

This morning I am very sad to have to tell you that our dear friend and contributor weedlewom has left this life last week following a sudden illness and hospital stay.

Part of me didn’t want to believe it, I think, so I am a few days late with this news.

I was very lucky to know Susan in my own community here in North Carolina, as last August I’d joined her writers’ critique group that met once a month.  I will tell you that she was as gentle and magical a soul as you find her voice to be in her poetry.

I didn’t know her nearly well enough, but I hold each memory dear.  Rest in deepest peace, poet.

You can read the poems she shared with us here.

And take good care of each other out there, please.

With love,

Melissa


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April Poetry Challenge — Day 1-5

Totally blown away and excited by all the interest in the April Poetry Challenge (courtesy of Richard Krawiec, please see the original post).  It’s time to check in.  If you are participating and a contributing member to 20 Lines, please post revisions as you see fit.

If you are part of our community of readers and participating in our challenge, please respond in the comments section of this post and let us know you’re checking in.

You may post your poem, a part of your poem, all of it or none, whatever you like.  We are glad you are joining us!

So make noise, share your progress, and let us know how it’s going!

As for me — I have started a poem and this is the first few lines:

After love, and you sleep
the full moon of your back
pale and strong under my hands

I will share some revisions publicly and the final version at the end of the month.   (It just occurred to me that it still might not be complete by then!  But I will promise to post the poem as it stands at that point nonetheless.)

Cheers, and happy writing,

Melissa


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Poetry Challenge for April

April is National Poetry Month

We’ve all heard of the a-poem-a-day challenges for April, or 30 Days, 30 Poems, but here is a unique challenge for the month of April to hone your skills as a writer and poet, introduced by Richard Krawiec, who himself is an enormously talented writer, poet, teacher and editor.  (Please read more about Richard here.)  I asked him if it would be alright to extend his challenge into our community.

Here’s the gist, in his words:

April is poetry month and there are all kinds of ‘write-a-poem-a-day’ contests.  I see the discipline of doing something like that, but I think the emphasis on producing a large number of poems is wrong – it shouldn’t be how many poems we write. One excellent poem is far more valuable than 30 decent poems.

So my challenge is this – for April start a poem on April 1 and revise it every day. 29 revisions of one poem.

Are  you in?  

I am, and to the extent that I can, will work on it publicly here, on 20 Lines.

If you wish to stay true to the 20 Lines format, write a few lines of it each day.  Or write several and then revise.  Or whatever works for you.  I am going to consciously compose and work the poem differently than I normally would, to see what happens.

You can share along the way, or at the end, or even not at all — but let me know if you’re going to be working on this — I’d love it if you’d join me.

Cheers, and happy writing,

Melissa


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Yes I Am (Going to Do it)!

I’ve taken the plunge and nailed down a date for introducing my book, Broken Consciousness: Reflections of an Epileptic. On Thursday, March 28, at 7:00, at our local library, I will be talking about how I came to write poems about the epilepsy I’ve had since I was twelve years old. Our library director supports local authors and she has been gracious and generous in arranging this event for me.

A student I taught when she was in fourth grade (a talented writer even then) contacted me on Facebook and said both she and her mom are coming.  That is very satisfying. I’ll have to count my books to make sure I have enough for a nice book table for selling.

Since my book is rather short (80 pages), I think I’ll read only one poem from the book itself, and share other poems I have written about living with epilepsy.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that I can be calm as I talk, and answer people’s questions with confidence.

March 28…I have more than enough time to plan.


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Announcement – Poetry Contest

The NFSPS (National Federation of State Poetry Societies) sponsors 50 poetry contests each year. Each state sponsors its own contest, and we would like to invite you to enter the Ohio contest this year. You do not need to be a member of the NFSPS to enter. Below are the particulars:

Your poem can be on any subject and in any form. There is a 40-line limit. First prize is $50, second prize is $25, and third prize is $15.

I am printing the contest rules verbatim from the NFSPS website. Some will apply to non-members and some will apply to members. Unless you happen to be a member, your attention need only be directed to the rules for non-members to enter the Ohio contest.

Contest Rules:

1. All poems submitted must:

a. be the original work of the contestant, unpublished in any form, including electronically, not placed on exhibition, not under consideration or accepted for publication. (Award will be recalled if a winning poem is found to be in violation of rules before publication in the NFSPS anthology of prize poems, and lower prizes and honorable mentions will move up in classification).

b. be written in English, be titled, unless a haiku.

c. have a 40-line limit for all contests not stating line limit.

d. be typed or computer-generated (not handwritten or hand-printed) without illustrations.

2. Poets give NFSPS exclusive first printing rights to all poems entered in the NFSPS Annual Contests. Poems winning a cash prize of $15.00 or more will be printed in the NFSPS prize poems anthology, Encore, at the discretion of the editor. (The editor reserves the right to alter line breaks in poems having more than 50 characters per line, including spaces.) Printing rights revert to the author after the anthology is published (June 2014). Printing rights to poems winning less than $15.00 (or no prize) revert to the poet after the list of winners is published in the NFSPS newsletter, Strophes (See Rule 10). No poems will be returned, so poets should retain copies.

3. An eligible poem may not be withdrawn after submission.

4. Except as indicated in Contest 1-NFSPS Founders Award, a contestant may submit only one entry in any contest, and may not submit the same poem in any other contest. (Note: Since we are announcing information for only the Ohio contest, this is superfluous unless you look at the NFSPS website and choose, on your own, to enter additional contests.)

5. Check or money order enclosed must be made to NFSPS, Inc. (initials sufficient) rather than to any individual.

a. Non-members (which we are, unless, of course, you ARE a member) may enter most contests at $1.00 each (except $5.00 for each entry in Contest 1-NFSPS Founders Award). Non-members may not enter Contests marked with an asterisk, * , and which are designated Members Only. (See website for full listing of contests. Link is below.)

b. (Again, this part is for members): Members may enter up to 10 contests for $1.00 per poem or $10. total for entries in more than 10 contests (except for Contest 1-NFSPS Founders Award which is $5.00 per poem) The entry limit for Contest 1-NFSPS Founders Award is four poems.

c. Entrants from outside the U.S. must send checks drawn on U.S. banks or branches, payable in U.S. funds, or send U.S. currency.

6. First Prize winner in Contest 1-NFSPS Founders Award is not eligible to enter the following year (NFSPS Founders Award only).

7. Judges will be selected by NFSPS, Inc. No ties will be awarded, and the decisions of the judges will be final.

8. When to submit poems:

a. Contest starting date: Entries must not be postmarked before January 1, 2013. (We’re good here!)

b. Contest deadlines: Entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2013.

9. (Not applicable to us): “Members Only” eligible if a paid-up member of a state society, listed in alphabetical membership roll mailed by a state society along with NFSPS dues to:

Lucille Morgan Wilson
2325 61st St.
Des Moines IA 50322
by Jan. 15, 2013 and updated as required by the Contest deadline (email: lucille_e_wilson@hotmail.com)

10. A list of winners will appear on the website (www.nfsps.com) and in third quarter Strophes (August). All prize winners will be notified, and others may obtain a list of winners in August by sending $1.00 and a #10 SASE to Paul Ford, Strophes editor, 10239 Hickory Point Drive, Sandy, UT 84092.

11. How to submit poems:

a. Send two clear copies of the poem, typed, photocopied, or computer-generated, on 8 1/2″ x 11″ white paper (no onionskin or tissue) in black ink, single-spaced. If poem is over  one page, staple together all pages of each copy.

b. On both copies, place number and name of contest in upper left corner
(26 – Ohio Award).

c. On second copy only, name and address, phone number, and email address of poet, state society membership, or “NON-MEMBER NFSPS” (the latter is what we will use) in upper right corner. If a poem is over one page, number pages also on upper right corner (both copies).

d. Separate originals from duplicates and stack in numerical order (1-50) with originals on top. Count them. (We will be sending only one original with one duplicate. Be sure to put original on top.)

e. Prepare a 3″ x 5″ lined file card (leave the first line blank) with your name, address, phone number, email address (if available), state society or “NON-MEMBER”. List on the card the number but not the whole title of each contest you are entering (26 – Ohio). List the total number of poems sent (1 poem). Do not staple the card to entries or entry fees.

f. Mail all entries at one time, unfolded, in a large envelope, including file card and entry fee(s). Send First Class or Priority Mail or any form of delivery not requiring a signature upon receipt to the Contest Chairman:

Mail entries to:

Mikki Pennington
P.O. Box 7842
Moore, OK 75153-1842

All entries received postage due will be returned by the Postal Service.

NFSPS, Inc. will not assume mailing costs and will not be responsible for any entries lost or delayed in the mail.

Sound overwhelming? I’ve done it, and it’s not, really. Write a poem, make a second copy, label them as directed, type it up, prepare your 3×5 card, include your fee, pack it in a large envelope and send it winging on its way.

Who knows? We might have winners in our midst. We are hoping you will take up the challenge.

Here’s a link to the NFSPS website so you can peruse all of its information.

 


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Meeting Maggie

[Author's note:  I started this post Saturday night, then had to put it down for a few days til I could come back to it.  If tenses are skewed or the timing seems funny, well, now I am in the final edit and it's late and my eyes are crossed but I will try my best.]

Saturday was a very special day for me, community, and I want to share it with you.  Saturday, I got to meet Maggie.

It’s true!  Our very own Maggie of 20 Lines and Brainstorms, who is just as sweet and warm and lovely in person as she is here.

This is how it came to pass:

As it turns out, Maggie has a brother who lives not too far away from me here in North Carolina.  Back in the fall during one of our telephone conversations, Maggie shared with me that she might be coming down this way for Christmas.  We talked about meeting for lunch and wouldn’t that be fun!

And as Christmas neared, Maggie and her husband came down with that chest crud that is going around this winter.  Plans were delayed.  On hold.  Changing.  Dates were shifting.  Flights were changed, then changed again.

But it turned out that the events fell into place and she and her husband soon had their plans solidified.  She was coming!  We set a time and date to meet, which was Saturday the 5th for lunch.

Earlier, when her plans to visit fell the week after Christmas, we’d agreed to meet at Southern Roots in Jamestown, not too far from me.  I’d called the restaurant to make sure they were open.  They were.

When the plans changed to today, I didn’t even bother to call the restaurant.  The holidays were over.  Everyone’s back to regular schedules again, right?

It turns out their regular schedule doesn’t include lunches on Saturdays.  (Wha??)  So I got the call when I was minutes from the restaurant:  ”They’re not open!  But there’s a place right down the street.  Meet us here anyway.”

I pull in and immediately I am recognized by who later turns out to be Maggie’s husband.  I follow him and he is following her around the front of the place, where she is looking around the neighborhood for somewhere closeby to eat.

By the way, Maggie’s husband is as sweet as he can be and made sure her coat was buttoned up because she’d been sick and truly looked after her.  Her brother brought her to meet me and they all ran errands and had their own lunch while we had a lunch to ourselves.  Precious.  Precious, precious.

And she swings around and we are smiling at each other and then I finally got to hug her neck.  I’m not sure she knows this but the moment she hugged me tears sprang into my eyes.  I was suddenly so aware of the fact that two worlds had met.

Maggie is just as warm and friendly and gracious as you imagine her, no, as you know her to be through her work.

And by now, you know we settled on a sweet little place called Fresh Manna, in Jamestown, NC.

IMG_2038

Over lunch, we talked and talked and talked and realized there was not going to be enough time to cover everything we wanted to share.

By the way, it was Maggie that engaged the waitress to the point that she wanted to hear our story of how we came to meet, and listened, rapt, as we described how we met, and 20 Lines and all of  you – about our community here in this space.  (And they decided that Maggie had flown all the way to North Carolina to eat at Fresh Manna.  And who were we to argue?)

I am here to tell you that meeting Maggie was one of the most special things that has happened to me in a long time.

Maggie – you are dear.  Friendly, sweet, funny, loving, kind, generous, and very charming yourself.  Your family is beautiful and I now know what I always suspected: that you are surrounded by love and you yourself radiate that love to everyone lucky enough to be around you.

… I will keep that day, and you, in my heart.

Here’s to friendship.

IMG_2045


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2013: Warm Wishes for the New Year

Please pardon the reflection.

2012 was a year of cliff diving for me.  Not literal cliffs, not yet, but metaphorical ones, in the form of one life change after another.  Over the last five years, I have been life-building, I guess you could call it, and 2012 was a culmination of events and leaps of faith that had I not have the amazing people in my life that are there, maybe never would have done.

And I started this blog.

You all have touched my life in ways you might never know — but hopefully I have told you, at least at some point, whether we shared a conversation in e-mail, or in comments on a post …  This place has become a village in my heart, and that is because of you all, because of your contribution and presence here, because of the fact that your art and words and language and dreams and the things you see and think to share with us all live here, too.

I appreciate every one of you.

I haven’t been writing much lately — there is a new job beginning and the attendant responsibilities, and I am still working up the nerve for higher cliffs, mind you.  Growth requires us to keep setting higher goals.

I hope the New Year has started off peacefully and with love touching your life.  2013 promises to be a beautiful year full of challenges and goals, successes and obstacles to overcome.  Work hard.  Write.  Share yourself with us.  Be nurtured here in whatever ways soothe your inner artist and inspire you to create.

And as ever, thank you.

Warmest wishes to each of you, contributors, authors, friends, and readers alike,
whether you come every day or stop by when life grants you brief respite.

 

 

With love,

 

Melissa

 


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Thanks/Happy New Year

I just wanted to say thank you to the 20 lines community for giving me another outlet for my writing. I hope to be a much better contributor this upcoming year. Now that my latest book (This Sentimental Education) is out for Kindle and will be in paperback soon, I should have more time to dedicate to this site and its followers.

Happy New Year! Best wishes to everyone.
kjpgarcia


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To me; This is the most beautiful thing about the internet…

Community. A sense of togetherness.

This. Right here, is an online community, it may not be the biggest. But the fact remains, we are a community. And I wish to propose WE as a community should do our upmost to support those in need…

I frequently browse the website Reddit.com, a large online community. I recently came across a video, a story of 1960′s artist Lester Chambers, he was the lead singer in the group “The Chamber Brothers” who throughout his entire career did not receive a cent in royalties, despite making countless study albums. This to me is an outrage, imagine working you’re entire life, and not being paid for it. Working tirelessly producing album after album, only to one day become homeless through no fault of your own. He worked his entire life, to now depend on an organisation to provide for him.

This isn’t right. This man gave his entire life, to then not receive what was rightfully his.

This man is not a drunk. Neither is he a drug addict. He’s a victim of a cruel cruel industry. But through this kickstarter project we can help to rectify this injustice. We as a community to contribute towards him receiving what he should have had over 40 years ago.

I understand that this is a tough time of year financially for everyone, (Hell, I’m a student with a mountain of rising debt) but something as small as 1 Dollar, to give this man what is rightfully his, is something i believe the majority of us could contribute. Please spread the word of this touching story.

Here is the link to the kickstarter page: Click here

From me starting this post to me completing this post, over $2000 has been contributed. This IS achievable. We can try and put this injustice right. Together.

Kind Regards this holiday season,
Jay!


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Introducing “The Plumber’s Son”

Hello,
Imagine you were in the middle of a long tiring journey or road-trip. You feel hungry, there is a rest stop ahead. The vehicle thankfully makes a stopover, and take a bite, and suck some juice or water. Let’s say you buy a bottle of water to take along to quench later thirst… then that water runs out. For those in Ghana, the driver could easily stop for a passenger to take a leak… in America, there is most likely to be a restroom nearby or even in that Greyhound or Peter Pan. But what if you are thirsty (when your water has ran out), and no one else is offering you a spare bottle or a drop. There may be some hope ahead for you because you are heading either home or the next rest stop, or traffic light (with hawkers).

What about those desert-like areas? What of those whose governments are yet to connect their communities to the pipe-borne water ‘grid’? What of those who bath, pee, and shii and bathe in the save water body they drink and cook from? Ever considered the amount of money used to make water potable? Ever wondered how a drop saved today could be needed drop on the morrow? Ever considered making small changes in our water-using habits; like leaving the basin tap on with our one hand on the wall or hip, and the other scouring our teeth? Oh yes, sometimes, it’s unconscious, but most times, it is cultivated… I have had a roommate like that.. just this semester. I said it once, it’s as if he does it to piss me off. But inasmuch as silence is the best answer to a fool, there are people who would love enlightenment; because like me, they believe they don’t know it all.

Alongside, there are some sources of water wastage like (unfixed and unreported) burst pipes. So far as passers-by have flow of water, there is nothing wrong with water gushing out of a burst pipe. Well, here and now, I am subscribing to Gandhi’s ‘be the change you want to see in the world’. I would like to know people report water leakages, fix broken taps (in their homes and school), and in totality, use water wisely! With all to do, I introduce to you a new blog… “The Plumber’s Son“, inspired by my passion for sensible water use with the hope of ensuring sustainability for Mother Earth’s sister/mum. Thank you.

The Plumber’s Son


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Happy Sunday!

It’s Sunday and I am home again, home again, after a wonderful holiday shared with family and friends in Pennsylvania.  I am so blessed and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t realize it and send up a “thank you.”

There is so much to be done and the holidays are upon us!  I have received winter photographs from Eunice and submissions from several new writers that I cannot wait to share with you all. There are new biographies to post on the contributors’ page.  I have articles to write.  And poems in my head.  So I am home this afternoon and working away.

New challenges lie ahead.  New ideas.  Growth.  Don’t forget to keep changing and stretching yourself.  Never hesitate to reach out to me with questions, ideas, and comments.  Use our Facebook page to connect to each other and further share your work, as well as other ideas you may have.  Make 20 Lines a second home.  Or a first one, if you like.

And from both Alex and Eunice, we have been awarded the 2012 Blogger of the Year Award, and I did accept the awards on behalf of all of you, who warm and inspire me with your courage, your effort, your talent.  Thank you, Alex and Eunice.  I will attempt to do honor to this award faithfully.  And thank you, to each contributor and reader.  You are the breathers of life into this space.

Keep going.  Keep writing.  Keep looking for that next photograph that will touch us all.

Cheers.  And happy everything.

Melissa Hassard


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The Very Inspiring Blogger Award!!

Reblogged from Living and Lovin:

Click to visit the original post

Morrighan from over at The Enchanted Solitaire has chosen ME

Thanks so very much

Peace and Love Eunice

The Very Inspiring Blogger Award!!

Morrighan from over at The Enchanted Solitaire has nominated me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award!!

Thanks so very much for LIKING my Blog.  I live kind of a strange life which is why I have so many people from so many walks of life that actually take the time to FOLLOW my Posts and for that I am so grateful as I get so much from each and every one of you.

Read more… 301 more words


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The 20 lines Thanksgiving challenge 2012

Ok everybody here we go

The all new 20 lines Thanksgiving day challenge ……

Write a poem or short story that somehow changes  a disbeliever to be thankful …..and for those of us that like to take photos , post a photo showing what your thankful for …

This will work as always …Please post to this blog , do not reblog…if you can’t post here , leave a link or post to these comments…Thank you for you cooperation , 


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Hello from Melissa, too

Checking in to say hello to you all during fleeting quiet moments, the house not yet awake.

Hello to all contributors and followers, new and old, and welcome back, Maggie!  I’m so looking forward to hearing more about your NaNoWriMo project.

My mind feels a bit like urban sprawl these days; rambling, spread too far with not enough organization, so upon that realization (in the dark, before I got out bed, padded downstairs and picked up my MacBook) I am working to become more organized in thought.

I know I need to update the Contributors’ page and if I have your bio, many, many thanks!  I will apply myself to this task this evening, after my day climbs into its bed.

If you have questions or need to nudge me about anything, never hesitate to e-mail me directly.

Jump in on challenges or offer up your own.  I most definitely look forward to writing again with you, and resolve to carve out the time.

I hope you all are enjoying your time at 20 Lines and finding encouragement, community, and inspiration.  I know you all certainly inspire me.

Warmly,

Melissa

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