Avril Joy's Blog, page 4

Small Things

Hi everyone – I do hope you’re having a good day in the sunshine…

A few weeks ago I highlighted a poem by Olena Kalytiak Davis – the first line of which is ‘Lately I am capable of only small things’ (You can read it here) It’s a line that keeps coming back to me. I hear it echo in my head most days and I think it will chime with many of us just now.

Our worlds have shrunk and turned in on themselves. This is especially true if we’ve been ill or are caring for someone, or been unable to...

The Same Book Over

When we start out writing something new, its impossible to know if its going to work. To begin with were writing into the dark and sometimes its too dark to see the stars.

Ive had a few black, moonless nights with my latest project, in the main prompted by hearing other writers vehemently declare this is not the time to write a pandemic novel. D.J.Taylor, a writer I admire, who I met once and found to be very generous, wrote, There are novels to be written about the coronavirus but they...

Free and Inspiring Writing Courses

Hi all, I do hope your Monday is going well. But if not our days are so up and down just now perhaps this is something that will inspire and brighten your day.

It comes curtesy of a lovely writing friend from Durham who sent me a link to the create-write-connect initiative and three free writing courses (listed below.) Its really worth clicking on the links to read the details of each course. I did this and found something I thought exciting and different.

I made a donation and signed up I...

A Mini Exhibition

Hi Everyone

Thanks so much for all the messages especially about the Golden Saxifrage post, and also the get well wishes. Having finally found some energy Ive been able to carry on making the mini exhibition that I started just before I was ill. Its made up of my postcards and renga verse.

Im not sure why or how far back the idea of this little home exhibition came to me its all a bit crazy really, but I blame lockdown for that. For someone who takes herself far too seriously at times its...

That Day

When youre in lockdown, youve been ill, still not properly recovered, feeling low, you sit in the garden with a cup of tea just to get some fresh air, pick a few, three or four, small flowers because you miss flowers so much, put them in a jug just to have by your chair, come inside to a message from a friend to say a delivery is on its way, and another message from Verde Flowers telling you to look out for a man in a red van with buckets of flowers in the back, and suddenly you know what...

Golden Saxifrage

I want to do more than Im capable of it, perhaps always the way we feel after a period of illness. But I did get some writing done yesterday morning, and my novella thats what Im calling it now (although Im not particularly keen on putting it in a box) continues to grow. And as it grows I begin to think that its very much about home being in exile, coming home, making a new home, as I did when I came north and the way in which we define home for ourselves.

The person Ive known longest...

Illness in the Time of Covid

Hi everyone when I started posting here at the beginning of lockdown it was my intention to post every day or two, as much for myself as anything to write and to connect with the world. I hadnt reckoned on being ill.

Unfortunately, for ten days now Ive been really poorly and mostly confined to bed, so writing has not been possible, even reading has been difficult at times. I am only just coming back to everyday life. Im still feeling very tired, and a bit like Ive been hit by a truck.

It...

Notes from an Easter Weekend

Friday  lawns mowed, ate hot cross buns in the garden as the sun attempted to break through, reading Excellent Women, (smiling out loud not quite laughing but more than smiling) my first ever Barbara Pym I see why shes a cult. Moved the couch in my study so that I can see the blossom from my window in all its blossomy glory. Im so impressed with the young women on Insta making scrubs for the NHS at least I could donate and that felt positive

Saturday today I cant bear whats happening, not...

When it Seems Impossible to Write

Sometimes its impossible to get writing done. Emily Gould

Yesterday the Lit Hubs monthly craft newsletter dropped into my mail box written by Emily Gould on the subject of how to keep writing when writing feels pointless. Pretty timely I think. Her suggestions made a lot of sense to me, but most important was her recognition that in these days it can be difficult to do anything at all.

I know from emails I get, and from my social media feed that lots of us feel its an accomplishment to just...

Renga Diaries

Here as promised two weeks of my Renga dairy you will see Ive not really played by any rules regarding syllable count no time for minor, unimportant concerns no rules in writing but I have kept to the 3 line, 2 line format. I notice that groceries loom large! I do like the found renga and I might look for more of those. What would loom large in your renga world I wonder?

Sat 28   groceries online, automated helpline like a needle drawing my life blood   first day of British summertime...