Roisin Black's Blog, page 5
June 12, 2015
Happy Birthday William
As regular followers of this blog will know, I’m rather partial to the odd spot of poetry. Some keen observers may have noted that one of my favourite poets is William Butler Yeats, who just happened to be born on 13th June 1865. To mark this legendary poet’s birthday, I’m sharing two of my favourite poems of his with you today. Enjoy.
NO SECOND TROY
by: W. B. Yeats (1865-1939)
HY should I blame her that she filled my daysWith misery, or that she would of late
Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways,
Or hurled the little streets upon the great,
Had they but courage equal to desire?
What could have made her peaceful with a mind
That nobleness made simple as a fire,
With beauty like a tightened bow, a kind
That is not natural in an age like this,
Being high and solitary and most stern?
Why, what could she have done, being what she is?
Was there another Troy for her to burn?
William Butler Yeats
The Cloths Of Heaven
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
May 31, 2015
Love Wins!
Well it’s been a week since Ireland rocked the world and voted yes for gay marriage. I knew the wonderful people of my country would do it and they did it in spectacular fashion. So many people have expressed surprise to me stating the fact that the Republic of Ireland is pre-dominantly a Catholic country. Yes it is but to focus on Catholicism is to miss the point, first and foremost the people of Ireland are Irish and a passion for freedom and equality beats at the very heart of every person in Ireland. Each scandal involving the Catholic Church over the last twenty years has loosened the shackles that institution used to hold the country in, to the point where many who might have made their decisions before, based on doctrine and liturgical rhetoric, now look into their own hearts. And what they have found there is compassion and love, two precious commodities many religions spout about but so few practice. Well done Ireland, you displayed your beautiful heart and soul to the world and I couldn’t be prouder to say I’m Irish than I am today. Below is a beautiful video collage of some of the special moments of an incredible day in our history. Enjoy.
May 22, 2015
A Vote For Love
Today, the people of the Republic Of Ireland go to the polls to vote yes or no for marriage equality. That is, they are voting for the right for gay people to enjoy the same marital status as heterosexual couples.
Today Is The Day Ireland Decides On Marriage Equality
Whereas, civil partnerships and gay marriage exist in other countries, Ireland is the first country to hold a national referendum on whether or not to enshrine the legal protection of marriage equality into the nation’s constitution. Basically, the Irish people are getting to say how they feel about gay marriage.
An Art Installation In Dublin In Favour Of A Yes Vote
The debate in Ireland has been a lively and impassioned one for the last few weeks and has diverted off into areas such as “the fall of the family”, children’s rights, adoption, surrogacy and human rights.
If I was in Ireland today (and I dearly wish I was) I’d be voting YES and my vote would be driven by one simple principle: My vote would be a vote for love. As far as I am concerned love is sacred and it’s sacred whether it’s between a man and a woman, a woman and a woman or a man and a man. With so much hatred in the world, I feel we all have to do as much as we can for love and to provide a counterpoint to those with hate in their hearts. Marriage is a celebration of love and I look forward to all people being able to celebrate their love through the medium of marriage, if they so choose, regardless of whether it’s same sex marriage or heterosexual marriage. I thoroughly believe Ireland will lead the way today.
Vote For Love
April 19, 2015
How Writers Roll
It’s Monday. It’s raining. It’s beautiful. The kids are gone back to school and I am surrounded by blessed silence tempered only by the drip, drop, pat, pat, pat of raindrops.
School holidays for me mean no writing and as much as I love and adore my children, this causes me a certain amount of frustration, especially because I’m not the type of person who can easily pick up a story, like a piece of thread and just start sewing it together again. No, I need to ease myself back into it, to pick up the mood and re-acquaint myself with my characters. That’s just how this writer rolls.
The story I’m currently working on is about a man who has decided love is not for him. Of course fate has other ideas. Over the next few weeks I will be dealing with the crux of the story and its main theme – love. So, in order to “pick up the mood” and find some inspiration for hopefully some decent writing over the coming weeks I’ve been listening to Ed Sheeran and reading love poetry. Not a bad way to pass a rainy Monday! In my efforts to find inspiration I came across this stunningly beautiful poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox and I’d like to share it with you. Its so incredibly beautiful and yet astute in its observation of the physical and emotional state that is love. It blew me away. Enjoy.
Love’s Language
How does Love speak?
In the faint flush upon the telltale cheek,
And in the pallor that succeeds it; by
The quivering lid of an averted eye–
The smile that proves the parent to a sigh
Thus doth Love speak.
How does Love speak?
By the uneven heart-throbs, and the freak
Of bounding pulses that stand still and ache,
While new emotions, like strange barges, make
Along vein-channels their disturbing course;
Still as the dawn, and with the dawn’s swift force–
Thus doth Love speak.
How does Love speak?
In the avoidance of that which we seek–
The sudden silence and reserve when near–
The eye that glistens with an unshed tear–
The joy that seems the counterpart of fear,
As the alarmed heart leaps in the breast,
And knows, and names, and greets its godlike guest–
Thus doth Love speak.
How does Love speak?
In the proud spirit suddenly grown meek–
The haughty heart grown humble; in the tender
And unnamed light that floods the world with splendor;
In the resemblance which the fond eyes trace
In all fair things to one beloved face;
In the shy touch of hands that thrill and tremble;
In looks and lips that can no more dissemble–
Thus doth Love speak.
How does Love speak?
In the wild words that uttered seem so weak
They shrink ashamed in silence; in the fire
Glance strikes with glance, swift flashing high and higher,
Like lightnings that precede the mighty storm;
In the deep, soulful stillness; in the warm,
Impassioned tide that sweeps through throbbing veins,
Between the shores of keen delights and pains;
In the embrace where madness melts in bliss,
And in the convulsive rapture of a kiss–
Thus doth Love speak.
April 2, 2015
Fathers, Forgiveness And Acceptance
I logged on to the internet today and saw a story going viral that could be straight out of the pages of my novella Over Your Dead Body.
Over Your Dead Body – the story of one man’s need to resolve the past so he can have a future
It makes me so sad that this boy and so many others who come out have to go through this terrible rejection. I was also struck at how the son doesn’t hold the father’s cruel words against him and hopes they can still work out a relationship. I was stunned at how the son is obviously way more mature than his own father! I applaud Tyler’s bravery and hope he finds as much happiness as he has found support from around the world. I also hope his Dad finds it in his heart to get over himself and his bigotry in order to work out a loving relationship with his son.
[Reporting from http://www.dailymail.co.uk
“You are so brave, many admire you”: Outpouring of support for 15-year-old boy who was told his coming out was ‘worse than death’ by his FATHER in Facebook messages posted online
A teenager has received support from around the world after he revealed his father had called his coming out as gay ‘worse than death’.
Vancouver-born Tyler, 15, posted the Facebook conversation he had had with his dad on his Tumblr account, in which he is told that news of his sexuality is an ‘embarrassment’.
He reveals that he first told his news to his sisters, who were extremely supportive, and then came out to his mother, before telling his father.
Tyler
In response to Tyler’s news, his father wrote back: ‘We took care of you since you were a baby. We loved you, took care of you when you’re sick. Lost many days and nights in all your fifteen years.
‘Now this is what we get in return, shame and embarrassment.’
He continued: ‘If only you didn’t reject God and His teachings in your life you could have been strong enough to stay from evil and scums that surrounds you. Stay away.’
In further messages, perhaps in response to Tyler’s Tumblr post, his father went on: ‘Take out your post from social media.
‘You embarrass me from all the people I knew.
‘I’m going to puke. Whatever you do it reflects on me. People will ridicule me, insult me, and I might turn out to be a criminal. I have enough of all this bulls***.’
Some Of The Exchanges
He concluded: ‘You are trying to ruin me. This is worse than death.’
Discussing his father’s messages in an interview with Huffington Post B.C., Tyler, who lives with his aunts, said: ‘I’m hoping there’s still the possibility that he could change, even if it takes a while.
‘Maybe he could accept me, because that’s all I want… I just want him to be there for me.’
March 29, 2015
I’m A Writer – Will I Starve?
Suffering from serious crisis of confidence this morning and wondering if I’m chasing some sort of fool’s folly (well it is Monday!) so I’ve spent the past few hours cruising the internet for inspiration and came across this great talk by successful indie author Linda Gillard, speaking at the Edinburgh Publishing Conference 2013. Her talk starts at 28 minutes. Interestingly her talk is followed by Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords. Enjoy!
March 22, 2015
Wishbones And Backbones
I was all ready to get stuck into writing a post when I came across a poem that blew me away. Regular followers of this blog will know just how much I love poetry, so I can’t resist sharing this one with you all. I particularly love the last two lines. No. I ADORE the last two lines which are attributed to Clementine Paddleford an American journalist and writer.
Enjoy.
FOR MY DAUGHTER
By Sarah McMane
“Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.” – Clementine Paddleford
Never play the princess when you can
be the queen:
rule the kingdom, swing a scepter,
wear a crown of gold.
Don’t dance in glass slippers,
crystal carving up your toes —
be a barefoot Amazon instead,
for those shoes will surely shatter on your feet.
Never wear only pink
when you can strut in crimson red,
sweat in heather grey, and
shimmer in sky blue,
claim the golden sun upon your hair.
Colors are for everyone,
boys and girls, men and women —
be a verdant garden, the landscape of Versailles,
not a pale primrose blindly pushed aside.
Chase green dragons and one-eyed zombies,
fierce and fiery toothy monsters,
not merely lazy butterflies,
sweet and slow on summer days.
For you can tame the most brutish beasts
with your wily wits and charm,
and lizard scales feel just as smooth
as gossamer insect wings.
Tramp muddy through the house in
a purple tutu and cowboy boots.
Have a tea party in your overalls.
Build a fort of birch branches,
a zoo of Legos, a rocketship of
Queen Anne chairs and coverlets,
first stop on the moon.
Dream of dinosaurs and baby dolls,
bold brontosaurus and bookish Belle,
not Barbie on the runway or
Disney damsels in distress —
you are much too strong to play
the simpering waif.
Don a baseball cap, dance with Daddy,
paint your toenails, climb a cottonwood.
Learn to speak with both your mind and heart.
For the ground beneath will hold you, dear —
know that you are free.
And never grow a wishbone, daughter,
where your backbone ought to be.
March 7, 2015
Remember Me – Inspirations Part Two
The west of Ireland is a place that has inspired writers and artists for hundreds of years. If you have any sort of creative inkling in you at all then you can’t spend any amount of time there without drawing an abundance of inspiration from its stunning natural beauty and cultural heritage. I was lucky enough to grow up and attend university here and after a few years working in Dublin, I returned and spent the first ten years of married life in a small, renovated cottage on the shores of Lough Mask.
It was during this time I had the opportunity to acquaint myself with a number of the historical houses of counties Mayo and Galway. Many of these properties became the ultimate status symbol during the Celtic Tiger and others became the targets of developers, as featured in the storyline of Remember Me. Practically all of these houses were designed by the most talented architects of the day and all of them are built in stunning locations. They are beautiful testaments to a bygone era and as the general architecture of Ireland continues to evolve they stand as eternal links to the past.
Two of these houses in particular served as the main inspiration for Carra House, in Remember Me. Carra House is a fictional amalgam of these two houses, which I’d like to share with you.
The first one is Partry House. It was built in 1667 by Arthur Lynch as a dowager house for his widowed mother. It’s a stunning property with a wonderful feeling of warmth in it which is missing in so many historical houses. It also has a beautiful gate lodge, which is the inspiration for the gate lodge in Remember Me.
Partry House, Co. Mayo.
The second one is Cloonee House, built in 1775 as a hunting lodge for the Brown family of Westport House and nestled on the shores of Lough Carra, one of Ireland’s best fishing lakes.
Cloonee House
During my time living nearby, it was owned by the local vet, who very kindly looked after my dog whenever I was away. I always loved dropping him off and collecting him from this amazing property. The private road up to it is hairy, as described in Remember Me but the drive is well worth it when you round the last bend and arrive at this stunning location. The scene where Flynn arrives at Carra House and makes a dash up the front steps and opens the ancient door, is a scene straight from my own memories.
I arrived one very dark evening to collect Rock and there didn’t seem to be anyone home even though lights glowed all over the house. The rain was monsoon-like and I didn’t fancy getting out of the car as I usually did and wandering around the property till I found someone. So, I decided to use modern technology to solve my dilemma and phoned. George answered and told me they were in the kitchen at the back of the house, just finishing their dinner and that I should come in the front door and go into the drawing room and wait for them there. So, just as Flynn does in Remember Me, I dashed up the front steps, opened the huge front door and let myself in. A beautiful, antique brass umbrella holder stood just inside the door and the entrance hall was decidedly chilly. However, I’ve never forgotten the warmth and intoxicating smell of the log fire that enveloped me as I opened the door to the drawing room. The fire spit and crackled, an old leather armchair stood empty in front of its flames and the room was full of antiques and history. I stood there and breathed it all in as I imagined a man sitting in that chair, a man with a past, brooding and plotting as he stared at the flames and fuelled his plans for revenge with a glass of one of Ireland’s finest whiskey’s.
Jameson – One Of Flynn’s Favourite Tipples
It’s taken me a while to bring that man from the dark depths of my imagination into the bright light of reality but I’m so glad for those few minutes in the drawing room of Cloonee House where the idea of him was born.
As an interesting footnote, I’m not the only writer to have found inspiration at Cloonee House. D.H. Lawrence availed of its peace and tranquillity to write part of his novel “Women In Love” there.
As I said – the west of Ireland, a magical place that never fails to inspire.
The Sparkling Waters of Lough Carra
February 13, 2015
Love
I can’t believe it has been so long since I put a post together. It seems only a few weeks ago I was drowning in the depths of pre-Christmas homesickness and writing about the Candle In The Window and now, somehow, it’s Valentine’s day. The lack of seasons here in Queensland seriously messes with my sense of time – as in I just don’t have any sense of time passing or the year moving on.
So here we are in the middle of February and at that time of year again in the Western world where people observe various celebrations of love – mostly of the romantic kind. Admittedly it is an ancient celebration that has been pretty much hi-jacked by peddlers of the tawdry and the tacky but I feel it is no less important for all that.
For me, anything that celebrates love is wonderful. The world is full of so much negativity and hate that if we can preserve one day of the year where we celebrate love – even if it is for the most part romantic love that is celebrated – then that is a good thing. Love is the most powerful force on the planet and the more we can celebrate it the better. Not everyone is lucky enough to find true love in their lifetime and for some it is simply a fleeting moment, if you have been so fortunate to find the person you truly love and are spending your life with that person then take the opportunity to observe just how how lucky you are.
Below is a painting by one of Ireland’s most celebrated artists, Frederic William Burton. The painting is titled, The Meeting On The Turret Stairs.
The Meeting On The Turret Stairs
The work itself was inspired by an old Danish ballad of forbidden love between a princess – Hellelil and one of her bodyguards – Hildebrand. Hellelil’s father deemed Hildebrand most unsuitable for his daughter and ordered his seven sons to kill him. The painting is Burton’s interpretation of the last embrace of the ill-fated lovers before Hildebrand goes to face Hellelil’s brothers.
I think it is a stunningly beautiful piece of work and I am fascinated at how Burton managed to depict so much emotion in it. The tenderness of Hildebrand’s kiss is particularly poignant and gets to me every time I see it. And I’m not the only one who loves this particular painting. It was recently voted Ireland’s favourite painting and despite the tragic tale it depicts, it is seen as one of the country’s most romantic paintings and many proposals of marriage have taken place before it.
Wherever you are this Valentine’s weekend, I hope you get to spend some time with the one you love or at least to tell them how much they mean to you because as the song goes, “love is all there is.”
January 20, 2015
7 Tips for Amazon Keywords and Best Selling Books
One of the best pieces I’ve read about Amazon keywords.
Originally posted on How to Make, Market and Sell Ebooks:
Best selling books are more likely to happen when authors use smart Amazon keywords. When used wisely, keywords help strangers from all over the world find your books. Most authors are missing out because the whole metadata thing can be confusing. Think of it like this:
At bookstores, readers browse in sections where covers, titles and blurbs help them decide to inspect further.
Online, readers type phrases into the search bar where the most relevant books show up in the results (or the books Amazon thinks are most relevant).
Obvious question: how to choose the best ones so the search engine at Amazon leads browsers to your book? Here are 7 tips to help select the best words and phrases plus a tutorial video at YouTube at the bottom of this post.
(There’s also a video course with coupon code, Bestselling Keywords for Amazon Authors.)
1. Make a…
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