Tuesday 20 October 2020

Joy In The Success Of Others

One of my best friends, Sammy HK Smith, has had their book picked up and is coming out next year!! The cover reveal for, Anna, was last week and it looks so good!!! 

Click the link to see more :)

https://rebellionpublishing.com/cover-reveal-and-excerpt-anna-by-sammy-h-k-smith/?fbclid=IwAR3MplZ65qaxp4Wv1GWoPnKPSvc46hwogp5kzt1IuCVIMS4AIStVeimHN6w

Tuesday 21 July 2020

DREAMS


Still one of my favourite little writing pieces.

Freedom: “What are you doing?”
Vicarious: “Dreaming?”
Freedom: “Well stop! You know that’s wrong!”
Vicarious: “I know I’ve been told it’s wrong. I don’t know that it is.”
F: “But Father and Mother say your dreams are wrong. That you shouldn’t see what you see in your dreams.”
V: “Mother and Father are scared of what they do not understand. What I see gives me experience. It teaches me infinity. I learn and live through others because of my dreams.”
F: “Don’t you worry what they would all think if they knew you could see them in your dreams?”
V: “Don’t be so narrow-minded. This is a gift given to me. I shouldn’t deny it because of some notion of privacy. Besides, they don’t know I can see them. It’s not like I can hurt them. All I do is watch.”
F: “Yes. All you do is watch. What about your life? There are chores to be done, people to meet, friends to be made, dreams to be lived.”
V: “Those dreams aren’t real to me. What I dream is real. When I dream, I dream of billions of chores, billions of people meeting, billions of friends being made, and billions of dreams being lived. Nothing can compare to that. No one dream outweighs the dreams of billions.”
F: “You’re wrong, you know?”
V: “Oh really? Enlighten me, oh experienced one.”
F: “My dreams... My dreams, are more important than a billion-billion other dreams.”
V: “And why is that?”
F: “Because they are my dreams. I shape them with each choice and act I make. I do not know how they will be fulfilled, but I try, and I struggle, and I bleed for them. I do not do it to simply learn, or for others to simply watch. I do it for you, for Father and Mother, for those I love.”
V: “But that is so limited. When I close my eyes and dream, I look though their eyes; through the eyes they put on their streets; and the ones in their markets; and those on their flying machines; and some in unimaginable places in the spaces between where they all live. I see it all. And by seeing, I am everything.”    
F: “You’re frightening me.”
V: “Frightening you? You should marvel at my dreams. You should beg to hear them and learn through me of what is out there in what we call the unknown. I have seen horrors and joys, and pleasures and pains, all of which you and your dreams could never fathom or conjure.”
F: “And what good does it do you?”
V: “It makes me a god of knowledge and wisdom.”
F: “It makes you nothing. You stare at a mirror and you have no reflection. It is all to feed your wish to be important.”
V: “I am important! Do you not wish to be important?”
F: “Not like you do. I want to be smiled at and hugged to prove to me that I am important, and most of all I want to look in the mirror and see my reflection. I want to see myself smile with the knowledge I live my dreams. Without that evidence how can you know of your own importance?”
V: “I know. You refuse to understand. You can’t see what I see. You’ll never understand.”
F: “I know I cannot see what you see, but you could come and see what I see. Then you would understand me. All you have to do is try.”
V: “Why would I want to waste time and effort on that when I can watch all people try. I can watch them fail and I can watch them succeed. All from the comfort of my dreams.”
F: “I don’t think it will be enough for you.”
V: “What do you mean?”
F: “Eventually you will get bored and you will want to try. But you won’t try to see through your own eyes and live your own dreams, for you will have none. You will try to live theirs. They will not want you trying to live their dreams. When you finally show yourself they will be able see you’ve been watching, and they will hate you. They will not give you their dreams. They will hate you for not earning the right. It is their right to give their dreams freely.”
V: “...hmm...maybe so. But I will know all. I will know what to say and what to do so they do not suspect who I am. They will not see me, for they will only see their own reflection.”
F: “You underestimate them. They will know. And when they do they will take back their dreams and you will have none. And then you will be nothing because you have no dreams of your own.”
V: “I will dream again. It is of no consequence.”
F: “You won’t dream again. You can never go back after that. Not once they’ve seen you and know you’ve been in their dreams. They will know how to shut you out. It will be over for you and you’ll be lost forever.”
Vicarious: “You are jealous and trying to spoil my gift. Leave me alone to my dreams.”
Freedom: “Don’t you mean their dreams.”
Vicarious: “Yes, their dreams, but they are my dreams too, don’t forget that.”
Freedom: “I’m sorry you’ve chosen this way. I truly hope you learn. Maybe if you put things right they will forgive you. But I think not. I do not think we will see each other again. Well, maybe in our dreams. Goodbye, Big Brother.”

Saturday 27 June 2020

From My Heart


Something I wrote on Facebook a few weeks ago. This year has been so intense I felt I had to let out some feelings and thoughts. 


In these times of ever increasing extremes it's so hard to know what to write, or say, and most importantly, do.

The world and its events are so massive. The number of different beliefs so vast. Hate and Love on a global scale are growing stronger and stronger as they feast upon the need to fight harder and harder to beat the other.

What can I do in such a world? My tiny garden of influence, beliefs and perspectives is comparable to nothing. How do I know what way is best to plough, sow, water, weed, harvest, consume and share?

Honestly, I don't have an answer.

I am void of knowing what I can do. So much love that rages inside. Rages and burns for those fighting for the same want of love. Its so intense and purifying that it almost consumes me. Such grief for the suffering of fellow beings. I know I must hold on. And so I go on. Balancing, processing, trying, loving, caring in small ways, until I can do more. Deep down controlling emotions that feel like they could rip apart the whole universe, and if not that, then certainly my small garden.

I want to hold those in grief and suffering to show them they are loved. That their pain is noticed. That each person is significant and matters more than they could ever know. That so many tears are spilled for them. That so many small gardens are watered in this way by millions of people because of love. That despite the hate, selfishness, poverty, injustice, sickness, loneliness and fear, there are those who would take it all away if they could. People who are doing what they can to make a change. Those trying to keep hope and love alive through word and action.

I want to do more. I want to be by your side when kneeling and fighting for love. But if all I can do is sign petitions, vote with love for reform, raise my voice when needed, tell people how much I love them, be there for them, share what little I can, and love with all my heart, then hopefully it will be enough, even though I want to do so much more.

You may never know it. But I love you.

Sunday 5 January 2020

The End of Decimation


The word Decimation originally refers to the beating to death of one person in a group of ten by the other nine. It was used by the Romans as a form of punishment for soldiers. To have to kill one of your brothers, who you’ve been training with and fighting beside would have been devastating. The Romans knew how to use cruelty as a form of control.

Why do I make reference to this? Well, I’ve been writing stories for a decade. This made me think of decimation simply because it relates to ten. Then I realised the decade has often felt like the same brutality as the psychological aspect of decimation. I refer to my writing journey, but overall it has been a remarkably intense ten years.

This last year could have been the most difficult, and therefore it could have been the one to be beaten and killed by the other nine (give up on writing). Granted, most of the struggles relating to writing have been self inflicted, but these emotions are instinctive and natural. It has been excruciatingly difficult not to let crippling disappointments, rejections, waiting and inadequacies break me. This year could, and probably should have been the most difficult.

The lack of writing and ability to market could have broken me so easily. Ultimately, the situation I am in has been my own choice. I chose to focus on Dungeons and Dragons for half the year, and focus on time with my friends and family. It took nine years, but I learned it’s better to wait than to rush. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what I’ve learned this decade.

This writing journey has really forced me to overcome so many inner demons. Just like the body needs controlled and measured resistance to become stronger, so does the mind and heart (a generalisation- obviously specific situations differ). Over time (a life time) there can be strategies and techniques to process and accept thoughts and emotions related to disappointments, rejections, waiting and inadequacy. Because of this writing journey I have had to face so many personal insecurities. Often I was broken by them, but I kept rebuilding my mental and emotional pathways. Over time they became stronger. I could either let them beat me or I could learn to overcome them. And now the struggles barely even register. This has made this last year a joy, when it could have been otherwise. I do get a tiny bit impatient every so often, especially because I’m currently in a cocoon stage with my stories. But, whether it takes a year, or ten, or fifty, or never happens, I am at peace with it now. I cannot do anything more than I already am. Whatever the future holds, I’m doing my best with my specific circumstances.

The joyous and beautiful truth is that I’ve found serenity and peace. And it’s all thanks to the connected fun and challenging experiences that come from writing stories and wanting them to be published. My writing has improved over the years, but most importantly I am a far happier and tranquil human being. I am super thankful for those who have guided me on this journey. So many people have been a part of helping me grow and learn as a writer and as a person. I am thankful for all the encouragement support and help. Here’s to the next year and decade!

Goals:
My main goal for the year is to finish book three of the Chronicles of Elementary. There are other small goals I’ll work on, but I’m happy keeping my head down and not rushing. One day I hope to have the books out in the world again for people to read, but if not, it’s okay. I have learned not to rush or worry about things in the future. Right now is what matters most.