Patricia Lee Lewis, Writer Extraordinaire, is writing 30 Poems in 30 Days for the Center for New Americans for their Family Literacy Project. Patricia is the author of High Lonesome and a Kind of Yellow, which was awarded first place by Writers Digest International. She is the former director of the Patchwork Farm Retreat and has been the beloved mentor of many writers.
Check out Patricia’s donations page and give a contribution to this important cause:
cnam.org
There’s nothing like your local book store for a writer. Here you find worthy books, interesting readings and events, and a place to sell your books.
Amherst Books is located at 8 Main Street in Amherst, MA. New Hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. You can order books online at books@amherstbooks.com) or by telephone (413-256-1547,
They believe, and so do I, that books and bookstores are essential, especially in times of crisis. Support them or your local bookstore.
When I have writer’s block, I sometimes freewrite.
What is freewriting? A writing exercise in which you write quickly and continuously, with a free association of ideas.
Freewriting is a good technique to shut down your “inner censor” and let your writing flow. The idea is to put down your thoughts as they arise, without judging them, or the way in which they get expressed.
According to Peter Elbow, a founder of freewriting:
“If you want readers to breathe life into your writing so that they get a powerful experience from it, then you must breathe experience into your words as you write. I don’t know why it should be the case that if you experience what you are writing about–if you go to the bamboo–it increases the chances of the reader’s experiencing the bamboo. But that’s the way it seems to work.”
The basic technique is to simply write without stopping for a set amount of time, say 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t correct what you write. See what happens.
My latest collection of poetry is coming out soon. Check it out:
Touch My Head Softly by Eileen Kennedy – Finishing Line Press
When I have writer’s block, I sometimes freewrite.
What is freewriting? A writing exercise in which you write quickly and continuously, with a free association of ideas.
OPEN MIC & FEATURED READER Writers Night Out In! Thursday, November 5 @ 7:00pm ONLINE *We have changed our usual Tuesday to a Thursday due to the election. We’re live and online! Join us Tuesday on Zoom at 7:00pm for Writers Night In. RSVP wno@strawdogwriters.org to receive the Zoom link to the event.
Featured Reader – Stephanie Shafran
Stephanie Shafran lives in Western MA. Her poetry and prose have appeared in anthologies such as Straw Dog’s Compass Roads and Ophelia’s Mom, edited by Nina Shandler. And in journals such as Earth’s Daughters, Whirlwind Review, Slant and Silkworm. Her poem Pears received an honorable mention in Writers’ Digest’s 2001non-rhyming poetry competition.
Last year, Stephanie’s poem After “Since Unfinished” by Richard Blanco won 3rd place in the Robert P. Collén Poetry Competition; recently she was a semi-finalist in River Styx’s Microfiction Contest.
Stephanie published Awakening this spring.
I don’t know how you deal with self-doubt and self-criticism, but I know that loving life helps.
In the midst of a pandemic, I know this is hard. But I have been trying to come up every day with something to be grateful for. I live in Western Massachusetts, which has some of the loveliest landscapes and lakes on the earth. I canoe with my partner often. I find focusing on nature is a great antidote. I have a porch that looks out on a beautiful meadow and even while I’m sitting in my study writing, I’ll go out to the porch and look at a tree or plant or flower.
My latest collection of poetry is coming out soon. Check it out:
Touch My Head Softly by Eileen Kennedy – Finishing Line Press
wno@strawdogwriters.org
Straw Dog Writers Guild will feature Eileen P. Kennedy on Tuesday October 6 at 7 pm. Kennedy will be reading from her new book from Finishing Line Press, Touch My Head Softly:
The book is a collection of poetry about her experiences with her lover who died in his 60’s of Alzheimer’s Disease.
If you’d like to view, send an email requesting the link to:
wno@strawdogwriters.org
Straw Dog Writers Guild
Writers Night In – Featured Reader Eileen Kennedy
is featuring Eileen P. Kennedy, author of the upcoming book of poetry from Finishing Line Press:
Touch My Head Softly
On October 6 at 7 pm EST,
The poems sensitively portrays a man living with Alzheimer’s Disease and his partner’s experiences. To join the viewing, email
wno@strawdogwriters.org to receive the Zoom link to the event.
I don’t know about you but I have a new book coming out from Finishing Line Press, Touch My Head Softly, and I have been doing several zoom readings.
If you are like me, and used to giving in-person readings, the zoom reading is different and has it’s advantages and disadvantages.
You have a larger potential audience, as people don’t have to travel to get to you and can “zoom-in” from all over the world.
However, I find it’s tricky to keep facial and eye contact with so many little screen faces. I did a webinar recently, and was unable to see my audience at all.
To try to overcome this, I try reading to a live person before and/or a live practice session on zoom with another person. Then I ask for feedback. You alsohave the advantage of screen sharing with zoom. With screen share you have the advantage of offering a visual to accompany your words, but again the down-side is that you cannot see your audience at all.
If you’re interested in attending my next zoom meeting, register at:
If you’re interested in viewing the book, look here:
I recently read from my new book, Touch My Head Softly for the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, MA. I’ve attached the link to the video:
My new book is in presale and will not be out until early 2121. Here’s a link to my book: http://www.finishinglinepress.con/product/touch-my-head-softly-by-eileen-kennedy/
In the meantime, I’ve been continuing to journal in my IPhone or MacBook.
This is a sample of my journal.
I have another reading October 1 for Straw Dog Writers Guild. Here’s their website: http://www.strawdogwritersguild.org.
The thing of it is, when I’m in mid-process of reading and promoting a new book, I find it difficult to generate new work Do any of you have this problem?
Eileen P. Kennedy Author 