On your mark...

Yay! It is the last day of March and if you don't know what that means, keep reading!

• NaNoEdMo is over with an EPIC FAIL trailing behind my name. I logged about 15 (out of 50) hours of editing. To be continued...
• April PAD (Poem a Day) begins tomorrow. I will be posting a poem a day for this month. Get ready!

Also, God, (please) bring on the rain.

Soaking up some Poetry

I've added a fun little page to the blog titled "What I'm Reading." The gadget there is courtesy of Goodreads. If you run over and have a look right now, you will see that I've been enjoying a lot of poetry (I'll wait for you to get back).

First of all, as I had mentioned before, I'm still reading a collection of poetry by E.E. Cummings. When I got my Kindle, the first full length book I read was his story, The Enormous Room. I thought it was magnificent and still, I sometimes find myself thinking about the characters (plus, it was free).

Secondly, I read Rita Dove's On the Bus With Rosa Parks and found it fascinating. I loved "Maple Valley Branch Library, 1967" because I ended up right there as my eyes passed over her words. Mostly it reminded me of how I get loaded with books each time I go. It takes a lot of resistance to walk out empty handed! Reading her work was like looking through a book of photographs, seeing and knowing the moment as if you were there when the shutter opened and closed.

Lastly, there is power in words. When you read a good book, or get tangled up in a lyrical piece of poetry, it stays with you. It haunts you. It inspires you. So if you are looking for a literary recharge - read!

Upcoming Challenges

I do well, or just better, with deadlines and prizes. For this post, I will outline the next three monthly writing challenges that may interest you too!

Greater Good (NaNoWriMo Novel) Chapter 1 

March - NaNoEdMo (National Novel Editing Month) 

• Reason: To induce some corrections on my 50K attempt in November. 
• Goal: Edit 50 hours and log your progress on the site. 
• Progress: I have done four hours so far (I signed up on the 4th) and it is just grueling.

April - April PAD (Poem A Day) / Poem in Your Pocket Day 

• Reason: November PAD was only partially successful and I've been wanting to do this since I missed it last year.
• Goal: Write a poem a day for 30 days; enter 1-5 poems to be considered for Poet Laureate and/or Top 50 or 10% (see link for details)
• Progress: I have thought long and hard about this!

May - Story A Day 

• Reason: Last year was wonderful.
• Goal: Write a story a day for 31 days; enter possible contest and showcase stories.
• Progress: I've been keeping active with the community lately on the improvements for May.

Also, check out the side bar for my 2011 Reading Challenge (brought to us by Goodreads) and participant badges. 

Love and Books

My beast (boyfriend) is giving me a library (Kindle) as a gift. He has been more excited about it than I have been (expressing) and it is endearing. He knows about my bibliophilia and how, in every sense of the word, I am a hoarder when it comes to books. So, he convinced me to accept the e-reader by stressing my concern over lack of space.

Watching this clip of Beauty and the Beast, it reminded me of my childhood. I was so impressed with that room. I fantasized about having a library like Belle's with the sliding ladders and walls whose main purpose was shelving for books. I still fantasize about that room, but in my head it is way smaller now, much more practical, and only partially digital. I remember reading so many books as a child but now I haven't the faintest idea where they were kept. Lately, I have been conscious of where to put a novel if I buy it because I already have so many.

Thinking about that and the Disney movie brought me around to the topic of the e-book takeover. There's been a lot of fear and lament about the demise of physical books, how they will eventually go extinct and whatever. Then I look at Beast and his transformation from his fearful state to his human form. Because Belle loved him while he was still Beast, true love broke the spell. She loved him because of his character, not his appearance or physical form.

Likewise, my love for books won't change because it is the words I love; words are the addiction. I can soak them up from a blinking screen or inhale them off a yellowed page. I am looking forward to getting my Kindle. It means more books for me!