Linda agreed to clean the dragon cage…
You can find her guest post below! Check her blog out and give her book a read!
-OM
Tag Archives: authors
Who Doesn’t Like Gifts
Who doesn’t like gifts? Nature’s Gift to Humanity is a collection of prose with photographs of the most unusual–pigeon poop.
Author and Photographer, Mary Rensberry’s e-book is spiritual and uplifting with a change of viewpoint for those in the first or second half of life. Whether your newbies on your journey or have travelled the path for what seems ages, this is a breath of fresh air.
You can get your copy at Amazon.
Follow the Master Pooptologist herself at:
maryrensberry.wordpress.com & maryrisinger.wordpress.com and http://www.quickturtlebooks.com
Narcissistic Me
I was never called a narcissist until I became a blogger. I often wonder if my subscriber number was lower if that same accusation would be thrown at me. It is the same with opinions really, if no one were reading and commenting on my opinions no one would care. They would roll their eyes and shrug them off, but because I will often have a 50% appreciation rate (yea I made that term up) people get butt hurt and feel the need to crusade. And when I say crusade I am actually not speaking of religion this time, I am most definitely speaking of those that carry particular banners.
I love it when I come across a post or a blogger comment in which they say “that OM is such a narcissistic loser! Always carrying on about powerblogging and reveling in the positive comments he receives.” Honestly kind words are a dime a dozen online and I don’t write to have people say I am great. It is even more amusing when those SAME BLOGGERS say “I am just here to promote my book when it releases next year.” Well don’t email me for help with that pumpkin because you already have a piss poor attitude. You won’t ever succeed with the mindset you currently have.
We all have narcissistic tendencies and that isn’t always a bad thing. We all need motivation and there are many kind humans out there ready to offer a positive word of encouragement or a helping hand. That is not a bad thing and the people that say it is are far more cynical in nature than I. And I am one of the greatest out there. If you want to promote yourself or push your dream do so! Do it! Don’t get weighted down by the haters and the idiots saying “you need to care more about ____ or ____.” Fuck those people. Those same individuals probably moan to their spouses at night about how others get a shot and they don’t. Well maybe you people should stop shooting yourself in the damn foot.
-OM
Blogging – I am a Reader
I frequently see authors and writers complaining about blogging and the “lack of readers” on every platform they can name. Well if you are looking for a “reader” then look no further. I am a reader. That doesn’t mean I will read what you write however.
I am a reader. A single reader with two eyes and just as limited time as anyone else. I view WordPress as a giant newspaper with a live feed being added to it. Just because I subscribe to that “paper” doesn’t mean I am making a promise to read every article on it. That is up to the writer, to all of you. Bloggers are part of the same fabric of social media as everyone else and have an equal opportunity to be recognized because of that fact. For every person that says “I write for myself and don’t care if anyone reads my work” there are literally ten bloggers that DO CARE and DO HOPE to be read. This post is for them and the rest of you can go back to writing your thousands of words a day for no one. Enjoy that experience…
We are all responsible for creating our own popularity online. At least those of us that write, share, post, and blog without a corporate label on our ass. That would obviously include me, remember I am a simple blogger just like everyone else. We hack it out, we grind each day to stay in the game and keep motivated, and we learn as we go along. Adaption and learning are key to anything you wish to be good at and there is no professional sport you can point to that people aren’t always trying to improve. Even professional athletes are always striving to get better. There is no crying in baseball people.
As a reader I expect writers to cater to me. To attract me and gain my interest. That is an expectation ALL READERS have and the bloggers that are not getting read are either not blogging properly or are publishing poor materiel. Only you can fix that and it only comes from actively striving to improve. How many bloggers feel they know it all? That they know everything about social media, publishing, marketing, writing, and have all the pieces they need to create their own dream? Not many people feel that way which is why many bloggers follow my website. They hope to gain knowledge just as I myself seek innovative information every day. What are you doing to improve yourself?
By picturing WordPress as a giant newspaper and not as “a close community where everyone cares about you” people can begin to see the harsh reality. We are all in a rat race if we truly wish to be read and recognized. It may not be a competition, but it should always be viewed as a journey of self-improvement. Drop the expectations bloggers and instead work on actively finding ways of engaging readers. The readers did not all disappear and in many cases those “readers” now wish to be writers themselves. Their time is even more valuable than it was and it is then up to you as the writer to step up your game to gain their attention. How will you do that?
-OM
@smokendust
Erindale – Flash Fiction v1
If you walk from the beaches of Dreadbin and follow the river inland for a mile you will reach a giant forest. There are many names for the trees found here, but most people in this area call them Blackwater Forest. The Queen’s road runs throughout this land so travelers may be surprised to find that the path disappears after you exit the forest. The land ends at a cliff and in the distance a mountain range and a large lake can be seen. It is in those mountains that you will find Erindale, home to Queen Victoria and her people.
Erindale rests against the base of Redrock Mountain, named for its unusual stone color. The Palace of the Queen is built into the mountain itself and the palace blends in with the surroundings with its intricate stonework. Forming an expanding semi circle from the royal grounds is the sprawling town made up of fishing huts, homes, forges, taverns, and businesses of every venture. Erindale is a thriving mecca of trade between the inlands and the distant kingdoms across the Dreadbin. The sounds of life, prosperity, and the faint tunes of a lute can often be heard as you approach the main gates.
The city is protected by a forty foot wall made of a combination of red stone and strong timber found in the surrounding hills. The gates themselves though are the true first impression any visitor receives when they come to Erindale. Two enormous slabs of bright red stone stand as pillars of protection against any harm that may come to these people. They are called the Heart Stones and represent the unity of the town behind the Queen. No force has ever conquered the walls of Erindale and some say as long as the red mountain stands none ever shall.
The Priests of Alta meet with the Priestesses of Sinta every year to perform the lighting of the sand. No one really knows what this ritual is or what is done during the ceremony, but everyone grows up knowing of its existence. Erindale is blessed by the light of the sand and the heart of the stone mountain is what keeps that fire safe. It is a comforting thought for those people that live in the town and it provides a connection between the simple minds of the less educated and those with the will to rule.
The rhythmic stomps of the town guard can be heard in the distance as you walk away from the palace and past the business district. The air becomes moist from Crystal Lake which seems to flow under half the town. The sounds of the working sailors and the intriguing advances of the girls on the dock fill the air with excitement and opportunity. Barrels of exotics can be seen being rolled off one ship as raw materials are being hauled onto another. People can also be seen coming off boats and walking with eyes full of excitement at seeing the palace in the distance. Here in Erindale there is something for everyone.
-Opinionated Man
1/7/2014
Unreadable
It has been a long time since I have seen the sun so bright. I hardly recognize the shadow on the ground. It follows me still though so it must be me. A lot of little bottles make a big bottle right? That is what the crow told me last night as he picked at my bones and woke me from my sleep. No more than two hours he whispered, more than that it begins to feel like pleasure. It is a shaky hand that pulls the chain hanging from the moon. It illuminates the night and turns the stars invisible. The sky should never be without the twinkling of chased dreams and yet my sky does not blink. Instead it stares down upon me, adding weight upon my sleeping conscience. I battle and rage within myself. 6 steps now and days are attached to each progression. It does little to comfort. Not yet. Not for me.
-OM
