A ROAR - and continuing the Stream of Consciousness - Part 5

Ooh, oooh, ooooh!!! I’ve been awarded a Roar For Powerful Words by the incomparable Debi Alper. Rooooooaaaaaaar! I take this as a great honour coming as it does from a writer and author of very powerful words.

The Roar was initiated by the Irish-New Zealand fellow who lives in Lyon (how’s that for cosmopolitan!), hangs out at Shameless Words and who hosts the Shameless Lions Writing Circle.

Shameless has said:

I've launched a new project over at The Shameless Lions Writing Circle that aims to celebrate good and powerful writing in the blogosphere. The idea is for recipients of this award to also choose five blogsters they would like to honour. Despite what some say in the mainstream media, there is some fantastic writing to be found on many blogs!

Those people I've given this award to are encouraged to post it on their own blogs; list three things they believe are necessary for good, powerful writing; and then pass the award on to the five blogs they want to honour, who in turn pass it on to five others, etc etc. Let's send a roar through the blogosphere!

The Roar Award image may be collected here. Your choice of three colours!

So, here are three things (I could, of course, list more...) I consider necessary for good, powerful writing – and I do think they are interlinked.

1. Passion – when you write with passion, when you let go and let the creativity surge through you, you cannot help but to create words of power and integrity.

2. Trust in the Muse – again, this is about letting go – of preconceived notions, of the inner critic - and of trusting to the greater creative energy that is bigger than you but which works through you enabling you to create beauty, magic, poignancy, wit, love, other worlds and other states of being. When you trust in the muse you are able to write beyond convention, with innovation, without fear and you allow yourself to go where the creative energy leads you. The best ride of them all.

3. Truth – write what you know about. When you write about the things you know about, experiences you have had, when you are willing to share your wisdom and your being with the world, then the words which flow from you are words of truth and there is nothing more powerful that individual truths. They may not be the Absolute Truth, but what you write is given weight, credibility and integrity because you, the writer, know, feel and truly understand those words - and because you do, you make them real for others - your readers.

Now, in time-honoured tradition, I must pass this award along. So I duly award a Roar to (and in no particular order):

Addy, at Wilf's World - Addy has created a character and world which is based on her love of story, her profound understanding of character and the mind and langauge of children - and it is one huge and delightful romp. Little boys, it seems, get to have plenty of adventures!

Alaleh at Abir O Moshk - I have yet to encounter, in blogosphere, a writer who writes more simply and powerfully than Alaleh. Go and discover her. See for yourself. This is genius at work. Hey, what can I say, I'm a fan.

Vesper at Chick with a Quill - Vesper writes with passion, with beauty, with heartfelt feeling and with boundless imagination. Her words are filled with consideration for her subject and her audience and you just know when you read her words that she trusts to her muse.

Baino at Baino's Banter - Baino writes with passion, with truth, with humour - and is unafraid to speak her mind. I know Baino doesn't consider herself a real writer, but I know she hopes one day to write that hidden novel. She will do it really well when she does. She may not think she is a real writer. I know she is.

Reya at The Gold Puppy - I've not been visiting Reya's blog for long but there is a simple honesty, humour, wisdom and integrity in Reya's words that draws me back to her blog time and time again.

Let us send Blogosphere a huge ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAR!!!

And now, today's short stream of consciousnesss...

Stream of Consciousness VI

Languid river meanders
drifts in silent
ebbs and flows
Blue dragon
darts and flies
dips, skims
on iridescent wings
And there the breeze rises.

Lions Circle Writing Endeavour

(Image from the Shameless Lions blog.)

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, the Shameless Lions Writing Circle has been geared up for a new project - to write a collective short story. Now frankly, I have my doubts and concerns about over 40 people writing one story... but I'll reserve judgement and we'll see how it goes.

The first four pieces have been written and I've been tagged by Minx to write the fifth bit - thank the goddess I wasn't left to write the conclusion, or even something somewhere near the middle. Thank you, Mistress Minx, for saving me from that!

In his rules Seamus suggests that we all post the picture, the entire story and then add our own bit - but as I said to him this makes the thing become altogether unwieldy. So... I'm just going to post the pic - see above - and my bit - and if it intrigues you in any way, then I suggest to you go here to read the start of the story and whatever may come after...

So, this is my offering:


Sebastian leaned back in his chair, ran his hand over the stubble on his chin and afforded himself a thin smile. So, she had finally turned up in Jack’s life again. Just like the proverbial bad penny.
He flicked through the images on the screen. Grace laughing. Gracing dancing. Grace lazing in the sun. His eyes ran over the curve of her body, lingering on the rise of her breasts, the pert roundness of her backside. Ah yes, Grace the Temptress. Grace who could have been anyone, had anyone. Grace who knew the world lay at her feet. And by god, she’d meant to conquer that world. Ultimately it hadn’t mattered to her who she might trample on to grab her dreams. Sebastian chewed his lower lip, remembering the advice he’d given her long ago. "Be careful what you wish and dream for, Gracie. Make your choices wisely." But she’d just laughed, ran a hand over his face and flicked his hair from his eyes – with that casual sense of ownership she had with every man who’d crossed her path.
Funny how things came full circle… From owning, she’d been owned. Strange that she should have fallen for Sebastian Carrebreu, the sauve Frenchman – his namesake. He had no doubt she’d long forgotten him, Sebastian Comptom – but at least she’d remembered Jack…
He remembered the night she’d told them… He and Jack were on their way to the Hampton’s to Jack’s folks’ place – Grace was supposed to join them. Instead she had waltzed into the apartment, her hair flying, her cheeks flushed and declared, "Boys, you’re going to have to go without me!"
The smile on Jack’s face had crumpled. "Why, what’s come up? Whatever it is, can’t you cancel?"
"Absolutely not! See, I’m getting married, darlings!" The glittering diamond on her ring finger flashed as she thrust out her hand.
"To who?" He remembered how Jack had clutched the back of the sofa.
"To Sebastian!"
He remembered the pain, the betrayal in Jack’s eyes as he’d turned to him, gasping.
"Not me," he’d said. "Dear God, she’d never marry me. Nor would I ever ask her." He’d noticed how she’d narrowed her eyes at him.
"Of course not. Don’t be daft, Jack. Oh no offense, of course, Seb…" Her voice had been loaded with meaning. "No, I’m marrying Sebastian Carrebreu. Remember," she said, her eyes gleaming, "we met him at that protest and then at the conference his company gave."
"But you barely know him!" Jack cried. "You can't! He’s…"
"Why ever not?! Oh God, Jack, don’t get all possessive on me now. That would be so tedious."
She’d blown air kisses at them and flounced from the room. Twelve years… It might have been yesterday. But now she was back…and in Jack’s arms. Oh how the mighty are fallen. Sebastian smiled. It was a cold smile which didn't reach his eyes. He took a last glance at the photographs in front of him, closed the images and glanced through the notes in the file. Unfinished business... but not for much longer. He opened his email and began typing.


Now, I'm tagging Verilion to write the next bit.

Witterings & Warblings from a Less than Absolute Vanilla Pod

First off, let me say a huge and grateful "THANK YOU" to all of you for your kind wishes and thoughts on the last two posts - your support and care is so very much appreciated. The ordeal of "Welcome to My Africa" left me pretty traumatised and the flu virus, ever ready to pounce on an opportunity struck with a vengeance. I'm still not over it, (she typed, amidst much hacking, wheezing and coughing) but I'm getting there - after all, you can't keep a good vanilla pod down.


Secondly, there are things happening in blogosphere.

Opening Chapter's Blag - a Blag = Bl(og) + (M)ag(azine) - has finally been launched. There are articles in it by some bloggers known to you - including this blogger...

The Blag is an online arts and literature magazine - and they're open to submissions... So...you might also want to become a blagger! Check it out!


Then, the Shameless Lions appear to be regrouping for the creation of a collective story. Should be fun, might get out of control... Go and take a peek...


Finally, given my recent ordeal, I decided to watch the local premier of an excellent documentary by ex-South African and Oscar winner, Jon Blair, last night. Presented by another ex-South African, Sir Anthony Sher, it is called Murder Most Foul and deals with crime in South Africa. (The documentary had its world premier on the True Stories strand on the UK's Channel 4 on 25 September.)

In it Blair describes crime in South Africa as being on an "industrial scale". Archbishop Desmond Tutu says "something has gone horrendously, badly wrong". The Minister of Safety and Security, however, says (of people like me): "They can continue to whinge until they’re blue in the face, they can continue to be as negative as they want to or they can simply leave this country...".

What struck me most forcibly was this: I expected to be harrowed and horrified by the film. I was not. Why? Because I am numb. Because this is what we live with every single day. This crime - it is becoming South Africa. We say "it is not acceptable" and yet we all accept it. I was not shocked or overwhelmed by it as Anthony Sher was, because this is how I know we live - white, black, brown - crime isn't interested in race. We have, unwittingly, become desensitised and, as such, dehumanised. And that is indeed a sad indictment of South Africa and South Africans - and more so that it takes a documentary like Murder Most Foul to make us sit up and take note. (I hope we will sit up and take note and not, instead, start berating the producer and presenter for being "white sensationalist shit-stirrers".)

What I find even more disturbing are the South Africans who seem unwilling to accept this horrific crime is happening. I'm not talking about the government here - we know they are asleep - they, after all, denied there was an AIDS pandemic until the world stepped in and opened their eyes so they could see the thousands dying. No, I'm talking about fellow South Africans who are so determined to focus only on the positive - got to be "positively South African" you know to be a good South African - god forbid you should criticize (but where would we be without criticism?) - but it is they who fail to see the woods for the trees. One South African blogger said: "Quotes like “Violence has always been a way of life in SA” are bullshit and misleading." Hmm, I wonder where he was when all the children were being gunned down in Soweto in 1976... I wonder where he was when families were being torn apart by apartheid, women were being raped by the police and activists and ordinary people lived in fear of their lives and police brutality. Where was he when people were put in detention without trial? Anyone who thinks violence is not part of our heritage and our legacy is floating down a very long river called Denial. I would say beware to them, there be crocodiles...

At the end of the apartheid era many feared a bloodbath - but it didn't happen and the world marvelled at our peaceful transformation to a democracy. But as Sher commented - there is a bloodbath it's just happening slowly and over a very long time. Last year 18 500 South Africans were murdered. In the past year 20 000 have been murdered. This does not include the unreported cases, the rapes, the child rapes, the mutilations, the torture, the robbery, the hijackings, the attempted murders...

If you are interested and get a chance to see Blair's documentary, do. Unreported World - also UK Channel 4 - will also be reporting on current levels of violence in South Africa tomorrow night 28 September.

Funny that it takes outsiders to see our problems while so many of us are hell-bent on playing ostrich and others are intent on screwing their rose-coloured spectacles to their head. Sounds, in fact, rather frighteningly familiar of our not too distant past...