Author: Lauren Lott

Categories
News Poetry

A free poetry chapbook for you.

free poetry chapbook

I am continually inspired by what poets do to set flight to their poetry. Rupi Kaur released a one hour special of her sell out stage performance on Amazon Prime, Upile Chisala read and released her collected poems ‘as soft as fire’ on audiobook, Atticus poetry collaborated to create ‘Lost Poet’ wine, Sabina Laura released a beautiful poetry journal ‘a little sunshine and a little rain’ and the phenomenal Morgan Harper Nichols created a shop ‘Garden 24’ full of merch from tea towels to playing cards, as well as a unique ‘storyteller’ app.

From designing digital products to hosting poetry events and retreats. From creating unique membership sights to podcasting performance poetry, there is no doubt, poetry is in a renaissance as poets find a million different ways in which to ship their work out into the world.

After the release of my second inspirational poetry collection, ‘A Strong and Fragile Thing’, I realised I had caught the heart of this poetry renaissance. No longer did I just see a poetry book or two, but a creative business in which poetry is the lifeblood. I identified the next 3 steps I needed to take –  website, blog, newsletter, and in this, the last week of August I can say the website is complete, the blog is off and running and I have sent out my first newsletter. 

But the creativity didn’t stop there.  As a ‘welcome gift’ for newsletter subscribers, I created a free digital chapbook, ‘Never Far’– poetry about peace. It consists of 25 poems that are paired with watercolour illustrations by Kristy Kvills. You can get it by signing up at the bottom of my homepage. Or take a peak at it on instagram.

Dedicated to ‘the sleepless’ the chapbook starts out with a poem listing 8 expressions of peace. Using place, the body, objects, virtues and the senses, the poem illustrates what peace is like. My objective was to give the reader a picture that would trigger a delicious feeling of calm while simultaneously communicating the qualities of peace. For example, the line, ‘A stone castle in a storm’ conveys that peace is more than the absence of chaos; it holds its own even when things are tempestuous.

peace

According  to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, peace is ‘a state of tranquility or quiet’, ‘freedom from civil disturbance’, ‘harmony in personal relationships’. Although these definitions hold true, whilst writing the chapbook I got the sense that there was something missing; something either in the back of my head or deep down in my heart was telling me to look closer. 

Upon a rather vigorous trip down into the burrows of the internet, I found the word ‘Shalom’. I had heard the word before, but had not retained its meaning. ‘Shalom’ is a Hebrew word that not only means peace (as defined above) but also encompasses words like wholeness, completeness, prosperity, harmony and welfare. In short, ‘Shalom’ shows us that peace isn’t just the absence of conflict, but it is a state of being when the body, mind, soul and spirit align.

Sometimes peace escapes us and it seems like all the world’s problems have to be solved before we can get it back. I wanted my work to show that this is a lie. Peace can come in an instant, it is as easy and as hard as surrendering to ultimate reality. Peace is born inside of us, is dependent on honesty and banks on trust. For this reason, I titled the chapbook ‘Never Far’. 

My hope is that readers would use this free digital gift as tool to silence fears, explore shalom and regain peace.

Lauren xx

Categories
Bookish Things

12 bookish gifts every book lover wants.

bookish gifts

Shopping for the book lover in your life is easier than ever. Not only can you lavish them with books from their favourite authors or book vouchers from their favourite bookstore, now there are a myriad of bookish gifts to choose from. Here are 12 fun bookish gift ideas every book lover wants.

1. ‘Go away, I’m reading’ mug.

I can’t think of a better combination than books and tea. This ceramic, black and white quote print mug says it all, and is perfect for the book lover who is not only passionate about reading but also loves a delicious herbal drop. Of course, coffee enthusiasts will adore it as well. 

2. ‘So many books. So little time’ face mask.

There was a time when we would not have believed that masks would be part of our everyday attire. However, since 2020 masks have not only become essential but also an object of self expression, much like jewelry and  other accessories. This comfortable mask is a way for a book lover to identify themselves. It is printed with the classic book quote, ‘So many books. So little time’ and is washable, breathable, eco-friendly and conveniently has an adjustable strap. There’s no doubt bookish folk with love this unique bookish gift.

3. ‘My weekend is all booked’ tote bag.

Every book lover needs a bookbag! Whether it is to lug their favourite reads home from the library or to fill up at an annual book fair, this cute creamy oatmeal colored tote with  type design is perfect. It measures approximately 15 x 15, has long handles and is comfortable to carry on the shoulder.

4. ‘Society of obstinate headstrong girls’ cosmetic/travel bag.

Lets face it, there are book lovers and then there are Book Lovers! And then there are JANE AUSTIN BOOK LOVERS!!!! This ‘Society of obstinate headstrong girls’  pouch cosmetic/travel bag is multifunctional, made of high quality canvas material that is durable and water resistant and comes with a sturdy gold zip.

5. Abstract Art Prints.

Most writers have a desk or writing room. This set of 3 unframed abstract prints are  ideal for decorating a study or a writer’s bedroom. Each print is printed on a high-definition modern giclee canvas and  features a line drawn woman reading a book. These simple yet elegant wall pictures are an impressive gift for all bookish types. 

6. ‘Keep calm and read a book’ pillowcase.

All booklovers know that there are two essential things to settling down to read on any given rainy Sunday afternoon; a great book and a comfy spot. This 18 x18 inch ‘Keep calm and read a book’ high quality throw pillow case is both durable and stylish. Why not give it as a gift to a member of your book club or a book lover friend.

7. Flying Book Socks.

Bookish people love anything and everything about reading. Bookish apparel is no exception. Whether its hats, tee shirts, hoodies or socks a true book lover will love the thought of wearing bookish threads from head to toe. These women’s 85% cotton socks, black with coloured flying books, have stretch for all day comfort and reinforced heel and toe for extra wear. Give as a stocking filler at Christmas or surprise your helpful  librarian.

8. Bookish Notebook.

Writers are readers! Whether your bookish friend is only a reader or a reader and a writer, they will love and need notebooks. With a plethora of choices and though many bookish people have their favourites, notebooks are one of the top gifts enjoyed by book lovers. This 6×9 inch ‘Bookish Notebook’ by moon dust books is 120 pages of lined paper within a cute paperback cover. Perfect for creative musings.

9. Book Pendant Necklace.

Jewelry  is most treasured when it exudes meaning. This book pendant necklace will make your book lover feel seen and known. Complete  with a 17 inch chain, it is an inspirational piece crafted from high polished stainless steel. It is hypoallergenic, long lasting and packaged in a high quality velvet jewelry pouch, ready for giving.

10. Bookish pencils.

‘Book Geek’ is one of my favourite places to scroll and shop. They offer unique, quirky, and gorgeous bookish gifts for all book geeks! This fun set of six HB pencils with different bookish phrases on each pencil is a delightful gift for your book lovers who are also teachers, writers, librarians or booksellers. Pencil text includes: I Like Big Books,  Just My Type,  Eat, Sleep, Read, Repeat, The First Rule of Book Club,  I Believe in Tea and Books and  The Book Was Better. Cute.

11. ‘Just one more page’ enamel pin.

What is cuter than a hedgehog sitting on a book reading? Nothing! This cute enamel pin by Book Geek is an ideal gift for the girl who is always engrossed in reading. She is the type that gets caught up in story and would rather read than do anything else. Tuck it into a card and surprise her with a random bookish gift sent in the post.

12. Personalised leather bookmark.

Whether they’re inclined to crease the corners, use a napkin, use a piece of string or a ribbon, bookmarks are integral to every book lover’s reading experience. This personalised leather bookmark by Vantler Leather is designed and handmade in Australia. Being 11cm x 2cm it fits up to 20 characters including spacing and will remain a treasured keepsake for years to come.

Categories
Therapeutic Writing Prompts

10 writing prompts to process your thoughts and emotions.

Therapeutic writing practices

Processing our thoughts and feelings, doing deep work, is important in developing resilience, cultivating a healthy mind  and emotional stamina. Therapeutic writing, also called journal therapy, is expressive writing with therapeutic benefits and has proven to further wellbeing, improve mood and ease painful memory. 

As we express thoughts and feelings in writing, we utilize the rational left hemisphere of the brain. By applying this side, the more creative free-wheeling right side is left to potter about thoughts and play. This enables it to act more creatively, allowing ideas to flow onto the page. The more we write, the freer we become of the emotions we have bottled up and can see things in a clearer context.

writing prompts to process thoughts and emotions.

With this in mind, the following is a list of 10 writing prompts to help you process your thoughts and feelings. But first, a few guidelines. 

Firstly, journal therapy is  a judgement free zone! Don’t judge the emotions you experience; the page is no place to punish yourself for feeling the way you feel.

Secondly, journaling is a way to make sense of experiences and situations. Remember to observe what you write. This means taking notice of the layers of emotions we experience.

And lastly, commit to honesty, write as much from the heart as possible. Nobody is going to read your writing, so hold nothing back from the page.

I hope these writing prompts lead to clarity, calm and self compassion.

1.How are you feeling today? What is the dominant emotion?

 2. Explore the thoughts and experiences that have perpetuated this emotion. 

3. What  effect has this emotion had on your body?

4. Are there any memories you associate with this emotion? Do you recall the last time you felt this way? What were you going through at the time?

5. What behaviours, both positive and negative, result from this emotion? 

6. When you think about letting go of this emotion are there any fears that arise?

7. What strengths, support, and resources do you have access to, that may help you from becoming overwhelmed by this emotion or lessen suffering?

8. Create two lists: one of things that push on negative emotion and cause you suffering. One that brings you joy. What can you do to bring more joy into your life?

9. Is there anything you need to accept, that you have been resisting?

10. How can you use your emotions to work for you? How can they help to bring about increased health and freedom in your life on a soul level?

Write to Rise.

For further therapeutic writing mentorship consider ‘Write to Rise’, a unique program crafted to assist participants to breakthrough in areas of their lives.  I  lead individuals/groups through a series of writing exercises aimed to unlock creativity, draw out courage and increase clarity and self-awareness. For information regarding the program go to my services page.

Categories
Publishing

3 Things Indie Authors wish everyone knew about Indie Publishing.

Firstly, let’s define independent publishing. A hybrid between traditional publishing and self publishing, indie publishing is when a writer hires professionals to assist them in the making of their print/digital/audio book. The indie author not only creates the content but also becomes the creative director/manager seeing the project through from concept to sales. 

To some, taking on the role of creative director/manager does not suit them as they wish to only write. However, the days of simply writing a manuscript and turning it over to a publishing house to do the rest are gone. Even traditionally published authors have to market and promote their work. Nevertheless, traditional publishing has its appeal, particularly for those who do not want to do the hard work of producing.

Before I started publishing, I held restrictive doubts based on a mixture of fear, incompetence and pride. I was afraid of embarrassing myself; of failing publicly.  I was worried that I would not be able to learn and execute skills needed to complete and produce a quality product. I was concerned about adopting the stigma that sometimes follows independent and self publishing.

As I became more educated, these doubts lost their power. Slowly I began to see that independent publishing was not only possible, but also the most beneficial for me. If you are already an indie author, you are familiar with the benefits. You know that often the decision to publish independently is based on the fact that indie publishing outshines other publishing options when it comes to 3 things.

1.Creative control.

Personally, I desire not just to write poetry books, but to create them. I want to make the final decisions when it comes to book size, cover design, typesetting/interior design, and creative marketing. As an indie author having creative control means I can create the books I dream of  creating to serve my  targeted audience without the need to gain permission or  please gatekeepers. I can choose who I wish to collaborate with, building the right team of creatives to make my vision a reality. For those writers, who have felt contained creatively, indie publishing is a dream. 

2. Profits. 

When it comes to profits, Independent Authors benefit from full ownership of rights and higher royalties. They have significantly higher profit potential as they can  create numerous products from one manuscript. For example, print books ( paperback, hardback, large print, workbooks) , ebooks, audio books, translations, merchandise, radio plays, podcasts, apps and other online experiences can all be made by turning the same content into multiple streams of income. Indie’s can also decide the price of their books, when to offer discounts, whether to set up pre-orders or run patreon campaigns offering book extras for loyal readers.

3.Time. 

Being able to publish multiple titles per year, indies publish fast to market. This is liberating, as compared to a traditional publishing, which on average takes  between 9 -18 months to publish one book. With the exception of international best sellers, most trade books have a 3 month shelf life and trade publishers are often unwilling to reprint more copies if the book has not reached a certain number of sales in this time. Indie authors have the power to rebrand and market their books over and over bringing in sales long after it has first been released. 

It is important to assess what kind of publishing is best for each project. When it comes to my poetry, indie publishing has proven to have been a great decision. If you would like to know more about indie publishing/book creation I would love to help you. I encourage all who have a ‘book dream’ to go forth and create.

Categories
Books

5 books to help heal the heart.

Reading outside in a hammock under the trees
Books that help to heal

Sometimes we need prose, we know, has been laboured for, by poet,  prophet or prequel; void of chiche, stereotype or fleeting trend. Quotes and phrases that cry out to be underlined, highlighted, circled or copied down, whether in a social media post or within the pages of a personal journal.

Throughout my life, I have used words as a floatation device, a breathing apparatus, a flashlight, an umbrella, a ladder, a walking stick, a scalpel, and a get out of jail free card. On occasion when I wake in the early ‘am’ hours, my first instinct is to reach for one of the many books that live on my bedside table. I browse the pages looking to still my swirling mind; to find a delicious combination of letters and symbols that will send me back to sleep and season my dreams. 

I didn’t know it, but these early morning reading sessions had a name. The word ‘bibliotherapy’ comes from the ancient greek words for ‘book’ (biblion) and ‘healing’ (therapeia). It means ‘to use reading as a way to assist the healing process.’  Although I had never heard of the term, reading worked; the right words worked on me.  

Recently I discovered ‘The power of poetry, with Helena Bonham Carter and Jason Isaacs’ on YouTube. In this video, the work of many poets is read aloud from William Sieghart’s book ‘The Poetry Pharmacy’ as a way of demonstrating how poetry can provide a remedy for a number of emotional conditions. From purposeless to assisting aging parents; from loneliness to loss of zest for life, ‘The Poetry Pharmacy’ provides ‘tried and true prescriptions for the heart, soul and mind’.

After experiencing first hand the power of poetry to help the healing process, I became a collector of poems and poetry books. The following is a list of some of the books that I have collected, and how they help.

Nocturnal – by Wilder. For those recovering from heartbreak and rediscovering self.

To Be Remembered – by R.Clift. For those suffering loss, learning to let go and live with memories of what could have been.

Where hope comes from – by Nikita Gill. For those needing light to navigate our time and hope in seasons of loneliness.

Letters to a young poet – by Rainer Maria Rilke. For those needing creative impulse and surge of passion and courage.

Devotions – by Mary Oliver. For those in need of wonder, beauty and invigoration.

Reflecting on such curative works, spark the memory of a mild spring day in 2016,

‘I sat across from an Italian emissary. This is what he told me. Write. Let your tears become the waters that refresh others.’

And so I did. I do.  And so can you too, do what you do, for the flourishing of a world so precious and the healing of hearts, including your own.