Saturday, January 17, 2009

Put your left hand in, put your right hand in, put them both right in and type them all about




The next book give-a-way "contest" begins today. I thought I'd try to make it writing-related. If you don't call yourself a writer, it doesn't matter - we all have something inside of us that allows beauty to reveal itself in words, or if not beauty then truths, or perceptions, the human condition - et cetera!

From the posted image in the column to the right (and pasted below), write whatever you wish from however the image prompts you to, but keep it to 200 words or fewer. Place your writing in the comments section. Then, we're going to vote a winner. The book again is: Paul Coelho's BRIDA - unsigned, but a brand new copy. I'll keep the image up for two weeks this time, instead of a week, to give y'all time to join in, if you so wish. Just let yourself relax into this. Have fun with it. At the end of the two weeks, I'll post all the "entries" and will enable a way you all can vote on the one that is your favorite.
I talked about trailers yesterday -Bellebooks made the trailer (it's at the bottom of this blog, the only place I could fit it without it being too big and in your face) - BB has worked like a house afire for TG and I am humbled and appreciative and quite happy with BB. Last night I lay under my feather comforter, and the winds came roaring over the ridge and through the cove (and a soft snow fell - but this I could not know, because snow doesn't announce itself like it's louder sister rain)...and I thought how glad I am I made the decision to go with a small press. "Small" is a funny word - for Bellebooks has heart - big wonderful heart (and am I saying big publishers do not have heart and do not care about their writers? Nope. But...there is a difference all the same, and I like this difference). Here's the link for the trailer to TG. It's weird to see interpretations of your words. And, I know when readers read the book, they'll have their own images and thoughts and interpretations - and that is how it should be!



Okay, here's the image for the contest. Write in 200 words or fewer your interpretation of the image. Again, relax into it - have fun with it - maybe you will see something right outside the photo, something that didn't make it into the frame, someone or something that isn't apparent, someone or something that has nothing to do with this woman, or everything to do with this woman. Or, maybe this woman is the everything.

















(google image from www.chinadaily.com.cn)

23 comments:

Angie Ledbetter said...

Wow on the new trailer! That's all I can say.

As for the photo caption, I can't write one because it's me in Santa Fe's public square selling papers in two years. :)

Kathryn Magendie said...

OMG, Angie ... LAUGHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

t i m said...

I'm digging the trailer, I beleive that's what the cool kids say nowadyas.

I may just put that 200 word tale task on my to-do-list. :)

Kathryn Magendie said...

I hope you will to do it Tim ....teeheehee :-)

Terri Tiffany said...

I want to think on this one abit but I will be back to enter!

Kathryn Magendie said...

Hi Terri! No hurries - I'm going to keep it up for two weeks :)

Unknown said...

Wow ... that trailer was beautiful and moving. I can't wait to read this book! So ... maybe ... (has anyone suggested it) ... a movie???

I am so excited for you!

Small Footprints
http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com

Janna Leadbetter said...

Can one be ravaged by goosebumps? The trailer makes me think so...

The picture is so heartbreaking, but I love this kind of exercise! I'll think on it some and come back with an entry.

AND! I got the book. Thanks so much! Love it.

Diane Dehler said...

Congratulations on your book! I heard about it via The Painting Studio. I think I use to visit your myspace blog.

stephenrowepainter said...

Two hundred words are as near as the image. Clear as cold soft snow
falls
upon words well written.
That warm within
a place where words
give
Grace
to
the
tender.
Never free and alone
When one
has the grasp
and
Grace
of
Words.
Years meld,
Faces change,
Memories
give birth
that sustain
The mountian
as
mountians sustain
Poetry and
Tender Graces.
The fiddler does not count words
and droans
in the
mist
quiet
heart
felt
melody that even
stones can hear.
As ever be well, Stephen Craig Rowe

Jessica Nelson said...

I'm not sure whether that image is sad or not. I'll have to think about it.
Now I'm going to check out your trailer!

Jessica Nelson said...

Your trailer is so beautiful!

Terri Tiffany said...

"We're only footsteps away from the next person."
I thought about my husband's words as I snapped the picture of the woman before me. The last round of cuts at the newspaper had been close--so close but even with this latest assignement, I wasn't breathing too easy. I wondered what would happen when we couldn't pay the next electric bill...when the bank told us we were behind too many payments.
How did it feel to be on your knees looking up?
I took a step closer and reached out my hand.

Kathryn Magendie said...

I'm coming to visit y'all -- :-) Thanks for commenting.

And Terri - yayy! you've written yours...!

I won't comment on them because I don't want to seem as if I'm influencing one way or another on "entries" - so I'll just say "Thank you for writing your interpretation of the image...."

Stephen - you are the loveliest of men and so very gifted --{{stephen}}

Janna- if it gave you goosebumps, then it did its job well.

Small footprints -wouldn't that be something? OPRAH! OPRAH! I have book for you *laughing*

Princess - I think you did! :)

Thank you Jessica!

thanks everyone....

Debbie said...

Oh my gosh. Do you just sit around and pinch yourself to see if this is all real? And I can't believe I will be saying one day, "I knew her back when she wasn't so famous." To be compared to Barbara Kingsolver. I just can't imagine.

Kathryn Magendie said...

I'm getting arm bruises from pinching!

t i m said...

"Helga, the first Mongolian in history with a Swedish name, always had a dream of one day becoming ambidextrous. When she was little, being right handed she used to feel really sorry for her left hand, so she started talk to it behind the right hand’s back.

While her right hand was not looking, she sneakily introduced her left hand to juggling, knitting, driving, paddling, pottery and the piano, in the hope of becoming proficient but to no avail, leading to constant mockery by some of her friends.

However, at 102, Helga always knew she’d have the last laugh as she has outlived all her childhood friends to live and tell the tale that – with great perseverance comes, great reward.

She is now often seen on the streets of Mongolian Townville, nimbly rolling newspaper cigarettes with both hands before puffing away to read the latest obituaries of those who thought she’d never be ambidextrous."

Word Count: 154

Kathryn Magendie said...

Tim! so glad you wrote something for the contest! *smiling* T'anky!

Anonymous said...

Just stumbled on this via Debbie's blog - thanks for the challenge! I really enjoyed writing my piece;

http://morethanjustamother.blogspot.com/2009/01/exercise-in-inspiration.html

Maria-Thérèse ~ www.afiori.com said...

She had long since lost the fear of smoking. Of doing anything that's bad for you, for that matter. I'm sick of living, the old woman thought as she saw the legs of the crowds pass her by.

All her friends were gone. She was of no importance to anyone anymore - they even stepped on her as she was sitting on the pavement; it was as if she were invisible.

Really, there was no point in living.

She inhaled the smoke and once again played with thoughts on how to end her life. Would she jump in front of a train? From a bridge?

Still, she couldn't help but look for signs.

If three persons with red shirts passed her within the next five minutes she would go on living.
If the word "hope" was found five times in the same newspaper she would not kill herself.
She inhaled the smoke while she carefully read all the newspapers in the pile in front of her.


♥ visit me at www.afiori.com ♥

Kathryn Magendie said...

Afiori- thank you....*smiling*

Unknown said...

I'm invisible
as I sit on this street.
They don't see me
and I don't speak.

They don't know that I was once a mom.
I lovingly called her "Jen".
I kissed her check before her prom
and never saw her again.

Unknown woman died last night.
That's what the headlines will say.
Papers surrounded her - it was an awful sight.
Perhaps it is better this way.

Anonymous said...

Love the trailer! Do you know what the music is that's playing? It's a very sweet waltz.