Poem in your Pocket Day is April 30th this year, and the perfect send off to an unforgettable National Poetry Month. In some ways, perhaps more poetry was shared due to our isolation with Corona Virus. My hope, with all the sadness and anxiety, with the unfortunate souls lost to this pandemic, is that some how we manage to find reason and comfort within a string of words. This is […]
With April abloom, we are more than midway through National Poetry Month. If you have been following along with Steps In Between, you know we are reveling in this event by sharing poetry from writers all over the world. Their names are listed below, but read on for a quick bit of well-filling inspiration… POETS below in alphabetical order, their poems can be found at this link: https://stepsinbetween.com/2020/04/05/let-the-words-roam-national-poetry-month-april-2020/ Yvonne Brewer (Spring Sends […]
This year, our entire world is isolated and locked down during National Poetry Month. But I say, let the words roam! Let them “beat upon your head like silver liquid drops” (Langston Hughes, April Rain Song, 2)! Let them singe from your fingertips as you write and embrace your heart as you read. I say, fill this time of fear and instability from an enemy-virus with grace and hope and […]
Happy earliest Spring since 1896! In celebration, come join our “Community Garden” of Poetry! This year March 19th marked the Spring Equinox, and with world-wide isolation and the stuffiness of staying home, I am ready to burst into something beautiful and colorful and flowerful! In less than two weeks April arrives signaling…National Poetry Month! So, let’s celebrate with a garden of poetry from everyone in my writing community! It’s “Community […]
Writers Need Writers! Lunch with friends is always a joyful experience. When written on my calendar, it becomes a beacon of light to look forward to. And now I have a new “lunch with friends 2.0” to share: lunch with writer friends! Writers typically work alone. Isolation is required in the realms of creation, but sometimes we need to poke our heads out and interact with others. Yesterday, I had […]
Intentionally, I took a day off from writing. Yes, it was Valentine’s Day, international day of love, but also, my Anniversary. With a double holiday (as I like to call it), I always take the whole day off from every other thing vying for my attention. The next day, I felt refreshed and ready to write! Whatever day works for you, be it a holiday or just a typical Tuesday, […]
Just because I’m a writer…author of my first poetry book…revising-expert of my fiction manuscript…and mostly nice human, doesn’t mean I have the business knowledge or wherewithal to market myself. This is the hardest part for me. More difficult than the writing itself; and writing is challenging. ***Side Note: At the bottom of this post you will find some links to marketing advice as well as a REQUEST for more resources. […]
I am thrilled to kick off my new “CC’s Interview Series” with poet friend and 2017 Pushcart nominee, Ann Christine Tabaka. Although she lives across the nation from me, in Delaware, it feels as if we are sitting together in a warm and cozy coffee shop. The scent of cappuccino fills the air as our poet’s inspiration and experience weave an intricate story. Please, pull up a chair, fill your […]
https://stepsinbetween.com/poetry/ (Wednesday Whims of Poetry) September sunsets strike my soul, but not because the other months lack in opportunity to produce gorgeous sunsets. Rather, I believe it’s the heart’s way of gathering warm hues before the season shifts and Summer’s gone. A quiet way to remember the gifts of frolic and abandon. Gratefulness for the extra hours of daylight; our touché to time. This year, instead of sadness and mourning, […]
My Upcoming Writing Conference (the good, the bad, and the ugly): The PNWA Writing Conference happens in less than a week in Seattle. This is a good news-bad news event for me. As eager as I am to soak in all the learning presented and meet other authors and writers, I still consider myself new in this writing world, and to be honest, I’m intimidated. Thankfully, my whole writing class […]
Summer Slows into a Rainbow of Light: September’s Poetry Celebration Summer is slowing. I can already feel the heat against my back on this first day of September. But there is much to appreciate in these last rays of light. It’s the first Sunday of a new month, so that means we celebrate poetry here at Steps in Between. Today is even more colorful, though, as I have a rainbow […]
Friends know I submit a lot because I talk about it a lot. Now maybe five* more friends, (THANKS, READERS!) who live farther away, and don’t talk with me as much, will know too. I’ve mentioned that my rejections have been improving lately. Each nice rejection thrills and disappoints me. Here’s the June-mid-August tally: 30 […]
Please read the article above from writer friend and published author, Pamela Hobart Carter. She shares the ups and downs…but ultimately ups in this writing lifestyle we vulnerably wade through. She is an inspiration to me, and I hope she’ll become an inspiration to you.
Happy Sunday and Happy Writing (because at least you’re writing),
Celaine Charles, August 25, 2019
I tend to write alone, as most writers do. But, sometimes we need each other. Artists, Edgar Degas and Edouard Manet, were friends. Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso were also friends…encouraging and pushing each other along in their creative paths. Poets, Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath were friends. Lord Byron and Mary Shelley were friends. J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S.Lewis? Friends. Celebrating friendship in the arts, especially the isolating art of […]
The first Sunday of every month is a poetry celebration here at Steps In Between. https://stepsinbetween.com/poetry/ In fact, later this month, I will continue the party by adding another round of poems to my Poetry Friends page. This will be the third edition, as it inspires me to surround myself with greatness. I am eager to introduce some new artists and new pieces coming soon. For now, as always on […]
A short and sweet Sunday post today. Summer is that time of year where schedules get highjacked for either fun vacation-y reasons, or even lazy lounging ones. I am leaving on vacation in a few short days, but I also have some exciting news to share. Therefore, this post will be a little different than usual. Don’t worry, there is still some quick writing advice at the bottom. So, take […]
A few days ago, I hiked Twin Falls with a friend. As breathtaking as it was escaping my writing desk to the great outdoors, I realized writing is like a waterfall. Of course, there’s the beauty of it: flowery words that drop like metaphors in brilliant sprays. But there’s also a powerful force that tempts my soul as much as it frightens. Let me explain… For me, writing begins with […]
The first Sunday of each month is always a poetry celebration. And today, with a summer breeze, come two dancing souls ready to delight. I happened upon these western tiger swallowtail butterflies in my yard this afternoon and couldn’t resist the inspiration. Enjoy the poem below along with my Wednesday Whims of Poetry page: https://stepsinbetween.com/poetry/ Courtship to One Hundred (Dance of the Western Tiger Swallowtail) Courtship sways on blossom-stained breeze, […]
I love to read. I revel at finding new books, and love everything about bookstores. The excitement of a new story waiting behind each glossy cover, competing for my attention, is an adventure. I love the wooden bookshelves, and the overstuffed chairs often found at the end of an aisle. I love posters about books, the book trailers I see online, the hype of a new series in conversation. Books […]
https://stepsinbetween.com/2018/07/29/writers-in-training/ Above is a link to a THROW-BACK post from last July, Writers… in Training. It just seems to fit with my writing mood today. Sore, but in a good way. The enormous weight of writing (internally and externally) can be trying, but somehow pushing through brings hope. It must have something to do with the unpredictable balance of exercise, discipline, and life. Take a look at the post, then […]
June Poetry Celebration ~ Letting Words Live, by Celaine Charles The first Sunday of June welcomes with a poetry celebration. Beginning this ritual in March of 2018 has become my own monthly therapy check in. As you know, I post a new poem every Wednesday to my “Wednesday Whims of Poetry” page. What do I like about this page? It’s me. It’s raw. It’s whatever is on my mind at […]
I hope to find you as relieved as I am in the warming of Spring, and as well, you are reveling in its reboot. First Sunday of the Month Poetry Celebration: https://stepsinbetween.com/poetry/ The month of April brought new hope, although for me, it accompanied a million things to tackle all at once. I’m not sure how I tend to forget the busyness of spring time. As a teacher, the end […]
As inspiration stirred for this weekly post, my spirit also fell on the importance of Easter. I’m not going to discuss my personal ties to Christianity today, but suffice to know the layering of interpretations and meaningful significance in the two, for me, are great. Here’s the definition of ekphrastic from Poets.org: “Ekphrasis (also spelled “ecphrasis”) is a direct transcription from the Greek ek, “out of,” and phrasis, “speech” or “expression.” It’s […]
Surprising poetry inspiration first, with a little GOOD NEWS in the end… Read on! It’s the first Sunday of a new month, and that means celebrating poetry: https://stepsinbetween.com/poetry/ The irony? My need… task… burden… joy… every tiny piece of my heart… needed to complete my novel rewrite has replaced my inspiration to write poetry. How did I solve this dilemma when posting new poems each week to my poetry page, […]
I am beginning to learn even my multi-tasking mind has limits, or at least seasons. While in some seasons I carry out several great feats, in others, I slow down to refine only one. Writing projects are unfolding for me like this. And it feels good to acknowledge that it’s okay. Typically, I can focus on a multitude of projects at one time, nurturing them as I would each seed […]
Docked here in the middle of my novel rewrite, I’m reminded of a l-o-n-g boat ride up Washington’s Lake Roosevelt. My family often boated, but this trip from Fort Spokane to Grand Coulee was quite the adventure. I always enjoyed the anticipation of boating somewhere beautiful, taking in surprise vistas and stops along the way. On this particular trip we popped a tent and spent the night with family friends. […]
It’s the first Sunday in March and the sun is up, shining hope through cold winter air. I put on a sweater and throw open my windows. I can’t help myself after the long snow-filled February. And then I realize, February is the shortest month of the year. This year it passed like John Green’s line in his book, The Fault in our Stars, “I fell in love the way […]
Time is limiting. Yet, I’m always looking for new ways to organize it, or use it more efficiently. Last week I shared my need to rest. My body demanded a halt in my writing in unflattering, forceful ways. I blame my husband for the virus, but my down time was enlightening. My aging body is changing, and so therefore, my time. Since I can’t sustain the energy to carry out […]
Can we skip the sad chapters in life? The heavy-laden story arcs that need developed for substance? The crucial contradictions to the good parts of a lifespan … in order to appreciate all we have… is more than distressing. I choose not to read sad stories. I refuse to watch depressing movies. I protect myself and my heart from breaking as much as humanly possible. Surrounding myself with everything […]
I awoke early this morning, gifting me the time to read before officially starting my day. Lately, I’ve been tossing around the concept of time. It could be that I have a significant birthday nudging at my back. But the drive to create something new has become a morbid kind of motivation. The call to finish my writing projects is strong, before it’s too late. It may be that I […]
January has wrapped me up, and instead of snuggling down for my typical renewal time (see: https://stepsinbetween.com/2018/01/07/january-renewal-dont-resist/), it feels as if I’m spinning round and round in constant motion. This year’s cocoon isn’t for rest; it’s for growth. I happened upon a book from Priscilla Long, The Writer’s Portable Mentor, a while back (see: https://stepsinbetween.com/2018/11/11/creativity-and-age-inspiration-from-author-priscilla-long/) and recently began diving into her words of wisdom. At the same time, I signed […]
The weather is surely cold outside. The end of December is hardly the time to put away the winter-wear. Although metaphorically it’s the perfect time. January, still winter, still cold, marks the beginning of a new year. A fresh start waiting to resurface the playing field. It’s an opportunity to begin again regardless of life’s happenings in the year before. I see it as a wool overcoat, houndstooth. With only […]
I’m coming to you at another unscheduled time (Saturday of all days) to report back good news: https://channillo.com/2018-channillo-awards/ Thanks to you, my amazing readers and followers, I have won in all three of my nominated categories at Channillo. My “Colors” poetry series has won BEST ONGOING SERIES, BEST NEW SERIES, and BEST POETRY SERIES. I couldn’t be more thrilled… yet at the same time, humbled and grateful for the growth I’ve […]
I took a walk down memory lane in my “STEPS IN BETWEEN” blog to discover my own advice from a post last December. I believe it is still valuable and worthy of reading today. My hope for all creators is to continue soul-searching, finding strength, and using everything they’ve got for the good of their craft. Happy Holidays! My December 2017 Post: https://stepsinbetween.com/2017/12/17/a-holiday-ticket-to-writing/ Writing Advice: Throw-Back Third Sunday of the Month – Time To […]
As I come to the last month for my “Colors” poetry series (on Channillo.com), I’m tossed between gusts of melancholy (https://channillo.com/series/colors/). Elated joy finding release for that inner light that’s filled my heart for years. Glumness for what to do with the colors that remain? Relief that in some small way my project feels complete. Yet angst about the final poem choices still needing to be made. With only seven […]
The month of December is magical. Whether you celebrate a cultural holiday or not; winter is upon us. There’s something quietly enchanting about that. As always at “Steps In Between,” the first Sunday post of a new month is saved for the celebration of poems. I am honored to share my Wednesday Whims of Poetry with you: (https://stepsinbetween.com/poetry/) Please visit, share this page, and stay a while. Let your soul […]
I think November may be the shortest month in the year. I know this isn’t true technically, but for me, it feels that way mentally, emotionally, even physically. I blame the inspiration that sparks with the coming of fall. My day-job as a teacher starts up, and so of course motivation to work on all my other writing endeavors fights for attention. Busy doesn’t begin to describe… November arrives, beckoning […]
Halloween, early 1970’s, I was always a witch. My mask was made of plastic and attached with a long rubber string tied behind my head. Equally shiny with synthetic materials was my dress, not unlike the mask, tied behind my neck. The designs of the fabric simply printed on, to give the illusion of different fabrics and textures. Illusions. I’m wondering now if the illusions of fright during Halloween time […]
The day I dropped my first daughter off to college was the day I grew smaller. I used to be five feet-seven inches, quite an average height. Now in my forties, the doctors keep measuring me at just over five feet-six inches. Of course, they encouraged calcium supplements and I got serious about my Pilates classes (check out The Balanced Life, by Robin Long, contact below). But I know it’s […]
I’ve discovered my writing mind is never still. It’s either that or the characters and topics I write about live three dimensionally in my head. It gets crowded, so we get out and take a lot of walks. Or at least, this is how if feels. I believe writers are undeniably always thinking. Our minds are on the go even sitting still behind a desk. This makes perfect sense. It’s […]
The first Sunday of the month is where I highlight my poetry page: https://stepsinbetween.com/poetry/. Although the first Sunday in October fills me with family. I remember when my babies were little. The energy it took bundling them up with mittens and hats that always multiplied in those moments getting out the door. As each young one pulled off a fuzzy garment piece, one after another, I patiently (and sometimes impatiently) […]
Happy Anniversary! It’s been exactly one year since I began posting about my writing journey in this blog, Steps in Between. I have succeeded in some of my goals, reworked a few others, and still have a handful waiting for retrieval. But what I’m most excited about… YOU! Blessings are overflowing when I think of the writing community I’ve been fortunate enough to interact with. I’ve written before about the […]
Sometimes I feel at the will of my inspiration. Could it be that this abstract part of me is more in control than originally thought? It’s my creative side that links itself to motivation. It’s my motivation that gets things done. But it’s the reality of those finished works (and sometimes unfinished) that seem to define me. Or do they? I think, in all honestly, I allow myself to be […]
I find myself surrounded by inspirational people. Most I have never met. I follow and read the works of poets from past and present (from all over the world) and hope to catch a glimmer of their talent. My goal, to appreciate the beauty from other walks of life, and if I am fortunate enough, to portray their bits of insight within my own pieces. Sometimes I am lucky enough […]
Technically it’s still summer until the middle of the month. But there’s something about September that puts me in the mood for warm cider by the fireplace, football games, and crockpot dinners. The name September comes from the Latin root, septem- meaning seven. I read in Dictionary.com that in the original Roman republican calendar, September was the seventh month of a ten-month year until perhaps 153 BC. Of course, today […]
Time is elusive. It doesn’t matter that there is sixty seconds in every minute, or sixty minutes in every hour, or twenty-four hours in every day… I could go on to weeks and months and years, and so on. Time is measurable until it gets to the value of time, hence how we spend the time we’re gifted. This is how something perfectly calculable becomes ambiguous. And when it comes […]
I am proud to introduce my amazing writer-friend, Pamela Hobart Carter, as my guest-blogger today. She has written a witty and thoughtful article about “writing every day.” Please read, like, and share her work. Links to her websites and writing work are at the bottom. As always, I appreciate your follower-support. ~ Celaine 🙂 ***Thank you, Pamela, for your help while I take a much needed vacation. I will see […]
Happy First’s ~ August is Six Months of Wednesday Whims of Poetry! It’s my six-month anniversary of “Poetry-First’s,” meaning six months ago I began dedicating the first Sunday of every month to my poetry page at this same Steps in Between site. The page is entitled, Wednesday Whims of Poetry. Since I don’t post each poem as an official blog-post, then once a month I like to pull your attention […]
I awoke this morning to write when hidden muscle groups protested. It took only a moment to remember the cause of my discomfort. The lingering consequences of good health. My son has set me on a training-regime to sculpt and strengthen by body. And it hit me, not unlike the intensity of reigning ten-pound battle ropes for what felt like a million intervals, writing is a work out. This conclusion […]
It’s the first Sunday in a new month… July 2018! That means I’m highlighting my poetry page, Wednesday Whims of Poetry: https://stepsinbetween.com/poetry/ What an explosive month of possibility. I always feel free in July. The weather is generally lovely. My mood is typically fair to outright happy. And if anything, I can just be. These are my rules of summer. Rules of Summer There are no rules of summer, […]
A Season of Poetry There are seasons for writers, and although I am still working on rewriting my fiction story, I seem to find myself in a season of poetry. In honor of the first Sunday in June, I invite you to visit my poetry page: https://stepsinbetween.com/poetry/ There are times when the characters in my novel speak to me in my sleep. I awaken with renewed motivation to jump into […]
Steps In Between 