Unique inspiration can be found in the blogger world. Particularly heartening are loyal teams of the kind you can steal horses with. Among them is a group of fantasy writers who first met up at Harper Collins Authonomy site, where many of us shared comments and encouragements that made us better writers. Most of this group are published authors now, like Katrina Jack with her urban fantasy Land of Midnight Days, and Sophie Tallis with White Mountain, a rolling fantasy she also illustrated. Sophie lifts the praise of other writers to epic levels. Her dragon wings are surely made of golden generosity. She nominated me for two awards, and I succumb to the honour: The Flight of Fantasy Award, and the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.
Thanks for these nominations, Sophie – much love and success to you and the fantasy crowd.
http://sophieetallis.wordpress.com/2013/01/24/very-inspiring-again/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sophie-E.-Tallis/e/B008IVBYEO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
There are rules to these awards, which I’ll bend a little.
1 Display the award logo on your blog.
2 Link back to the person who nominated you.
3 State 7 things about yourself.
4 Nominate 15 bloggers for this award and link to them.
5 Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the award’s requirements
Here are some things about me
My first truly creative expression was an installation on my mother’s kitchen floor, consisting of swirling designs of my sweet-smelling excrements mixed with white flour from kitchen cupboards. My parents’ lack of appreciation for my art set a tone: what really matters to me may not be entirely understood. It made me want to understand myself.
I was told dreams are not real. Later I become convinced that life was a dream and reality lay elsewhere. Later still, I thought dreams can be made real for the sheer fun of it.
I believe our bodies are made of stardust and our minds are united with and guided by all the illuminated souls who ever where, are, or will be. The trouble is, I forget, and more, I doubt these illuminated ones know all, but may need embodied consciousness to expand their own. To cut it short, I value my doubts.
My best luck was working as a photojournalist, travelling and meeting some exceptionally creative and eccentric famous people. My best fun was living and working in communities. My best joy was the birth of my son. My best failing was my marriage. My best challenges were trainings as a therapist and doing a film degree as a mature student. My best fulfilments are friends, photography and writing.
I’m habitually addicted to coffee, red wine and roll-up cigarettes, though not to excess.
For decades I worked hard at empowering people. Now it’s my turn. I take time to write.
Reading and writing in my hammock is bliss. At times, when I manage to step out of my own way, a burst of energy can makes me accomplish extraordinary things almost effortlessly.
* * *
Omitting the already honoured, I’ll nominate a mixed bunch whose posts inspire me and may inspire you. It’s up to the nominees whether they’ll run with the award or just feel tickled 🙂
Diane http://dianemdickson.wordpress.com/
Katia http://scribedoll.wordpress.com/
Grisha http://www.ryzhakov.co.uk/
Adriene http://thirdsundaybc.com/
Yeshen http://yeshenvenema.com/blog/
Natasha http://pandahorse.com/blog/
Joe http://joelinker.wordpress.com/
Jane http://exmoorjane.blogspot.co.uk/
Elizabeth http://elizabethjasperwriter.wordpress.com/
Oyai http://oyiabrown.com/category/humour/jokes/
Vivienne http://zenandtheartoftightropewalking.wordpress.com/
Roz http://nailyournovel.wordpress.com/
Course of Mirrors 
Utterly lovely…lol, even the…ahem…primitive child art!
Yes, back in the distant past when we actually had dry days filled with sunshine and the smell of cut grass, there was nothing more blissful than lying in my hammock writing or reading and watching the clouds lazily drift above the dancing leaves…bliss is the word! Ahhh…
Thank you, Ashen, for the very kind words. I just believe in sharing the love and support wherever possible. 🙂
Oh…and yes…I believe we are made of star stuff too! 😀 xx
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Thanks again. I guess that dragon is the fabulous Gralen, a most spirited and determined fellow.
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Great post, Ashen! Thanks for the mention and for taking the time to put this together. Appreciate the recommendations, which I’m checking out. I liked your “best” paragraph in this post. Amazing balance in your reflections. “My best failing” reminded me of an essay I recently discovered by Kim Stafford (one of William’s sons). You can read it here, if you’d like: http://oregonhumanities.org/magazine/issue/fail/kim-stafford-on-resume-of-failures
Blog on!
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Thanks Joe. Yes, a moving article … and James Hillman’s point applies — things trend upward for a time, and you prevail, gather momentum, succeed … Then there is a turning, and your personal hero’s journey falters again. Plotted on the wall, this undulating path forms a classic wave pattern—crest, trough, crest …
This pattern can happen within a week. My way of consoling myself is … just be patient for the stars to shift … or … whether good or bad times … This, too, shall pass (like in the story of Solomon’s ring.)
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Congratulations!
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Oh, my goodness! I’ve just noticed that you mentioned me! How kind! Thank you!
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Katia, your exquisite Londoner’s Musings certainly deserve a Very Inspiring Blogger Award 🙂 Just enjoy. You can do with it whatever. No pressure.
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Lovely post. I was tickled by your first art project!
Very kind to nominate me, thank you!
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Thanks. I was just over a year old. It was a present for my mum, a simple gift, not wrapped:) as you would say.
You deserve an award for your inspirational posts.
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I can see why my question about tools and art would make you smile! lol
It looks like your creativity started young. Too bad the parents didn’t appreciate it! Your tale reminds me of a friend’s son. She walked into the kitchen to find him experimenting with household items, which he poured into the toaster only to leak all over the counter, including black food colouring!
I’ve often heard the statement that we are all star stuff and firmly believe that it binds the universe and all its creations together. That’s why I have a hard time understanding the hatred some feel for another.
Congratulations on your awards. The dragon on the one is amazing! 🙂
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🙂 Interesting synchronicity. And yes, the more aware one becomes of the interconnectedness of everything, the more painfully hatred and cruelty are felt. Witnessing thoughts and actions of ignorance with a compassionate eye can be an impossible challenge.
The dragon, I think, is Gralen, a memorable character in Sophie Tallis’s fantasy story ‘White Mountain.’
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oh wow, I’ve been nominated. You’re very kind, Ashen. I’ll pretend it’s an Oscar and give a lengthy speech to the audience of myself 🙂
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That’s so cool – laughter – create an event. You could video it 🙂
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I think my narcissism doesn’t need further encouragement :))
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