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Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Surviving the recession as a writer
We are experiencing financial tough times. There is no mistake about it. And it doesn't seem to be becoming easier. What writers need to do now more than ever is to knuckle down and keep on writing like nothing's wrong.
I subsist on a meager budget and yet I have kept writing and discovered some tricks along the way that may help others looking for how to do the same.
One, I cook most of my healthy savory meals myself at home. I have become quite a chef. It's a far cry from my meals a year ago when I took fried onions literally. Flash forward to the present. I've mastered gourmet meals. Red kidney bean soup, beef and barley stew, pumpkin soup, roasted pumpkins, ciders, pumpkin breads, sacred spiral bread, french onion soup, hot roasted chicken (my sis wants the recipe), stirfies, moon cookies. I am a kitchen witch. I hang a kitchen witch on a hook in my kitchen and let her work her magic. I pray to Demeter and Hestia, goddesses associated with food and the hearth and grains. I like to light a candle and clean the preparation area then begin cooking. All of these steps set the mood and awaken the energies and atmosphere for successful cooking. It was a Scandinavian custom to hang a kitchen witch ornament in your kitchen for positive energies and good luck for cooking. It may have been the belief that the kitchen witch would draw the energies. The kitchen witch was well versed in herbs and spices and cooking and the hearth. They looked to the local shaman or seer or witch, if you will, for the knowledge and protection.
I have Scandinavian roots. I cook most of my meals myself and live on a tiny budget and hardly ever need to eat kraft dinner. It is cheaper to eat healthy than to live on kraft dinner. It does not hurt to add a little magic to home cooking. I was given a nice blank journal as a gift. I filled the book up with recipes and it is now my little personal cookbook.
I am conscious of my power usage. I turn off lights and the computer when not in use. Turning the thermostat down when not at home or when sleeping at night can help save a bundle of money. I recycle and use a paper shredder. I use post-consumer recycled paper, recycle my ink cartridges,borrow movies from the local library, buy local and support local farmers markets. I carry cloth bags and take the metro transit and ferry to Halifax. Taking the ferry allows me a few moments of meditation since I am near the water.
I buy in bulk and when food is on sale. I use everything up as much as i can. I also suport local artists and businesses.
All the above things I mentioned do help to save money It costs less for a bowl of healthy hearty stew than it does for a dinner from Wendys Restaurant. I save money that way and then so have money for that bottle of white out I ran out of or a new ink cartridge and a pack of printing paper. I eat an organic food diet and feel the best I have ever felt in my life.
Some argue that organic food is more expensive but then, isn't everthing? Feeling healthy leads to feeling better and that leads to more energy to write.
i also use the law of attraction to attract what I want to myself or to banish bad energies. I use the moon's energies. When the moon waxes, that is a powerful time to try to create prosperity, love, safety, whatever. When the moon wanes, turn inward and use that for a time of reflection or meditation or to turn unwanted energies away from you. If you believe you can attract your desire, it may happen and it takes belief to make it work. If you beliieve that it won't work, it won't and if you believe it will, it will. It takes a lot of faith but using the law of attraction & trusting your intuition can bring more than a writer ever dreamed towards them.
So have faith and cast your spell and let me know when you publish that book!
I subsist on a meager budget and yet I have kept writing and discovered some tricks along the way that may help others looking for how to do the same.
One, I cook most of my healthy savory meals myself at home. I have become quite a chef. It's a far cry from my meals a year ago when I took fried onions literally. Flash forward to the present. I've mastered gourmet meals. Red kidney bean soup, beef and barley stew, pumpkin soup, roasted pumpkins, ciders, pumpkin breads, sacred spiral bread, french onion soup, hot roasted chicken (my sis wants the recipe), stirfies, moon cookies. I am a kitchen witch. I hang a kitchen witch on a hook in my kitchen and let her work her magic. I pray to Demeter and Hestia, goddesses associated with food and the hearth and grains. I like to light a candle and clean the preparation area then begin cooking. All of these steps set the mood and awaken the energies and atmosphere for successful cooking. It was a Scandinavian custom to hang a kitchen witch ornament in your kitchen for positive energies and good luck for cooking. It may have been the belief that the kitchen witch would draw the energies. The kitchen witch was well versed in herbs and spices and cooking and the hearth. They looked to the local shaman or seer or witch, if you will, for the knowledge and protection.
I have Scandinavian roots. I cook most of my meals myself and live on a tiny budget and hardly ever need to eat kraft dinner. It is cheaper to eat healthy than to live on kraft dinner. It does not hurt to add a little magic to home cooking. I was given a nice blank journal as a gift. I filled the book up with recipes and it is now my little personal cookbook.
I am conscious of my power usage. I turn off lights and the computer when not in use. Turning the thermostat down when not at home or when sleeping at night can help save a bundle of money. I recycle and use a paper shredder. I use post-consumer recycled paper, recycle my ink cartridges,borrow movies from the local library, buy local and support local farmers markets. I carry cloth bags and take the metro transit and ferry to Halifax. Taking the ferry allows me a few moments of meditation since I am near the water.
I buy in bulk and when food is on sale. I use everything up as much as i can. I also suport local artists and businesses.
All the above things I mentioned do help to save money It costs less for a bowl of healthy hearty stew than it does for a dinner from Wendys Restaurant. I save money that way and then so have money for that bottle of white out I ran out of or a new ink cartridge and a pack of printing paper. I eat an organic food diet and feel the best I have ever felt in my life.
Some argue that organic food is more expensive but then, isn't everthing? Feeling healthy leads to feeling better and that leads to more energy to write.
i also use the law of attraction to attract what I want to myself or to banish bad energies. I use the moon's energies. When the moon waxes, that is a powerful time to try to create prosperity, love, safety, whatever. When the moon wanes, turn inward and use that for a time of reflection or meditation or to turn unwanted energies away from you. If you believe you can attract your desire, it may happen and it takes belief to make it work. If you beliieve that it won't work, it won't and if you believe it will, it will. It takes a lot of faith but using the law of attraction & trusting your intuition can bring more than a writer ever dreamed towards them.
So have faith and cast your spell and let me know when you publish that book!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Book Lovers' Ink
My writing busines, Book Lovers' Ink, is my freelance adventure. I enjoy running my own writing business and reaping the benefits. Every time I see my article or name in print, it gives me a rush. I am always grateful the day I attended the afternoon writing workshop led by Sandra Phinney, a dedicated and accomplished freelance writer. I learned much from her and found my calling.
Now I have six-eight magazine articles published. One in Pets Quarterly about my pet guinea pigs. The second article is about how pets can benefit elderly people's health and an article on organic food and the slow movement both appearing in The Source Health and Wellness magazine, http://www.thesourcemagazine.net. My story on my meeting with Margaret Atwood, two stories about my grandparents appear in Canadian Stories, http://www.canadianstories.net. I also have an article on www.witchvox.com about the beauty of the Cabot Trail and a poem on that site as well.
I have published a book of poetry, Metamorphosis. A sample of my poetry can be found on my website at http://www.bookLoversInk.com. The book is available at Frog Hollow Books, one of Nova Scotia's most respected independent bookstores in Park Lane Mall, Halifax.
In March 2006, I created a collection of my poems in a book entitled Metamorphosis: A Poet’s Symmetry. The book is 56 pages in length, 6”x9”, and is perfect bound. I developed the necessary skills in the production and marketing of my book.
I am a member of the League of Canadian Poets and of the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia that affords access to helpful organizations for book design and printing. Through their network, I contacted a local helpful organization, Publish Yourself. In April 2006, I obtained an ISBN and barcode and Cataloguing in Publication. I contacted local independent bookstores before printing the book. I am a member of the Public Lending Rights Commission and Access Copyright Canada.
I compiled the layout and order I wanted for my poetry book. For the cover of the book, I was fortunate to find a neighbor who was an authority on butterflies. He gave me a picture of a butterfly and I offered him a copy of the book. I contacted Nancy Roberts, the education director of the Self-Publishing Society in Nova Scotia, for feedback. She provided some commentary on the aspects of presentation for my book. Her comments were helpful.
I promoted the book to local bookstores, my friends and family and Coutts Library Services, a distributing company. Coutts ordered several copies and placed the books in libraries in Boston, the UK and Ontario. I placed the book on Legal Deposit with the National Library of Canada. Metamorphosis is at their online New Books Service site and on the website at Publish Yourself. It is in the library at WFNS and at the Halifax Public Regional Library. Metamorphosis was on display at the booth at Publish Yourself at Word on the Street Annual Fair and is displayed on my website at http://www.bookLoversInk.piczo.com. I designed and produced bookmarks for readers to use with Metamorphosis. The bookmark has also been placed in a variety of venues and serves as a marketing tool. The bookmark is available at select bookstores.
I did a reading of my poetry at One World Café, Café Mokka, Café Ole, the Shoestring Reading Series and Word on the Street. David Rimmington interviewed me for the Poetry Show at CKDU at Dalhousie University. I advertised the book on the online classified ads at The Coast. George Elliott Clarke reviewed it in the Chronicle-Herald in September 2006. I have enclosed a copy of his review with this submission. I organized a successful Art and Poetry Show party at my home. My friend sold his paintings and I sold a few copies of my books. We held a poetry reading that night.
I am the ownerof my own freelance writing company, Book Lovers’ Ink Literary Services. It has been in operation since October 2005. I look forward to the opportunity to establish myself as a serious writer and to take my poetry to the next level.
So with a book of poetry and some published articles under my belt, I anticipate what the future holds. It is always exciting because one never knows and so the discovery is more enjoyable. I write from home and am available at my email address.
I am willing to write articles, newsletters, need assistance with web pages, resumes, poetry, or whatever else a company or individual may require. I look forward to hearing from people who are interested.
News: National Poetry Month is in April!
Now I have six-eight magazine articles published. One in Pets Quarterly about my pet guinea pigs. The second article is about how pets can benefit elderly people's health and an article on organic food and the slow movement both appearing in The Source Health and Wellness magazine, http://www.thesourcemagazine.net. My story on my meeting with Margaret Atwood, two stories about my grandparents appear in Canadian Stories, http://www.canadianstories.net. I also have an article on www.witchvox.com about the beauty of the Cabot Trail and a poem on that site as well.
I have published a book of poetry, Metamorphosis. A sample of my poetry can be found on my website at http://www.bookLoversInk.com. The book is available at Frog Hollow Books, one of Nova Scotia's most respected independent bookstores in Park Lane Mall, Halifax.
In March 2006, I created a collection of my poems in a book entitled Metamorphosis: A Poet’s Symmetry. The book is 56 pages in length, 6”x9”, and is perfect bound. I developed the necessary skills in the production and marketing of my book.
I am a member of the League of Canadian Poets and of the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia that affords access to helpful organizations for book design and printing. Through their network, I contacted a local helpful organization, Publish Yourself. In April 2006, I obtained an ISBN and barcode and Cataloguing in Publication. I contacted local independent bookstores before printing the book. I am a member of the Public Lending Rights Commission and Access Copyright Canada.
I compiled the layout and order I wanted for my poetry book. For the cover of the book, I was fortunate to find a neighbor who was an authority on butterflies. He gave me a picture of a butterfly and I offered him a copy of the book. I contacted Nancy Roberts, the education director of the Self-Publishing Society in Nova Scotia, for feedback. She provided some commentary on the aspects of presentation for my book. Her comments were helpful.
I promoted the book to local bookstores, my friends and family and Coutts Library Services, a distributing company. Coutts ordered several copies and placed the books in libraries in Boston, the UK and Ontario. I placed the book on Legal Deposit with the National Library of Canada. Metamorphosis is at their online New Books Service site and on the website at Publish Yourself. It is in the library at WFNS and at the Halifax Public Regional Library. Metamorphosis was on display at the booth at Publish Yourself at Word on the Street Annual Fair and is displayed on my website at http://www.bookLoversInk.piczo.com. I designed and produced bookmarks for readers to use with Metamorphosis. The bookmark has also been placed in a variety of venues and serves as a marketing tool. The bookmark is available at select bookstores.
I did a reading of my poetry at One World Café, Café Mokka, Café Ole, the Shoestring Reading Series and Word on the Street. David Rimmington interviewed me for the Poetry Show at CKDU at Dalhousie University. I advertised the book on the online classified ads at The Coast. George Elliott Clarke reviewed it in the Chronicle-Herald in September 2006. I have enclosed a copy of his review with this submission. I organized a successful Art and Poetry Show party at my home. My friend sold his paintings and I sold a few copies of my books. We held a poetry reading that night.
I am the ownerof my own freelance writing company, Book Lovers’ Ink Literary Services. It has been in operation since October 2005. I look forward to the opportunity to establish myself as a serious writer and to take my poetry to the next level.
So with a book of poetry and some published articles under my belt, I anticipate what the future holds. It is always exciting because one never knows and so the discovery is more enjoyable. I write from home and am available at my email address.
I am willing to write articles, newsletters, need assistance with web pages, resumes, poetry, or whatever else a company or individual may require. I look forward to hearing from people who are interested.
News: National Poetry Month is in April!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Cryptic Texts
It has been a while since I posted here. My apologies to all.
Friday night left me bored and up to no good. I looked around and decided then that I DID have pendulums, spell books, tarot cards to interpret and that I had not paid a fortune for them for nothing. Suddenly, I was not so bored.
I put on some music, lit candles and set down a purple decorative cloth on my table. The sun set, the stars shone and dragons and owls kept a stern watch on guard.
I pulled out my spell books, and got to work. I began with the tarot and spent an hour trying to decipher the Rider Waite tarot cards. I am a beginner in tarot and Rider Waite is purposefully hard to interpret. The cards opposed each other and the magic is ruined by looking up the meaning of each card and then more impossible to derive a meaning of the ten cards as a whole. I put that aside for a time and turned to my pendulums. A wind blew in from my open window which spread the lovely scent of frankincense through the room. THe candle flames flickered and I felt like a wizard or priestess alone in a dark dusty library reading ancient texts by candlelight. I was carried away by the magic. i could almost hear the hooting of owls in the night.
I own 3 pendulums- two I bought and one was given to me. The pendulums are all beautiful and usu work great. Tonight was not the night.
I watched the candle flames flicker and relit the frankincense. I am working slowly on a book of shadows. I spent an hour or more on the book of shadows- how to put it together in a careful, meaningful and artistic way. It has to be done with care.
I want to compile a beautiful book of spells I would prefer a handmade bound wooden or leather book of shadows and hope to accomplish this within the year. A witch traditionally begins a book of shadows on the new year @ Samhain. I cannot wait that long.
The time flew and it was late before I knew it. I blew out the candles, put the spell books away, knowing I could visit that magic world again. Goodnight owls and dragons
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Independence- a bad day!
I've just had a new development in my life. I moved into my apartment. Rock on! With the freedom, came the sours.
From my fire alarms ringing repeatedly,tears streaming down my cheeks from the smoke from the chicken in the oven to a month long battle with my landlord over a rotting bathroom sink- which, by the way, I won.
I sweated it out through reupholstering my chairs to painting my furniture and cooking unbleviably delicious dinners.
I just spent two hours trying to open an email to finish the email transaction. It is piss pouring rain and freezing slush here.. We had a blizzard earlier and I had to plow through that. I went to the library and couldn't open the email and finish the transaction, so I wrestled with the wind and sleet to the bank and they couldn't help me and I went to a few other spots. Places were closing early and school was closed. By this time, my feet are a brutal mix of soaked, stinging, freezing numb and everything else. I limped back to the library in time before it closed and the bank thing worked. I went to the bank and they were like, "You again!" and I'm like yeah, and so I was exhausted because due to aching soaked feet- there were puddles in my sneakers and I couldn't move my feet they hurt so much, I went to buy groceries and I got veggies, a chicken and some food to hold me over. I went to catch the 51 and waited 1/2 an hour and finally caught the 51. Basically, I went through hel. The whole time, I sat on the bus all I was aware of was my poor feet which are still red. Clearly, sneakers do not do it for this nightmarish weather. Passengers were going by me and I drew my poor foot back so as to not have it knocked by a passenger. I had to rest my right foot on my left. The pain was unbearable. The roads and sidewalks are risky and impassable. I can now stand up straight any surprise I have slippers on- it's ten minutes now and my right foot still aches and I am having a hot cup of tea and cookies. I plan to cook that bird TONIGHT. I have a blanket that was cheap as shit I bought from Value Village the other day around me. I am going to use equally inexpensive fabric to make a cover for it. Not a real quilt from scratch. I am recuperating but I have food.
anyone have one of those days? I since have bought proper winter boots, buy groceries on nice days, own a buspass, and had a cute technician from Aliant improve my internet system. He was cute! That bad day had to be the worst! Anyway, freelance writing needs to pay off. I must persevere.
I had an article recently published in Canadian Stories about my meeting with Margaret Atwood at a fundraiser.I may have a second article published in the same magazine soon.
Heddy Johannesen
From my fire alarms ringing repeatedly,tears streaming down my cheeks from the smoke from the chicken in the oven to a month long battle with my landlord over a rotting bathroom sink- which, by the way, I won.
I sweated it out through reupholstering my chairs to painting my furniture and cooking unbleviably delicious dinners.
I just spent two hours trying to open an email to finish the email transaction. It is piss pouring rain and freezing slush here.. We had a blizzard earlier and I had to plow through that. I went to the library and couldn't open the email and finish the transaction, so I wrestled with the wind and sleet to the bank and they couldn't help me and I went to a few other spots. Places were closing early and school was closed. By this time, my feet are a brutal mix of soaked, stinging, freezing numb and everything else. I limped back to the library in time before it closed and the bank thing worked. I went to the bank and they were like, "You again!" and I'm like yeah, and so I was exhausted because due to aching soaked feet- there were puddles in my sneakers and I couldn't move my feet they hurt so much, I went to buy groceries and I got veggies, a chicken and some food to hold me over. I went to catch the 51 and waited 1/2 an hour and finally caught the 51. Basically, I went through hel. The whole time, I sat on the bus all I was aware of was my poor feet which are still red. Clearly, sneakers do not do it for this nightmarish weather. Passengers were going by me and I drew my poor foot back so as to not have it knocked by a passenger. I had to rest my right foot on my left. The pain was unbearable. The roads and sidewalks are risky and impassable. I can now stand up straight any surprise I have slippers on- it's ten minutes now and my right foot still aches and I am having a hot cup of tea and cookies. I plan to cook that bird TONIGHT. I have a blanket that was cheap as shit I bought from Value Village the other day around me. I am going to use equally inexpensive fabric to make a cover for it. Not a real quilt from scratch. I am recuperating but I have food.
anyone have one of those days? I since have bought proper winter boots, buy groceries on nice days, own a buspass, and had a cute technician from Aliant improve my internet system. He was cute! That bad day had to be the worst! Anyway, freelance writing needs to pay off. I must persevere.
I had an article recently published in Canadian Stories about my meeting with Margaret Atwood at a fundraiser.I may have a second article published in the same magazine soon.
Heddy Johannesen
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Summer reading
My summer reading list is comprised of a novel by Nora Roberts, fencing styles, The Coast, newspapers, Writers Digest, Exploring Candle Magick, Wicca for Solitary Practitioners, and anything else I can get my hands on.
I feel that summer is the perfect time for summer reading, reading the books you put off all year. The Public Gardens in Halifax have recently opened a cafe and so a person can sit and sip a coffee and read a good book. And a person is surrounded by swans, ducks, trees and flowers of every possible kind. Then again there is the beach.
I feel that summer is the perfect time for summer reading, reading the books you put off all year. The Public Gardens in Halifax have recently opened a cafe and so a person can sit and sip a coffee and read a good book. And a person is surrounded by swans, ducks, trees and flowers of every possible kind. Then again there is the beach.
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