It Began With Poetry #RB4U #melissa_keir

It Began with Poetry

Welcome to RB4U (or welcome back!). I'm glad to have you here today. April is National Poetry Month. If you didn't get a chance to enjoy some poetry last night, I highly recommend reading some! A couple of my favorite poets are Langston Hughes and Margaret Atwood (yes, she writes the most amazing poems). 

The celebration of poetry began in 1996 as a way to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in the United States (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Poetry_Month). As a teacher, poetry is one of my favorite lessons to teach children because with poetry, students can be very creative with their choice of words, formatting and punctuation. Most fall in love with Acrostic poems first, but quickly find the freedom of free verse exciting.

My own journey in writing began with poetry. In middle school, junior high and high school, I wrote over one hundred poems about feelings and friendships. I fully admit the poems were sappy and very childish in their word choice. I felt I needed to rhyme...well, you can guess how they sound.

In college, I took some amazing classes with this excellent teacher who exposed me to a variety of different poets. Because of her, I began writing poetry again, but this time I worked to add my own twists and snark. In fact, one of my poems won an award at college. 

Here's the poem:

A Twisted Fairy Tale

Little Red Riding Hood?

Boy, they got that all wrong.

She was hot, you know, what a looker-

Not at all little, nicely rounded.

And she had hair to match that temper

like the sun, all fiery and golden.

After looking at her,

I never even noticed

a basket of goodies.

She walked in the woods everyday

with that wiggle and bounce in her step,

Trying to get my attention.

But I was too busy

with my work, and couldn’t

stop for her.

One day last week, maybe Tuesday?

She gave me that smile, you know the one.

And asked for my help picking

flowers for her sick Grandma.

Just the thought of her sick Grandma,

I had to help.

Then it happened-

As we were picking flowers,

She laid her cape on the grass-

She was all over me

like a treat to a starving man.

She was like an animal.

But when her boyfriend,

the Big Bad Hunter saw us,

She freaked- And blamed me.

She called me a Wolf

and said that I was after her basket of goodies.

So that’s the story, officer.

I’m innocent, not an animal

just misunderstood.

It’s girls like her who give

Fairy Tales a bad name.

I know the reason I'm most comfortable with Novella length stories is because of my background in poetry. Both require a strength in description with precise word choice.

A few years ago, I put together a book which contains my poetry as well as musings on life and some family recipes. The book is one of my favorites because it brings together different pieces of my life and showcases my feelings and thoughts. For me, writing about my fears, love, and anxiety has been a blessing. It helps me celebrate and deal with them. As well, they serve as a guidepost to my life. 

One woman’s musings become another woman’s courage…

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you worry about the person you’ve become? 

Sitting down at the computer, Melissa spent many hours reflecting on her life, family, and relationships. These musings, recipes, and poems tell the tale of one woman's changing thoughts and feelings about life. 

Come along with her as she explores her reflections, using her words which mirror her changes.

(in print and ebook on Amazon)

Until next month!
Keep writing!

Melissa 
www.melissakeir.com

Can Love Heal? I Believe.... #RB4U @melissa_keir

Can Love Heal?

I have always believed in love and romance. It's a part of the reason I read romance novels. They always feature a happily ever after, no matter what the challenges that the couple faces, whether it's another woman or their own stubbornness. I love to write about my thoughts and feelings. Here's a piece I wrote about love...

Words are inadequate to explain love. If people like Shakespeare struggle with it, who would think that I could? Trust me, I’ve tried and I am not often at a loss for words. The ones that I choose seem to lack the full experience. It is like looking at photograph of cheesecake when you are dieting and starving. It lacks the full experience. I can tell you how he makes me feel. I feel like a whole person. I can be myself and know that even no matter how yucky, he will love and accept me. No matter how tight he holds me, I feel only safe not trapped.  I feel beautiful at 3 am in the morning without my makeup on and my hair sticking up. Rather than dismiss my ideas, he listens, asks questions and is open to what I am saying. When I help him with something, I am a superhero! And yet, with these words, I only scratch the surface. Just by putting the words to paper, I find that it isn’t complete. It is still like trying to catch smoke in your hands…always slipping through your fingers.  

Maybe water is a better way to describe love... No matter how much you have, you can always have more. Everyone deserves and needs it. While it is everywhere, it is hard to hold on to, you have to be adaptable to even grasp a drop. It is powerful enough to light a city or move a mountain and gentle enough to cradle you as you float in it. It cleanses and fills you up. It never really dies but changes forms, passion to comfort. It soothes and comforts you. It nourishes your soul.

Someone recently asked why I write romance... this is why... Love is everlasting and does heal the soul. It's healed mine and I hope through my own stories, it's helped others, whether providing an escape, a second chance or a dream of what might be. If I've brought someone pleasure, friendship or love... it's worth it!

If you enjoy these musings (and recipes and poetry), you can find more in my book- Musings of a Mad-Cap Mind available in ebook and print. 

One woman’s musings become another woman’s courage… 

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you worry about the person you’ve become? Sitting down at the computer, Melissa spent many hours reflecting on her life, family, and relationships. These musings, recipes, and poems tell the tale of one woman's changing thoughts and feelings about life. 
Come along with her as she explores her reflections, using her words which mirror her changes. 

Amazon ebook and print

September Theme....Absolutely... Life will Change #RB4U #blogpost #melissa_keir

Absolutely.... Life has a Way of Changing.....

Hello and welcome to Romance Books 4 Us. Normally Nicole stops by to kick off the month and have you all smiling. Today, you get me, Melissa Keir, talking about life changing. It was a perfect time to speak about change with the beginning of a new month- September which seems to kick off fall in my area of the world. 

I love this ring, if anyone is looking for a gift for me! 

This month our theme is Absolutely.... The birthstone, Sapphire (promoter of chaste love, health, peace of mind and psychic vision) and flower, Aster (talisman of love, patience). 

This is me when faced with change!

As I said... Life has a way of changing. If you were here expecting Nicole, you've had to adapt to that change. I'm here. And while change is often not without its own stress, sometimes we must make a change. 





Usually at this time of year, I'm back in my classroom

trying to set it up for any number of students, sitting in on professional development meant to energize me, and worrying about how the year is going to go. But not this year!




This year, I'm worried about insurance and spending too much money. A much different set of stress brought on because of a life change I made. I quit teaching at the school I had taught at for the last 15 years. It was time. I had asked to work part time but they couldn't accommodate me. I've looked for other jobs as a teacher. However, I have two strikes against me-- 20 years teaching experience and a Master's Degree. (The Union says that they have to pay me more and other teachers are cheaper.)

My father, my son and me at Thanksgiving

This year though, I'm ABSOLUTELY...happy that I have time with my family. I was working way too many hours on my writing, publishing, formatting, grading, planning, documenting, testing, reporting...which gave me very little time for the most important things in my life....my family. <3

So.. Absolutely... life changes...(and it will probably always cause me some stress, okay a lot of stress)...
But I'm taking a bold move. Substitute teaching so I can get my teaching fix, working on upcoming novellas, and still have the time to see the faces who I would terribly miss if they weren't here. 

What is your ABSOLUTE? What about life has changed for you?? And how are you handling it? I'd love to hear! 

And Nicole will be by on the 9th to visit with you. However, if you want to read about some musings on life, poetry and recipes from me about the people I love, please check out my new short book titled: Musings of a Madcap Mind.

Available in print and ebook....

Blurb:
One woman’s musings become another woman’s courage… 

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you worry about the person you’ve become? Sitting down at the computer, Melissa spent many hours reflecting on her life, family, and relationships. These musings, recipes, and poems tell the tale of one woman's changing thoughts and feelings about life. 

Come along with her as she explores her reflections, using her words which mirror her changes.

Amazon

Dear Diary.....Reflections on Life #Musings #RB4U

Dear Diary... Reflections on Life

Hello I'm Melissa Keir and welcome to day of the month where I get to be witty and hopefully give you something to think about. August is my birthday month and also the time when most children go back to school. For me, it's also been a time of reflection. At Romance Books 4 U, we are talking about diaries. I didn't really have one since I had four nosy sisters who loved to read and share my secrets, but I did use my computer as a diary...sharing my fears, pain, and silly moments. 

Since August is about Diary and reflection... Here's my question to you.....

Sometimes the words can inspire you to step outside the box, enjoy life, savor things around you and give into those moments of quirky happiness.

 The words can pick you up when you are feeling down or make you pause and think about what's going on around you. We are not here alone and one word, smile, or gesture can go a long way!

 

Sometimes the words can remind us not to worry about what others said (even what we ourselves say in our head about our weight, nose, figure, brains...). We are so much harder on ourselves....

.....And others are just so jealous that they use words to strike out and in hurting others, they can make themselves feel better. Just remember that when you look back on those days and the words, feelings, memories.... 

You were so much more than the size of your clothes, being a cheerleader/band kid.... You are the product of all the pieces... the good... the bad... the silly... the weird... the smarts... the athleti

c....YOU... WONDERFUL AMAZING YOU!!




Thank you for sharing your insights today...I'd be hard-pressed to say it in only two words....So here's some leeway if you can't say it in only two words. Just share what you'd tell yourself....


Mine..... I'm happy with me and my life. (and that's what matters) :)







Musings of a Madcap Mind.....by Melissa Keir
It's not a romance novel but does feature your own happily ever after if you will only reach for it!!

One woman’s musings become another woman’s courage…

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you worry about the person you’ve become? Sitting down at the computer, Melissa spent many hours reflecting on her life, family, and relationships. These musings, recipes, and poems tell the tale of one woman's changing thoughts and feelings about life. 

Come along with her as she explores her reflections, using her words which mirror her changes.

EXCERPT:

Birthdays….the word conjures up memories of balloons, cake and pin the tail on the donkey (weren’t those games always lame?). As a child, birthdays were second in importance of holidays. Only Christmas was more important. You would agonize over which friends to invite and what to put on your wish list.

Parents plan for these parties like a general planning for war. Each party needs to be different and better than last years (or the little girl’s down the street). I remember the year my daughter wanted a pool party. Her birthday is in May—not exactly pool weather in Michigan! So we rented two rooms at a local hotel and had our party there to my daughter’s delight and her friend’s envy!

As you get older, birthdays change. You dream of breakfast in bed, your favorite dinner (in a restaurant- not cooking it yourself!), and the PERFECT gift. Quickly this fantasy fades. Reality sets in and birthday just becomes another day. You still have laundry to do and bills to pay. It only takes one or two years to understand that birthdays are very different now that you are an adult and certainly as a mom. My first birthday after getting married was a shocker. Not only my husband forgot but my family did too! Only after listening to my crying for hours, did my husband pull a frozen pie out of the freezer, put candles on it, and sing happy birthday.

Some adults fear and dread their coming birthdays because they mark another year closer to old age and death. They fight getting older. Just go to the make-up isle of any store to see that. The cosmetics industry makes tons of money off that fear. I remember that my mom never would admit her true age. She would tell everyone (each and every year) that this was her 25^th birthday. We weren’t quite that gullible. We would tease her about WHICH 25^th birthday this one was.

Available in Print and ebook: Amazon