Trevor's Writing

Poem #46 Sacred Kingfisher

2 Comments »1st November, 2013; Category: Poetry

Sacred Kingfisher in our garden today

Sacred Kingfisher

Flash of blue-green
Lights up the early morning
Drabness of the mallee trees
Just metres from our breakfast table.

We sit transfixed by the kingfisher
On a dead branch overhanging our rose garden.
Tail-flicking and head bobbing
It surveys the garden for its breakfast.

It drops to the ground, a living arrow
Of death for a beetle, gecko or native cockroach,
A quick gobble and it’s gone,
A kingfisher gourmet delicacy.

It reads my mind, lingers long enough
For photos, posing in a variety of settings
But always within reach of my camera lens,
A modest model robed in holy turquoise.

To read more about this wonderful encounter, go to my birding site to read about “A beautiful guest at breakfast” . I’ve included several more photos on that post, too.

Writing prompt: barking up the wrong tree

1 Comment »16th October, 2013; Category: Idioms, Short Stories, Writing prompts

Peeling bark on a eucalypt tree

I enjoy the challenge of getting a good photo of many things in nature. One of my minor interests is photos of trees, especially the trunks of trees and in particular those with interesting or arresting colours or patterns made by the bark.

The above eucalypt tree caught my eye while birding in a park near my home some time ago. The colours stunning the bark are quite special. When combined with the light and shadows cast by the sun, this is quite a noteworthy picture in my opinion.

While looking at it the idiom “barking up the wrong tree” came to mind. (For a definition of an idiom click here.) It’s an expression we use, especially here in South Australia, to indicate that we – or another person – is wrong, or misguided in some way. For example, if I was adamant that we had been to a certain restaurant on a certain date, and keep on insisting that this was correct only to find out I was wrong when later my wife produced proof that we were actually interstate on that day, I could be said to have been “barking up the wrong tree.” Plainly, I was wrong.

Writing prompts:

Write a story about a time when you were completely wrong.
Use the expression “barking up the wrong tree” in a short story.
Have a character in your story use this expression – but incorrectly.
Write a descriptive piece about how a dog chased a cat up a tree – but kept on barking at the wrong tree.
Write an imaginative piece explaining how you think this expression was first used.
Write a poem which is an ode to trees.

Good writing.

Writing prompt: country scenes

No Comments »2nd October, 2013; Category: Fiction, Short Fiction, Short Stories, Short Story Starters, Writing prompts

Rural scene in Morocco

During our tour of Morocco just over a year ago we were amazed at the many similarities with country South Australia. Sure, the houses looked quite different, as did some of the animals. For example, we don’t get too many donkeys pulling ploughs here in rural SA. Nor do we generally get large flocks of goats and the sheep are a quite different breed. Apart from those differences we were constantly remarking on the similarity of our two countries.

Writing prompt:

Look at the photo above of a rural scene in Morocco – it could be in many other places, of course. Or you could find a similar country scene in a magazine, book or online.
As a warm-up writing exercise, describe the scene.
Imagine what it would be like to live there. Describe how you would feel.
Add some imaginary characters to the scene. What are they doing, feeling, dreaming?
Respond to the photo in poetic form.
Let your imagination soar; the sky – or your imagination – is the limit. Let it break through that limit!

Good writing.

Writing prompt – children

2 Comments »28th August, 2013; Category: Short Fiction, Short Stories, Short Story Starters, Writing prompts

Children in the village of Sefrou in Morocco

A few years ago my wife and I toured Morocco for two weeks. It was a magical tour with many highlights. I write more about this trip on another site called Trevor’s Travels.

One of the places we visited on the tour was the village of Sefrou which is about 30km from Fes. It was a delightful and interesting place to experience. As we were wandering through the streets we came across this group of children playing. They seemed to want me to take their photo, but were a little hesitant at first. Eventually they posed for me.

Whenever I look at this photo I wonder what their story is. It might prompt one of my readers to think the same, or similar, question.

Writing prompt:

Tell the story of this group of children.
Use your imagination to think about what they were playing.
Imagine being inside their heads. What were they thinking about this strange Australian taking their photo?
Write about some imaginary tragedy they might have recently experienced.

Good writing.

Don’t be discouraged by rejection

1 Comment »24th August, 2013; Category: Authors, Books, Novels, Poetry, The Writer's Life

Like all writers, I’ve had my fair share of rejections.

Not every editor will love every piece of writing you submit, whether that is a novel, non-fiction article, poem or short story. It goes with the territory. Rejection is a fact of the writer’s life. It’s a lesson the new writer needs to learn quickly. Accept it, get over it, submit the piece of writing elsewhere and get on with the latest work in progress.

Persistence will pay off in the long run.

My attention was recently drawn recently to the following article: 9 Famous Authors Rejected by Publishers. Click on the link and have a read; some of these famous writers who were initially rejected might surprise you. In fact, one of them, C.S. Lewis, was rejected 800 times before seeing anything in print. He persisted and now has over 100 million books in print, not to mention the film and television adaptations of his works.

Good writing – and don’t give up.