Announcement Regarding my Novel, A House Near Luccoli
Last weekend I received great news! I was offered–and have now accepted–a contract for the publication of my novel, A House Near Luccoli (about the last months of the 17th century Italian Baroque composer Alessandro Stradella), with All Things That Matter Press! They are a small press based in Maine USA whose goal is to publish books that help authors share themselves, and are–as I can attest to–very willing to take on previously unpublished authors who reflect their leaning towards ’spiritual, self-growth, personal transformation, fiction and non-fiction books with a strong message’. I’m optimistic that this is going to be a very good fit for me. When released the novel will be available in paperback and as an e-book.
Of course after many years of trying to get to this point, I’m very excited and even a little overwhelmed. It’s early days and I will keep my dear blogging family, old and new, updated as the process moves along. Being a small publisher, a lot of the marketing is in my hands and so I will be on a constant lookout for appropriate sources of promotion, including pre-and-post publication reviews.
I owe so much appreciation to now fellow All Things That Matter Press author and Historical Novel Society member, Marina Julia Neary, for her belief in me and my writing when ‘out of the blue’ she contacted me and offered to introduce me to ATTMP. She has continued to be amazingly supportive as my journey towards publication begins, and I encourage my followers to check out her work (Marina Julia Neary is an award-winning historical essayist, multilingual arts & entertainment journalist, novelist, dramatist and poet. Her latest novel, Martyrs & Traitors, is garnering rave reviews from prominent authors, historians and critics.)
I welcome you to read a short blurb and the opening chapter of A House Near Luccoli (originally posted in August 2011).
Thank you all for your continued interest and support!
A Valentine: Chasing the Butterfly
Copyright 2012 by DM Denton
Love
like a butterfly
trusts
the heart in
her wings,
only the clover
and
the sky
-not an end-
in sight.
Writing note: After I put this post together, I was looking at my Sister Wendy Beckett ‘Meditations on Love’ book and came upon her interpretation of the Gainsborough painting (of his two young daughters), ‘Chasing the Butterfly’.
Here is some of her reflection:
‘We have to allow those dear to us to chase the butterfly, however convinced we are that it is uncatchable. We can never give the butterfly of happiness to another; each must catch it alone. For some, it will be ever elusive…’
©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.
Recalling Scarborough
The sun was shining through the blind, and I thought how pleasant it would be to pass through the quiet town and take a solitary ramble on the sands while the world was in bed.
(from ‘ Agnes Grey’, a novel by Anne Bronte)
Her first glimpse of the sea was from a room as small as the experience was vast. It wasn’t the best lodging in Scarborough, except as could be afforded, but there was a brightening view of the bay below the promotory where a castle crumbled, sands stretching wider and wider along the indecisive surf, and stars quickly fading.
Wintry gusts whined against and even through her grimy window. She dressed warmly and decided to go out before breakfast.
Things were happening in the harbor with fishing boats, and on the pier shops and stalls were preparing to open. Until that morning she’d only ever seen gulls playing flying games over plowed fields for the freedom of having lost their way. Now they seemed agitated in a place they belonged. Her footprints on the sand were the first since the last tide so she could imagine she was walking where no one had before. It was even colder than expected but nothing could dissuade her from approaching the sea and what it might do next. If it had been summer she would’ve taken off her shoes and stockings and tiptoed into little bursts of foam at the water’s edge, seaweed bobbing to and fro as though the land wouldn’t let go. Instead her gloves were washed in icy sand as she examined shells and pebbles.
Seagulls were circling her now, the sun dispersing any clouds as it enlarged and chose to illuminate her for whoever was there to see. She looked around and saw a man coming down the strand in a great cape that belonged to an actor’s wardrobe, hailing her with hand and voice, assuming she was glad to see him.
She surrendered long before he caught up with her.
“You must be perished. Here.”
She stopped the cape from sliding off his shoulders. “Then you’ll be cold.”
“I can bear it.” He turned, wondering what distracted her from him.
It was just a thought. That she might share a little of her passion without any impropriety, looking beyond his intention and the onlooking tiers of tile-roofed houses, pointing to the northern gray of a simple church presiding like a cathedral.
“That’s St Mary’s. Where Anne Bronte is buried.”
“Interesting.” His smile said otherwise.
“Scarborough is where she saw the sea for the first time too.”
He rubbed her hands with the coldness of his own.
She no longer had a choice, his cloak embracing as if to hide her, stroked over her ears and cheeks, fastened under and lifting her chin. She was ashamed she could be so ready for his adulterous advances, a long kiss, an uncertain happiness, a dance without music, a pleasure that didn’t know how to be.
The Cathedral bells signalled a chance passing. He held her arms when they separated a little and didn’t seem to notice she was crying. “Ah. I can smell chestnuts roasting. Breakfast!”
In another moment it wasn’t that hard to let him go.
Copyright 2012 by DM Denton
Before me rose a lofty hill, Behind me lay the sea . . .
(from ’The Bluebell’, a poem by Anne Bronte)
©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.
Nature Insight: More Winter Flowering
Copyright 2012 by DM Denton
By the window
there’s a pot
of Paperwhites
as sweet
to the scent as
they are
to the sight,
one then two
then three
even four
and five of a kind
with their eyes
so bright,
some looking out
and
some looking in.
©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.
More Awards to Acknowledge and Pass On
Gratitude is the memory of the heart. ~Jean Baptiste Massieu translated from French
Over the past few weeks I’ve been nominated for various awards. I apologize for the delay in ‘publicly’ thanking:
AngelaMarie @ One-In-One Creation for the Soul-Song Award for my post: Tears and Sun
Jane Thorn for the Versatile Blogger Award
Caddo Veil for TWO! the One Lovely Blog Award and the Reader Appreciation Award
Betty Hayes Albright @ Seasonings for the Genuine Blogger Award
Shilpa @ My Mystic World for the Liebster Blogger Award
I accept these acknowledgments with heartfelt appreciation, especially for the honor of highlighting other very special blogs.
Please make it a point to visit their creative and inspiring blogs as soon as you can. And don’t forget the nominees listed below!
I also want to take this opportunity to apologize to those bloggers I follow and who follow me, as I’m not always able to get to your posts as quickly as I wish. My goal is to savor and make my comments worthy of the time and talent and thought (and heart and soul) that you put into your posts. Thank you all for sharing so much!
Now, for the nominations (with no slight intended to any of the superb blogs I’ve connected with–please see my blog roll):
Soul-Song Award goes to:
AngelaMarie of One-in-One Creation who from a retreat into her own quiet and sacred place offers the blessedness of our place on this earth and responsibility for its care in her poem A Passing Place .
Laurel of Laurel’s Reflections who ponders the realization that the answer is not anywhere ‘out there’…not within another person or object…A Lesson (that) is Seldom Learnt Only Once.
Christine of Journey into Poetry who shares a recovery that is really about discovery in Surrender.
Savira of Reflections regarding her experience of coming face to face with extreme poverty, homelessness and hunger in….. Lost in Her world
Genuine Blogger Award goes to:
AJ of AJ Barlow for lyrical, inspirational and motivational poetry.
Versatile Blogger Award goes to:
Kathryn of Kiwsparks who entertains and enlightens as artist, writer and designer.
One Lovely Blog Award goes to:
Granbee for her sometimes whimsical, often profound, and always unique reflections and storytelling through poetry and prose.
Liebster Blog Award goes to:
Smallsmallacts offering outstanding photographs, of travels and observations, accompanied by philosophical and insightful reflections.
Reader Appreciation Award goes to (this is a new one–to me, at least–and the rules call for six nominations of blogs I haven’t nominated previously. Well, I’m going to break that one for sure!):
AngelaMarie
Laurel’s Reflections
Granbee
Ina
Fourwindowpress
Verse not Prose
Caddo Veil
Please note my gratitude to ALL the readers and seekers who come here often or from time to time!
The Cove
The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed.
The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.
Khalil Gibran
Copyright 2012 by DM Denton
She wandered away from a dream, not to escape the music but the baking sun and choking dust, down to where psychics delighted and deceived, and a glassblower entertained like a charlatan too. Just beyond was a clearing as lonely as she was looking for, grass still dewy and air cooled by the cove nearby, sloping towards a small pavilion gradually withdrawing its shadow from the few benches in front of it. She sat a while to watch a young juggler whose clothes were too big and smile too shy, until she noticed an arm-in-arm couple looking for privacy too. They settled for being inconsequentially observed, laying a blanket on the ground and laughing as they embraced the amusement that love could be.
The boy stopped juggling, his eyes laughing too, embarrassing her because he knew what she was missing. He’d been there at the top of the fair with flute and harp and fiddle and viol, the wind in the leaves and the charm in a voice that had fooled them all.
She picked up the trail of her skirt, running and stooping to disappear into willowy branches, ignoring any sign of what was off-limits except as she stepped slower down a mossy bank, leaning forward—like the trees along the inlet—for a glimpse of wisdom.
She threw in her heart and as it sank there was hardly a ripple.
At first sight
you
were a voice
of
lyric
and melody;
I did not
know
your face,
your height,
the color of your hair.
Second sight
I
heard what was
just
ahead—
the lyric and
melody
of
your face,
your height,
the color of your hair,
the entertainer in you.
By the third
I
saw at last
who
you were,
the lyric and
melody
of
my life
that was mine no more.
©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.
Nature Insight: Winter’s Flowering
The grass is greener than it should be, this side of winter showing a mildness of manner that belies the stormy season at its heart. A Sessile Oak stands brittle and strong, rain running down its fissured bark and turning to snow one drop at a time.
As I post this winter has finally come in force to these parts. The Snowdrops at the base of the Sessile Oak just outside the back of the house are completely covered but they will soon proudly poke through the snow as if they know they are its namesake.
©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.
Poem: A Friend Indeed
O, the wild constancy
of the brave chickadee
simply changing his tune
like the man in the moon
for the tilt of the sky
as the seasons pass by.
Fitting a snug black cap
feathers all in a flap
it would seem for bad news
like everything to lose
with a cat prowling low
and the winds biting so.
But let’s have no real grief
bother this welcome thief
who’s scolding and chuckling
while squirrels are ducking
aerobatics for need
not insatiable greed.
Taking one sweet kernel
to task with a gurgle
pounding out on a limb
for cracking it open
and easy digestion
enjoyed without question.
I hold out my warm hand
in wonder not command
indeed only hoping
my offer he’s scoping
instead berries so bright
seeming more a delight.
Ah, then he’s looking back
at what I do not lack
listening for his voice
and smiling for his choice
so the touch of his trust
makes our friendship a must.
I have a precious little bird book from 1909 that includes the following description of the Black-Capped Chickadee (native to the Eastern US):
‘The Chickadees are one of the most popular birds that we have, owing to their uniform good nature even in the coldest weather, and their confiding disposition.’
What a lovely characterization of this sociable songbird!
©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.
Awards to Gratefully Accept and Pass On
‘To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower… hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour…’ William Blake
I have been nominated for a couple of awards over the past few weeks and am “officially” accepting them at last! It’s so encouraging to be thought of by fellow bloggers in this way , especially as it gives me the pleasure of re-directing my followers to their excellent blogs as well as the chance to highlight some others I have come to enjoy and admire.
I was nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by Ethel and Thomas Davis of fourwindowspress (find inspired artwork, photography, essays and other writings) AND by Subhakar Das of FicFaq (about writing and the writer’s life).
I was nominated for the Kreativ Blogger Award by AZ of Verse Not Prose ( poetry and reflections of a very mature, wise and talented young woman). AZ has just begun a second blog Andrea Nadine Muses .
Thank you Thomas, Ethel, Subhakar and AZ! I encourage all to visit their blogs as soon as possible!
And now it is my turn to do some nominating and I strongly encourage my readers to visit the following ten blogs (in no particular order) which I have not nominated previously:
For the Versatile Blogger Award:
http://tigergrove.wordpress.com Heather Whitney Gibson’s poetry, music & art
http://francisbarkerart.com David Francis Barker’s artwork and poetry
http://justsimplyinlove.wordpress.com poems and reflections
http://ericasosney.wordpress.com Erica Sosney’s poetry & passion for music
http://thebackgroundstory.com Stories from various authors
For the Kreativ Blogger Award:
http://raindancepoetry.wordpress.com Betty Hayes Albright’s poetry
http://angelajanegraceblog.com/poetry Angela Jane Grace’s poetry
http://inaweblogisback.wordpress.com/ Ina’s fiction & poetry
http://ajpoetry.wordpress.com AJ’s poetry with purpose
http://contemplativemoorings.wordpress.com poetry by Michael Marsters
I hope all of the above bloggers will accept their awards. It is not required that the awards be passed on, but below are the ‘rules’ to be followed or not:
Nominate fellow bloggers (I will leave the number up to you).
Inform the bloggers of their nomination.
Share 7 random things about yourself.
Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Add the Versatile and Kreativ Blog Award logo on your blog post.
And please visit other wonderful sites on my blogroll!
Last AND least, here are seven random things about me:
1. I live in a log cabin.
2. I once lived in an English Abbey.
3. I developed an English accent when I lived in the UK so “no one” knew I was an American (proved interesting…).
4. I worked for PBS as a volunteer coordinator.
5. I wanted to be an actress and singer.
6. I’m of English & Italian extraction, with a little French and Dutch thrown in.
7. I’m fascinated (and humbled) by the lives of the saints.
Wishing everyone a Healthy, Peaceful and Fulfilling New Year!
Season’s Greetings and Thank You
I want to take this opportunity to thank all who have made my emergence into blogging such a satisfying and encouraging experience. The best part has been connecting to your talents, reflections and insights that have so often humbled mine. I can’t express enough appreciation for your time and interest in visiting my site and regularly commenting on my posts. Gaining your virtual friendship has made a great difference in my life.
Whatever this time of year means to you, I hope it is blessed with health, joy, peace and love. And I must add: may your imaginations, creativity and sensitive spirits flourish throughout the New Year and long beyond!
A peak o’er the walls of winter
Out of the neglect of time,
Old acquaintance to remember
With sentiments sublime;
For friends of heaven and earth
The constancy of conflict to cease,
Leaning towards a new year’s birth
Holding together the hope of peace.
©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.
