Laurel McHargue -- Author/Podcaster/Public Speaker
2-week contest!
Upload a photo of any completed haiku from Haikus Can Amuse! to my Laurel McHargue or Leadville Laurel Facebook page, or ?@LeadvilleLaurel ?Instagram for a chance to win an autographed copy of “Miss?”
One entry per person, please.
Winner(s) announced 7 pm July 31st. Spread the word!
?#?haiku? ?#?freebook? ?#?inspiration? ?#?poetry?
WOW!
Thanks to you, my new book Haikus Can Amuse! 366 Haiku Starters earned a #1 new release in Asian Poetry on launch day, June 18th! What a wonderful 33rd wedding anniversary present that was! Check it out: Haikus Can Amuse!
I’ve decided to offer a free download of the Kindle version of Haikus indefinitely for anyone who purchases the paperback copy, so order your gift books soon if you haven’t already!
And thank you again for your wonderful support. This new book is designed to help you develop a fun, stress-free writing habit. Finish the poems and write your reflections whenever and wherever you want. There are silly prompts and somber prompts. See where they take you!
The introduction teaches you the basics about haiku, and after the 366 pages of prompts (first line poem “starters” and general topic ideas every 10 pages), there are poems and reflections by 16 renowned contributors.
Order one for yourself and a few as gifts for the journal writers and poets in your life, and for the English and math teachers you know! These would make great warm-up exercises at the beginning of class! Here’s the link: Haikus Can Amuse!
I’ve neglected my blog lately as I prepare to launch my fun new book:
Haikus Can Amuse! 366 Haiku Starters
It’ll be available on Saturday, June 18th, to celebrate Mike’s and my 33rd anniversary, so won’t you please consider purchasing one as a gift (to yourself and to us!)?
I’ll post the link soon, but even if you don’t use the book to complete the 366 poems, you could keep it on your table to make you smile (because it’s beautiful)! I love the way the designer “amused” me by having the butterfly leaves in clumps of 5/7/5.
I’m trying to let go.
After finishing Ken McLeod’s Reflections on Silver River (look it up!), I find myself looking around my home for things to give away. Since our German Shepherd, Ranger, is fairly new to our household, he’s safe, but I suddenly feel overwhelmed by all the “stuff” in my life, both physical and emotional.
And so I’m working on letting go, a challenge that is extraordinarily difficult when it comes to some of my emotional baggage which requires sitting on to close. This physical stuff, too, will be a challenge because I can always justify why I might “need” something someday.
One suggestion in McLeod’s book it to give away one physical thing to one person every day with no expectation of anything in return. Ouch.
I’ve loved looking at the elegant bone China teacups Mom gave me as they’ve gathered dust in my corner cabinet for years. Three little cups–green, blue, and yellow–my favorite colors. My first giveaways.
I invite two friends for a tea party. Tea for three is lovely, though the small cups require multiple fillings throughout our visit. I wonder if anyone ever consumed just one cup from these little lovelies during a social gathering.
I text my baby sister and asked which color I should send to each of the women who will marry her three sons, and I feel good about this letting go. Time to let someone else enjoy these gifts, and three new family members will have something to share, or give away, in the coming years.
I remove two hand fans which have served as backdrops to my pretty teacups for just as many years and give them to my friends as they head out into the cold. Smiles and hugs.
My corner cabinet looks lighter now, and I have three fewer things to worry about. For today, I have let go just a little. I think it might make tomorrow’s letting go just a little easier.