L.L. Barkat – For Writers a Writer to Emulate

I first heard of LL Barkat from a Guest Blog posted on Jane Friedman's wonderful website for authors.

The blog is titled: Why Blog—From the Writer Who Said Goodbye to Blogging

I enjoyed reading about her insights into blogging. So will you. The name of LL Barkat's blog is: llbwritesto.me.

There were two statements in her blog that got me thinking...

"In other words, I was exhausted from the serious demands of my business. And I wished for the key that’s been the hallmark of almost every great thing that’s ever happened through our organization:

whimsy, laughter, joy, fun."

and 

“I just want to put poets on sticks.”

I immediately had the image of walking through a forest and I remembered that when I was homeschooling my boys, I would put notes on trees at the local park for them to discover. Sometimes quotes. Sometimes rhymes. The idea of poets on sticks is delightful.

I discovered that LL Barkat loves tea, chocolate, Neruda. So do I...

And she has written a great book with a wonderful title: Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing.

You can’t really blossom and grow unless you give yourself space. --L.L. Barkat

Tweetspeak is a great resource for writers. Tweetspeak Poetry is committed to helping people become who they really are. We believe in the power of community reading, writing, and just plain living, to accomplish this.

It is a beautifully done website with many links that will take you to areas of interest to writers.

CLICK HERE

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A fine way to introduce people to Neruda is this book: Lily of Peru by David C. Edmonds. It is a thriller and a love story. Woven throughout is the love of Neruda's strong, passionate poetry.

It is a hard-edged thriller that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go until the very end.

Amazon Reviewer Emily Collins puts it best:

5.0 out of 5 stars - Poetry on a Train
December 20, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

What I like about Lily of Peru is the poetry angle, especially the way Marisa "goes limp with desire when he reads Neruda to her." Here's just one example. They're on a train high in the Andes, danger all around, the professor worried the bad guys are closing in, when Marisa pulls out a copy of Neruda's Twenty Love Poems and asks him to read a verse for her. He does, and then the train enters a long, dark tunnel.

The author doesn't tell us what happens in that tunnel, but when they come out, minutes later, they're both breathless, straightening their clothing, and the professor makes the observation:

"One of the things I love about Marisa is that poetry always has that effect on her. Flowers won't do it. Neither will wine, music or expensive gifts. But get her talking poetry and there'd better be a bedroom nearby..."

Sigh! After reading this book you will want to read Neruda.