Roundtable Wednesday

Another Wednesday, another Roundtable, where writer’s express themselves and where you can get to know the person behind the pen better than before, or perhaps become a new reader to the work shared here.

And I say this with a bit of pride, this particular edition marks Roundtable's first full year

year since its reemergence. Thhis never wouldn't have been possible were it not for two things: those Proser's who agreed to do this, and you, the reader. So, I thank ye all for the support. And at the very bottom is a special announcement I would like for you to read. A few of you already have but many more haven't and again, I thank ye one and all.

With that said, step inside and see who we have this month.

I have a few more people whose doors I will be knocking on before long, and don’t be surprised if I stop by your own Prose door to ask you to take part in Roundtable Wednesday.

This month, it is my privilege to introduce GLD to all of you. She hails from South Africa, a lover of music, books, and people. She invests her time with strong friendships and has a wonderful sense of humor.

… and if you are unfamiliar with her, read a few things she has written, for trust me on this, you have been missing out on some quality writing.

At the end of this, I have a very special message for you. A few of you have already seen this but others haven’t

Let us begin ….

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Can you shed some light about yourself that other people here can get a feel for who you are?

Who am I? Hmm…Supposedly, I am an “adult”…but I’m positive that I’m being mislabeled and that I’m still a teenager having to start learning how life should be navigated.

I really don’t know what else to say about myself…It feels like there is so much to me, and yet so little. Hmm…I’m a daydreamer, I’m the eldest child in my household, the eldest grandchild, I’m the awesome older cousin, I’m adventurous, I’m quiet, I’m talkative, I’m a jokester, I’m a philosopher, I’m a singer, I’m a writer, I’m a reader, I’m a friend…I love planning, I hate being restricted by my own plans. I love being home alone, but I also love to be out in town; I love to be alone, but I also love to be spending time with people (My conclusion is: I’m an introverted extrovert).

I’m…like a picture puzzle that has more than enough colors and items in the picture to leave you feeling like this will be a difficult build...There’s more to me than just five of the pieces (No, I’m not a puzzle builder; I’m the person to walk by, grab a piece while somebody else is building, and try to fit it in, before I move on with my life).

Writer’s write, it’s what we do, but what do you see as your strong point, or motivation to write?

My motivation to write…Hmm…I guess my motivation is that I can’t live without writing. Every day, so many stories get to live inside of my head. And I can’t live with them just staying there; I need to see them on paper, at least for some peace of mind. I want to write, I have to write, because I need for people to feel and experience this story as I have experienced it in my mind.

The very first thing you ever wrote, if you remember it, how did it come about?

Wrote or made up? I couldn’t possibly be expected to remember the first thing I ever wrote. Okay, I could be expected, but I can’t remember. Before I got into writing, I drew stories. I used to draw the whole tale, being very particular about ages. I don’t know what it was about ages…My characters just had to HAVE them. The ages would be marked above the heads of the characters. It’s amusing, but it helped me, I guess, in some sense.

After that, I moved on to ‘paper dolls’; characters I drew and cut out, having them act out stories in a book of settings that I drew (Yes, I wasn’t much of an outside person). I loved writing stories for schoolwork. But the first story I can remember writing was some detective series that I wanted to write. I think I got to Chapter 2 (I never read Nancy Drew by that time, and I wished to tell a thrilling mystery in my own language). That didn’t work out, but I’m still secretly clinging to the wish of grabbing those papers from whichever drawer I stuffed them in (I hope I didn’t throw them away) and blowing life into that idea again someday.

Who are your favorite authors and please; give us a few names?

Jane Austen, Kristen Hogrefe Parnell, and Georgette Heyer. I adored Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Emma, and Mansfield Park was also a great book. I’ve only recently been introduced to Georgette Heyer. Her mystery, Detection Unlimited, was so well-written! Her style; just beautiful. Having reached the end of it, I’m still not sure if I’m furious at myself for having been tricked into suspecting so many others but the actual criminal, or if I’m in awe at how she did it. She wrote it masterfully; her characters were amazing! She really had a grasp on crafting believable, and very fun, characters. And then, Mrs. Parnell…She has two trilogies, young adult fiction: Wings of the Dawn and The Rogue Series. She is a great writer who captured me in her works, kept me swiping to the next page. Best thing is I know her personally, and she has helped me grow as a writer through my school’s writing club. I have at least two more favorite authors, but I can’t actually recommend their works since they aren’t in English. Which means everybody out there is missing out on some of the best books in this world.

A thing for me, though, is that I’m not always paying attention to the authors; I pay attention to the works. There are great books out there, and I might not remember the author, but I WILL remember the novel if I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Any favorite songs/artists you listen to that set a tone for you when writing?

Oh, what a question! The easiest way for me to answer is this way: I have so many favorites, I could write a light novel on all my favorite artists and songs. I like listening to my music shuffled; love that ‘shuffle’ setting. You never know which song to expect next. But, I can say that I adore Michael Bublé, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Backstreet Boys, Il Divo, Queen, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Lee Brice, Keith Urban, Bonnie Tyler, Taylor Swift and so on and so on.

From the Baroque period to this present moment in time, I find songs to love from each period and era. I honestly can’t settle on one genre, on one style, on one artist, or anything. My taste for music is as much over the place as my mind is. And when I’m writing…I guess it depends on my mood, what is currently playing, if I’m even paying attention to the music, and lastly what I’m writing.

Do you have any literary work on tap for publication, or have you been published?

No, I’ve never been published, and at present I have nothing “on tap for publication.” I have many different ideas for novels, but not one has gone from idea to outline to finished novel. First few chapters have been written, but the end has never been reached. I consider it to be just another learning experience, until I can find the story whose plot I don’t end up losing a few chapters in.

Is there any one particular book you have read you would recommend others to read?

Gosh…I can’t pin it down to one book…I think I might have to say Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales. Well, I’ve got the tales compiled into one book, and those tales would make these fantasy worlds come alive for young me; these fairy tales were my secret pleasure as a child. I think a lot of us could use that moment of disappearing into these awesome fairytale worlds; just forgetting about reality for those few minutes.

When you aren’t writing, what do you do that pays the bills?

I’m not yet having to pay bills, and I’m internally crying out praises of thanks for that. Yes, the thought of paying bills and all that leaves me almost sick; no, I’m not being overdramatic, not this time. By the time, this Roundtable Wednesday…premieres? Let’s use that word. By the time this premieres, I’ll be a recently graduated student. After that, I’ll have to think about getting a job, but for now I’m just enjoying my little bit of freedom from the usual adult stresses.

Why did you join Prose and how long have you been a Proser?

October 27, 2020. No, I don’t remember that I joined back then; I looked up my first post a few weeks ago. Why did I join? THAT…is an excellent question…I was looking for a platform with writing challenges, I do believe. I’ve done it before in the past, but I guess that week, I finally made the decision to join one. My pick fell on Prose. I’ve never regretted my choice. Being able to flee to Prose and write (or message friends I made here) might have saved me in a way.

When you hear the term “less is more” … what is the first thing that comes to mind?

Less stress, more joy. I think we could all use that in our lives.

Are there places as far as social media accounts, perhaps your own website you would like Proser’s to be aware of where you can be found?

No, I don’t want Prosers to know where else they can find me. Ahem, that to say, there is no other place to find me. I have no social media accounts and no website. Why? Websites are work (okay, I haven’t given it a LOT of thought) and I am very happy with the people I am in contact with already. Also, I’ve just never been interested in any social media platforms. One more thing: time. I don’t have time for other forms of social media; I’m far too busy keeping my friends occupied with my messages, and daydreaming the rest of the time.

Favorite hobbies?

Hmm…Where would I begin?! I’m not a very structured person, so a hobby, for me, is something I enjoy doing, but I might only rediscover it every other month. The list does include the following: reading, writing, drawing, listening to music, singing, dancing, listening to podcasts, messaging friends, playing Playstation with my sister, playing the piano, composing, researching something about psychology or personalities, learning something totally new and random (that is a hobby, trust me), discovering new words or quotes, walking outside, spontaneous sprints, taking photos, sweeping the floor, watching movies, quoting movies, watching movie documentaries, learning languages, sometimes knitting…Hobbies are difficult for me to choose. I generally have so many because I love experiencing things, and also because I struggle to stick to one thing (except for music and writing; I can’t seem to leave them alone). Let’s just say that I can make anything a hobby, and I’m still planning on putting surfing, ice skating, deep-sea diving, traveling, and flying planes/helicopters on that list. “Any day now…” (as quoted from…I believe it would be Turbo).

What is the single most thing you like?

Dark chocolate. Need there be more said?

What one thing do you really dislike?

Traitors. I don’t even mean traitors of a country. I mean people who betrayed you, an individual; people who betrayed your trust.

With Covid surrounding us, what advice would you want to share with people?

Stay sane, people, and leave the mischief and trouble for me. Just kidding. Hmm…I guess: Stay sane, yes, and don’t let this time break down who you are. Don’t let it be an excuse for why you can’t do what you have been dreaming of doing. Whatever you wish to accomplish, know that it can be done! Maybe not right now, but you sure as hell can start preparing for that day when you will be able to take flight and flee from these cages of isolation.

If you could offer up one piece of advice for other writers, what would it be?

Just keep writing, just keep writing, just keep, just keep, just keep writing. I sound like Dory, but I do mean that. No matter how terrible, forge ahead. Oh, and learn to write without trying to edit. Just push through and leave editing for later (which kind of ties in with the “just keep writing;” write without filtering what comes out from those fingertips).

Lastly, your favorite quote?

“This will all make sense when I am older.” ~ Olaf. Okay, yes, that’s from a song. I like it because it makes me smile every time, but I’m not sure if it would count. Hmm…a favorite quote that is not from a song…“To thine own self be true.” ~ Polonius, from Hamlet.

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Thank ye ever so much for taking center stage here at Roundtable, GLD. As with those before you, and those to follow, it was a treat to get to know a wee bit more about what runs through your thoughts.

Now, as with those before, GLD hasn’t a clue as to which of her writings I have placed here. When she and I first discussed this, she said she would pick five to see if she would be able to guess which one I would use. Let’s see if she may guess right.

Visit her page, read her work. It’s entertaining and entertainment at its best. Especially her series, “The Sun Will Rise Again.”

And now, a portion of her work.

You’re My Everything

You’re the thunder to my lightning

The water drops in my rain

The clouds in my blue, blue sky

And the golden rays in my sunshine

You’re everything I need

Everything I want

Everything I could ask for

Everything I could dream of

Yes, the flowers in my bouquet

The lyrics to my songs

The hero in my nightmares

The keeper of my heart

You’re my everything when I wake up

Everything when I go to sleep

You’ll be my everything tomorrow

Everything...for eternity

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Special Announcement

For those who have not seen this page: prosersunited.mailchimpsites.com ....

For those of you who have, I hope from time to time you read it again.

For almost a year, I have been doing a daily “Weird Holiday” posting, with some of the most off the wall things that shouldn’t be a holiday but is classified (and I use that word loosely) as such.

About two months ago, I thought, why can’t we have our own special day as well. Hence, Proser’s United became our day.

I created this as my way of saying we are all in this together regardless of any differences we may have. We all need “our day” to single us out for what we do.

If you ever need to be reminded for what you do, just go back there, and read it again and again and again. Believe in what you do and believe in who you are.

It’s as simple as that.