Tiny Stories

While the rest of the country is being shaken awake by a 7.1 earthquake, I lie sound asleep in my bed, two consecutive night’s of decent slumber tucked away in reserve. I finally rouse at 5:00.p.m., checking my phone, reading the news, a sense of relief that no-one is injured in this scary natural event. Sans reading glasses, I swipe across to my email, and my heart flutters when I see a message from my website, a sign of work, of income, and a sense of something worthwhile. My expectation turns to dismay, as I read the message from Mel White, purportedly a certified illustrator. I like the name Mel - the Mels I know are lovely people - and I already trust this woman. And yet the message quickly turns nasty, accusing me of stealing images. The language is passive-aggressive, an attempt to be simultaneously engaging and threatening. “Breaching copyright”, “previous email,” “sued by the creator.” Yeah right. I’m pretty confident I have the permission to use these images on my website, th...

 Yes, yes, I know. I only started the blog today, but I want to get busy. After all there's so much I want to share.  If you're an independent celebrant, a writer or blogger, or just someone wanting to be a bit more creative, this post is for you! It's hard to stand out in a world full of reposts and shares, where algorithms follow our every move, pushing and pulling likes and advertisements towards us. But there are endless possibilities to create your own stories, readings or images, helping you to stand out from the crowd. 1. Cut the cliche - one of my favourite sayings - and get original! Write a poem or a new introduction. Give yourself 20 minutes, and see what comes to mind. Try metaphor (their love was like the sea, the waves of passion crashing on the shore) or fall back on that primary school favourite, the acrostic poem. Play, scribble, share if you're brave enough.  2 . If you've got a Kindle, get to know the highlights feature. If you're old school...