tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213038002026-06-18T15:31:16.454-04:00Nice Old SpiceBen Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.comBlogger686125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-39705215881359486112014-10-03T11:54:00.002-04:002014-10-03T12:07:56.072-04:00Cover Reveal: Inhale the NightI've absconded to a new blog at WordPress. Follow me there for more poetic ramblings&nbsp;https://benjaminditmars.wordpress.com/<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> *****</div> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Join Ben Ditmars, author of Night Poems and Haiku in the Night, on his final journey through the Midnight hours. Explore and breathe with him as night descends and stars emerge into new memories. Through free-verse, epic, and haiku poetry, some roads are darker than others....</span></i><br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gOSBRlI_FpmV4dB_t2Joksp421XcgjWehlGvrGZ_H93z7PwTxdNE47vCuUfBzcQyA-6Fwta6MdeNojV9onMpcVuUwThkUz1_J0AjUD-3bdTC14MnicYq4yFYUmUVBAncLPR3/s1600/ben+with+border.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gOSBRlI_FpmV4dB_t2Joksp421XcgjWehlGvrGZ_H93z7PwTxdNE47vCuUfBzcQyA-6Fwta6MdeNojV9onMpcVuUwThkUz1_J0AjUD-3bdTC14MnicYq4yFYUmUVBAncLPR3/s1600/ben+with+border.jpg" height="320" width="132" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> Release Date 10/10/14</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> Available for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inhale-Night-Ben-Ditmars-ebook/dp/B00O166FG2/">Preorder</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> Follow Ben on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/benjaminditmars">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/benditty">Twitter</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> Find more on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Benjamin-Ditmars/e/B0042D1S8E">Amazon</a>&nbsp;</div> <div> <br /></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-36159765415700231032014-07-24T22:56:00.005-04:002014-07-24T23:08:19.554-04:00Blog HoppinThanks to my friend Scott Morgan for tagging me on his blog <a href="http://www.write-hook.com/">WriteHook</a>. &nbsp;I’ve known Scott’s writing for some time and was lucky enough to meet him in Dallas last year.<br /> <br /> Scott has asked me to answer some questions and pass them around to a couple friends. In the coming days <a href="http://nderwithoutbeinglost.blogspot.com/">Chris McQueeney</a> and Nikki Sherman will answer these questions as well.<br /> <br /> Read Scott’s responses <a href="http://www.write-hook.com/blog/2014/7/17/blog-hop-watcha-think-about-dat.html">here</a>.<br /> <br /> <b>1. What am I working on?</b><br /> <br /> I am currently working on a full-length poetry collection titled Inhale the Night.<br /> <br /> <b>2. How does my work differ from others in its genre?</b><br /> <br /> Inhale the Night is my first full-length collection. &nbsp;It has a wide variety of different styles ranging from free verse to haiku, tanka, and a short epic. &nbsp;I don’t think I’ve seen so many elements work seamlessly together.<br /> <br /> <b>3. Why do I write what I do?</b><br /> <br /> Recently, I have written poetry. &nbsp;I like the challenge and the beauty in finding the right words. &nbsp;I see things differently when I finish creating something and I hope others do too. Also, it keeps me from going crazy and that helps everyone.<br /> <br /> <b>4. How does my writing process work?</b><br /> <br /> I’m very meticulous when I write. &nbsp;People will tell you to just write and edit later, but I’ve never managed it. &nbsp;If I see something wrong I stop and work it out. &nbsp;I’m compulsive like that.Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-67549436711475826502014-07-24T14:30:00.005-04:002014-07-24T14:30:59.356-04:00Pale Blue<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In Memory of Carl Sagan</em></div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> his pale blue<br />sense of wonder<br />suspended<br />in a sunbeam</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> taught beauty in<br />the faint sensation<br />of our atoms<br />put together.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> a legacy of<br />dust and stars<br />billions upon billions<br />of stars</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> I saw the sky and<br />endless possibility<br />stretch over me like<br />broken shackles<br />form the past</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> and we remain the<br />momentary masters<br />of a fraction<br />of a dot.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> © Ben Ditmars 2014</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkApU3rBTPzsw4oBamRLCcatbEzQ5JpYewWfMJgQRu8dZd8Chge45Z163BxgUxxH0kilLfvbp5_DK1kqEHuXJmtH7ji2yWxAmAJVqpow2DZprrkhDtw68j4s9kyYQ9SM9zWrx/s1600/Carl_Sagan_-_1980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkApU3rBTPzsw4oBamRLCcatbEzQ5JpYewWfMJgQRu8dZd8Chge45Z163BxgUxxH0kilLfvbp5_DK1kqEHuXJmtH7ji2yWxAmAJVqpow2DZprrkhDtw68j4s9kyYQ9SM9zWrx/s1600/Carl_Sagan_-_1980.jpg" height="320" width="253" /></a></div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: 'Myriad Pro', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"> “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carl_Sagan_-_1980.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Carl_Sagan_-_1980.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #0071bb; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Carl Sagan – 1980</a>” by PBS –&nbsp;<a class="external text" href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/171226554966?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&amp;_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #0071bb; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ebay</a>. Via&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #0071bb; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wikipedia</a>.</div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-9439083146913249742014-07-07T02:31:00.005-04:002014-07-07T02:33:59.919-04:00Lightning Burning<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">lightning never</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">sees its fire burning</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">the trees</span><br /> <br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">absent and forlorn</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">as love can be.</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /><br />I can feel your<br />thunder on the<br />mountainside.<br /><br />we will tame<br />the ashes, fan the flames,<br />and the pray the sky<br />returns to calm<br />forgetful sleep.<br /><br />© Ben Ditmars 2014</span><br /> <span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0QG_chk9BSVEwV4EoiScfSgExE0X2PuAWAvsTAmwGGRJSCCZR8gN-9Y-GUdrXVviRJWjaEUiyeRzC8gGcFnIsHjut7a1HftoRbH4td0Zo0yn-gPhnwoa0xmyYg-z1V-J-KWC/s1600/9501017889_12fa5bbdbd_z.jpg" height="213" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">Image Source:&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/9501017889" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;">Flickr</a></td></tr> </tbody></table> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-4085576029340916462014-06-17T01:24:00.001-04:002014-06-17T11:28:22.269-04:00LifelikeI wrote a poem inspired by Charity Parkerson's book, Inoperative: Cyborg One . Be sure and check out her awesome story on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inoperative-Cyborg-One-Charity-Parkerson-ebook/dp/B00IWAIUIE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1402982519&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=charity+parkerson+inoperative">Amazon</a>.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Lifelike </b><br /> <br /> lifelike confessions<br /> play out like make believe<br /> <br /> your metal warms<br /> against my skin<br /> reprogramming resistance<br /> <br /> fabricated sweet talk<br /> counterfeit concern<br /> become too real<br /> <br /> and I am drawn<br /> more willingly<br /> than magnetized.<br /> <br /> © Ben Ditmars 2014<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00KfIhHSUFX4MtVhGF3GWyWn29N3jevpTfyQo_pzzJ2g10E4iYMEcDjm40Yrm2k65HRT2YFVXxaGMs_09zL-KAKDkjFQXLOlT1tq3ZIwc6pUZglgLqQBmfDJ_4wj3AxOT3Mk7/s1600/surreal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00KfIhHSUFX4MtVhGF3GWyWn29N3jevpTfyQo_pzzJ2g10E4iYMEcDjm40Yrm2k65HRT2YFVXxaGMs_09zL-KAKDkjFQXLOlT1tq3ZIwc6pUZglgLqQBmfDJ_4wj3AxOT3Mk7/s1600/surreal.jpg" height="315" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> Image Source: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/pfv/2905105168">Flickr</a></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-42799241137191374582014-06-10T23:26:00.005-04:002014-06-10T23:27:34.539-04:00Dreamsrain falls like<br /> streams of our<br /> subconscious<br /> in a dream.<br /> <br /> she was no<br /> small dream<br /> but she has faded<br /> like a song.<br /> <br /> paint your<br /> dream town<br /> red.<br /> <br /> everything is<br /> just a dream.<br /> <br /> fall inside your<br /> rabbit hole and<br /> dream of cabbages<br /> and kings.<br /> <br /> scream my name -<br /> make love like it’s<br /> your dream because<br /> it’s my dream too.<br /> <br /> sweat and breathe<br /> emotions as our<br /> dreams connect<br /> <br /> we will connect<br /> and move like tides<br /> of some forgotten shore<br /> where dreams exist<br /> in layers like the sand<br /> and we can live forever.<br /> <br /> ©Ben Ditmars 2014<br /> <br /> <iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/153813797&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-10603197486008209402014-05-30T03:48:00.002-04:002014-05-30T03:56:07.186-04:00The Chocolate Book Tag ChallengeI've been invited to write a blog post about delicious books and chocolate.<br /> <br /> Thank you to author Maria Savva for tagging me. You can read her blog <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/6345038-the-chocolate-book-tag-challenge">here</a>.<br /> <br /> The rules are to choose between 6-8 types of chocolate and link them to different books.<br /> <br /> Here it goes.<br /> <br /> <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nocturnal-Embers-Helle-Gade-ebook/dp/B00CMJESZA/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top">Nocturnal Embers</a></b><br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixW0RfdEOdvKi7qwHdR67bbR8JbNDZIV_KVNeQjtWpCZG465iLo-pIt-RKwNOVh8BiY7Kd9ObmRxMkgVksrXlLg0jt1PcLZOtCx2iJtdOoNScozANKtG4rc4NU4uf7p1WWcgSL/s1600/nocturnalembers_ecover4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixW0RfdEOdvKi7qwHdR67bbR8JbNDZIV_KVNeQjtWpCZG465iLo-pIt-RKwNOVh8BiY7Kd9ObmRxMkgVksrXlLg0jt1PcLZOtCx2iJtdOoNScozANKtG4rc4NU4uf7p1WWcgSL/s1600/nocturnalembers_ecover4.jpeg" height="320" width="200" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CwQNEdcI7PQ2nrdGMp38NTeXm1QWPmje5mNJjDapInzxtErO7edK3g-ppqmZHogVe8FZadgW0kWw9dYPKxVheBvz57apdhne0YO6cMSTvHU6necLNAsAWAA_410AeF_7IDKN/s1600/ferrero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CwQNEdcI7PQ2nrdGMp38NTeXm1QWPmje5mNJjDapInzxtErO7edK3g-ppqmZHogVe8FZadgW0kWw9dYPKxVheBvz57apdhne0YO6cMSTvHU6necLNAsAWAA_410AeF_7IDKN/s1600/ferrero.jpg" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Nocturnal Embers by Helle Gade is fine and rich like Ferrero Rocher. The photographs and poetry are like magic on your tongue.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Splash-Hope-Charity-Parkerson-ebook/dp/B009HD1FSC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1401432674&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=splash+of+hope+charity+parkerson">A Splash of Hope</a></b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBuDsQMr-pKlZuJuVrhkqai3GElkCiOeXV7f7m1ayekPsAaSN9V_pCSUh-vi0zSD-BXjnxCGU9Jgwv4di1wYEGihFsMVpl8S9vwtSG8ovlAH89Q9Y_bwRPd0bxyhStmTO_-CI/s1600/splashofhope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBuDsQMr-pKlZuJuVrhkqai3GElkCiOeXV7f7m1ayekPsAaSN9V_pCSUh-vi0zSD-BXjnxCGU9Jgwv4di1wYEGihFsMVpl8S9vwtSG8ovlAH89Q9Y_bwRPd0bxyhStmTO_-CI/s1600/splashofhope.jpg" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZBRcMr-26u2_dgyCBJeSrPSNK4oJMea6ouCdmKM-tjdsAoocR0N44A1E8KTW435XPvbqJk15_PhAd3SE2EaUBluTWDobliwgSEQXXtXBnTAZmcq82J83N-zx0ksNH438DJqy/s1600/cherries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZBRcMr-26u2_dgyCBJeSrPSNK4oJMea6ouCdmKM-tjdsAoocR0N44A1E8KTW435XPvbqJk15_PhAd3SE2EaUBluTWDobliwgSEQXXtXBnTAZmcq82J83N-zx0ksNH438DJqy/s1600/cherries.jpg" /></a></div> <br /> Beautifully written and moving story with characters you can't forget. A Splash of Hope by Charity Parkerson is like chocolate covered cherries exploding in your mouth.<br /> <br /> <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cafe-Beyond-Collection-Poems-Writings-ebook/dp/B008MULQ08/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1401433058&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=from+the+cafe+and+beyond+nadia">From the Cafe and Beyond</a></b><br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6J5pvLchWwEc9aE0WofHDVXxCKpLykUNhO-bpuRDDeH_EiDmpF3sLhHKw9yGaOi4H_Nsd9exf2CIQjkZT77iUTJTBNB0DaH2qbLpURqx-4a1HQpuZhla8OnpWKJ1Ux49p0uG/s1600/cafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6J5pvLchWwEc9aE0WofHDVXxCKpLykUNhO-bpuRDDeH_EiDmpF3sLhHKw9yGaOi4H_Nsd9exf2CIQjkZT77iUTJTBNB0DaH2qbLpURqx-4a1HQpuZhla8OnpWKJ1Ux49p0uG/s1600/cafe.jpg" height="320" width="222" /></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsqVpW9CKuvmlUrPvBz6pK5bs6xa8vB6869vTEOX0At1PYtU2wX5dTCe8ofuMrTYacoRJm0iR1PGmChTiCnIRC75b9D6bBpgoZBxWrPJLjnAvvdBdAUzK2Vh81XrJL5PV-qoj/s1600/espresso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsqVpW9CKuvmlUrPvBz6pK5bs6xa8vB6869vTEOX0At1PYtU2wX5dTCe8ofuMrTYacoRJm0iR1PGmChTiCnIRC75b9D6bBpgoZBxWrPJLjnAvvdBdAUzK2Vh81XrJL5PV-qoj/s1600/espresso.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> Milk-chocolate covered espresso beans capture the essence of From the Cafe and Beyond by Nadia Hasan. Her emotions are powerful and so is the espresso. Both keep you awake and wanting more.<br /> <br /> <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sandcastle-Other-Stories-Justin-Bog-ebook/dp/B00FG92UOE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1401433613&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=sandcastle+justin+bog">Sandcastle and Other Stories</a></b><br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYpDbZETLCmne7rAwQQL3pVXzPDBX_5fg_zePRN9GNW8oN7-C1zjWCsFWkgE30kx1uRKRb1HUu-EheVge63Iit8Hvws2jXTZFXH0KuQfaMErFidOo35Cc4QesrksSgueALSiM/s1600/sandcastle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYpDbZETLCmne7rAwQQL3pVXzPDBX_5fg_zePRN9GNW8oN7-C1zjWCsFWkgE30kx1uRKRb1HUu-EheVge63Iit8Hvws2jXTZFXH0KuQfaMErFidOo35Cc4QesrksSgueALSiM/s1600/sandcastle.jpg" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJ7IQDtpVbVZ2nGYTG1afJCRsdKcc-0lZtrv60DYpVNAxvvNv9SsCqA6Cap6EnMeXo2JFCoBCabtCiPc9nz6eSCTQLSAoezPzpfw7Im5HYJbNJCYg64eusSwPtr0dffWE8gU2/s1600/butterfinger_cta2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJ7IQDtpVbVZ2nGYTG1afJCRsdKcc-0lZtrv60DYpVNAxvvNv9SsCqA6Cap6EnMeXo2JFCoBCabtCiPc9nz6eSCTQLSAoezPzpfw7Im5HYJbNJCYg64eusSwPtr0dffWE8gU2/s1600/butterfinger_cta2.jpg" height="119" width="320" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Sandcastle and Other Stories by Justin Bog sifts through your consciousness like the crumbles of a Butterfinger. These psychological thrilling stories are ones you don't want to miss - much like your next bite of chocolate delight.</div> <br /> <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Trash-Girls-Stacey-Roberts-ebook/dp/B00IX0MIAO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1401434962&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=stacey+roberts">Trailer Trash, With a Girl's Name</a></b><br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrljitiCw4EEBx-8VO0VMizuQEUuc6ZW7YiWfA1Gi3ESEKsBFkhVOw4tgY3_0uc37phKan6sWBnYbrk6lXCGDx6iBApxPi3G3OmGkuDRBeFIrYOuKamHD61rAuMd75OViBpzAP/s1600/trailer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrljitiCw4EEBx-8VO0VMizuQEUuc6ZW7YiWfA1Gi3ESEKsBFkhVOw4tgY3_0uc37phKan6sWBnYbrk6lXCGDx6iBApxPi3G3OmGkuDRBeFIrYOuKamHD61rAuMd75OViBpzAP/s1600/trailer.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2O9j8vACDYS7u5vVaGbSOvIkl9UyDelaMN0g-w0R1GfGOkgNkfVXuWT8_kD2mRByP0HMQlallwM2m8H_lComJogcRCFzS9yKYACNiDDWSUnm9LwXyFaFGSkZCAEVpmtFTcz0/s1600/whoppers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2O9j8vACDYS7u5vVaGbSOvIkl9UyDelaMN0g-w0R1GfGOkgNkfVXuWT8_kD2mRByP0HMQlallwM2m8H_lComJogcRCFzS9yKYACNiDDWSUnm9LwXyFaFGSkZCAEVpmtFTcz0/s1600/whoppers.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Stacey Roberts is talented and hilarious in his book Trailer Trash, With a Girl's Name. And what candy sounds more funny than Whoppers Malted Milk Balls?</div> <br /> <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pulse-Natasha-Head-ebook/dp/B00BRYF1L6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1401435816&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=pulse+natasha+head">Pulse</a></b><br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJVjDunk8uLb-IprW43pU022tarxy5-bWy0mCL2MK2uOwPuIKxWjyY4X4IJKugnDwzYR4nHwU92qc446ktt3dY8fqF7qmsV86JjmoaJ57-hPgQ-qcLCo0eJCXQyIqvPlBKTrW/s1600/pulse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJVjDunk8uLb-IprW43pU022tarxy5-bWy0mCL2MK2uOwPuIKxWjyY4X4IJKugnDwzYR4nHwU92qc446ktt3dY8fqF7qmsV86JjmoaJ57-hPgQ-qcLCo0eJCXQyIqvPlBKTrW/s1600/pulse.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobm1lsV8ep4yiNAkfm-Pgkdy1kBoMsJ_43kV7zbsgy30lz5D5kuK8I_DCVnre0o3Lue_ewvthavDpHjtNvgaSivhf8YIHm7OW4O9m_mQHO2RmfDZoDZ_SVbaDnemRDcENyZf4/s1600/chocolate-rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobm1lsV8ep4yiNAkfm-Pgkdy1kBoMsJ_43kV7zbsgy30lz5D5kuK8I_DCVnre0o3Lue_ewvthavDpHjtNvgaSivhf8YIHm7OW4O9m_mQHO2RmfDZoDZ_SVbaDnemRDcENyZf4/s1600/chocolate-rose.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> Pulse by Natasha Head bleeds words like the dripping chocolate of a rose. It is intense and memorable.<br /> <br /> Now, I'd like to tag my partner in poetic crime, Chris.Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-55637688703067248922014-05-28T16:00:00.000-04:002014-05-28T16:00:35.879-04:00In Memory of Maya AngelouI wrote a post in 2010 titled <i><a href="http://niceoldspice.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-regards-to-maya-angelou.html">My Regards to Maya Angelou</a></i>. &nbsp;In memory of a great poet I thought I would share it today.<br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <b>I Know Why the Twitter Bird Tweets</b><br /> <br /> The free bird leaps<br /> on Google’s back<br /> and scrolls down page<br /> till the browser ends<br /> and dips his wings<br /> in Facebook rays<br /> and dares to claim the internet.<br /> <br /> But a bird that stalks<br /> down his narrow page<br /> can seldom see through<br /> his lists of rage<br /> his wings are clipped and<br /> his feet are tied<br /> so he opens his claws to tweet.<br /> <br /> The Twitter bird tweets<br /> with fearful trill<br /> of the things unknown<br /> but longed for still<br /> and his tweet are read<br /> on the distant hill<br /> for the Twitter bird<br /> tweets of freedom<br /> <br /> The free bird may watch tivo'd Glee<br /> And order up some good Chinese<br /> and laugh as Sue Sylvester drones<br /> On and on of kids off tone.<br /> <br /> But Twitter bird stands on the grave of tweets<br /> Getting “trends” for Trick or Treat<br /> his wings are clipped and his feet are tied<br /> so he opens his claws to tweet.<br /> <br /> The Twitter bird tweets<br /> with a fearful trill<br /> of things unknown<br /> but longed for still<br /> and his tweet is heard<br /> on the distant hill<br /> for the Twitter bird<br /> tweets of freedom.<o:p></o:p></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-58394586546557418892014-05-25T01:20:00.000-04:002014-05-25T01:21:53.343-04:00The Chair (Freestyle Poetry)<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/151016591&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">©Ben Ditmars 2014</span>Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-67660343208609291802014-05-20T01:32:00.000-04:002014-05-20T01:33:10.852-04:003D Print<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">3D print me into</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">something real, impulsive&nbsp;</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">and distinguished.</span><br /> <span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br />successive layers<br />built around a<br />pulse and backbone.<br /><br />fused electrons hardwired<br />to my brain like therapy.<br /><br />we are broken and<br />the sum of our spare parts.<br /><br />©Ben Ditmars 2014</span><br /> <span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZFVb5Xbl5TBPhBtfp0bGT-tljpEtLScOxi97hQNRC74yStqpOxQy2QUXpqvPRUbvkSKVJ4Kqt9SHlyh5-GSAxR24PFiv9aHKDrSBYFfn-9tybHuuRjpCG9gpqjBST1r_2xFu/s1600/3D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZFVb5Xbl5TBPhBtfp0bGT-tljpEtLScOxi97hQNRC74yStqpOxQy2QUXpqvPRUbvkSKVJ4Kqt9SHlyh5-GSAxR24PFiv9aHKDrSBYFfn-9tybHuuRjpCG9gpqjBST1r_2xFu/s1600/3D.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div> <span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /><br /></span><br /> <span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span> <span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span> <span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span> <span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Image Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/strolicfurlan/8515562682">Flickr</a></span>Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-53886384859816438622014-05-19T16:39:00.001-04:002014-05-19T16:43:28.203-04:00The Fresh MakerHello, everyone! It's good to be back. Thanks to Chris McQueeney for getting me back on Blogger.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> *****</div> <br /> Club wielding imps were nothing. &nbsp;I took them out with some well-placed Mentos and a Pepsi bottle. &nbsp;But the assassin sent more fantasy creatures to dispatch me. &nbsp;There were creatively concealed as always. &nbsp;My box of Corn Pops did not hold delicious corn bites, but rather, unicorns. &nbsp;They came charging out as I poured milk in my bowl. &nbsp;Unicorn Pops! &nbsp;I screamed. &nbsp;Luckily, I remembered Tinker Bell from Peter Pan and called out, “I don’t believe in unicorns!” &nbsp;They burst into flames and died a horrible death.<br /> <br /> I packed my belongings and prepared to move again. &nbsp;If I kept going place to place maybe the diabolical zookeeper would lose interest. &nbsp;Or he would run out of fantasy creatures. &nbsp;I mean, really, how many could he spare? &nbsp;I was about to find out.<br /> <br /> Before I went to the store I put on a fake mustache and parachute pants. &nbsp;If I picked items at random there was no way a pixie or unicorns could hide inside them. &nbsp;I became so confident I grabbed some of everything: Mountain Dew, M&amp;Ms, deli meats, and so on.<br /> <br /> I opened the first can of Mountain Dew carefully and there were no monsters inside. &nbsp;It looked like I had finally fooled my nemesis. &nbsp;The M&amp;Ms and deli meats were delectable together and I kept gorging myself until I had one left of everything. &nbsp;That’s when it happened. &nbsp;The can of Mountain Dew let out a rabid Mountain Dew Goat. &nbsp;The M&amp;Ms released the Minotaur from Greek mythology. &nbsp;I had no weapons to defend myself and a serious case of indigestion.<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">This is the third installment in the Pop Wars Saga started with&nbsp;</span><a href="http://niceoldspice.blogspot.com/2012/06/sprite.html" style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sprite</a><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">...followed by&nbsp;</span><a href="http://wanderwithoutbeinglost.blogspot.com/2012/07/rasher-of-bacon.html" style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Rasher of Bacon</a>&nbsp;</span>and <a href="http://wanderwithoutbeinglost.blogspot.com/2014/05/club-soda.html?spref=fb">Club Soda</a> by Chris McQueeney.</span><br /> <div> <br /></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-34449091140903455102014-02-01T11:21:00.000-05:002014-02-01T11:37:18.463-05:00The Bus Stop<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>THE BUS STOP</b>&nbsp;</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>CHARACTERS</u>&nbsp;</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT, CONSPIRACY THEORIST&nbsp;</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;<u>SETTING&nbsp;</u></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A neighborhood bus stop</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(A conspiracy theorist with an aluminum foil hat sits next to an agent in a black suit.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: This can’t be good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: It couldn’t be better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: I’ll take your word for it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Uncomfortable pause.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Are there aliens?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Of course not.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: But there’s all this evidence!&nbsp; You can’t deny the evidence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Listen, I work for the government.&nbsp; I can’t make a call to across town without someone releasing it online.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: I’ve seen UFOs, man.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: You have?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Well, my best buddy’s friend did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Let me guess.&nbsp; He got drunk and saw a bunch of lights in the sky?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: How’d you know?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: We get requests under the Freedom of Information act to see “video from that strange thing in the sky” all the time.&nbsp; It’s usually a helicopter or a gun they were shooting into the air.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Come on, man.&nbsp; Just tell me where you’re hiding the UFOs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Okay, you’ve got the best of me.&nbsp; We’re hiding the alien spacecraft directly up your ass.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: <i>(attempting to look at his butt.)</i> I knew the feds put something up there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: You’ve got to be smarter than that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Smarter than what?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Can you at least tell me why you killed Kennedy and faked 9/11?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Me?&nbsp; I was only five when they killed Kennedy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Aha!&nbsp; You said <i>they</i>.&nbsp; So it was an inside job!&nbsp; And so were the twin towers.&nbsp; My blog is going to be so popular.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: So, it’s all about blogging?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: I like to be important.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Maybe you should volunteer at the soup kitchen or read to kids.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: That would make me important?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Well, it only makes the world a better place.&nbsp; No big deal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Yeah, but that doesn’t do anything for me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: You know, I think you are better off blogging about UFOs on the internet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Duh.&nbsp; Now, tell me something I can use.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Okay, I’ll tell you a huge secret.&nbsp; 9/11 was an inside job planned by Obama and George W. Bush.&nbsp; They wanted an excuse to invade Iraq for oil contracts and kryptonite to kill Superman.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Superman doesn’t exist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Not anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: You just blew my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br /> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: But I shouldn’t have.&nbsp; The military wouldn’t sit on alien technology when they could sell it or win a war with it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: I never said alien technology.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Blast!&nbsp; Where’s my memory wiper?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(He gets out a metal pen and flashes a bright light).</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: Gee wilikers!&nbsp; My memories!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(The Agent looks around confused.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luckily, my foil hat reflected the rays.&nbsp; I recall everything and now I will be the most awesome blogger since Arianna Huffington.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: That’s a strange name.&nbsp; Is she with the band?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: No, but she told me I could have that pen you’re holding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: Oh, this thing?&nbsp; I thought it was a coffee stirrer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(He hands him the memory wiper.)</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSPIRACY THEORIST: <i>(Standing up.)</i> Now I have the power!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(The conspiracy theorist runs away laughing and leaves the agent alone.)</span></i></span></div> <br /> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AGENT: What a bizarre man.&nbsp; I hope he enjoys his coffee.</span></span></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-33274454906710708752014-01-29T21:45:00.000-05:002014-01-29T21:45:02.699-05:00Guest Blog by Author Deena Rae Schoenfeldt<h2 style="text-align: center;"> A Must Have Book for Authors from E-BookBuilders</h2> <a href="http://smarturl.it/B00HLUOTKE"><img alt="" class="floatleft" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Deena1jpg.jpg" width="20%" /></a> <a href="http://smarturl.it/B00HLUOTKE">Navigating The World Of E-Book Publishing</a> was released fourteen days ago and it has been on several Amazon.com &amp; Amazon.co.uk Top 100 Bestselling Lists since. This is a short e-book with some of the basic beginning steps on the road to e-publishing your manuscript by Deena Rae Schoenfeldt. This is not a roadmap to getting a best seller nor it is a technical manual or writing guide, rather it addresses things that most aspiring authors don't take into consideration before starting their publishing journey. Filled with tips, tricks, and helpful advice, this book a must read if you have aspirations of joining the indie publishing ranks, have already published your own book or have a full back-list of titles already on the bookstore shelves. So, who will benefit from this book? Absolutely anyone interested in exploring the process of self-publishing, traditionally published authors with a back list of title reverting back to them, aspiring authors who are frustrated with the query merry-go-round as well as those who want to retail complete creative control from the very beginning. <br /> <h2> Book Description</h2> With a no-nonsense, conversational style, Deena Rae of E-BookBuilders gives advice to aspiring authors about indie publishing. Filled with information about social media, pricing, formatting styles, covers, reviews and platforms (to a name a few) there is a wealth of information for the novice author. Even experienced authors and publishers will find this book helpful and informative. With sections such as 'Authors - Quit Doing This!', 'In Praise of Audio(books)', 'Twitter Primer for Authors', and 'Should You Use Amazon's Author Central', Deena Rae gives detailed information that anyone in the industry of publishing should know and consider. Whether you are just starting on your publishing journey, considering entering the literary world or have 30 books for sale, there is something for everyone in this book. <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> If you would like to add the book to your Goodread's shelf - just click the button! <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20262662-navigating-the-world-of-e-book-publishing"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/goodreads-badge-add-plus.png" /></a></div> <div align="center"> <a href="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/"><img alt="" src="http://www.auplod.com/u/ualopd22146.gif" /></a></div> <h2> What Other's Are Saying</h2> <div class="blockquote3"> <i>This book is a must read for Indie Authors. Deena lays out the ins and outs of ebook publishing that many other people fail to hit on. From the novice writer to the seasoned pro, there are hidden nuggets of gold for everyone in this book. The author shares her viewpoint, having worked in the industry on several sides, as if you were talking to a friend. With helpful hints, do's and don'ts, this is the best "get your feet wet" book I've come across</i>.<b> -Janet W., Amazon Customer</b></div> <div class="blockquote3"> <i>...I got down to reading and oh my word. Almost a year into self publishing the hard way, learning everything on my own, I thought I knew it all, but no. Deena Rae's book is filled with little known information, tidbits of advice, obviously picked up from years of working in the trade. Not only was there much information to be soaked in, but my brain was pleasantly sponging every little thing up because the book is written in a fun and engaging way. I read it in one sitting, and as my kindle can attest, any other tech book is rarely read beyond 40%.</i> <b>-Lisa G., Goodreads Reader</b></div> <div class="blockquote3"> <i>...This book will answer so many questions that come up during the process, which had me baffled and almost ready to throw in the towel. The author also gives excellent information on how to promote your book. She does all this with a personal touch. You will not be buried in tech speak where even a dictionary would fail miserably....I highly recommend this book to anyone that is considering self-publishing their work, or is interested in seeing how it is all done.</i> <b>-Amazon Customer</b></div> <div class="blockquote3"> <i>I had the feeling of believing and trusting Deena knowledge, straight shooting style and passion for what she does while reading her book. She produced an ebook that was easy to read and kept me scrolling through without stopping.</i><b>-Mauri B., Amazon Customer</b></div> <div class="blockquote3"> <i>Like many authors I wish had had read books like this before I published my first book. However it is never too late to learn. It is good to read about the things I seem to have got right, the things I could improve on and to learn a few tricks from scratch. The book is very well laid out with descriptive chapter titles so that it will be easy to dip back into which I certainly will.</i> <b>-Wendy U., Goodreads Reader</b></div> <h2> Who Is Deena Rae?</h2> <div class="blockquote"> <a href="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="floatright" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ebookbuilders12.jpg" width="20%" /></a>E-BookBuilders is the online alias of Deena Rae. She was born and raised in Texas - home of bluebonnets, boots, beef and big hair - into a family that was in the printing and publishing industries. Her father was a computer programmer for major newspapers when the equipment took up whole rooms and mother has been a publisher for almost 30 years - trying, unsuccessfully, to bring her into the family business. She is a second-generation genetically perfected super-nerd.</div> <div class="blockquote"> <img alt="" class="floatleft" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/digitaldiva.jpg" width="25%" />She was happily living her life, having three third-generation genetically perfected super-nerds herself, but then through a series of events (unfortunate and fortunate), she officially joined The Book Connection - her mother's publishing and packaging company - as the Digital Director, to create the e-publishing division in 2011. Her computer skills, willingness to help authors, love of literature, no-nonsense attitude and quick wit has helped shepherd many authors through the maze of digital publishing.</div> <div class="blockquote"> Through her work with E-BookBuilders, Deena Rae has been able to meet authors and writers from all over the world and in every genre imaginable. She has a biting wit, obscure sense of humor, awareness of the absurd, and a love of literature all which led to the creation of Bluebonnets, Bagpipes and Books, the #NSFW publishing discussion podcast she produces and hosts with Janet Wrenn and Peter Burnett. Her no-nonsense attitude makes for some hilarious discussions and plenty of "Oh my God, did she really just say that?" moments. Sometimes it is as if there is no filter between her brain and her mouth. But if she likes you she tries to be nice - sometimes. Deena also has the safe-for-everyone author interview show, B3's Bookworm. You can find her most hours of everyday attached to her computer either researching, tweeting on her 6 accounts, posting on her different Facebook timelines and pages, coding e-books for her fabulous friends/clients or with her nose buried in her Kindle reading.</div> If you are serious about publishing your own work, or just kicking the idea around, head over to Amazon and download the ebook <a href="http://smarturl.it/B00HLUOTKE">Navigating the World of E-Book Publishing</a>, available exclusively on Amazon. I am also available on many social media platforms and you can track me down that way if you have a question about e-publishing. <br /> <div class="blockquote2"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deena-Rae-Schoenfeldt/e/B00HLVBBAO"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/amazonwhite.jpg" /></a><a href="mailto:ebookbuilders@comcast.net" onmouseout="window.status=' '; return true;" onmouseover="window.status='Email Deena Rae'; return true;"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/emailwhite.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/eBookBuilders" onmouseout="window.status=' '" onmouseover="window.status='E-BookBuilders Facebook Page'; return true"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/facebookwhite.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7692341.Deena_Rae_Schoenfeldt" onmouseout="window.status=' '" onmouseover="window.status='Goodreads Author Page'; return true"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/goodreadswhite.jpg" /></a><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DeenaRaeEBB"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/googlewhite.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/deena-schoenfeldt/13/875/330"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/linkedinwhite.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ebookbuilders/"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/pinterestwhite.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/category/blog/"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/rsswhite.jpg" /></a><a href="https://twitter.com/eBookBuilders"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/twitterwhite.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/eBookBuilders"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/youtubewhite.jpg" /></a><a href="http://wattpad.com/DeenaSchoenfeldt"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/wattpadwhit.jpg" /></a><a href="http://eepurl.com/tP1W1"><img alt="" src="http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/mailchimp.gif" /></a></div> &nbsp; &nbsp; <style type="text/css"><!-- p { font-family: serif; text-align: justify; } img.floatright { float: right; margin: 1%; } img.floatleft { float: left; margin: 1%; } .blockquote { font-family: serif; color: #9D0000; padding-left: 5%; padding-right: 5%; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%; text-align: justify; } .blockquote2 { font-family: serif; color: #9D0000; padding-left: 1%; padding-right: 1%; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%; text-align: justify; } .blockquote3 { font-family: serif; color: #000000; padding-left: 5%; padding-right: 5%; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%; text-align: justify; } .imgbg { background-image:url('http://www.zingerbugimages.com/backgrounds/seamless_white_leather_background_texture.jpg'); } .imgbg2 { background-image:url('http://www.animateit.net/data/media/june2010/twinkle-ltblue.gif'); } body { color:#000000; } </style> --&gt;<br /> --&gt; Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-1874414533181362462014-01-05T11:41:00.003-05:002014-01-05T11:41:28.016-05:00Inhale the NightCheck out the pin I made for my new collection of poetry, Inhale the Night. It hits Kindle shelves this January.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gTZzcR0arqd3OE2j9wgg87MyEQnIS1eIQq5KCY3qlPgKzWMw4Fwe5ON5EE2LLOoKC6FtWoa5fIlM997IWGZ-5nIe1ssjGAi3eOkQeR-UQnS2t_Gh4V68EduWeu2zjmt-Axpm/s1600/Pinterest1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gTZzcR0arqd3OE2j9wgg87MyEQnIS1eIQq5KCY3qlPgKzWMw4Fwe5ON5EE2LLOoKC6FtWoa5fIlM997IWGZ-5nIe1ssjGAi3eOkQeR-UQnS2t_Gh4V68EduWeu2zjmt-Axpm/s400/Pinterest1.png" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/271834527482285168/">http://www.pinterest.com/pin/271834527482285168/</a></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-15036156566169535552013-12-28T20:43:00.004-05:002013-12-28T20:44:25.998-05:00Chia Gnome<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> My friend Amanda gave me a Chia gnome for my birthday. I created a photo diary of its growth over the past two weeks.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneIB0vgP7_rzoxe7yyoOnlzvLRkQET9xMuyz-vd6uLJsw0KUSmSZwpuJjg5SzTOxxL5dnThI5fSvPiJxHwG5R87lzbYTAHgznn5zSG7u9XOHgnFcPt6nAsie0CLB-T3SmkGze/s1600/Chia+Gnome.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneIB0vgP7_rzoxe7yyoOnlzvLRkQET9xMuyz-vd6uLJsw0KUSmSZwpuJjg5SzTOxxL5dnThI5fSvPiJxHwG5R87lzbYTAHgznn5zSG7u9XOHgnFcPt6nAsie0CLB-T3SmkGze/s400/Chia+Gnome.png" width="400" /></a></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-74292998835315928182013-12-17T20:15:00.002-05:002013-12-17T20:15:45.243-05:00Snow and Rain on Christmas Night<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">I cried,</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">She danced.</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The snow began.</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">It turned to rain.</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">And I loved her more</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Than each crystal in the sky</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Or each droplet</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">On the ground.</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">We were lost</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Caught cold against the moon</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">On Christmas night.</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">I was frozen</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">You were warm</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">And your hand</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Felt like fire,</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Holy fire,</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Christmas night</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Oh, that holy,</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Christmas night.</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Caught cold against the moon</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">On Christmas night.</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">We were warm</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">If only for a moment</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Christmas night.</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i> *Inspired by Christmas Canon from Trans-Siberian Orchestra.Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-90290857010841479412013-10-10T23:54:00.002-04:002013-10-10T23:56:17.612-04:00Confronting the Demon by Ciara Ballintyne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I'd like to introduce a book from a great author and friend,&nbsp;<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ciara Ballintyne. She's very clever and I hope you give her book a read.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS14QF_WhNxsnlpmT6l3CIdb3Ghh7jpksP_zl5iMLYX10YBSvYKbN8xLMlUxL04N5y80QXr2gcL5U8mWpSEeu8oSqzPVUzaYP6yUEmBNnr2F964gmMk6RBAuroDu0QxpCSoljh/s1600/Confronting+the+Demon+-+500x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS14QF_WhNxsnlpmT6l3CIdb3Ghh7jpksP_zl5iMLYX10YBSvYKbN8xLMlUxL04N5y80QXr2gcL5U8mWpSEeu8oSqzPVUzaYP6yUEmBNnr2F964gmMk6RBAuroDu0QxpCSoljh/s320/Confronting+the+Demon+-+500x800.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Blurb<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">The gates to hell are thrown wide when Alloran is betrayed by his best friend, Ladanyon, and framed for forbidden magic. He is hunted by the guards and the wizards both, tormented by the gruesome murder of his friends and loved ones, and crippled by fear for the living. Now Alloran must face his demons, or damn the woman he loves.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Including bonus short story <i>A Magical Melody</i><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><i><br /></i></span></div> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">When a lethal spell is stolen from a locked and warded room, Avram must hunt down the thief before the song of power buries a city of innocents beneath a thousand tons of ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Buy Links<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><a href="http://goo.gl/QJGlX0">AmazonKindle</a></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><a href="http://goo.gl/tcFvAe">Paperback</a></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Book Information<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Confronting the Demon by Ciara Ballintyne<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Date of Publication – 24 September 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">ISBN-13: 978-0-9923466-0-7 (print)<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">ISBN-13: </span><span lang="EN-AU"><a href="https://www.myidentifiers.com.au/myaccount_manageisbns_titlereg?isbn=978-0-9923466-1-4&amp;icon_type=new"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">978-0-9923466-1-4</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"> (.mobi)<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">ISBN-13: </span><span lang="EN-AU"><a href="https://www.myidentifiers.com.au/myaccount_manageisbns_titlereg?isbn=978-0-9923466-2-1&amp;icon_type=new"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">978-0-9923466-2-1</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"> (epub)(not yet available)<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">About the Author<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0EtXCORstgYwkg_mS_PlF4g_DfGXH5zzR0T_m1hsmSViwxAFsKlxNuqs8s5F0f-u_J5m0jZfhyphenhyphenBuZshGNpC2P42TUtjgW2yL8ofkXloIpdxFRC-n4vLh5pBOBDykhSCSVP0q/s1600/JM0130B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0EtXCORstgYwkg_mS_PlF4g_DfGXH5zzR0T_m1hsmSViwxAFsKlxNuqs8s5F0f-u_J5m0jZfhyphenhyphenBuZshGNpC2P42TUtjgW2yL8ofkXloIpdxFRC-n4vLh5pBOBDykhSCSVP0q/s320/JM0130B.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Ciara Ballintyne was born in 1981 in Sydney, Australia, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, one masochistic cat, and one cat with a god complex. She holds degrees in law and accounting, and has been a practising financial services lawyer since 2004. She is both an idealist and a cynic.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">She started reading epic fantasy at the age of nine, when she kidnapped Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings from her father. Another two years passed before she began her first attempts at the craft of writing. Confronting the Demon is her debut book. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">She enjoys horse-riding, and speculation about taking over the world. If she could choose to be anything it would be a dragon, but instead she shares more in common with Dr. Gregory House of House. M.D.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/CiaraBallintyne">Facebook</a></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/CiaraBallintyne">&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/CiaraBallintyne">Twitter</a></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><a href="http://www.ciaraballintyne.com/">Website</a></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><a href="http://www.fantasyblog.ciaraballintyne.com/">Blog</a></span></div> <b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">EMAIL –&nbsp;</span><a href="mailto:info@ciaraballintyne.com" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">info@ciaraballintyne.com</a><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">WEBSITE –&nbsp;</span><a href="http://ciaraballintyne.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">http://ciaraballintyne.com</a><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">TWITTER – @CiaraBallintyne</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">IndieVengeance Day<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Confronting the Demon</span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"> is due to be released 1 October 2013, and I’ll be signing copies at the IndieVengeance Day Book Signing in Dallas, Saturday, October 12, 2013 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM (CDT). Register for free here if you’re interested to come along - </span><span lang="EN-AU"><a href="http://www.indievengeanceday.eventbrite.com/"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">http://www.indievengeanceday.eventbrite.com/</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-30406944718419535792013-10-08T13:01:00.002-04:002013-10-08T13:01:47.735-04:00What You Don't UnderstandI can't kill<br /> and I can't win<br /> a peace prize for it.<br /> I can't save the government<br /> It's too far gone.<br /> I never sleep,<br /> I'm like a drone<br /> On Snowden's trail.<br /> I hear voices<br /> From a soldier's family<br /> Who won't eat tonight.<br /> Maybe I'm seditious,<br /> another victim to shutdown,<br /> But you can't kill what you don't understand.<br /> And you'll never understand.Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-61232292811917175372013-09-28T03:44:00.001-04:002013-09-28T03:45:01.090-04:00Abstracted<span style="font-size: x-large;">She calls the moon distracting</span><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">stars imperfections in a velvet cloth</span><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">the nighttime unromantic</span><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">owls heard in the distance</span><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">are unsettling and artificial light</span><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">cannot compare to dawn.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/4366842103/" title="Crescent moon over Highway 5 bridge, reflections in Montlake Cut, Seattle, Washington, USA by Wonderlane, on Flickr"><img alt="Crescent moon over Highway 5 bridge, reflections in Montlake Cut, Seattle, Washington, USA" height="333" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4001/4366842103_a2271ca2d5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/4366842103/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/4366842103/</a>Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-44821766000907813172013-09-14T01:10:00.001-04:002013-09-14T01:10:05.226-04:00We've All Got Something<div style="text-align: center;"> I wrote a poem to the beat of Let Her Go by Passenger</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Ginx7WKq5GE?rel=0" width="560"></iframe> </div> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got something</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">But it’s not a lot.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got sunlight</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">But I want the rain.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got love</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">And I want some more.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got demons</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">But I let ‘em be.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got eyes</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">That don’t always see.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got legs</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">That won’t always run.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got a heart</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">And I hope it beats.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got a soul</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Somewhere deep inside.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got time</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">To dream a dream.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got stars</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">To count at night.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got screams</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">That interfere.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got a feeling</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Something isn’t right.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve got nothing</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">We ain’t got nothing</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">If we cannot act.</span></i></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-9454761713715997012013-08-25T16:12:00.002-04:002013-08-25T16:16:03.521-04:00Rainbow Lullaby<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/aimee_m/3309391722/" title="rainbows by amontei, on Flickr"><img alt="rainbows" height="333" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3474/3309391722_ccf7f9a048.jpg" width="500" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/aimee_m/3309391722/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.flickr.com/photos/aimee_m/3309391722/</span></a><br /> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Somewhere</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Bluebirds cry</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Silently.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Somewhere</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Dreams really do</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Come true.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Somewhere</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">The clouds aren’t far</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Behind me.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Somewhere</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">She’s still</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Singing.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Somewhere</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">She has found</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">The rainbow.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Somewhere</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I can hear</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">A lullaby.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Somewhere</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">There isn’t any</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Trouble.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Somewhere</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Beyond the moon,</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">The stars…</span></i><br /> <i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Somewhere</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Over the</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">Rainbow.</span></i></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-69269211205596421252013-08-18T04:04:00.002-04:002013-08-18T04:06:36.126-04:00Book Love<span style="font-size: x-large;">Books are time machines.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Books are cars, and planes, and submarines.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Books are rocket ships and magic beans.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Books are goblins, dragons, kings, and queens.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Books are beating hearts and things unseen.</span><br /> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Books are marijuana and caffeine.</span><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rlfantasy/4703159475/" title="Fantasy Castle by RL Fantasy Design Studio, on Flickr"><img alt="Fantasy Castle" height="375" src="http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1284/4703159475_c2a709cfe0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /> <br /> &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rlfantasy/4703159475/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/rlfantasy/4703159475/</a>Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-22996720931660477582013-08-12T01:33:00.001-04:002013-08-12T01:36:03.306-04:00Poetic Perspectives on LoveI'm often fascinated how differently people view the same words, ideas and concepts. &nbsp;I find this especially true with the word <i>love</i> and recently asked several poets to describe what loves means to them. &nbsp;Perhaps we can get closer to unraveling something so painfully elusive?<br /> <br /> Huge thanks to Amber Jerome Norrgard, Regina Puckett, Poppy Ruth Silver, Helle Gade, Brock Gates, Sreya Bremtin, and Susie Clevenger for their beautiful words.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenpoff/2739990491/" title="August 6th 2008 - Leave a Little Room In Your Heart by Stephen Poff, on Flickr"><img alt="August 6th 2008 - Leave a Little Room In Your Heart" height="403" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3011/2739990491_a052f7c136.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenpoff/2739990491/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenpoff/2739990491/</a></div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">I will fight against you, for you</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Because you mean more to me</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">than any fight can ever erase</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> Amber Jerome~Norrgard </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Amber-Jerome~Norrgard/e/B007KWWYNM">Amazon Author Page</a>&nbsp;- <a href="http://amberjeromenorrgard.com/">Website</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Breathes held between</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">lingering sighs. Tangled thoughts</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">hemorrhage through loving eyes.</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> Regina Puckett </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/regina.puckett1">Facebook</a> - <a href="http://reginapuckettsbooks.weebly.com/blog.html">Website</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">It is the surrender </span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">that loses light </span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">and yet invites</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> Poppy Ruth Silver </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://apolloblessed.ning.com/">Apollo Blessed</a> -&nbsp;<a href="http://poppysilver.weebly.com/">Website</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">I walked into your soul </span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Embraced all that you were with my love</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">But death is a jealous lover </span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Now that you are gone </span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">I'll forgive, but never forget </span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> Helle Gade</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Dreams-ebook/dp/B00B4XLK38/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1376130666&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=helle+gade">Silent Dreams</a> - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nocturnal-Embers-ebook/dp/B00CMJESZA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1376130666&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=helle+gade">Nocturnal Embers</a><br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;">When hate dies, compassion begins, when a violent urge to take care and be one with another, that is a two side deal, to break free of the curse of loneliness</span><br /> <br /> Brock Gates<br /> <a href="http://idunreallycare.tumblr.com/">Website on Tumblr</a><br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: large;">Love is energy<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: large;">And motion over time<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: large;">Transcending distance.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;">Love will save us</span><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">If it doesn't kill us first.</span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: large;">Broken bottles<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: large;">Shatter glass<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: large;">Into a love letter</span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <span style="font-size: large;">On the tear stained floor.</span><o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> Ben Ditmars</div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing"> <a href="http://niceoldspice.blogspot.com/">You're already here.</a></div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">I.</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">midnight rain kisses</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">shower eye lashes with dew</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">the sweet love of you</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">II.</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">spider web wishes</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">tangle around thoughts of you</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">to hold fast my heart</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">III.</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">you spoke, i answered</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">together we wrote the words</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">that said everything</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> Sreya Bremtin </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sreya-Bremtin/e/B00E9761ZS/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1">Amazon Author Page</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SreyaBremtin">Facebook</a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">I came with heartbreak <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">and you never left my side <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">through sickness and health<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">together we stood <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">facing every storm trusting <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">faith would see us through<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">goodnight never saw <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">our heads lay upon anger <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">forgiveness our choice<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">life came with its thorns <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">but they couldn’t divide us <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">love defied all odds&nbsp;</span></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> Susie Clevenger</div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/susieclevengerpoetry">Facebook</a> - <a href="http://confessionsofalaundrygoddess.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>&nbsp;- <a href="http://www.susieclevenger.com/">Website</a></div> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"> <o:p></o:p></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-19823468060512677642013-08-07T04:15:00.000-04:002013-08-07T04:18:16.566-04:00Let the Seed Decay<div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I dream in ways</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">my mouth cannot articulate</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">in ways my hands refuse to write</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I am a prisoner inside</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">and there are bars</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">the world will never break</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">because they are made from fear</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">of death and losing all that</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">I have hid inside them</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">for so long.</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">let the seed decay</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">and never bloom</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">it will be better</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: large;">understood that way.</span></i><br /> <i><br /></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i>.</i> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/aerophish/3845885019/" title="Dreams by Andrew.Beebe, on Flickr"><img alt="Dreams" height="375" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2439/3845885019_6f374c7550.jpg" width="500" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/aerophish/3845885019/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/aerophish/3845885019/</a></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21303800.post-61736508005535684702013-08-04T15:04:00.001-04:002013-08-04T15:05:34.712-04:00Spiced Dawn, Eclipsed With Venom (Collaboration with Ben Ditmars and PoppySilver)<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> She bathed in surreal/resembling a dream/an incubus hallucination/trance, vagary and wrath/in the shadow she dwelt/mystified by death/it curved around her thighs, thoughts and heart/while daylight teased her lips/leaving strings of fire like saliva/caught between the stars/her soul had met its match/had suffocated lives long past/she had seen the doorway/invited him to witness it/he only had to offer her his blood/a simple sacrifice/yet more than picturesque/aesthetic qualities/one might taste/but never know/he would be a part of her/lost within the vast miasma/of her ventricles and veins/there he would swirl for longer than a lifetime/and a day/treason lingered in her soul/smeared with distaste for heaven/she absorbed his apathy/inhaled his sadness/such a succulent whirlpool of transparent fear/ beyond the pale of human skin/passive velleity turned raw emotion/the timbre of a voice/becoming one/within the walls/fingernails dug deep into/the fabric of eternity/and stretched time as it was known/pierced the core/ripped the dreams assundar/death was pungent/spiced with life/merged/they breathed/rapidly/let snakes hiss around their feet/venom writhed through their auras/oblivion never tasted so sweet/or putrid to vainglorious believers/in the craft of celibate demise/souls decay/if day by day/our sins become our passion/and she was more than vice to him/a guilty pleasure/sweet dessert/engorging all his senses/tasting, touching, hearing/more, than even five/he felt her on a cosmic plane/away from earth/she tasted his primal/raw/surge/engulfed him/released him/an orb unto the night/forever in her aura he remained/shone like a star unseen before/when she panged for more/he yearned for more/both/breathed/continually together/forever/continium/they had eclipsed the dawn/</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> (c)2013 Ben Ditmars and Poppy Ruth Silver</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> <br /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> Poppy's Website -&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fpoppysilver.weebly.com%2F&amp;h=4AQHphZw3&amp;s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://poppysilver.weebly.com/</a></div> Ben Dittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10637997946476963455noreply@blogger.com7