to green that's only known shade.
New growth is awkward
until gawky stems find strength
inside their curious selves.
This poem was created for Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads' Weekend Mini-Challenge: Maladroit.
Liner Notes for this Groove: One of the realizations I made after BookCon was I could be doing something more to promote my book, The Trouble with Wanting and Other Not-Quite Faerie Tales. Besides the fact that talking myself up feels about as pleasant as a sandpaper massage, there’s another barrier—I’m a survivor of an MLM.
I don’t want to go into which MLM it was, but direct sales make me feel as cheesy as a car salesman. I worry I’ll sound like this. But the good news is I’m not operating as part of a company with dubious business ethics. As awkward as I feel about selling, I have a little more faith in what I have to offer this time around. I’ve not only gotten some really positive comments about the book, I've already had several requests for autographed copies, one from as far away as Finland. (Thanks Khaya!)
So after imbibing a steadying cup of tea (because as Cassandra Clare said in City of Bones, "Tea. I find that both settles the stomach and concentrates the mind. Wonderful drink, tea.") I've decided a couple of things. First, I've signed up to vend at a Nerdtino, a Latinx themed comic book and geek convention on November 2nd. Second, I'll be offering autographed copies directly for sale from this site. Use the Contact Me section on the side or write to me at kestrel dot trueseeker @ gmail dot com
Both of these things are new and somewhat unsettling for me, but you've got to get through some awkwardness to get some growth.
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| Photo by Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash |
So dear Groovers, can recall any times you've gotten out of your comfort zone and it ended up being a good thing? Share your story (and boost my spirits a little) by telling me about it in the comments section. As always, if you want to continue the conversation at your cyberhome, feel free to include a link as well.
Song Choice: Lose Yourself by Eminem
I love the delicacy of your poem - a gentle growth..a fleeting awkwardness
ReplyDeleteThank you Jae
DeleteThis is really lovely, Rommy.. you carry the reader along the way, line by line.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kerry. I'm quite pleased with this attempt.
DeleteSuch a stunning write, Rommy!💖 I recall the time when I had gotten my very first job 😊 it was a male dominated space being a ground operations centre of an airline. There were only two other females besides me so I remember feeling conscious a lot in the first few months until I became used to the environment. The good thing was it gave me an opportunity to learn to adapt to things outside my comfort zone. I am an ambivert so it's a little difficult for me to socialize in a large group but that changed with time and now I can just grab anybody and start a conversation haha 💖
ReplyDeleteI've learned the fine art of starting a conversation over time. I hope my skills are up to the task of working my first con, but we shall see.
DeleteI love this, Rommy, especially the gawky stems that eventually find their strength. I agree with you about the prospect of talking oneself up feeling as pleasant as a sandpaper massage – I can’t do it either. I also agree about tea – my favourite is cranberry and raspberry at the moment, has been for a while.
ReplyDeleteTeaching at a high school took me right out of my comfort zone but I was apparently quite good at it. Sadly health and other problems meant early retirement, but now I volunteer with smaller groups of much younger children and it is wonderful.
It's awesome you found another way to work with kids when health became an issue. Sounds like you've done a great job adapting and pushing out of your comfort zone.
Deletewell done
ReplyDeleteThanks Joem
DeleteThis is one of your very best poems.
ReplyDeleteThanks Toni
DeleteRommy, I’m so glad to hear you’re challenging yourself out of your comfort zone. And what a wonderful place to begin; the Latinx themed conversion. I really like what they stand for.
ReplyDeleteOffering your autographed books via your website is a wonderful idea. At the beginning of my writing journey, I read opposing opinions but I just went ahead and did own my thing. And I’m happy with this option too.
Thanks to you, I keep returning to my treasured copy of The Trouble with Wanting and Other Not-Quite Faerie Tales. One thing I find beneficial about short story books is that (like poetry books) they are easy to reread. This copy is one of the staples on my coffee table, and the cover is a conversation starter.
Anyway, you touch on a topic that interest me as well; marketing and selling of own books. Perhaps, I’ll touch more on this in one of my Random musings. As for awkwardness, have you ever noticed that it tends to vanish when talking about things one is excited about? :D Embrace your awkwardness!
Thanks. I am pretty nervous! But, I talked it over with a couple of friends and it really is an ideal venue in so many ways for my first vending experience. And thank you so much for being supportive in my authorship and awkwardness. :D
DeleteHumanity has been given so many gifts as we have evolved yet thinking about it we relish only greed and power and think nothing of our wild companions on Earth and even less of each other human beings.
ReplyDeleteYes, that is true.
DeleteAwkwardness is a special ingredient for growth, as you say. I admire your courage in pushing forward!💪🏽💪🏽
ReplyDeleteThanks Vivian!
Deleteuntil gawky stems find strength
ReplyDeleteinside their curious selves.
Just goes to show that things take time to work their acts to greatness. Patience certainly is asked for to make it fulfilling!
Hank
Patience is an essential tool
DeletePerfect way to use 'gawky' ...
ReplyDeleteThanks Helen
DeleteI love the thought of the awkwardness of growth... (like myself in my teens), as for going out of my comfort zone I have to say that my poetry once was way out of my comfort zone... (I had comfort in numbers rather than words)...
ReplyDeleteDitto!
DeleteI was an math and science nerd growing up. Sometimes I take a step back and look at all the things that are important in my life right now, remembered what I thought life would be like when I was a kid, and I laugh and laugh.
DeleteOnee needs sun as well as shade. I love this poem.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. Thanks Margaret.
DeleteI love the curious gawky stems finding strength as they grow.
ReplyDeleteI like that detail too :)
DeleteI love everything about your tanka--the imagery, the colors, the truth of it... Change (good or bad) is shocking thing. The only way to get to a good place is to explore it, even when the task makes us want to jump out of our skin a bit.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy you are selling autographed copies. And my squealing probably made it to PA when I found out you'll have a table at a convention. Best of luck, my friend.
Jump out of our skin, hide under a table...LOL but explore I shall! Thanks amiga!
DeleteYes indeed, new growth is awkward! But after a bit of practice it definitely can become second nature!!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to it feeling like second nature soon!
DeleteFirst, I love the way the poem captures the legginess of starting seeds in the spring, and the way they show you the light moving across the sill. Second, there is something about hearing about a book from its author that always fires my enthusiasm to read it. It reminds me that it was created by a person and not parachuted onto the shelves by robots (although a friend who works for B&N claims it doesn't work that way...). I haven't yet figured out how to get out of my comfort zone (at the last local author event I was in, I pretty much pretended I was just there to read other people's books)...but I know that as a reader, I am captivated by being told part of a story and having a book placed in my hand.
ReplyDeleteI have so much more respect for the process going through it as a writer than I did as a reader. Even if you do get lucky enough to have a publisher and/or an agent behind you, promotion is a lot of tough work. It makes me think so much more fondly of the editing process, LOL.
DeleteI love how curiosity is the quiet hero in this gawky, green tale. It is so often the solution, salve and invisible forcefield to life's troubles. And the best fuel for courage! Enjoy your new adventures. I wonder what treasures they will bring you?! I admire your bravery. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think curiosity has often been the thing that moves me to make the jump to new things. LOL, I do hope that I'll have tales worth telling when it's all said and done.
DeleteGrowth is not only awkward but painful as well. I love this Rommy.
ReplyDeleteSo, so painful. I'm more of an ambivert than complete introvert, but it takes me a bit to warm up to folks. I will just have to suck it up and hope the sting in brief in this case.
DeleteI agree with Toni - the poem is wonderful … up there with some of your very best work, Rommy. I remember you posting an audio poem and how impressed I was with your reading. (It was a while ago, but I'm 99% sure it was you ~ smiles ~ ) I am sure a lot of people would find writing poems … let alone publishing them … let alone reading them quite unsettling. But you've done it all!
ReplyDeleteFunny that you mention that...I'm planning on doing more recordings, probably on Instagram to start, to see how that goes. LOL, me and my damn curiosity.
DeleteI love the awkwardness you shared. We must remember we all are green at some point in our lives. Gawky means growth~ grOW is my word of this year. Next, year will be bloom~ A bluetiful poem!
ReplyDeleteIndeed! You've got to grow to get those blooms. :)
DeleteYour plants are like new-born animals – calves or foals, say – finding their legs.
ReplyDeleteVery true!
DeleteI can't begin to tell you how many times I've felt awkward. Darn that new growth, anyway! :)
ReplyDeleteLOL, darn it to heck
DeleteI like that new life awkwardness line, like spindly toddler legs learning to walk.
ReplyDeleteYes, that was what I was going for :)
DeleteGood for you Rommy! I'm proud of you! Actually, I'm going through something right now at work. I got promoted and I don't know if I want to be promoted! LOL! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteLOL, yeah I can see how some promotions are more trouble than they are worth. I hope things settle into a manageable groove for you.
Delete