Last Acknowledgement for Poetry Month

Cocktails On my Deck

Cocktails for one please yes just for me.
I’m a lady you see and that’s how it’ll be.
Hot, chic and sassy that’s right I’m classy.
Rose petals between my toes moonlight
Shines, this is my time. No need for candles
No need for music, quiet though but not lonely.
Basking in my nowness, sipping on the finest of wines
My memory takes me to another past time.
Very calm very relaxing.
Heck, wouldn’t give this up for nothing in this world.
As I exhale in this night air and have cocktails on my deck.

Copyright 2009
Jacqueline Butts

Contemplating

Contemplating.That suites me today especially when I was trying to learn how to spell it. It took me 10 minutes to look it up. It is true we spell like we pronounce the words we speak. I was pronouncing it comtenplating I guess that is why I couldn't find it at first. I always ponder my thoughts before I even put any words on paper and once they are on paper, I have several rough drafts. Once I think it's worthy, I then go to the computer where I lose my mind and write everyhting but what is on the paper. At least that is what I recently did to a story that I had beeen CONTEMPLATING for 2 years now. All I had was a title and a few lines, so when I sat at the computer, those few lines (about 200 hundred words) turned into 10,000 words in 2 days. I was writing for 2 days, all day.(wow, that's alot of 2's I think I'll play that number) Sleep deprived I was. I think it's worthy, especially the title. I got to give it to myself, I can think of some pretty good titles. I must say that the story line is good too. That is why I am CONTEMPLATING on sending it to a tradtional publishing company. This will be my first time doing that so I am nervous and if I keep getting rejected, I will publish it myself because that is how much I believe in myself. I self published my first book and boy oh boy did I learn a whole lot the hard way. All I can say to self publishing is that it made me learn how to do for myself such as learning how to get an editor and NO, you won't be recognized in many writing communities and find your own book reviews. It's a lot of work, it is what it is Self Publishing. I'm glad I know what to do now( I learned a valuable lesson). Ok, getting back. I think while I am CONTEMPLATING this one story, I might contemplate on sending two more stories off as well, and while they are circulating, I can focus on another story that I have been CONTEMPLATING for 15 YEARS. yep, my little mind can actually hold on to a story for 15 years. I 'll talk about that another time. Well, enough of this contemplating. I think I am going to go ahead and start on some query letters.

What To Write About

I often wondered what I would write about if I had a blog. I don't talk much; a person of few words.So what exactly could I say everyday. Well, I still don't know. I do know that I like words and they are very important to me. I often look at the Today Show and wonder what new word I would learn. I just heard Ann Curry mention pragmatic. That's new to me so I put it in my little word book that I have. As I surround myself around all of my books and writing utensils, I wonder what am I trying to prove to myself. I have a computer that I do not know how to use. I just remembered have to copy and paste, I still have to learn how to link my blog to others sites, I don't know how to tag and a host of other unmentionables,-and I want a laptop. Then I have the nerve to want a website. I have a fax machine that I don't know how to use. I can send faxes but I can't recieve them-and I have a destinctive ring. I have a copier but I don't know how to scan. I have a shredder that needs to be emptied. I even have a digital camera, but I neeed to find the cord so that I can charge it, and once that's done, I have to learn how to operate it. I guess I have everything that I need for now especially plenty of paper and pens. But most of all, I have my mind because that's about all that I need for now so that I can think of my next story.

My Book Review from April, 15, 2009

If you’ve ever been accused of imagining things you will relate to Old Man Farmer’s predicament. He has seen and heard his horse, Rusty, sing and dance. However he is the only one and Rusty will not perform on demand. Farmer Martha is concerned that Old Man Farmer is overworked and takes him to see the doctor. When the doctor prescribes rest Farmer Martha takes over the work on the farm and soon she is seeing things too. A call to the doctor brings an unwanted result. The doctor was furious because he was disturbed from his busy schedule. “One more prank like that and I will see to it that you will never care for this farm again.”
Will Old Man Farmer and Farmer Martha be able to straighten out this mess? Will they lose the farm? Can anyone help them out of this dilemma?

Boys and girls seem to love horses and will be attracted to this book as well. Children are sure to like the illustrations of the dancing horse.

Review
© 2009 Shari Lyle-Soffe

Another Tribute To Poetry Month

This is another one of my poems, in fact, it is my favorite.

Midnight Meadow

The meadow is so beautiful at midnight.
The flowers glow with a radiant color
And a smell that is extremely breath-taking.
So beautiful you can eat off the ground.
The path is green and smooth it feels so
Refreshing between my toes. It leads to
The water where the moonlight skims across
Leaving my reflection. The waves are shapely
Moving about so beautifully it is astounding.
Suddenly, I feel a breeze, what a pleasant
Atmosphere. I also feel releived, I must be healed.
I look ahead and reach out. I look back
There's nothing there for me. All I can
Say is goodbye and join hands with a smile.
There's another breeze, a cool crisp breeze
That lifts me over the shimmering waters
And takes me away at midnight through the meadows.

Copyright 2009 Jacqueline R. Butts

A Tribute To Poetry Month

Just acknowledging poetry month with one of my poems,

" The Weakest Link"

I am only one person. A person that has taken
On many roles. I feel as though I am the weakest link.
How can I manage. There is nothing feminine about me.
I am the despondent mother that clutches her bible.
I am the father without any masculinity.
I am a counselor without any guidance
A cook without any ingredients have I been disobedient
I am a maid without any strength and the offspring
Without the time to care, oh how I look on with such despair.
I feel as though I have experience in every field
But there is no recognition, benefits, or vacation.
Is it rewarding? I asked myself.
I stretch myself thin, I bend to the near end
As I end this day I kneel to pray and ask
Am I the weakest link?
"I don't think so" a voice says
"The weakest link is the link that doesn't
Ask for strength, guidance, knowledge,
courage, or patience."
I have great stength to carry on many roles.
Yes there are benefits, recognition, and even
A vacation one day.
But most of all, there is a reward
that only God knows about and
I will receive it one day.

Copyright 2009

A Total Embarrassment

I wrote my first book Rusty the Singing Horse some years ago. I admit that I am not the perfect writer, but I do have a very good imagination. When the time came for me to submit my manuscript, Last year. I was pretty confident because it had gone through about four different rounds of editing with various family and friends. Well, at the last phase of pre-publication,( if there is such a word) I inquired about the editing services. I was told that it was too late. "WHAT, TOO LATE!" Mind you, I know I inquired about the editing services in the beginning. So when the book came out, this past February,I had mixed and reserved feelings about it. I wasn't happy at all. All though I was proud to be a published author, I still wasn't impressed with my book because my intuition was telling me that something was wrong. I received 60 books with my book package and I gave them all away. Donating to various churches, after school programs,day cares, family and friends. I was even invited to read at a school and a daycare, but I still didn't feel right about my book,


my pride and joy. After I did all of my networking, I was told that I had errors in my book by a dear friend ( I appreciated that) and then it was insinuated and I was asked about the color of the characters in the book. ( I didn't like that) What difference does it make and further more; with that book I didn't think of color. So I became depressed for a month. 1. Because I had just sent those books off to people, prestigious people at that. What an idiot I was feeling. 2. I learned that most book buyers don't acknowledge self published books. 3. How can I find an editor. and 4. How can I get a book review. Well I finally found and editor from a well known publisher's website. I received her services and at no time at all I found out how many errors I had. I was EMBARRASSED. I might as well had written my book over. I was embarrassed and relieved at the same time. I immediately had those errors corrected (Like recently) and I am also making a change to one of the characters. After all of that turmoil, there was a silver lining in the sky. I received a very good book review and I added it to my back cover. All of my changes should be finished by the 3rd week in May, I hope. I am so glad that no one bought my book. For all of the people that I gave and donated books to, well, I have to go back and give them new copies. Despite all of that, I'm still on good terms with the publishing company, but I learned a valuable lesson. "GET AN EDITOR FIRST!"

Just Getting Started

Hello,
This is my very first time on Blogspot, and I am just feeling my way around. I guess I can start out by saying that Jackabee Books stand for the collection of books that I will have over time. I only have one book published now but in time that will change.