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| Brilliant Sea view in Kalamata |
My big, gorgeous, lonely, Greek House may not be getting a lot of physical attention these days, but it has been getting a lot of virtual attention! Through this blog!
Twenty-two posts with over 10 thousand views, which may not seem like a lot in the blogosphere, but certainly more than I would have ever wagered. Plus, the ultimate compliment... a request to do a public reading! Wow.
This upcoming momentous event will be held in a chic Montreal boutique bookstore and I am flattered to learn that I am slotted in with two seasoned travel bloggers. I thought perhaps if you were to categorize this blog maybe real estate or even memoir. Hmm, travel blog...why not?!
A little bit shocking, really, to be asked because as a very close friend said to me, "why would they ask you? You're not a published author." Well, he is right and his comment practically took the bloom off the rose, but he is unaware of the social reach of blogging and just between you and me he doesn't fit the right demo anyway, lol.
The organizers have requested that I read excerpts from four blog posts and one from a new one that has yet to be posted.
They've given me their four selections:
"My Greece is the Taygetos Mountains"
"Where's the Street Wise Hercules to Fight the Rising Odds"
"The Reluctant Employer Part 2" and
"Perfect Imperfections"
Funny that they chose these posts because they actually are some of the more popular reads! They range between 225-475 views. I'm glad they selected for me though, because it would truly be a difficult task. Every word, sentence and paragraph resonates deeply with me and it would be like picking a favourite child. Oh, please tell me which posts you like best.
Now the fifth selection poses a problem. I have six posts in draft mode and I'm not sure which to put a finish on. To be honest...I've kinda lost my muse. My brain is scattered with too many incomplete thoughts and feelings and emotions.
You see, it wasn't long ago that I wrote about how my Greek House wasn't touched by the pressure of the country's or even the world's economics and politics, but I was naïve. I had pulled together a dream team of builders which resurrected it from its questionable start and had wrapped their collective arms around it, to shield it from unsavory characters and nurture it from its past neglect.
But all that flurry of activity around my house has come to a grinding halt due to tumultuous circumstances beyond my control and it has weighed heavily on my chest. And once again, it has been sadly neglected and with its faulty window installation has become damp and cold.But I remain passionate, warm and enthusiast and perhaps this opportunity to present this personal journey live, is what I need to encourage my muse to reawaken. And to tell a personal story that readers can relate to, is what a writer, any writer, published or otherwise, strive for! I'm beyond flattered!
I guess that when you share some of your own pain, difficulties, and setbacks, and then show how you recovered or learned a valuable lesson, you become more real and human to your readers and allow them to see the person behind the computer.
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| leaky window |
Which brings me back to finishing one of the six posts that await in the drafts file. I could do a part 2 to an existing post or better yet, a Directors Cut! Actually, in my wildest of thoughts, I dream that this blog gets optioned for a movie like Julie and Julia. LMAO! Hey, like the immortal Maya Angelou said, "If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities."
Well right now my reality is a bit like fantasy. I feel little like Carrie Bradshaw, from Sex and the City, when her new book just gets released and you see her reading from it at a book launch in NYC. Ok, a bit of a stretch...its not a book and its not NYC...yet ;)
