Meet the Writers Week 26 on Susie Clevenger

 Tell us about yourself:

I am a wife of forty one years to my amazing, loving husband, Charlie. I have two beautiful, brilliant daughters, Dawn and Carrie. I am an amateur photographer, lover of music, and have a passion for writing. As I have written in my blog profile I am much like the butterfly I love, going through a metamorphosis in my life, letting imagination guide me.

Tell me about your blog(s), name(s), what does it mean to you? 

I have two blogs.

My poetry blog is Confessions of a Laundry Goddess, http://confessionsofalaundrygoddess.blogspot.com/  

and Susie’s Sentences http://susiessentences.blogspot.com/ .

The two blogs have helped me find my purpose. I had struggled trying to define myself outside of marriage and children. I am a writer. No, I don’t have a book published, but I have discovered I have inside me much that wishes to be communicated through the written word. This discovery has blossomed into a passion to continue my journey of discovering who I am.

When have you started blogging?

I had made attempts at blogging over the past five years, but it was the end of 2009 that I became serious about it.

What's the theme(s) of your blog(s)? What do you write most? poetry, fiction or novel, or  short stories?

Laundry Goddess is my poetry blog. Poetry is my first love and what I write the most.

Susie’s Sentence’s is in many ways my online diary, a place for expression outside of poetry. I have been exploring fiction writing there. So far just very short pieces, but I think next year I will put more effort into exploring that side of writing.

What are the inspirations of your writing?

Goodness there are so many things that inspire me. It could be the sound of wind chimes outside my window, a word, music, life experiences or photographs. I find inspiration is everywhere. I just need to listen and look.

You are involved with Bluebell Books Short Story Slam writing challenge? How do you feel about it so far? What's the benefits of it?

I have really enjoyed being part of the writing challenges.

                                                                                                         

The prompts spur directions in poetry that hadn’t occurred to me. For example in October the photo prompt titled Sky Reading by a Chance of Sunshine had me writing a children’s poem I titled Where Fantasy Begins.

I hadn’t really approached a fun piece that could be something a child or adult might like. From that inspiration I later wrote Pillowkins, a poem birthed from an imaginary family I created as a child. My involvement in Bluebell books has me even looking at expanding my writing to a series of poems or stories based on Pillowkins.

Do you have a favorite blogging friend(s) to share? Tell us about his/her blog link and the writing in it!

I have so many wonderful blogging friends. They inspire me through their talent. I will share a couple of them. One is Kellie Elmore. Her blog is Magic in the Backyard. She is an excellent writer whose entire page is full of beauty. There is truly magic there in her amazing poetry and her encouragement to become the best you can be. Her Free Write Friday inspires me to take an inward look and share on a personal level.

The link to her page is magicinthebackyard.wordpress.com.

Another blogging friend is Hannah Katy. She has fueled a movement to share love through hand written love letters. She began by writing random notes of love and leaving them in a coffee shop, bus, wherever she felt someone could use some love. It grew into its own web site, The World Needs More Love Letters, where love’s mission is not only has a writer leaving a random note but letters written from requests sent in by people who have friends and family who desperately need encouragement and love. My own involvement in this cause has been life changing for me. My own love letter journey prompted by Hannah is on my Susie’s Sentences blog.

Hannah’s link is www.moreloveletters.com

Any tips for those who started blogging and wish to become successful in it.

If you want to be a blogger, just step out and do it. You know the things you are passionate about so write on them. It can be anything from poetry to social commentary. Just take a breath, write, and post it. You will find there are many who would love to know what you have to say. To be successful it takes commitment, make your blog a priority. You may struggle at times to find words, but every writer experiences that. Believe in yourself and keep a notepad close. You will find inspiration often comes when you are not near a computer.

What's your writing plans in the near future?

My immediate plan is to write and explore poetic forms I have never done and to finish a story I began titled Escape.

My future plans are to have my first poetry book published. I imagine it will be self published. I am looking through several avenues hoping to see my words in print some time next year.