by Lisa A Kramer

Reintroduction

Welcome to my newly redesigned website! Whether you are new here or have been following me for a while, please consider signing up for my mailing list (located on the side bar) as transitioning from one platform to another made me lose a few things. It's totally my fault because sometimes technology makes me want to pound my head into my desk or send my computer flying. But that's not important now. 

Letting Go

Welcome to a new beginning, where I let go of 13 years of old blogs, to focus on what I am becoming, rather than what I was. Of course, I've saved some of them. I've kept my favorite or most popular posts. I've kept all of the posts by other authors in serious like #Celebrating our Unique Powers, and posts that focus on #Creativity, #Writing, #ArtsAndSocialJustice. I am letting go of the rants, many political posts, and some other random pieces. I am proud of all I have written, but I realize that looking forward, writing forward, and creating forward is what I choose to focus on.

Letting go is freeing somehow. As I sort through old posts, I discover things that have shifted, and questions that have changed. I recognized  areas of passion that grew stronger over the years. I said farewell to those that no longer serve me. I feel ready, now to conquer new projects, build new connections, discover new collaborations, and write new books.

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by Lisa A Kramer

I think I first met Kate at 4am. Literally. I was wandering through a period of insomnia while I struggled to figure out how writing, creativity, and dreams could fit into my life when I finally gave up and sought solace in the world of blogs. That's when I found my way to 4amWriter. I found in Kate a soul sister of words--someone on her own journey to fitting the dreams of her childhood into a life that doesn't always honor or respect those dreams. She offers simple words of wisdom and guidance for anyone who ever doubts they can be (and are) a writer, but she also shares the powerful gift of language and storytelling that joins us all...

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by Lisa A Kramer

It has been a while since we have celebrated anyone's unique powers, but I am thrilled to be able to celebrate Helena Hann-Basquiat, the voice behind Memoirs of a Dilettante, Volumes I & II, plus the fabulous Shakespeare-esque play Penelope, and the chilling Jessica (all links can be found below). I can't wait to read her next book, Singularity.  More important than her amazing talent, though, is that this person has slowly become my friend. She is raw, honest and supportive. She shares insight, reads drafts, and, more lends a sympathetic ear in times of trouble. I loved receiving  this piece, where she dips into her 12-year-old self for all to enjoy.

***

What I did on my Summer Vacation (by Helena Hann-Basquiat,...

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by Lisa A Kramer

I am excited to have another Celebrating Our Unique Powers post today, especially since my power over words seems to have utterly failed me this week. I have many things started (posts, short stories, novels, poems) but can't seem to get anywhere with them. As I mentioned in a post last week, perhaps this is my time to lie fallow. But that doesn't mean I can't celebrate the rich words and amazing revelations of fellow writers. Lisa Listwa is a recent addition to my blogging family, brought to me--of course--by the incredible powers of Lizzi Rogers the People Gatherer. But, Lisa is also one I believe I was destined to meet. The tag line for her blog The Meaning of Me...

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by Lisa A Kramer

A thirty-something man stands on empty stage, a stack of rehearsal boxes next to him. His hair is pulled back in a ponytail and he wears sandals oh his feet despite the frigid temperatures and piles of snow that surround us.

"Yay America!" He says with enthusiasm, as he begins his performance, and then he takes us through his journey from enthusiastic young soldier to sniper who has pulled the trigger one too many times.

"Yay, humanity," he says at the end, his voice coated in tears.

I cannot hide my own tears, nor can several of the other students.

It is beautiful, it is powerful, it is healing.

You might have noticed that, since I started this series, I haven't really written about my...

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by Lisa A Kramer

I was so excited when Lizzi agreed to contribute to Celebrating Our Unique Powers. I only met her recently, but our paths crossed on many virtual planes: she became a member of a Facebook group that contains incredible women and writers; she was one of the founders of the #1000Speak movement which spread compassion around the world; she introduced me to the power and possibility of Spoken Word on the internet (and doesn't know that I am working on a piece that I will eventually get the courage to share). She has a magic over words that I envy--the ability to tug at emotions and share with raw honesty even her most painful realities. In a very short time, I...

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by Lisa A Kramer

I would be lying if I said that everything is a breeze once the book has actually been published. It's more like a roller coaster, with very steep peaks that take forever to climb and fast-paced drops into lows so long you feel trapped forever.

Perhaps, I suppose, if you are with a top 5 publisher who pours publicity power into your book, it might feel more like the journey of a rocket. But, if you are published through a small house, have to do most of your own publicity work, don't have a huge budget and are also juggling things like jobs, family, life . . . it can feel a little bit more like climbing Mount Everest with words.

And...

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by Lisa A Kramer

I met playwright  and fiction writer, Marcia Cebulska during my one year living in Kansas and working with the Inge Theatre Festival, and she is one of the high points of that year. Along with several other women and some wonderful creative opportunities, I learned the power of collaboration, community, and compassion. (Click on the above links to learn about one of those wonderful experiences). I reached out to see if she would contribute to this series, because I knew she would have a wonderful story to share, and would understand that unique abilities come in all shapes and surprises. I am delighted with her celebration of the Nuns who helped Marcia become the amazing inspiration that she is. To...

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by Lisa A Kramer

I only met Mandy when she contacted me about contributing to this series, but as soon as I read her post I knew she had to be part of this. The more I work with people who have disabilities of any sort, the more I see them as truly powerful and courageous people. As I wandered over to her blog Aphrodite Blossoming, I discovered a woman who is truly living life on her own terms--a phrase that has become my own personal motto in life. While her choices may not work for everyone, I admire her strength of conviction and wonderful attitude. I only hope I can learn to embrace that motto as bravely and confidently as Mandy--and discover my...

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by Lisa A Kramer

I only really got to know Beth Teliho recently, through a Facebook group, but I have been following her blog for a while now. I have discovered in her another "kindred spirit"--a woman who loves words, writes beautifully, and yet has many of the same doubts and fears that I face on a daily basis. I look forward to reading her upcoming book, but also getting to know her more as our friendship grows. I can't tell you how much this post made me smile, because she "kicks ass" in more ways than one. (Please not that this post has a little language). "Beth is a day-dreaming introvert, writer, artist and recovering crazy cat lady who probably doesn’t day drink at...

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by Lisa A Kramer

"Self-described shenaniganist and unabashed romantic Cameron D. Garriepy wrote her first romance novel on an antique typewriter, using a stack of pink paper. Detours between that draft and her publishing goals have included a BA in Music, a professional culinary education, and twelve years in the child-wrangling industry.

Cameron writes from the Metro Boston area, where she lives with her husband, son, and a poorly behaved pug. Her latest novel, Damselfly Inn, will be released April 13, 2015 by Bannerwing Books.

http://camerondgarriepy.com

http://amazon.com/author/camerondgarriepy

http://facebook.com/camerondgarriepy

http://twitter.com/camerongarriepy"

I met Cameron when the fabulous and talented Andra Watkins came to do a book tour for To Live Forever. Cameron and I wandered around the book store where Andra was doing a presentation and signing, blatantly clutching copies of the book...

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by Lisa A Kramer

I am not sure which of his posts brought me into the world of Mark Pakaluk (aka The Idiot) on his now defunct blog "The Idiot Speaketh" but however I got there, it introduced me to a wonderful person. You might credit Mark with my continued presence in the blogosphere. When I first started out, I didn't understand that blogging is about building community: reading, commenting, reacting, responding. Mark showed me how as he interacted with humor and kindness to every comment made on his blog. He and I became friends, often having conversations on Facebook. With Mark I  met, battled, and ultimately ignored my first internet troll. I wrote my first guest post for him. He became friends with...

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by Lisa A Kramer

I first "met" Angela Amman through her short story found in Echoes in Darkness. I then wandered through her romantic side in  Atlantic to Pacific: Two Christmas Stories. She is one of those eloquent, poetic writers that packs intense emotion and powerful stories in short, wonderful packages. She is also a powerhouse in the world of writing: co-producer/co-director of  Listen to Your Mother, Metro-Detroit; managing editor of Bannerwing Books; and owner/writer at AngelaAmman.com. I am truly honored that she wanted to contribute to the celebration of unique powers. Please enjoy the first (of many, I hope) lovely contribution to this series. ***

Calming Colors and Cotton Swabs My friend and I rode our bikes to the drugstore around the corner from her house,...

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by Lisa A Kramer

  " The book teaches that all women have unique gifts, things we often ignore by listening to criticism, by heeding our own flagging confidence, and by giving up too soon."  --Andra Watkins, Review of P.O.W.ER

From Sarah's copy of my book. I signed hers on her dedication page.

Sarah takes after me.

Physically she is the perfect blend of the two of us, but fortunately she seems to have gotten Nathan's metabolism and will probably surpass me in height.

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But emotionally . . . well that's all me. The good and the bad. The stubborn and the creative. The passionate and the caring.

Sarah sees all. She knows when I am being hard on myself, doubting myself, putting myself...

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