Once upon a time long
ago, I began my writing life as a poet. Poetry is first and foremost a spoken
art form, it is meant to be heard as much as it is meant to be seen or read.
And so, as a poet, I did a lot of poetry readings.
I remember the earliest of them: I’d get up in front
of the crowd of three or four people (okay, sometimes the crowds were much
bigger, we’re talking large single digits) with a sheaf of poems clutched in my
sweaty hands and I’d say “Hi. I’m Ute Carbone. And I’m a poet.”
After a time, it struck me that my introduction
sounded a lot like something someone might say at an AA meeting (only with
fewer participants). I could envision the scene:
I stand up “Hi.
I’m Ute. I’m a—Poet.”
“Hi Ute,” chant
the participants in unison.
“It’s been three
days and four hours since I wrote my last poem.”
Everyone claps.
It turns out that
poetry is a gateway obsession. I went from writing poems to writing short
stories to (and here I’ll hang my head and whisper) writing novels.
I’m
obsessed with novels, I admit it. I have untold number of words written in
journals, some of which will never see the light. I spend my days talking to
and about people that don’t really exist.
Yet something
marvelous has come of this. Some of those words took root. Books, honest to
goodness books, actually got written. And some of those books actually got or
are getting published.
And
now, I find I’m introducing myself to the readers here at the Writer’s
Vineyard, my sweaty fingers prodding the
laptop keys: Hi. I’m Ute. I’m a novelist.
It’s been four hours and three minutes since I wrote my last scene.
Seems I’ve come full
circle.
Ute
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My Novel, The P-Town Queen is coming to Champagne Books on June 4 |
6 comments:
Love your sense of humor. Can't tell you how many times those words have worked their way into a conversation. Example:
At a hospice symposium class, we were to turn to the person next to us and say our names and something unique about ourselvves. I must have hit the coffee too hard. I said, "Hi, I'm Julie. I'm adopted; I come with a disclaimer."
And that serendipitously placed person replied: "I'm Sally, and I can't have children."
Ute, I always liked your "plum in my heart" comments.
I too was a teenage poet. It always seems to begin with a need to express oneself and leads to a love of the words.
Welcome aboard!
Best, January
Hi Ute,
I'm Ronnie and I'm a novelist, too. It's been two hours since I last wrote.
A fun blog and I do envy you being a poet first. I can enjoy poetry, but am illiterate when it comes to attempts at writing it.
Funny post. Welcome aboard. You're going to luv the team and all our visitors & followers.
Michael Davis (Davisstories.com)
Author of the Year (2008 and 2009)
Award of Excellence (2011)
Hi, I'm Jude and I'm a storyteller...which in some cultures would put me into the Pathological Liars Club. ;-)
Thanks for the smiles this morning, Ute!
"I was a Teenage Poet" brought an image of Michael Landon wearing an incredible expression of angst. LOL
Well done!
~Jude
http://jude-johnson.com
Love your introduction, Ute - and I heard an agent recently say that poets make the best novelists!
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