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The PoArtMo Anthology (Youth Edition) Series: Celebrating Inspiration with Morgan Gustafson & Dia Nigam

On February 27, 2023

Hello everyone!

Welcome to our PoArtMo Anthology (Youth Edition) Series, which celebrates the talented young creatives featured in The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition (Volume 2).

Today, Morgan Gustafson and Dia Nigam are telling us what inspired the pieces they sent us.

Morgan Gustafson

Morgan Gustafson (Sarasota, U.S.) loves reading and sewing costumes. They also paint and write. They want to study psychology to understand how the brain works. “My role model is Gerard Way. I love the way he plays with gender and the message he infuses into his music. I find it really inspiring that they always stress the importance of it being okay to not be okay. As a person who struggles with mental health issues, it feels amazing to hear my feelings expresses through song.”

Morgan sent us the story titled The Story of a Lifetime:

When I was looking for competitions to submit to I found the PoArtMo anthology and a flash of creativity immediately came to me. The idea of writing a short story based around the entire life of a person summed up in less than 2,000 words was a challenge that I accepted with vigor.

I came up with the basic idea of a person so in love with another that they wanted to make the world better for all. This central basic plot line really helped shape the work into a short story of a gentle man spreading and receiving love. I was enamored with the idea of creating a story that could pick others up when they are feeling down as that’s what the best kind of literature does.

Dia Nigam

Dia Nigam (Lucknow, India) enjoys singing, writing, dancing. She wants to be a responsible global citizen. “My role models are my parents because they have taught me everything.”

Diam sent us the poem titled That Mystifying Face:

Have you ever wondered about the special bond between sisters? Or have you ever had a huge fight with your sister? Pretty obvious isn’t it?

“A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves — a special kind of double.”— Toni Morrison

Who doesn’t love their sisters?

Yeah I do fight with my sister a lot, like in a day, I fight with her for 24 hours… But who says I won’t kill for her? I mean we’re still sisters, I’d do anything for her. And then there are those times when you don’t want your sisters to see or read something and you keep it hidden somewhere…and as expected obviously, they are going to search for that thing everywhere until they find it and leave a mark on it to let you know that they did what you told them not to. That’s just normal sister behavior.

You feeling me?

That is what inspired me to write this poem.

Morgan and Dia, thank you for sharing what inspired your pieces. We know that people will love your work as much as we do!

The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition (Volume 2) will be released on March 23, 2023. In the meantime, you can pre-order your copy for 50% off the regular price. Offer ends on March 23, 2023.

The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition (Volume 2)

Cendrine & David

Please note that Auroras & Blossoms only releases digital copies (ebooks) of its anthologies. This allows us to keep our costs and book prices low, and avoid charging young participants for submitting to us.

The PoArtMo Anthology (Youth Edition) Series: Celebrating Inspiration with Abigail Kim & Tatum Zola

By Auroras & Blossoms

On February 20, 2023

In Inspirational Artist Series

Hello everyone!

Welcome to our PoArtMo Anthology (Youth Edition) Series, which celebrates the talented young creatives featured in The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition (Volume 2).

Today, Abigail Kim and Tatum Zola are telling us what inspired the pieces they sent us.

Abigail Kim

Abigail Kim (U.S.) enjoys gymnastics and sewing, and would like to become a teacher. Her role model is Simone Biles.

Abigail sent us the story titled See You Next Saturday!:

“See You Next Saturday!” is inspired by my experience of how I reacted to meeting autistic students as a young kid. As I started to write, I felt surrounded by shame and guilt about how I had initially looked down on the students, treating them like they were “different”. I had never interacted with autistic students so I didn’t know how to be flexible and respectful around them.

I thought that sharing my story would help prevent others from making the same mistakes and judgments as I did. I hoped that the reader would understand and be aware that these students weren’t any different from the rest of us. Maybe they communicate in unique ways and act uncommonly, but they are still human like all of us!

Through this story, I tried to demonstrate that these students and I were able to sing, laugh, and enjoy music like any other human. I hoped for the reader to be inspired to free themselves from the lenses of judgment, and instead start seeking the great qualities that people have. I know that in this story, it was difficult for me to throw away these lenses of judgment. However, it wasn’t too challenging to find the wonderful qualities in these students when a student yelled to me, “See you next Saturday!”

Tatum Zola

Tatum Zola (Eugene, U.S.) enjoys writing, drawing, and creating, and would like to become a writer. “My role model is Khaled Hosseini. Reading his books The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns moved me and made me begin to wonder if I could create art like that.”

Tatum sent us the poem titled Morse Code:

“Morse code”, in a nutshell, is a representation of a teenage girl; her thoughts, feelings, and how the world perceives her. Oftentimes, people struggle with feeling reserved and quiet, particularly in group settings. Refraining from speaking up can be an adaptive way to avoid the risks of embarrassment, rejection or ostracism, even if it comes at the cost of someone’s own self expression. This poem was meant to connect the experience of social anxiety to the literal concept of Morse code; a language that, like the inner experience of worry, is often silent. Each stanza is broken up by the line ‘dot’ or ‘dash’, and when connected these letters spell out ‘silent’.

Learning to cope with social anxiety is a struggle for many adolescents. I’ve found that creating works of literature to express my own worries has helped me come to terms with the daily occurrences I once feared. Because of this, I ended my poem on a hopeful note, with a recognizable journey from a place of self-deprecation, to self-acceptance. While the road is long, and gaining back the confidence that can accompany pre-adolescent childhood innocence is no easy feat, this poem serves as a call to take the first step.

Abigail and Tatum, thank you for sharing what inspired your pieces. We know that people will love your work as much as we do!

The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition (Volume 2)

Cendrine & David

“The PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition (Volume 2)” Is Almost Here!

By Cendrine Marrouat

On February 13, 2023

In Announcements

Hello everyone!

The second volume of our annual PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition is almost here. And it is even better than last year!

The PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition is a yearly publication that celebrates inspirational / uplifting young writers from around the world. Participants are between 13 and 16 years old.

Volume 2 will feature contributions from 24 creatives. Their names are included below:

Poetry:

Shailey Bellamkonda, Ella Blakely, Aakriti Garg, Angie Greene, Lauren Hacke, Grace Haller, Vivian Huang, Emily Jarecke, Tanvi Jeph, Anna Kuang, Vera Lin, Makili Matty, Paavni Mehrotra, Arden Nasveschuk, Dia Nigam, Saara Parijaat, Anika Raffle, Angel Tang, Cate Traywick, Cindy Wang, Tatum Zola.

Stories:

Eve Ballard, Morgan Gustafson, Abigail Kim

‘PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition (Volume 2)’: Cover Reveal!

As you can see, this year’s cover follows the same theme as the one we used for volume 1. We wanted something that says ‘young’, ‘inspired’, ‘creative’, and ‘inspiring’ at the same time.

‘The PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition (Volume 1)’ — Release date: December 23, 2021

What’s next for the PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition (Volume 2)?

We are almost done with formatting and editing. The manuscript should be ready to be uploaded to Draft2Digital for distribution very soon! If everything goes well, we will be able to announce a release date within the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, keep an eye on the blog, as we have a mini-series coming up. Several contributors to volume 2 will share what inspired the entries they submitted to us. All we can say is this: You should be impressed!

Last But Not Least…

Before we go, we would like to remind you that Auroras & Blossoms only releases digital copies (ebooks) of its anthologies. This allows us to keep our costs and book prices low, and avoid charging young participants for submitting to us.

Thank you for reading! See you very soon for more news.

Contributors Pick Their Favorite Pieces from ‘The PoArtMo Anthology: Volume 3’ (4)

By Auroras & Blossoms

On September 14, 2022

In Announcements

Hello everyone!

Welcome to our mini-series, in which contributors to The PoArtMo Anthology: Volume 3 tell us about their favorite pieces from the book.

Today, we focus on Cendrine Marrouat’s picks.

Cendrine’s Favorite Picks from Other Contributors

“Sleep” (Azelle Elric)

I have been a fan of Azelle’s work for many years. Looking at her drawings always puts me in a good mood.

“Sleep” was a ‘love at first sight’ kind of experience for me. Its ethereal, dream-like quality reminds me of my favorite painting by Eugène Carrière — one of the most unique French artists of the 19th century.

If there is one drawing Azelle should be remembered for, it is this one. I consider it a masterpiece.

“Drive-Thru Dog” (Meaghan Beatty)

“Drive-Thru Dog” was the first entry I read from Meaghan. I was hooked from the first line.

There is a lot to like about this story, but my favorite elements are its simplicity and minimalism. No long-winded descriptions, just a short series of moments leading to the happy conclusion.

“Drive-Thru Dog” would make a great prologue to a novel.

Cendrine’s Backstory about Her Own Favorite Contribution: “Pareiku: Here and There”

I am one of the slowest writers on the face of the earth. It usually takes me an inordinate amount of time to pen a poem. Once in a while though, something clicks in my brain. The words align on the page without any effort on my part.

“Here and There” wrote itself in a unique way. The second line came first, followed by the first line. I only picked the two images when it was time to work on the last part. I never get tired of reading it!

For those who don’t know what the Pareiku is, here is more information here.

About Cendrine Marrouat

Cendrine Marrouat is a poet, photographer, fiction writer, podcaster, and the co-founder of Auroras & Blossoms and PoArtMo. She has authored and co-authored more than 40 books, including Tree Reflections (2022), In Her Own Words: A Collection of Short Stories & Flashku (2022), After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine (2021), and Songs in Our Paths: Haiku & Photography (2020–2021).

She is the creator of the Sixku, Flashku, Sepigram, and Reminigram; as well as the co-creator of the Kindku, Pareiku, Vardhaku, and Hemingku.

Website: https://creativeramblings.com

About “The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Volume 3”

The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Volume 3 features the positive and uplifting works of four artists — Azelle Elric (drawings), Meaghan Beatty (essays), Cendrine Marrouat (poetry), and David Ellis (poetry).

The anthology is available for pre-orders everywhere ebooks are sold (except for Amazon). We are running a special until August 30, 2022 — 50% off!

NB: When you purchase a copy of the anthology, you will not just support Auroras & Blossoms. Every contributor will also be remunerated in the form of royalty payment.

Click HERE to purchase a copy.

Contributors Pick Their Favorite Pieces from ‘The PoArtMo Anthology: Volume 3’ (3)

By Auroras & Blossoms

On September 7, 2022

In Announcements

Hello everybody!

Welcome to our mini-series, in which contributors to The PoArtMo Anthology: Volume 3 tell us about their favorite pieces from the book.

Today, we focus on my own picks from the anthology.

David’s Favorite Picks from Other Contributors

“Coffee & Baseball” (Meaghan Beatty)

I chose this particular piece of Meaghan’s because of the resonance that it has within me. My father had Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease towards the end of his life, coupled with his other disabilities of blindness, partial deafness and mobility issues, which made things very difficult for him on a daily basis when he was diagnosed a few years ago. He finally passed away midway through last year.

When reading Meghan’s story, it evoked memories and feelings about my father in natural ways that allowed me to reminisce of the good old times that we shared together, be it through good food/drink, fondness of music (which would always elevate his mode significantly) and thoughtful conversation with each other. It also helped remind me that there are other people who have had similar experiences and that we are not alone in having to deal with family trauma or having loved ones succumb to the ravages of diseases.

Coffee & Baseball is a sweet, heart-warming tale about making the most of what you have got with the time you have left. It is beautifully poignant, sincere, evocative and very well written.

Sepigram: “From the Sea” (Cendrine Marrouat)

The sepigram is a very unique poetry form invented by Cendrine. In her poem “From the Sea”, she shows how deftly the rhythmic flow of the form can be used to create a passionate piece that visually builds in lyrical intensity to complement the nature of the words themselves.

This poem speaks volumes to me, I can imagine it being sung out loud, each refrain more powerful than the last. There is exuberance, sensual wisdom, explosions of fizzy textures, bold, illustrious magnificence that truly is as captivating as the very sea itself.

Definitely a piece to savour multiple times, it gets better with each passing, another impressive poetic gem that sits like one of the biggest jewels in the crown of this collection.

David’s Backstory about His Own Favorite Contribution: Kindku: “Wonderfully Wild Renewal”

I have several pieces in the anthology but this is the one that really jumps out to me for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it utilises the Kindku form that Cendrine & I co-invented. You can find out more about our forms here.

Secondly, I wanted to imbue this piece as a celebration of giddy summer warmth, joy, happiness and freedom or liberation from the stresses of our everyday lives.

Its message is simple in nature and stature but one that we should be constantly mindful of, if we are to maintain our own healthy sense of wellbeing.

About David Ellis

David Ellis lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent in the UK. He is an award-winning poet, author of poetry, marketing workbooks/journals, humorous fiction and music lyrics. He is also the co-founder of Auroras & Blossoms, and the co-creator of PoArtMo (Positive Actions Rally Thoughts & Momentum) and the Kindku.

David’s debut poetry collection (Life, Sex & Death) won an International Award in the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards 2016 for Inspirational Poetry books.

David is extremely fond of tea, classic and contemporary poetry, cats, and dogs but not snakes. Indiana Jones is his spirit animal.

Website: https://toofulltowrite.com

About “The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Volume 3”

The anthology is available for pre-orders everywhere ebooks are sold (except for Amazon). We are running a special until August 30, 2022 — 50% off!

NB: When you purchase a copy of the anthology, you will not just support Auroras & Blossoms. Every contributor will also be remunerated in the form of royalty payment.

Click HERE to purchase a copy.