Saturday 1 April 2017

It's time for cyclones in Queensland, the A - Z Challenge...and...Write...Edit...Publish challenge!

It's April!

Not the time I should be sitting out the tail end of a cyclone (hurricane, typhoon, whatever name you call it). They used to hit in Queensland at Christmas, but now with the changing climate and our summers dragging on for six hot months instead of three, they can hit for a much longer time. So I'm listening to rain and wind and watching things flap around. The schools are closed, the shops closed at midday and some towns have been evacuated. The worst is supposed to be over by midnight tonight, so only 9 hours to go, LOL. Much of the Queensland coast has been damaged badly, but as always, we're resilient--have to be. The clean up has already begun north of me in the hardest-hit areas and the good news is that as far as is known, nobody has been seriously hurt. (UPDATE: one woman has drowned...)




Time for a different kind of fast and furious if you're doing the A-Z...planning themes, planning posts, posting posts and the furious round of commenting.

All a bit much for me, I'm afraid. But I applaud you for your diligence and I know you just love it! I participated in the early days, but now I spend April working on my writing projects. I've put up a whiteboard in my writing room to keep track.



Many of you who participate in Write...Edit...Publish (WEP) flash fiction, non-fiction, poetry, photography challenges are also doing the A - Z and this year have asked specifically to do a "P" post on April 19, "P" day for the A - Z. So we've listened.

In my sidebar you'll see today is the day to sign up for the WEP challenge, whether or not you're in the A - Z. April is also Poetry Month, so we've chosen a poem called PEACE and LOVE for our inspiration, paying particular attention to the lines: "Despair and hope may meet within one heart."

And we offer a $10 Amazon gift card to the entry that catches our eye:



I know most of you will have your A - Z posts pre-scheduled, but if you can find a way to link it to the WEP, go right ahead. If you'd like me to visit you during the month, in the comments tell me your theme and I'll do my best to pop over.

WEP APRIL CHALLENGE - "Despair and Hope May Meet Within One Heart."


Thank you for coming by.

I wish you a fruitful April--meet and follow new bloggers, learn stuff, but don't exhaust yourself too much.

Another exciting happening is the We are the World blogfest where bloggers are taking over social media with positive posts. I found a sign up list HERE at Writer in Transit, Michelle's blog. Her first post is HERE.



34 comments:

Yolanda Renée said...

So glad to hear that you and your family are safe. Wow, what a busy month. I am still doing the tour, and now I'm working to get my three books re-edited and ready for self-publication while getting a new book done too, oh and the A to Z and the WEP. Not to mention the house. But hey, if I'm busy, there's no time to feel sorry for myself. :) All is good!

D.G. Hudson said...

I know about tornadoes from my childhood in Georgia. Hope you stay safe, and hunker down so the wind can't blow you off to OZ (wait that's what they call Australia, isn't it?) I'm not doing the A to Z, but will be trying the WEP challenge.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Denise - been thinking about you, but realised you were a little further south ... still wet and windy no doubt! ... but not in the 'eye of the storm' thankfully. Signed up for April ... wrote my post before the poem cometh forth to inspire ... A-Zing... so I shan't stretch myself to change it up .. it is short!! Glad all's well ... take care and see you around soon - and thanks for the comment re Aurochs ... cheers

A - Z Challenge 2017 post today is

Aurochs

Denise Covey said...

Hi Hilary. The cyclone did end up hitting us instead of the far north. No matter how much we tried to explain, there's no suggestion you write poetry or post about poetry--it's just where we got our inspiration seeing it's poetry month--that's official--Poetry Month, not from WEP. Ah well, we'll see how it goes!

Cheers back at you!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hurricanes are never fun. Hopefully by this time it's over and you received no damage. Our usually happen late summer, early fall.
Will mention WEP next Wednesday for you.

Unknown said...

I'm sorry about the typhoon. I hope no one else dies. I did the A-Z Challenge once and that was enough! Like you, I'm using April to focus on getting writing/editing accomplished. Good luck getting plenty of participants for WEP!!

Pat Hatt said...

Blah, hate when those suckers hit. Hopefully your place it doesn't embrace, or at least break anything.

WEP will sure be done while the cat does the a to z run

cleemckenzie said...

I'm on the sidelines as well. Hope you get a lot of writing done this month and I hope the typhoon slacks off soon.

Debbie D. said...

I hope you and your family have weathered the storm in good shape. Must be unnerving! Thanks for visiting me on day 1 of the A to Z Challenge, even though you're not participating. Happy writing! Unfortunately, my 'P' post isn't very peaceful or loving, but hope you get a good turnout for the WEP blogfest.
Debbie @ THE DOGLADY'S DEN
Latest post: Azzurro: Going AWOL in Switzerland

Jo said...

Cyclones are not funny - I have lived through quite a few of them in North Carolina - sorry to hear there was a death.

Michelle Wallace said...

Denise, I hope you're okay!
This end of the globe, we've been fortunate enough not to experience full-blown cyclones/hurricanes/tornadoes etcetera. But with the erratic global weather, anything is possible.
I see my name up on that whiteboard...means I owe you an email.

Olga Godim said...

Impressive photograph: palms in the wind. Scary too to live through. I hope you and yours are safe. I have never experienced a cyclone, or any natural disaster, but I talked to the people who have. It leaves a mark for life. Be safe, Denise.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks, Olga. We're all fine. Just cleaning up now. I've been through enough cyclones to treat them with respect.

Denise Covey said...

My story is winging its way to you today with your permission, my clever friend!

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Jo. Hopefully, there'll be no more.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Debbie. Well, you've had a cyclone named after you! I understand re the WEP this time. Enjoy the A-Z!

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Lee. You too!

Denise Covey said...

Only lost a tile chip, Pat, so we were lucky! Didn't lose power either, unlike thousands of others. Glad you're in WEP this month too!

Denise Covey said...

Here's to lots of writing and editing in April. I call it my AprNoWriMo.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Alex. In all the excitement I forgot to ask!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I hope everything is okay after the storm. We've certainly been through enough of them and last October was one of the worst.

Denise Covey said...

Clean up time. These storms are just so destructive. But at least it's cooled the weather down.

Nas said...

Hi Denise,

I do hope your side was spared the wrath of the cyclone. I watched on TV, it looked scary.

Denise Covey said...

It was rather, Nas, but we survived. Sadly, others didn't.

Tasha Duncan-Drake said...

Thank you so much for your visit to my blog :). Good luck with all your writing projects.
Tasha
Tasha's Thinkings - Shapeshifters and Werewolves

H. R. Sinclair said...

Cyclones, tornado, swirly air things scare me. I hope everything pass over smoothly with no more bad stuff happening.

On a different note: I love the whiteboard! Best of luck getting it all done. :)

Michelle Wallace said...

I forgot to thank you for promoting and linking to the We Are The World Blogfest!
You're a STAR!!!

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Glad you're safe and so sorry for the lady who drowned.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Sheena-kay. Many more have drowned since.

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Holly. I love the whiteboard too. I'm motoring along,,,

Denise Covey said...

Thanks Tasha.

Denise Covey said...

We know what busy is, don't we Yolanda?

Denise Covey said...

I think Georgia shares many similarities with Queensland--hot, humid, cyclonic. What fun.
Glad you're in the WEP.

Denise Covey said...

My pleasure, Michy!