Ulog #1 - A Piece Of Me

Hi, Steemheads. This is my first #ulog post. Like y’all know, Ulog is all about you, me and the things we do. I wanted to do something different but I figured I should start my first post with something I love doing. If you know me, then you already know what the topic will be. Well, it’s books, stories, literary works and everything in-between. Literature. That’s right. I started reading when I was thirteen. I mean, besides school books and all. I remember a friend came to school with a novel. I borrowed it from her and that was how I discovered my love for literature. The name was The Bride In Blue by Miranda Lee. I will never forget it. Since then, the rest is history. You love books too? Stay with me.

Few days ago, I made a post about some written works I forgot about till I started going through my old stuff. I mentioned that I write with pen on paper first before I type. That was when @vermillionfox asked me a question. She asked if I’ve thought about sharing an image of my journal on here. I figured why not? So, I’m going to flash a page . Take a peak. Careful though, it’s quite messy. I write anywhere and everywhere including the margins.

---

---

Those words written on the page was a story I was working on sometime ago. I spent three days on it. The first two days, I used to write the first draft which I sent to a writer and editor friend of mine. She made me start from the beginning after reading it. I hated her for it. In fact, I wanted to murder her (relax, pun here) LOL. I used the third day to rewrite and send back to her. She then gave me a pass and we worked on the basics and editing. I was glad because a day after sending it to Kalahari Review for publication, I received an email from them saying they found the story worthy. If you know Kalahari, then you know they are very picky. I was ecstatic.

Here is an excerpt from the story:

Indulgence, a tiny town West of Pennsylvania, was quiet in autumn. With the children back in school after summer holidays and the adults minding their businesses, a first time visitor would miscalculate the population to be below a thousand, and the town as unfriendly.

The quietude was present at The Gift Flower Shop which stood at the end of Joseph Maitawa lane. The shop was flanked on both sides by double glass doors which served as both protection and for the display of flowers lined up against the doors, leaving just enough space for customers to pass through.

Walking first to the flower shop, then to the cemetery every Saturday morning had become a habit, one borne out of love. The fifteen minute walk was now a part of me and had become a duty to my eight year old daughter.

Click here for the full story.

---

Now, to what I do when I’m not writing. The answer is reading of course. Have you ever smelled a book before? I mean, when you buy a new book, do you smell the pages? If yes, how does it make you feel? The first thing I do when I pick up a new book is this; I slowly turn the pages, then I read the first sentence of the first chapter. After that, I turn the pages again, quickly this time, like you do when you are trying to shake out money or something. Then I open it, bury my nose inside and inhale deeply. All these I do before I start reading. You can relate? Welcome to the bookworm and nerd club. You can’t? I can categorically tell you that you are missing. Smell a book today, come back and tell me what you observed. Whether the book smelled old, new, worn out or fresh.

It’s been more of e-books for me lately. They come in handy, mostly because the bookstores don’t always have a copy, especially the newly published ones. So, electronic books to the rescue.

This is what my mobile e-books gallery looks like.

---

---

I’ve been a lazy reader lately. Been reading John Grisham’s The Appeal for almost a month now. I have about twenty-five to thirty e-books lined up for me. I may have to get an audio reader.

I’ve been staying away from genre fiction when writing. Literary fiction works more for me.

Of all the books I have read, one has continued to stay with me, and that is The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I usually do not pick, but there's something about it that just stays with you. Maybe the fine prose or the tale itself, I can't quite put my finger on it.

---

---

I don't exactly have a favourite reading genre. I read everything from romance to thriller and crime fiction. Literary fiction too. And my writing at the moment is more of prompts and picture stories. I currently have about fifty prompts to choose from. Works like magic.

Tell me, what are you reading this week?

---

Thanks for stopping by!

Chinyere thanks you for reading. She loves it when people put their time to good use. She loves art and nature. Maybe, that's why she writes. She also loves creative people.

---