Lost Files-Words & Things

I am always scribbling on paper. I have reams of it all over the house. There are notebooks in a bin by my desk that I write in. When I am gone, someone, (Maddy) will go through all of it and think...what the heck? She was the pack rat of paper, lol! Today, as I was looking for one said notebook, I stumbled onto a poem I had started last year sometime...I think, lol. I never date these things, but none the less, there it was.

Who would have thought? Well, actually, I would have because you never know with me. As I said, always scribbling. So, in the spirit of this new moon and retrograde period...in the spirit of trying new things and opening ourselves up to all the universe has to offer, I am going to share what there is of these scribbles on paper. It has  no title, no form really. Just some ideas that I must have jotted down in between edits this past winter. I have noticed though, after reading this, that I usually write about one thing, lol and it's like this. A working title would be good though....

She walks those darkened hallways

Alone

Barefoot

Red is what she sees the most

It is warm and wet and envelopes her like the embrace of  a lost love

Wet, she feels it on the tips of her toes

The hem of her skirt

Red, like the color of love and life and the blood that she tastes

Wet, with the possibility of a future she could not even imagine

Blood in the silence of cast shadows

She dreams

Red

Wet

Open to the universe

Hmmmm....Definitely needs a title! Need to file this under my Words and Things category and the Lost Files. It's nice to find surprises while flipping through my notebooks. That's probably why I am a serial scribbler. I will be jotting down some more lines to this I hope. Perhaps then I will share how it has turned out. Anyway, I hope that the day has treated you well my friends. Here's to being open to all of this wonderful creativity in this retrograde period! What has been keeping you busy? How are you using this energy?

Have a great evening!

Anna

AO 

1 Snap for 30

Welcome to the 1st of September! As promised, today starts my 30 snaps for 30 challenge. Today finds me running errands. I know, boring right? It must be done though as we have family coming into town tomorrow. So I thought this a fitting that this be my first snap for thirty. Now you all know what kind of car I drive, lol. I hope I have had some takers on this challenge. I am going to use the tag 30snaps and 1snapfor30, feel free to use them too.

Have a great day my friends! Let's see where our eye leads us :)

Anna
Artfully Odd

Maggie-The Find of Her Life

I don't know...kinda looks like Maggie, don't you think? This was a mock up for the cover before we finally settled on the final image. Thanks to my friends at Evil Genius Group for helping me make Maggie come alive!




A big thanks goes out to Linkville for producing the cover on the book now. A lot of hard work went into it and I have received a lot of compliments so far. If you haven't gotten your copy yet, visit me on amazon.

Thoughts on a Monday Night

Beauty is where you find it! Those words became really real this past week. So glad I kept my eyes open and my wits about me. When you open your eyes...really look at the world...What do you see? Just look through the lens...

Artfully Odd
Anna

Press Release is Out!

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The Find Of Her Life by Anna Patten View this email in your browser The Find Of Her Life Digging For Love Contact: Giana Elenterio               The Evil Genius Group               giana@evilgenius.nyc               347-228-0180 New York, NY-- Today, Anna Patten debuted her first romance novel, The Find Of Her Life. The book, currently available on Amazon, is the perfect mixture of love, lust, and a life recreated. "This book was ten years in the making, I'm so excited for readers to dive into the book and fall in love with the characters just as I did," said author, Anna Patten. "Between the passion, the mystery, and the erotic ending, I know the audience will be hooked from beginning to end." This is the first book by author, Anna Patten and her writing partner Timothy Lasure. Anna is currently independently working on her next romantic novel with a bit of a historical fiction included. The book is currently available for purchase on Amazon in Kindle and hardcopy form. A hardcopy form of the novel is available to be mailed upon request, a PDF version of the book is available via the link below. "The story shows how even after a great tragedy you can be reborn and find romance.  That we all can persevere and find love even after life hands us a dark moment. I hope the readers enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.  You never forget your first,' concluded Patten # # # Anna Patten is an author, a photographer and lover of all things odd. She began her quest to complete her newest novel, The Find of Her Life, nearly ten years ago. A writer since childhood, Anna now fuels her passion for writing into sexy and romantic novels.  Anna currently lives in upstate New York. Copyright © *2016* *Artfully Odd*, All rights reserved. *Anna Patten* *The Find Of Her Life|* Our mailing address is: giana@evilgenius.nyc Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list End

Words & Things

Something I am working on now:

I awoke with a start, afraid that everything had been a dream. Reaching out next to me, I searched for the comfort I so desperately sought, until my fingers touched his hair. It was only then that I exhaled. A hand quickly rose up out of the darkness to claim mine and I felt the tender press of  his lips.

"I'm here sweetheart." 

"I was afraid." I whispered.

Eric sat up next to me, his arms enfolding me as he kissed me gently. 

"Do not for a moment think that I will ever leave you again my love."

"Eric, what have we done?" I pleaded with him.

"Shh." he whispered, pulling me back down with him to the pillows. "Not here sweetheart. This place is just for us. We left the outside world at the gates. We will face whatever awaits us soon enough."

I snuggled further into his grasp as his muscled arms held me tight."For now, just lay with me for a bit Lex. Just close your eyes and rest. I am here with you and all is the way it should be."

Sleep came quickly, pulling me down into its smooth, velvet depths. The likes of which I had not experienced since they told me Eric was dead.... 

(C) Anna Patten
Artfully Odd
2016

2016-Bring it On!

I am writing this today with a whole lot of love, joy and excitement in my heart. 2016 is almost here and I just can't wait for all it has in store! Just like a kid on Christmas Even excited! I am usually a pretty positive person, no matter what...but something about this new year has me pretty excited! I think I may know why. Given everything that we have gone through in the past few years, I finally feel like this coming year is my year! The possibilities are endless. I feel like I am standing on the edge of a bridge, waiting to bungee jump off it and for the first time ever...I wont scream, jump back or startle at the sight of the edge in view. I am just going to open my arms wide and free fall and laugh when I bounce back up!

So, what has brought about this change you may ask? Well, I am not sure if most of you will remember the kind of year that we had last year or not. Let me tell you, it was scary and hard and I cried a whole lot. There were so many decisions to be made that totally stressed us all out. Things to worry about that I didn't think I would ever have to to worry about. (Like making sure my will is all in order and my daughter was safe.) And from that, something wonderful happened. I know what's important now and most of all, who is important. I learned not to sweat the small stuff and to just try and go with the flow more. I learned that living life is more important than making plans to live it. Seize the day...seems so corny to say, but it is so very true. So this year, I am doing me, and our family and our life. I am going to try new things, see new sights and meet new people. I am going to do all of those things that I want to do and not worry about whether or not its a good idea. There will be no list making. There will just be jumping off the edge to see what happens. I learned a very valuable lesson. Life is a precious gift and I am done being scared and unhappy to any extent. So, let's get it started.

I will be taking steps to open my store again. It got derailed the first time, but this is the year. I will be booking more shoots this year. I am going to start taking my prints to craft fairs and building a real business. I will be spending my time with my loved ones the way I want. (Lori, we are going to take a page out of your book!) Adventure awaits!!! It awaits us all!

So, what more can I share my friends? If I had any piece of advice, it is to live in the moment. Be present. Put your phone down and open your eyes. Have a conversation with someone. Do something that terrifies you and will exhilarate you all at the same time. Love your family and be there for the friends that are there for you. Forget all of that bullshit that is the past! It will serve you no good now. Be kind to those you meet, for you never know what their path has been like. And finally, find joy! Be joyful! I wish you a very happy and healthy 2016 my friends!

Happy-Happy
Joy-Joy
Anna
Artfully Odd

Brace Yourselves...Fall is On it's Way!

As the popular meme says, "Brace yourselves...Pumpkin flavored everything is coming!" This makes me giggle. Like really giggle. You know that kind of giggle where you actually snort and then, surprised by said snort, you begin to giggle all over again. The reason for the laughter is mostly because I am one of those people who loves most pumpkin anything. I will have pumpkin coffee, tea, late, cake, pie...heck, even my car air freshener will be pumpkin spice! Raise your hands if you belong to the club. Don't try to hide...you there, in the back...you have pumpkin on your face! Raise your hand.

So, what is it about fall that brings out our never ending craving for the large gourd? (Or is it a fruit? I have never been clear on that. I could look it up, but I figure that those of you who actually read this, will do it for me and inform us all.) And while we are at it, don't you think it's strange that once September and October are gone, the craving disappears only to come back in spurts here and there? That is one sneaky gourd! (Again, see above. Come on people, don't let me down!) All I know is that once I see one yellow or red leaf, I am a pumpkin goner!

Now, I should clarify...I only want to devour pumpkin foods and the occasional car freshener. Place a pumpkin candle on my table, light it and I could very well vomit. Seems a bit extreme right? I think that every time the revulsion rolls off of me and I have no plausible explanation. To any doctors out there that may be reading this...thoughts?

But I digress...Fall is also one of the best and my most favorite time to shoot landscapes. There is something magical about all the reds, golds and oranges that sway in the breeze and dance in the sun. My camera will be glued to my side in a week or so. Thoughts of having it surgically attached to me so that it can be ready at all times, crosses my mind...but then I think, nah, better not, lol! I am not wishing summer away, (Winter=Boo), but I can't wait to get out there and capture some of natures beauty. So, what are we waiting for?

Oh yea...Mother Nature. She's so beautiful, so who minds the wait!

AMP
Artfully Odd

Just a Thought

We as people, should be lifting each other up, not stepping on each other to get to where we are going. That goes for artists as well. How much better would our world be if what was put out was goodness, compassion, and the like? Just a thought....

Have a wonderful week!
A