Throwback Thursday: How to…

On ‘Throwback Thursdays’ I want to share some older Poems and post of me.

I hope you will enjoy!

This time I’ve chosen to share a couple of my older ‘How to’ posts with you.

These post will teach you how to edit a photo or picture using free programs in a simple step by step matter.

Check them out and I would love to see the results if you decide to try them out!

How to…make a background picture with PicsArt (mobile photo editing)

How to…use IPiccy to edit your photos. An Introduction. (photo editing on the pc)

How to…use IPiccy to edit photos part 2 (photo editing on the pc)

How To…Make and edit a fantasy self-portrait. (photo editing on the pc)

How to…make a blog badge with IPiccy (photo editing on the pc)

Have fun! 🙂

Lots of Love

Patty

Announcement: Coming soon, the Ebook version of my poetry book!

Hey everyone,

As you might know, I have published my own poetry book ‘My Wings’ in April this year.

This collection contains 111 poems divided into two parts: My Dark Wings & My Light Wings.

Part 1 My Dark Wings is a collection of dark poetry describing some very recognizable emotions like: grief, fear, frustration, melancholy, depression, but also the strength and courage to battle on no matter what.

Part 2: My Light Wings is a collection of light poetry containing motivation, love, support and the will to enjoy life.

This poetry book is illustrated with some amazing black & white photographic artwork.

You can find more information about the paperback version of this book right HERE.

Very soon I will be releasing the EBook version of this book as well.

So keep an eye out for it! 🙂

Below you will find one of the poems from my poetry book. Enjoy!

Lots of Love

Patty

Dear Life

 – 

If you want me to bow

I will stand up straight

You can kick me down today

But I will stand up tomorrow

– 

If you want me to cry

I will gladly smile

I will laugh every day

Until the day I die

 –

If you want me to hate

I will share the love

Depending on my own free will

And not just fate

 –

If you want me to give up

I will struggle through

Continue fighting my battles

And I will never stop

– 

If you want me to walk away

I will be going nowhere

You can push me over the edge

I will just find another way

 –

If you want to break me

I will stay strong

Because I will be able

To still see the beauty

 –

So dear Life, can’t you see?

I am still a warrior

And there is no way

You can ever defeat me!

Amazing Blogger: Eric!

Every week I want to share an amazing blogger with you all, so you can check out their blogs and maybe make some new friends!

All of these bloggers have amazed me with their art, kind heart, friendship and skills.

 

You ready? Here we go!

Meet Eric

–> http://hunt4truth.wordpress.com/ <–

 

A little about Eric

I began blogging here in July, 2013 — I spend a lot more time blogging these days, at WordPress, since there is a terrific diversity here of ideas and because the community is supportive.  It’s nice to get to know some new friends — thanks new friends!  My focus here will reflect what I do most often with my time. I am a teacher. Most people are visual learners, so I take some time usually to find a video or two that fit with my topics.

I am also a mentor and I work to develop a sense of true spirituality — spirituality: finding meaning in one’s life that draws one to transcend oneself. Spirituality, for me, isn’t about understanding religion. I think of spirituality as an inner sacred wellspring of abundant qualities such as love and compassion, patience, tolerance, gratitude, justice, humility, serene contentment, a sense of harmony, curiosity, wonder, and a desire to be of service that brings happiness to both self and others.

Eric blogs about a variety of things including consciousness, philosophy, cosmology, physics, biology, psychology, spirituality, and so on.

One of my favorite posts by Eric is the one you will find right HERE.

It’s a post about happiness through self-acceptance with useful tips and tools.

To me, Eric is an amazing blogger because he is a great human being with a big heart and always ready to help those in need.

My friend, this is for you.

 

Lots of Love

Patty

I need your help!

Hey everyone, 🙂

Big event coming up!

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday I will be signing my books at my favorite fantasy festival for the very first time! Woohoo! 🙂

But…

What to wear???

(Yes, I am acting like a girl for once lol)

I can’t make up my mind, so I need your help to make a decision.

Should I go Dark, Light, Medieval, Steampunk?

Hat, no hat?

Give me your opinions in the comments please!

What do you think?

Lots of Love

Patty

Dedicated spoken poem: Twin Soul

This spoken poem is dedicated to someone who is very dear to me.

I love you bro.

Click to listen—> Twin Soul

Twin Soul

 –

Attached again

Like we never let go

Maybe it’s because

We just needed room to grow

 –

Back together

Like we’ve never been apart

Maybe it’s because

I’ve always kept you in my heart

 –

Complete again

Like a missing piece finally found

Maybe it’s because

I’m a little lost without you around

 –

Pain vanishing

Like a wound that was never even there

Maybe it’s because I need you

Just like I need the air

– 

Calm again

Like I need you to feel whole

Maybe it’s because

You really are my twin soul

–

Just Patty

 

 

A Haiku for today!

Bad review…

So, I had the first bad review of my fantasy book. One and a half stars.
According to this reviewer I don’t have an own writing style, my characters are shallow and my book is like a sticky sandwich.

Ouch!

I am not going to lie to you, that hurts!
When you write, you put your heart and soul into your work. And when someone crushes it like this, it feels like a blow to the chest.

Now, I really don’t have anything to complain about because besides this one, I only have gotten some very good reviews and the sales are going very well considering I am a debut writer. But still…

It hurts. And now there is a bad review of my book on the internet. On a well known fantasy site. That just sucks.

I looked up the person who wrote the review because I wanted to know who she was. Turns out she is a young lady who writes herself. Her first book will be published soon by the publishing company I turned down because I didn’t feel like we were a good match.

This information made me wonder…
So this girl is a writer herself. That means that she must know how much a writer puts into her books. How in the world can she be so harsh then?
Don’t get me wrong, of course everyone has a right to their own opinion and a writer can only grow because of feedback even if it’s not good feedback. But why use phrases like ‘a sticky sandwich’. What’s the purpose of that? What am I suppose to learn from that? That she is just not a nice person?

And then I looked a bit closer at this review. So I don’t have a own writing style huh? Besides the fact that I made up a entire non existing language for my book and the fact that there is no other writer (that I know of) who writes the way I do then!

When I layed her review next to the other ones I’ve gotten so far, it became clear to on me that all her negative points were the exact opposite of what the other reviews said about my story and the characters. 

I know very well that as a writer you have to deal with bad reviews. It’s part of the job, you can’t please everyone.
But does it really has to on be like that?

I guess so. But I don’t agree. I rather would have people saying that they don’t like my book but explain why and what I could do to improve my future writing than just writing a nasty review that can make them feel like a expert and a critic.

Because for people like that, I feel nothing but pity.

So don’t try to stress too much about bad reviews guys. There will Always be people who just love to bring someone else down.

Keep writing what you want and how you want.

Lots of love,

Patty

Quote of the week!

For today, I want to share one of my favorite Dutch little poems with you.

I think that it is very fitting because everything that has happened lately.

I live by this quote.

You can find the translation underneath the poem.

Lots of Love

Patty

Doom (Fate)

Never leave without a greeting

Never leave without a kiss

Who will meet his doom

won’t be able to do it tomorrow

–

Never leave without a talk

that can hurt a heart so much

What you have left this morning

Could be gone tonight…

 

 

 

Awards and a Thank you!

Alex—> http://alexraphael.wordpress.com/ and Lena–>http://lenanoid.wordpress.com/ nominated me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award!

Thank you so much Alex and Lena! Being able to inspire someone is one of the highest honors you can receive in my opinion. 🙂

Make sure that you check out these blogs my friends! They are certainly worth it! ❤

7 facts about me

1. I am a big fan of soccer and formula 1.
2. The three most important ‘rules’ I try my best to live by are: Loyalty, Honesty and Courage.
3. I am a very stubborn person.
4. My favorite movies are Die Hard and Boondock Saints.
5. I am a metal head, I love rock music!
6. My favorite animals are wolves and crocodils.
7. I am a High Sensitive Person.

My nominees:

Michelle–> http://michellemarieantellg.wordpress.com/

Barbara–> http://idealisticrebel.wordpress.com/

Kev–> http://kevs-domain.net/

Horty ‘Doc’–> http://hrexach.wordpress.com

Juanito–> http://yeseventhistoowillpas.wordpress.com/

Cathy–> http://catshields.wordpress.com/

Eric–> http://hunt4truth.wordpress.com/

Anthonie–> http://poeticdepression.wordpress.com/

Jixi–> http://jixifox.me/

Lor–> http://lumar1298.wordpress.com/

 

Barbara–> http://idealisticrebel.wordpress.com/ and Eric–> http://hunt4truth.wordpress.com/ and Doc–> http://hrexach.wordpress.com/ have nominated me for the Readers Appreciation Award!

Thank you so much my dear friends! I am honored and grateful. I know that I have been quite busy lately, but I really try to keep up with you all! Go over to these blogs when you have the time my friends! ❤

There are no rules or requirements for this award.

My nominees:

Since there are no rules for this award (a fact I like very much!) I want to nominate all of my readers for this one. That’s right, every single one of you!

I want to thank you all so much for reading, commenting and the great support you all give me. I am eternally grateful. ❤

This is for all of you:

                                

Lots of Love,

Patty

Monthly Peace Post: Tragedy and a Poem

A blog for Bloggers For Peace.

If you want to join, click on the picture for Bloggers for Peace.

Tragedies are common these days. Disasters as well.

On July 17th our country and many others got hit by a tragedy when a civilian airplane was shot down.

298 innocent souls lost within seconds…

193 Dutch people.

And if that wasn’t enough, we had great problems to get the remains of our people back to our country.

Our minister gave a really impressive speech about bringing back our people before the UN.

You can read and listen to it right HERE (the speech is in English)

On July 23rd the first of the coffins finally arrived in Holland.

Our country held a National Mourning Day on this day and the whole country including swimming pools, traffic and all other activities stopped for a moment throughout the country when the plane landed.

Here are a couple of photos made by the Dutch news about the ceremony and the transport of the remains.

A man holding the Dutch flag which is on half staff, like all the flags in Holland this day, watching the plane coming.

Our king and queen holding hands while the plane lands and a minute of silence is held.

Flowers by the Dutch embassy in Ukraine.

The coffins with the remains of the victims.

The funeral procession heading towards Hilversum where the identification process will begin.

I cried when I watched this, like I silently cry for humanity on so many occasions.

What is it that makes people so violent against each other?

I just don’t understand…

Today, our government is debating how we can get the rest of the remains safely home because at this moment the crash site is still a warzone and there are still remains there. But they promised the people of our country that they will do everything possible to get all the remains home.

Look into my eyes

– 

Share a little love

How hard can it be?

I look in your eyes

You’re not so different from me

 –

You have hopes, you have dreams

Just like me

I look in your eyes

Like everyone, you just want to be free

 –

You may speak a different language

And you may have a different color than me

But when I look in your eyes

It’s just another soul I see

 –

These wars, this hate, this violence

Can’t you see?

When you look into my eyes

All that we are killing is humanity…

– 

So share some love

How hard can it be?

Look into each other’s eyes

And let’s stand together, you and me

–

Just Patty