Looking through some previous work I came across some things I had written regarding genre. I wanted to reassess what motivates me and so I went searching. We need to do this from time to time as a reminder of what we set out to do.
I love the different worlds books offer us, but it seems I am inspired by a consistent idea. If you have followed me at all on social media, you may have noticed I tend to cross genres. Romance, poetry and I am currently working on a thriller.
Yet the common thread is always love, even in my poetry. My latest work is about my love for colour, for nature, for our place on this earth as well as some of the more personal pieces on emotions in general. I love looking at the concept of love. All my characters in my The Unexpected Series, draw strength from love, seek love as a counterpart to understanding, want love so life is shared, demonstrate feelings physically often choosing ways and means that may not suit others. In brief there is a tiny lean to the darker side of life. Why have I chosen this theme?
Naively perhaps, I believe that love is the most important thing for us as a human to feel, to share and to be a part of. I honestly believe it is the inability of some to understand love and display it that does so much harm on a local, regional, national and then global level. I don’t just mean romantic love but parental, the love for friends or colleagues, or the four-footed friends that grace our lives. The Greeks had seven words for love and I thought exploring this in prose would be fun. It was. My leading lady Alexia in Unexpected Passion is Greek, and it felt appropriate. I have used the Greek words; I promise you will understand the meanings from the poem itself. I hope you like this sample enough to want to look at more of my work in my new poetry book Emotions in Evolution.
Love, it takes all kinds
The bane of our existence.
The reason for our evolution.
The reason for human persistence.
The emotion that lacks solution.
The Ancient Greeks gave us insight.
Separated views of love, have might.
Eros was erotic and sexual.
Agape selfless and sacrificial.
Ludus played, flirted, seduced.
Philia to friendship, platonic was reduced.
Pragma we all hope to obtain
for Pragma is shared love and
the one we all hope to retain.
Why not, when it means
long-standing, a couple’s refrain.
And now we move to self-love
or Philautia by name.
A puzzle, often a nuisance from above
when narcissism is the game.
But then self-love can be enabling
giving us a noble redemption
when we lose the ego labelling
with caring as our intention.
And when Storge deems to reveal
we find the best is last
for familial has nothing to conceal
as parent and child, love holds fast.
What now, we ask?
Do divisions ease the task?
But love remains the eternal mystery
controlling lives all through our history.
Some of my characters are unsure of love and what it means in their lives. In Unexpected Obsession Lia accepts it, allows it to grow, to exist but Nico fights calling it love, is afraid of what it may mean to his life. When he finds the courage to embrace it, Nico finds his life changes in ways he had no preparation for, ways in which life takes on a new meaning.
He has someone with whom he can be himself, and it adds a dimension to the physical without relying on frills, yes frills and not thrills. Thrills are a given if done right, frills are toys, fine unless you have to rely on them.
I guess poetry, thriller or even the science fiction flapping around in my brain will always have the idea of love meandering through their pages. After all contemporary romance is a much-loved sibling.
mybook.to/EmotionsinEvolution
EmotionsinEvolutionKOBO
EmotionsinEvolution Barnes and Noble
Emotions in Evolution Smashwords
Ciao for now
Barb
Questions for me? Want to share your views and ideas? Follow me and ask away:
Well put as always. You have a beautiful way on conveying your meaning. We need to love our life.
Pingback: Love under the microscope - Barbara Strickland - Author & Blogger