Interview with Bernadette Bland, author of Flights of Fancy


ABOUT FLIGHTS OF FANCY

Title: Flight of Fancy
Genre: Poetry/Prose/Short Story
Author: Bernadette Bland
Publisher: iUniverse
Pages: 64
Language: English
ISBN - 978-1-45028-453-0

Life is filled with emotional highs and lows. Riding the wave of this experience is part of living, but for poet Bernadette Bland, dreaming was even more important. No matter the attitude, mood, or circumstance, Ms. Bland has always believed in the beauty of life. Never to be deterred from her heart’s desire, she has ridden her own life wave with an eye to her dreams and an eye to the beauty of nature. In her new poetry collection, Flights of Fancy, Ms. Bland shares her imagery with the outside world. She delves into the lavish splendor of nature in “Drifting Grace: God’s Art Show.” She peers behind the protective mask of a weeping clown in “Behind the Mask.” She recalls watching her mother slowly grow old in the poignant “Mama.” In all her words, she reveals her deepest yearnings and fears with selfless honesty. Flights of Fancy is an example of an imagination set free. Ms. Bland fills her poetry with wonder and will leave you longing to step out into the sun. She is not afraid to depict the sometimes traumatic rollercoaster of life; yet she encourages us to move on, move up, and not look back. Within every word, she calls to the reader, challenging each one of us to never stop dreaming!

Purchase your copy:

iuniverse

Can you please tell us about your book and why you wrote it?

I had to write this book. It was already in me and would not be satisfied until it saw the light of day. The content within came out as ideas which needed fulfillment. In particular, "Refelections" is a mix of ideas with similar goals depicting peace of mind and spirit.

I am nearest God when "I am meditating in a great, silent forest captivated by the harmonies of earth's nature symphonies", or "basking in the summer warmth and solitude of a secluded cove, lulled by the whisper of gentle waves nuzzling the shore" mesmerized by the lonesome echo of a distant train whistle passing in the evening sunset", or "intrigued by rocky shores and the mournful foghorns that cry out on misty nights ...".

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced writing it?

My biggest challenges were the most effective use and placement of words and sometimes punctuation and grammar usage, (something I overcame as an adult). English Grammar was not my favorite course of study in school,.

Do you plan subsequent books?

Yes, I plan to continue writing, more books if possible, and perhaps of different genres. I would really love to write about my family activites as we grew up. Some were ideas my parents put forth and we all participated in and other things we did back then of our own intentions.

When and why did you begin writing?

As I mentioned earlier, praise for one's work and encourage me from the right sources, goes a long way toward helping someone, a youngster, toward deciding a future.Of course, your own desire to do such work is a must in that decision. First and foremost, you need to want to write and share what you have to share.

What is your greatest strength as an author?

My greatest strength as an author is my desire to write, many things. My desire as well as my ideas can be a bit overwhelming sometimes, so I continue to write (free write) which sometimes leads to the fulfillment of more ideas. I mostly write something at least every day to see what I can make of it.Then of course there is continual reading, diverse and purposeful.

Did writing this book teach you anything?

I learned a great deal from writing this book. This included revision, editing,updated langue skills and much more. I also learned much about publishing need's, more editing,marketing and even publicity. There is so much more to writing a book than just the writing of words and sentences. I suspect as I go along with other probable books there will still be more to learn.


ABOUT BERNADETTE BLAND

Bernadette Bland was born in Westerly, Rhode Island. A news reporter and photographer for many years, her poetry has been published by the National Library of Poetry, the Amherst Society, and the Iliad Press, among others. Ms. Bland lives with her husband in the Capital District of upstate New York.

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