Here's the first of the standard questions. Why do you blog?
I started the Word Garden simply as a place to post my poems in an attractive manner. I compose longhand, in notebooks, and the blog gave me a way to organize my work by using the labels. I never really expected to have many readers, and I don't, but the ones I have mean a great deal to me.
I started my second blog, Objets, D'Art, to give myself an outlet that is less formal than the poetry blog. I invented an alter-ego, Barbara, who is a materialistic, conniving, social-climbing, shallow nutcase. I adore her, and have great fun writing in character. Also, she can spout off about things that I never would.
What's the story behind your blog name?
Word Garden is pretty self-explanatory, I think, especially when taken with my screen name Fireblossom. Objets D'art denotes small treasures, and is also sort of pretentious sounding. On purpose.
What is the best thing about being a blogger?
The best thing is the friends I have made through my blogs. I never dreamt that I would make such significant connections with people because of blogging.
What key advice would you give to a newbie blogger?
Blog for yourself. If you try to please everybody, you'll just drive yourself insane. It's YOUR blog. But having said that, I would add this: don't worry that no one will care about what you have to say. If it matters to you enough to write it down, chances are that there are plenty of people to whom your posts will be meaningful, too.
What is the most significant blog post you've ever read?
A November 2008 post by Kristin on her blog Jilli Java and the Garden of Eden, called Old Realities By The Minute. As a recovering alcoholic, sober 23 years as of this writing, I still need to remember how it was, and I often think of Kristin's post, because my story - and many people's stories - are so similar, and Kristin's post paints it so well.
What is the most significant blog post you've ever written?
I would have to say it is my poem Valentina, which is my favorite from among my own poems. I had recently watched a movie called "Hable Con Ella" or "Talk To Her", which got me thinking (more than usual, I mean!) about the nature of love and its transformative power. And how it is often messy and hard to define, especially to anyone outside looking in. I also wanted to write about a woman finding her power through an erotic connection.
Today's Sunday Roast with Shay is the 84th in a weekly series of interviews with bloggers from around the world.
