An Explanation of Exclamations!

Posted on October 20, 2013 by cbmuser

My new favorite
Punctuation mark
Turns a sentence
The opposite of stark
On a poem about it
I hereby embark!

The Grammar Police
Would disapprove
They’d say this habit’s
Not a sound move
But I’ve gotten into
An unstoppable grove!

Now phrases without
An exclamation point
Seem rather old-fashioned
Perhaps even quaint!
And so I dismiss all
Harping or comploint

Exclamation points
Abound galore!
I use two quite often
But seldom do four!!
And the combo !?
Like that one for sure!!!!

I write my novels
Texts, e-mails, and tweets
Tossing in exclamation points
To wrap them up neat
Cuz’ without exclamations
My ideas aren’t complete!!

Four Play Soon, Someday

Posted on September 29, 2013 by cbmuser

It will be done in September, I say
And then I work on it day after day

When I’ll be through, nobody knows
This is how writing a book for me goes

Rough draft stinks, nothing new there
When I re-read it I try not to swear

It calls for revision, three times at least
Before I am at all with it pleased

Then some friends will read it through
Giving me more ideas to think of anew

But soon after that the book will be done
Ready to see the light of the sun

This one’s called Four Play, due out real soon
But please don’t expect it tomorrow at noon

No Deadlines, Please

Posted on May 20, 2013 by cbmuser

To write fast
Would be a blast
But based on my history, and my past
I get on a roll, but it does not last

I write slow
That’s how the words flow
Sometimes it makes me rather low
But that’s just how these things go

Ignoring time
And my own deadlines
I sit and worry, and away do pine
To get the phrasing perfect and sublime

No deadlines
No, I am not inclined
To schedule writing to specific times
And that’s the end of this here rhyme

The Twittering Blues of a Twittering Fool

Posted on April 21, 2013 by cbmuser

My time lately I have been frittering
Because I spend it all on twittering

Tweeting I guess is the proper word
At first I found it rather absurd

But it ‘s a hoot and a blast, and now I like it
So much so that I can’t seem to quit

My novel needs writing and there’s dishes to do
Just one more tweet I say, and then I’ll be through

And don’t get me started on my follower quest
I’ll reach 10,000, and then maybe rest

140 characters to say something new
Yep. I’m addicted, I admit it, it’s true

@cbmysteries is the handle I’m using
Come on by if followers you’re choosing

April: Better Known as National Poetry Month

Posted on April 7, 2013 by cbmuser

A poem every week
Thought I’d give it a shot
And as it turns out
I like it a lot

On Sunday mornings
I jot down a ditty
I try to be funny
Or mildly witty

It’s been over a year
Seems I’ve had some luck
A poem every week
To my vow I have stuck

In fact, I like it
This rhyming of words
Poetry is no longer
Just for the birds

And now poetry has
A month’s celebration
I’m kind of surprised
But full of elation

Thus April must be
The right time to publish
My collection of poems
No matter what rubbish

My goal is to have it
Ready before May
So putting them in order
Is my goal for today

Breakthrough Novel?

Posted on March 24, 2013 by cbmuser

A writer’s contest
For beginners
From ten thousand entries
They choose one winner

I sent in my book
I gave it a go
The worst they could do
Is say thanks, but no

Into round three and I’m
Still standing
But winning top prize
I’m really not planning

From quarter-finalist to semi
That is the dream
But one hundred to five
Likely, it does not seem

Mystery-Thriller is the place
For my book
And the excerpt is free
If you want to take a look

Amazon will decide in two weeks
Maybe three
I’m crossing my fingers
And waiting to see

Here is a link to the excerpt for the Playing With Poison Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award entry

Blog Tour: Cue Ball Mysteries

Posted on February 3, 2013 by cbmuser

Road Trip!

Well, sort of, anyway. I’m embarking on my very first blog tour. The fabulous Bella over at Cozy Mystery Book Reviews is my travel agent, and she’s arranged a whole week of Cindy Blackburn and the Cue Ball Mysteries on the web. I’ll be stopping at the following places this week, so please come by and leave a comment or two. Traveling alone is no fun.

Monday, February 4 – Lily Pond Reads
Tuesday, February 5 – Melina the Reader
Wednesday, February 6 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews
Thursday, February 7 – Saph’s Book Blog
Friday, February 8 – Tess Tipton at Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
Saturday, February 9 – Brooke Blogs
Sunday, February 10 – Cozy Up With Kathy

Lightning Writing

Posted on January 27, 2013 by cbmuser

Right now I am working on something called JANO
It’s crazy exciting and here is the plan-o

A bunch of writers make valiant attempts
To each write a mystery novel, no matter how unkempt

In the space of one month, in Jan to be specific
We’re to each write a book, no matter how horrific

50,000 words total, all in 31 days
We’ll likely survive, but in a bit of a haze

We’re plugging away and doing quite well
The team spirit of it all puts us under a spell

Me? Lo and behold I’ve finished my rough draft!
Although when I re-read it, I know it will be daft

But that’s okay, that’s what February’s for
To start on revising, revising, and revising some more

So thank you, Sleuth’s Inc for giving me the incentive
To write this fast and be so inventive!

My Apologies to Otis

Posted on December 2, 2012 by cbmuser

I’m not sitting on the dock of the bay
But this will certainly do
I have a ninth-floor hotel room
With a lovely ocean view

I left my home in Carolina
For a weekend in Daytona, F. L.
Hubby has a conference
And tagging along sounded swell

A flock of pelicans just flew by
And the tide is rolling in
I think I’ll rent a bicycle
And take it for a spin

Hours resting my bones
Or walking in the morning sun
Roaming away from home
Can be a lot of fun

But now the weekend’s ending
I remember I cannot stay
I wave goodbye to the pelicans
And the tide is rolling away

Homebody

Posted on November 25, 2012 by cbmuser

A four-day weekend sure has been nifty
And since I don’t shop Black Friday
I’ve even been thrifty

The cat likes it when her people are home to stay
I think she gets unhappy
When we are away

We ate lots of turkey and leftovers, too
Despite many long walks
Our stomachs likely grew

Of course all that turkey did make me quite sleepy
I can’t remember when I took naps
Or slept nearly so deeply

No shortage of TV football did my hubby lack
And I read a mystery
From the front to the back

Some time to waste time is indeed swell
Tomorrow is Monday: A thought on which
I care not to dwell

CB Mysteries

Cozy mysteries with humor and romance by Cindy Blackburn

Category Archives: Writing