(I’m not in the best of health, and am scheduling this post a day in advance, but the 21st will be a big day for me, and I can’t afford to miss this post!)
If you’re a blogger, I hope you’ve found out about the A to Z Challenge. You would have, if you’ve visited this blog before, as I’m one of the co-hosts.
Today about 300 bloggers get together to celebrate the revealing of their A to Z Challenge theme— the theme on which they’ll blog for 26 days in April!
Not on the challenge or the reveal yet? You can sign up now!
Yes, the ladies of #TeamDamyanti, Anna Tan, Csenge Zalka, Guilie Castillo Oriard, Samantha Geary Jones, and Vidya Sury *with technical support from Jemima Pett & Mary Wallace*ย are hosting the A to Z Theme Reveal Blogfest (following the unofficial tradition Mina Lobo started last year for the A to Z Challenge.)
I couldn’t be prouder, because my team of ladies is the best in the world– I’ve learned and continue to learn from each of them!
Without further ado, here’s my Theme this year: I’m going to write a piece of flash fiction a day, based on prompts from #TeamDamyanti and other blog friends, and combine them with photographs from one of my fave photographers: Joseph W Richardson, or Joe Richardson.
Joe is a writer as well as a photographer, and that fascinates me. I’ve written stories based on his pictures before, but this is the first time I’ll be basing an entire month of writing on his photographs. I asked him a few questions and here are the answers he gave me:
Tell us a little bit about yourselfโwhy did you pick photography as your creative medium?
I fell into photography through writing. When I was in grade school, I discovered the books of naturalist Gerald Durrell. Durrell told incredible tales about wildlife encounters in exotic locales. He wrote with power and humor and grace. I loved Durrell’s adventures, and thought I’d travel the world taking wildlife photos. I never made it far from home. I did learn to use a camera. But I never really escaped my love for a tale well told.
These days, I spend as much time with a keyboard as I do with a camera. Some days I think of myself as a photographer who writes. Some days I think of myself as a writer who shoots.
Where is home?
Home is a small town in Southwestern Illinois, in the United States. It’s the kind of place you can’t wait to leave as a kid, and don’t want to leave as an adult.
We have a courthouse square where we sing Christmas carols in winter and eat apples in fall. West of the square we have an old library that, from the outside, looks like a sorcerer’s lair. East of the courthouse, we’ve a strange museum filled with devices you’d find in the magician’s trade. The town is bordered by cornfields and trees and creeks and rolling hills. At night, you can hear owls and coyotes calling beyond the edges of the light.
If you could live anywhere on this planet where would you build your dream home?
There’s a wooded hill a couple miles southwest of town that’s really nice, if you could put in good word with the owner.
Aside from that, maybe Melbourne or Darwin or Sydney–but certainly somewhere in Australia. I love the architecture, the culture, the wildlife, and the music in Aussie speech. The people I know from Australia–love them, every one.
What sort of subjects do you like to explore through your photography? What inspires you as a photographer? What sort of locations do you choose for your work?
I like to shoot places, buildings, and objects that have a strong sense of history about them. I can spend hours exploring old barns or ramshackle shops or broken brick buildings. I look at these places, forlorn and forgotten, and I see stories. I hear echoes of what was or what could have been. Places like this call to me. I think they appeal to a lot of people. Thatโs why we try to preserve them.
How much editing is involved in the final result?
With some photos, I bump the contrast or push or pull the color a bit and that’s it. With others, I apply filters and distress the original, until it looks like something I peeled from the bottom of a tool box, or that slept at the back of a wardrobe for fifty years.
Did you go to school to study photography?
As a kid, I learned to shoot through trial and error with a Pentax K1000 35mm SLR. Later, I took a job at a newspaper and worked in the darkroom. So I had excellent teachers, but no formal training. Pretty good metaphor for life, that.
~~~~~~~~~~
About Joe Richardson: Joe Richardson is a writer and photographer in Southwestern Illinois. His work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, national trade publications, and on more than one refrigerator.
At present, he has a bit of writing tacked to a museum door that won kind comments from a former poet laureate. He divides his time among serving as communications director for a not-for-profit utility, producing content for a cultural heritage interpretive project, working on novels, and trying to keep up with his wife and kids.
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Are you part of the A to Z Challenge? The Reveal? Have you ever written or read fiction based on photographs?
Wow, Nice theme and It is Very interesting article… ๐
Reblogged this on Simply Poetry and commented:
I have missed the #Theme reveal of #Team Damyanti due to my personal commitments and after lot of thought decided upon my theme for the #ato z challenge and am really excited about it.This being my first time ,am little nervous too.But with all the help from my blogging friends,i hope i could do it.
I am writing for a couple of blogs, and here is my reveal for each:
http://dkatiepowellart.me/2014/03/25/my-a-to-z-reveal-ar/ and
http://zenkatwrites.com/2014/03/25/my-a-toz-reveal-personal-pr/
Thanks and I’ll be reading you!
i am a lil confused you are doing two different challenges.any way all the best
flash fiction i love those looking forward.all the best.
Nice challenge, all the best and may you enjoy each post from A to Z.
I am a bit confused. I am writing for two blogs, and the dkatiepowellart is easy-peasy — its an art blog. But zenkatwrites is harder — personal / journal / religion / life? and I need help — I don’t know where to do this reveal. url pllease. BTW, take care if you catch this flu/cold crud thang — i had it FOUR weeks and it went into an infection — and I am not typically a sicko. Healthwise, anywho. But that is why I am a bit behind, and catching up on my normal job.
Hi, you do the reveal on your blog. Link to the signup list is in the post above. The signup list may not be open anymore tho– but no harm in doing your reveal and then sharing with us on social media with the hashtags #atozchallenge and #A2Zreveal .
Thank You! I will post it — you cannot imagine how long I searched for where to put the reveal! Gads!
Damyanti, I hope your are feeling better this morning. I look forward to your flash fiction and Joe’s photos. Thanks again for hosting this event.
Blessings,
Linda
Lovely interview! A good photo makes for a great writing prompt! I am doing A to Z for the first time and also trying my hand at flash fiction! Yayy! ๐
Very interesting and I am excited to read!
That sounds wonderful! I love flash fiction!
LadyJai
Most excellent theme idea Mizz D! To write a good flash pinging off the work of a gifted photographer would be a tall order for me with all Iโve got on my plate. So I all the more look forward to seeing what you come up with. Canโt wait!
Thats a package ๐ a story and a picture…wow!
Wow… I love to read the stories behind pictures… look forward to your tales..does joe also blog??
Flash Fiction is one of my favourite genres! So looking forward to this ๐
More power to you! And you have chosen a rather interesting combination of themes ๐ Looking forward ๐
Oh wow! That sounds amazing! Good luck…looking forward to following your journey!
This is a challenge within the challenge, flash fiction with photograph. You’ll surely do justice to the theme , we’re just waiting for the picture-magic ๐ ๐
Great theme! And I hope you are feeling better now ๐ Looking forward to your posts in April ๐
Hope you feel better soon, good luck for your challenge.
Joe sounds awesome. I love the idea of art transcending time, his photographing places with “a strong sense of history.” Looking forward to your A to Z posts, Damyanti. This should be a lot of fun.
Mmmwah~ Damyanti! (By the way 366 and counting for the Theme Reveal Blog Hop!)
This April is going to be the best ever yet! ๐ Hugs and so happy we’re connected and on the same team!
Now that’s an awesome theme! I hope you can pull it off, because it sounds like a ton of fun to do, and to read. I look forward to seeing what you have to share.
Random Musings From the KristenHead A to Z Theme Reveal
Hope you get to feeling better. Looking forward to all that flash fiction. Good luck! โฅ
You are one interesting blogger, working in tandem with others and with creative ideas. I’m sure I’m going to love all these posts of flash fiction. Hope you are better today.
Oh wow that is a challenge – combining a picture with a story. Look forward to your posts.
It’s gonna be story time here ๐ and nice to know more about Joe Richardson
I did flash fiction last year as well. I think you have to have most of them prewritten – especially if you are going to be a great co-host – oh but then you have got a superb support team ๐
Jemima
#TeamDamyanti
Blogging from Alpha to Zulu in April
Sounds fascinating. Looking forward to reading and to seeing the photos which inspire you! jetgirlcos visiting via Forty, c’est Fantastique
Reblogged this on harrygrotman and commented:
I love this
I hope you get better soon ;-( big huggles…from fellow theme reveal A-Z er x
I was wondering where the theme reveal links were thanks so much! Love your theme, sounds like fun. Cheers.
Sending you best wishes for health and strength to really enjoy the challenge. I look forward to following its unfolding.
Hope you feel better for April, flash fiction is a toughie. The longest stint I did was 9 days! Sending health and good wishes your way. ๐
Sorry to hear you’re not well, Damyanti. The theme reveal is really getting the A to Z challenge off to a good start. Get well soon! Sue
Great themes for the A to Z challenge! I didn’t know it was theme reveal day today, but I posted mine late last night. Can’t wait for April to start to see all of the great upcoming posts! ๐
Thanks to all who are organizing this! This is exactly what I was searching for. I’m so participating ๐
One question, I don’t have a sidebar, but can I add a ‘Page’ on my blog?
Can’t wait for the posts ๐ Flash fiction is always great!
Oh, this is going to be good! I’m a fan of picture prompts *a side-effect of DailyPicspirations* AND your writing, so count me in!
WriterlySam
resident bartender for A to Z Theme Reveal Party!
What a challenging theme! Good luck (and health), I look forward to seeing how this goes.
Marlene at On Writing and Riding
Great theme! I hope you feel better soon.
I enjoyed the interview too. It’s nice to read about the creative journey that each of us takes in writing, art, and life. ๐
Wow I love this idea. It has been a long while since I have written any kind of fiction but I am also a taker of photo’s. So maybe I should combine the two and maybe the things I see that inspire me to take a photo could then inspire a short story. So thank you for this wonderful idea. Maybe next year I could enter you month challenge.
Fun theme! I hope you feel better soon too.
Feel better soon!! Looking forward to reading all of these reveals!
I wish I had time! I did a 50 Days leading up to my 50. My hats off to ya. It ain’t easy but you do become a better writer.
What a great theme! SO very creative. I can’t wait to read!!!
I did the flash thing last year. It was a lot of fun, but a lot of work. Good luck. Look forward to reading them. Sydney Aaliyah Michelle 2014 A to Z Challenge
Writing to photography was actually part of our English class assignments back in the day. We still use it in our bell ringer assignments in AVID.
Oops! I wondered if the 21st was a set date. I’ll join the Great and Powerful Theme Reveal next year, I guess, since I already posted yesterday ๐
Photos and flash fiction – an excellent choice. Sorry your health has been troubling you, and hoping you feel better soon!
MJ, A to Z Challenge Co-Host
Writing Tips
Effectively Human
Lots of Crochet Stitches
That is a great theme! Does that mean you won’t be able to get the writing finished before April? It sounds so daunting.
I hope you’re feeling better!
Leanne Ross ( readfaced.wordpress.com & @LeanneRossRF )
Yes, I posted my theme reveal post. Thanks to all of you wonderful folks for organising this. Get well soon and see you around!
I too look forward to seeing your work and that of Mr. Richardson.
Hope you have a speedy recovery. This blog reveal is interesting and I now look forward to reading more from you.
I hope you feel better. I am looking forward to reading your work throughout April. Good luck with the challenge.
I just caught a flu like bug myself, no fun ๐