I have fallen asleep in Merida
late on a still night when the bands
have ceased their trumpeting and everyone
has wandered home to rest when the
thousand year darkness falls thickly
on every house and tree and flower
and every eye is closed
there is a peace in Merida greater
than that in other worlds
here where time is stilled and
night is a friend, a companion whose cloak
covers all ills who gifts the deepest slumber
to those loved and ransomed and truly blessed.
I am told that in this year of our Lord 2013, even when merely taking up writing again after spending time elsewhere, one must be a committed self-publicist and post messages and photographs, twitter, blog, facebook and generally flutter about naked in a manner that may be anathema to the busy and private individual.
All I can say is, it is my creative work I offer to an audience, not my life.
Like so many people today I come from a blend of several different cultures, and even in childhood never felt drawn exclusively to any one particular culture or nation. Nor have I ever had one permanent home. Endless change has been my lot. I look in awe at people who have lived their whole lives in one place and are content there. I am a citizen of the world, and happy that way.
My fictional characters are often without deep roots, sometimes happy in their circumstances, sometimes not. I write of what I know and understand, of what I see and hear in my travels, of what amuses or moves or challenges me. As a trained artist, I am also deeply interested in pictorial representation, sketch and take thousands of photographs during my travels. I like to match my pictures to my poems and stories, giving them extra life.
Currently resident in the United States, I am sharing a house with a fellow writer. A first, and rather an unusual venture for a solitary nomad such as myself, but I am enjoying the change, and it is working out well. We check out the local historical sites and the restaurants, watch films, listen to music, enjoy the summer storms - and write, critiquing each other's work.
In the last 3 weeks I have written 3 US based short stories. The first, WHISPERS, concerns a young man lost on the mid western plains in a storm. It proves to be a life-changing and ultimately positive experience for him.
Then came DEATH BY HAMBURGER, a short and nasty detective tale. No local restaurants are named or blamed in this narrative.
The latest, LITTLE MISCHIEF FLIES, written in 2 days, concerns the very naughty kitten pictured below. I am not an overly sentimental person and rarely write about animals, but Little Mischief is special.
I have 3 partly written novels under way. When one becomes hard work or the ideas temporarily dry up I can turn to something quite different and then return refreshed to the other stories. Also am carrying several completed novels which I hope to place.
The first of the works in progress, known at present as MILLY, is a humorous tribute to the traditional detective story. A genteel lady writer goes to an exotic little known Asian resort to work on her latest novel, only to find herself embroiled in international murder and mayhem.
The other 2 novels, quite different in content, are set in North Africa, in my favourite countries of all. I'll be finishing them on site.
All written content, photographs and art work on this site copyright of Mira Doria.
