Blog Tour: An Invitation {Geeky}

"L'invitation au Voyage" is one of my favorite Fleurs du Mal poems by Charles Beaudelaire, a 19th-century French poet. It is an invitation to travel through your soul and senses, setting your imagination free to reach a magic abode.

You can easily imagine how pleased I was to receive an invitation sent by talented photographer Catherine Goron of La Mémoire Vive to participate in my first ever Blog Tour. Catherine makes me travel through the original eye she casts on streets, people, fleeting images and landscapes, always ready to bring forth the light/shadow contrast, the intimate and hidden treasures in each of her photos.

Each participant is to answer four questions sharing their motivation and behind-the-scenes workings.

Each participant is also to name three bloggers who will then take over and show you new paths around the virtual world and its numerous authors and multiple talents.

1 - What am I working on?  ☽

This is an interesting question given the fact that I have temporarily put my professional life aside to take care of my two baby girls. Which brings me, quite naturally, to a different kind of work and a redefinition of the term altogether (with parenthood in mind).

Taking the time to raise my family has come hand in hand with the need to nurture and dedicate a (tiny) portion of my life to what really moves me as a breathing human being. A big change. The shift in priorities has helped me put many things into perspective and has taught me how to be more resilient, open and resourceful - only not in a business-related way.

At the same time - and the two things are indissociable - I decided to focus on new skills through my blog, a passion of mine. I am currently attending an e-course (Blogging Your Way) and those who follow this blog may have already noticed a few changes here and there: layout, photos, editorial choices, as I strive to explore new frontiers.

2 - How does my work differ from others of its genre? ☼

The blog arena is rich: there are many blogs out there and what I really enjoy (and look for) is uniqueness. I love finding a different layout, tone, train of thought, style, point of view than what mainstream medias have to offer. 

In other words, I am looking for a human dimension and touch, if possible unspoiled by procedures and standard expectations. So I like to think that my blog is one of those personal takes on reality through a blend of facts and imagination to create delicate lace in the end. Most of the time my stories start from an actual detail or experience, to then slowly take off and wander into an imaginary tale.

                                        

3 - Why do I write/create what I do? ☆

The urge to thread words, to let imagination run free and unveil my dreams and thoughts on the magic hidden here and there in our world is rooted in many years of passionate reading, starting with adventure books by Italian novelist Emilio Salgari and his exotic locations and memorable pirate crews!

Nowadays, I also feel the need to share with others ideas that just seem to flood my mind and imagination. I guess it is all tied together by the need to communicate, exchange and fuel diversity through the incredible array of virtual means at our disposal.

4 - How does your writing/creative process work? ☾

I am not sure the term "process" is the most adequate here given that there is no real set pattern involved in writing for me. Whenever I see, read, smell, experience something that captures my attention, ideas knock at my door and I actually start putting sentences together in my head. Most of the time, I do not have a pen or a notebook on hand, so I just make sentences out of the blue - and I may as well have forgotten about most of them when I actually sit down to write, that is part of the unexpected.

Most of the time I write posts in advance, whenever I have a spare minute to open the gates of inspiration and put it all down into words.

Then, I let it rest and proof for some time.

When reviewing the drafts, I see them with fresh eyes and this is when I like to tweak words, sentences and ideas around so that the story I want to convey finds its written way into the blog and, further on, to you.

When reading my answers above, I realize that this is the first time that I tell you so much about myself. The e-course I just took mentioned "writing from the heart". I guess I just stepped into it, right?

I could not have written a single word without the support of all the creativity and inspiration to be found around blogs that I read and follow with pleasure, and among them, the following three gems that I would like to encourage your to discover:

A Piece of Rainbow by Ananda:

My name is Ananda. I am a landscape architectural designer and artist living in coastal southern California with my wonderful husband. I am inspired by the gorgeous nature around me, and the creative people I encounter everyday. This blog is dedicated to celebrating beauty and creativity in our daily moments, and bringing unique art and fresh designs into our living environments

Bonbonbox Illustrations by Anna Lisa Loffredo:

I am Italian, live in Amsterdam with husby+baby, speak too loud, dream too much, laugh a lot, love drawing and writing stories of flying orange caterpillars and monsters that drink coffee.

A Piece of Bliss by Effie:
My name is Effrosyni, which means 'bliss' in Greek. I am a Greek, married to an American and living in the Middle East. I write a blog about the small things that fill me with joy in my everyday life. 

Each of them comes from a different land and background  - speaking of diversity -  and portrays a very personal reality. They resort to illustrations, DIY, the introduction of design in our lives or the quest for bliss in all the things and moments that trigger our inspiration.

There is no limit to the voyage.

Credits: TheDaydreamerDiary