Friday, May 31, 2013

Graduation and the poet

 I started writing poetry when I was very young, so I can't remember a time, when it wasn't important to me. I fell in love with Dr. Seuss and Robert Frost and developed my own sentimental style. I usually write poems in rhyme, but not always. However, as someone once told me, if you can be moved by your own writing; somewhere, someone else will be moved by it too. So I try to write about subjects in my poetry that move me, or that I know have moved others around me. Sometimes my poetry has specific meaning, sometimes with specific people in mind. Sometimes, they just pop into my head and I have to write them down.

Poetry is like meditation for me. Sometimes, if I can't sleep, I'll write a few poems to relax. It usually helps. Last year at the request of a friend, I was asked to write a poem about graduation. It was a subject that I wanted to tackle for a long time, but I knew that when you are talking to graduates, it has to ring true. It has to help them to move forward and be fearless in their pursuits. And even though it's been years since my own graduation, and my children have already graduated too, it was my new endeavors as an author, not only of poetry, but an author of children's books, and time travel and romance and just about anything else, that inspired me to write a poem that may resonate with others to follow their dreams as well.

It doesn't really matter how old you are when you graduate, I myself didn't finish college till my early forties. What matters is, knowing that when your education is done, what you will do with it. What you have learned, how you may inspire others with all the new knowledge in your mind. This is what I had hoped to express to others in my graduation poem.

While I still had self doubts about pushing that publishing button, and letting the world view my work, it made me keenly aware, that my work is my own. That the things I've experienced in my life, belong only to me. And that only I could be an expert on creating poems and stories, using that unique life and education experience. That's what I wanted the graduates to know. Especially the young graduates from high school and college. That it doesn't matter what you choose to do in this life, your experience will make your choices uniquely your own. And what has taken me a half century to figure out, I can now say with certainty, that your heart truly knows the way to go. There have been many times, when I've thought about not writing anymore. This is a tough business. But each time I've stopped, my heart wouldn't let me. So I've given up stopping. I've given up trying to give up writing, I love it too much. I've learned not to fight that inner spark. What you dream all your life, you really can do. I may not be wildly successful, but my heart is happy with the journey, and that's what matters most.

So to the graduates of every age; Enjoy every minute of your new life ahead of you. You truly are the way to a new world for us all. Congratulations! This one is for you....


Graduate Poem Card
Graduate Poem Card by nikiclix
Look at more cards from Zazzle.

Now you can customize this unique sentimental poem with your own school colors. This Graduate poem is included in our adult coloring book, Color-A-Gift.
Click the image to go to the book at Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Color-Gift-Occasion-Gift-Poems-Give/dp/1536804479/ref=la_B005O3KMI8_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493235511&sr=1-11

Thursday, May 16, 2013

GIVEAWAY CONTEST!!

 Giveaway contest & Sale!!

I'm giving away an autographed paperback copy of my children's book, Your Father's Love, on Goodreads! This contest will run for one week. (Click below in box to enter contest.)

 In the mean time - the ebook version of this book is on sale now at Amazon for only .99 for a limited time!! (Ebook Regularly $2.99/Paperback Regularly $10.99)

Good Luck with the contest and Happy Father's Day!



Goodreads Book Giveaway

Your Father's Love by Niki Alling

Your Father's Love

by Niki Alling

Giveaway ends May 24, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win

Monday, May 6, 2013

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Grandchildren are the Greatest...

Today I became a Grandmother for the third time! Life just doesn't get any better than this. I've spoke often about my own Grandmother, who is now 96 years old, and about my two Granddaughters, Eva & Takeda, well today we welcome my first Grandson, little Johnnie. There is just something about Grandchildren that make life complete. At least for me they do.

Maybe it's because I have such fond memories of time spent with my Grandparents when I was young. Fishing in the creek with Grandpa and picking peas in his garden. Making Grandma's special Christmas cookies every year with her, or staying up late playing gin rummy with her, when my sister and I stayed overnight. Life was good at Grandma and Grandpa's house. I want to be that special place where my Grandchildren can come, when they need a break from everyday life. When they're older and homework is too hard, and daily chores are tiring, I want to be the place where they can come to unwind, pull up a chair at the kitchen table, play cards and make cookies into the night. I want them to eat the peas from my garden before I get a chance to cook them, take them fishing at the pond down the road, and throw all the fish back and watch them swim away. I want to help them find the wild berries in the yard, and hope we still have some in the quart when we get back to the house.

Yes, I love being a mother too, but lets face it, motherhood is harder, parenthood is harder. Mother's and Father's have the weight of the world on their shoulders with the day to day responsibilities. I love that I can take some of the load off my daughter and her husband's shoulders every now and then, and have the kids come stay with Grandma, for a night or two.  

Becoming a Grandmother came a little sooner in my life than I thought it would, but the way I see it, I get all these extra years of loving! Who couldn't use a little more of that? ;)

Happy Birthday little Johnnie, you have been added to my list of people to write books for! I love you!

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Happy Birthday Eva & Dr. Seuss!

Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved Dr. Seuss books. Who doesn't? I think my love of poetry began by reading his books. It is not much of a surprise to me that I've spent most of my life writing poetry myself, and now writing my own children's books, because of Dr. Seuss.

I've written poetry on every subject I can think of, even some that I'll never publish, and some I publish under pen names. But writing for children is near and dear to my heart. Most of my children's books are dedicated to my grandchildren and the children I've known over the years in the schools I've worked in.

But on the day my first Granddaughter, Evangeline (Eva), was born, I knew I was on the right track, because she was born on Dr. Seuss's Birthday. To me it made perfect sense that she was born this day. I took it as a sign to stay the course and to never give up writing and continuing to pursue my dreams.

Being a grandmother, has given me the greatest joy and has shown me what love can really be. Of course I love my own children and being a mother, but being a grandmother is a new level of love, I didn't know existed. It's hard to explain, but other friends of mine who are also grandparents, understand. We give each other that knowing nod and smile, and have entered into a new phase in our lives, with the little ones at our feet. Eva is 3 today, she is a joy as well as her sister Takeda. The hugs I get from those girls last for days on end. And then I can go back for more.

So Happy Birthday little Eva, and to Dr. Seuss - thank you for filling my life with wonderful stories and poetry, there will never be another quite like you. You are my inspiration. And if my own books can touch even one child in a positive way, it will be because your inspiration is shining through. 


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

2 Giveaways!!

I'm running two Giveaways through Goodreads, to win autographed paperback copies of my books - Hearts Are For Loving & The Roots of My Family Tree.

These children's picture books are two different subjects. Hearts Are For Loving, is a fun concept book about shapes. And The Roots of My Family Tree, is a celebration book for multicultural children everywhere. Both are written in rhyme, and have colorful illustrations. Giveaways start on 2/15/13 and run for one week till 2/22/13. There will be two winners, one for each book. Good Luck!!


Goodreads Book Giveaway

Hearts Are For Loving by Niki Alling

Hearts Are For Loving

by Niki Alling

Giveaway ends February 22, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win



Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Roots of My Family Tree by Niki Alling

The Roots of My Family Tree

by Niki Alling

Giveaway ends February 22, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

New Release!

New Release - Hearts Are For Loving


Shapes are all around us. This fun, colorful book shows children that shapes can be for many things. It’s designed to spark the imagination and have children thinking about shapes in ways they might not have before. This book can be for Valentine's Day or any time of year.

(Click the picture to take you to Amazon's book page.)