April is National Poetry Month. I’m celebrating with Writer’s Digest’s Poem a Day Challenge. I’m sharing a few of my favorites. This poem is from the sixth, and the theme is things-not-as-they-appear.

Camouflage

Be wary of figures of speech

they aren’t what they seem

Metaphors lurk

in murky swamps of text

a moss covered log

that with a snap

is revealed as an alligator

Similes are less bold

like a horse with a plastic horn

that knows it isn’t a unicorn

but would like to pretend

otherwise

Beware of figures of speech

they’re keeping an eye on

you

April is National Poetry Month. I’m celebrating with Writer’s Digest’s Poem a Day Challenge. I’m sharing a few of my favorites. This poem was from the second, the topic: secrets.

Blossom

The best kind of secrets

are the ones you are waiting

to share

that blossom warm and bright

in your heart

and make you smile

for no reason at all

because you know something

no one else does

yet.

Tell me those secrets

I will share your smile

and we will be twice as incandescent

together

The worst kind of secrets

no one wants to share

pain

shame

guilt

like an anchor

dragging you down but you have to

tread water and smile

because you want no one to know

Tell me those secrets

I will cry with you

and help you chip at the chains

holding you down

one day you will break free

You can escape alone

but you don’t have to

Tell me your secrets

and I’ll tell you mine

I know I’ve been missing in action for the last few months, but I couldn’t resist dropping by to share my experiences with taking part in a box set with 20 other authors. First of all, if you haven’t heard of the Secret Worlds box set yet, you can check it out here. The set is an amazing deal, currently at 99 cents and containing 21 full-length novels from bestselling authors. I’ve been enjoying working my way through the offerings and have lots more fun reading ahead of me!

Okay, self promotion aside, it’s time to get back to the point. Why might you choose to take part in a box set as an author? Here were my reasons for joining in:

• To get that coveted “USA bestselling author” tag at the end of my name. Our organizer was able to launch last year’s box set onto the USA bestsellers list, and we hope to do the same this year.
• To learn new marketing techniques from other authors. It’s amazing how, when everyone pitches in, you get to learn from other authors’ strengths. For example, the teaser images some of our box set’s participants are churning out are unbelievable!
• To add visibility to my other books. Thousands of copies of the box set sold should mean at least hundreds of new readers who want to read the next book in my series. (I hope!)

All of that said, I don’t recommend that small fry like me organize a box set. I can tell that our organizer is putting in three times as many hours as I am, and her experience is what will make Secret Worlds sink or swim. But I do think it’s a good idea to be on the lookout for box-set opportunities to participate in. Because learning new skills and increasing your visibility is one of the most important things an indie author can do. Well, that and write….