Geri Jones is a Wordsmith – gifted in the art of words and rhyme. She has just published her first book of poetry and tell us about it, herself and her craft.
Geri, first off, your new book is an absolute visual delight. Wonderful work with tying the into the poetry and the color selection for each page. Did you do the layout and select the and colors yourself?
Pretty much yes. A dear friend of mine painted the cover picture. She is a great artist and has such great energy and she came up with the perfect picture for the book. I picked out the photos from various photos I had taken myself – mostly limited by needing photos with a big enough resolution to make them quality pictures at that size. There are also six photos which are from a photographer friend of mine who offered that I choose any pictures from her albums. After that, I asked the book designers for colorful pages which blended in with the photos. What you see in the book is the result – I was thrilled with the colors and the contrasting side borders they created. I also asked that the color from the front be blended around to the back of the book. I wrote the whole part about myself on the back of the book too – I just answered the questions and this is what flowed out!
Who is your audience for this publication?
Pretty much anyone who would like to have their spirits lifted and also ultimately to be inspired to help humanity to return to who we really are, and that is loving, giving, co-operative souls who love our home, Planet Earth. Anyone can understand these messages – from youngsters to the elderly. There are no cryptic messages, it is all plain to see the message.
Why did you create this book? What was the purpose behind it?
The purpose is to get my message out. As I mentioned above, humanity really is a loving, giving, co-operative race who love our home, Planet Earth. I believe that we really do not need to fight amongst ourselves and that there is a peaceful way around every issue. I also believe that we are currently going through a vibrational change and that once everyone awakens, we can start to live the dreamed for Heaven on Earth life.
We expect this is your first of many publications to come, is it not?
Yes indeed – I have so much more in me to put out as messages of love and light!
Were you the student who got all A’s in English and poetry classes?
Errrrr . . . . . . . no! In fact, I failed English Language and English Literature the first time around!! (And only barely passed the second time!!!)
Not everyone can rhyme artistically – make rhymes that make sense, etc. – why are you so good at it?
It’s interesting – it feels like it is something easy and that surely everyone could do it. But I guess they cannot! It seems to just happen naturally – I suppose it is something that is known as a gift. As well as having the ability to shuffle words around to make the last ones in each line rhyme, I have some sort of sense of rhythm which makes the timing work in the rhythm.
Where are you from originally?
I was born in Bath, England which is in the south west corner of the British Isles.
Did where you grew up and the things around you at that time have anything to do with developing your skills as a poet?
Bath is a very beautiful city with a lot of historic beauty what with the architecture. The area is beautiful and there are some famed writers from Bath, Jane Austin for one. However, for the years I lived there, I believed I had no gifts or talents whatsoever. I left Bath at age 19 and haven’t lived there other than for visits, since. I am now 52. My gift didn’t appear until I was into my forties, so I don’t really think where I came from had anything much to do with developing my skills!!
You offer services to write “pomes” for people for special occasions. How much information does someone need to give you in order to write such a pome?
I ask people to write a paragraph or two saying exactly what they want to say to the person that the pome is for. I say, write it from your heart, what do you want to say. I then take it and twirl the words around (adding a few to make it rhyme) and the pome appears. I have an example on my website
www.pomesbyjones.com showing the paragraph someone wrote of she would like to say to her sister, and you can then see the result. It is on the ‘order’ page.
What is your approach like? How do you write such a thing?
I read through the paragraph(s) from the requesting person and pick out the key points. and then a combination of my brain and my spiritual or Higher Self, create the rest of it!! I’m not really sure how I do it, it just happens once I put out the intention.
Is your approach different when you write a company slogan than when writing pomes?
Yes, somewhat I think. When there isn’t so much human emotion involved (not to say there is none for a company slogan), I guess I use more of my intellect to create the slogan, but still I get help from my higher self. Often, this sort of work takes longer. I tend to need more information for this sort of project.
Where does your inspiration come from? Some people need to go to a quiet place, some don’t. Just curious about how you do what you do. Are the words just there for you or do you have to search for them in order to manifest the phrases in your mind? If you can, describe your creative process.
I do have to be in a very quiet area. My home is such a place, but I also can go to a cabin or resort in the mountains or countryside somewhere to write. When I am writing a Pome, such as the ones in the book, I decide on a title or a subject matter and put out the intention to The Universe. Many times, without a whole lot of thought, the Pome is suddenly there in front of me. I always use pencil and write in my creation book. I have always written best using a pencil – and sharpener!! Nothing new and fangled in the way of technology here!! Many times, I barely need to change a word once it is written. Often times, a four verse Pome can be written in as little as 20 – 30 minutes!! Occasionally less!! As mentioned above, the ones for people’s birthdays and weddings etc, take a little thought to know the important points, etc. before getting started whereas these healing/spiritual/inspirational ones, come right from my Higher Self.
What’s in the future? Are there more books, will there be pomes to music, greeting cards…? What do we have to look forward to next?
Haha – I have some ideas alright. I think another book in time. Definitely Pomes to music are on the cards. A musician friend of mine keeps saying we must do some to music – when the time is right, it will happen. I also have been creating a few posters – pictures with Pomes written over them and in simple frames – short encouraging/inspirational Pomes which could be hung on any wall. I also recently wrote a couple of short ones for a Wedding and an Anniversary – not personalized – so it can be sold in a gift shop to someone who wants a unique gift for friends. Greeting cards are also a possibility. I was talking to an artist at a networking meeting a short while ago and we thought maybe we could collaborate in making some beautiful cards as gifts. The possibilities are unlimited really!!
How did you meet Gizmo the Wonderdoglet? What made you write a pome especially for him?
That’s another funny story! I met Jen – Gizmo’s assistant/driver/carer/dogsbody; Jen, because of our cars!! We both drive MINI Coopers and we met originally on a MINI forum, then connected on Facebook. Soon, we realized that we lived less than 2 hours apart (many of our MINI friends live in far away places such as Florida, California, Illinois, Wisconsin, Virginia, Georgia, etc., etc. and we don’t often get to meet up). Once we realized that it was possible to drive to meet up, we made a plan to meet up on 4th July 2010. The rest is history – we became firm friends fast and when Jen and Gizmo came to visit me at the farm where I live, and where I take care of horses, Giz met my favorite horse Chippee and THEY became firm friends!! Such a wonderful friendship we all have!!!!
Here is a POME I wrote about a wonderful doglet who goes visiting people to brighten up their days! (WMTS Note: Gizmo is a therapy dog who happens to have over 11,000 fans on facebook!)
Gizmo, Wonder Doglet
Gizmo is a doglet with such epic depth.
Small in stature, but high in strong strength
Of character and will power, and love and joy,
He really is one extraordinary boy!
Those who meet him can’t help but say,
“Oh my goodness, you just made my day!”
One heck of a giving spirit indeed,
What more could a person ever want or need?
As “Wonder Doglet” he is sometimes known,
And so many friends, they now have grown,
To understand what it is to give.
Gizzy’s example is to give, love and live!
Gizzy, Gizmo, Wonder Doglet,
In my life, I simply have not met,
Any other such creature so wise, yet so small,
You are the mightiest fellow of all!
For more, and to order the book, visit http://pomesbyjones.com.
