Princess Alethea On Her Writing Process

My dearly beloved bosom companion Leanna Renee Hieber posted an incredibly fun and insightful interview last Monday about her writing process last week, and then asked if I wouldn’t mind answering the same questions in turn. But of course! And here they are: ************************************ What am I working on? Right now, I’m working on three things at once. I’m…

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National Poetry Month, Day 20

My response to “Tears of the Hollow Men,” written after a personal family issue…and a dream about a monk who wrote a poem describing the shifting of a cloud from an eagle to an angel. ********************************* Tears of the Hollow Men Alethea Kontis (1994) Blue clouds at sunset With silver-pink lining Free as an eagle On the wind shining…

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Waiting for Maleficent

(Now I want to write a parody play with this title. But that’s beside the point…) I was notified yesterday that The Huffington Post had cited THE ENTIRE WOODCUTTER SISTERS SERIES as part of a list of “10 Books to Read While Impatiently Waiting for Maleficent.” WOOHOOOO!!!!!!! Yeah, I’m still dancing about it. To read the article with the…

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National Poetry Month, Day 19

I never read Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, but I knew very well who The Guy was. When I discovered this poem in my twelfth grade textbook, I fell in love so hard I even wrote a poem of my own in response (I’ll post that tomorrow). I stole that textbook. **************************** The Hollow Men T.S. Eliot Mistah Kurtz—he dead….

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National Poetry Month, Day 18

Poor Emily Dickinson, becoming famous after her death, leaving that giant trunk full of her work behind. This was a genuine fear of my childhood. I can’t tell you how incredibly happy I am to be published. I appreciate it every single day. Much Madness is divinest Sense By Emily Dickinson Much Madness is divinest Sense – To a…

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National Poetry Month, Day 17

When I was young, I was often referred to as “The Little Girl With the Little Curl.” I had always thought of this as a Mother Goose nursery rhyme…until looking this up for National Poetry Month, I HAD NO IDEA it was penned by Longfellow. ***************************** There was a little girl By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow There was a little…

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National Poetry Month, Day 16

I fell in love with this poem because it was the one that Anne of Green Gables performed enthusiastically to a surprised and welcoming crowd. By rights I should have fallen for “Lady of Shalott” in a similar fashion, but for whatever reason I’ve never quite warmed to the Arthurian legends. A thief in love? MUCH more my speed….

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Sarah Interviews Princess Alethea

I was recently contacted by a high school student named Sarah K, asking for my answers on a survey she was doing for her English class…she had chosen “authors” as her demographic. I was so intrigued by her questions that I asked if I could post them here, and she said yes. Thanks, Sarah! ********************************* Name: Alethea Kontis Age:…

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National Poetry Month, Day 15

Reportedly, this is the world’s shortest poem, attributed to Ogden Nash (but under debate): Fleas Adam Had ’em. Ogden Nash did, however, pen these shortie-but-goodies: Parsley It’s gharsley and I like mustard Even on custard and The trouble with a kitten is THAT Eventually it becomes a CAT. This may have been at the heart of why I loved…

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National Poetry Month, Day 14

Also in 10th grade, each of us had to choose a song for class and discuss the poetry of the lyrics. Casey chose “Pure” by The Lightning Seeds…our favorite song that year. I went more Broadway and selected “The Rose”, written by Amanda McBroom and made famous by Bette Midler in the 1979 film of the same name. “The…

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