Note: You might want to listen to P!nk's "Raise Your Glass" while reading this. It'll get you in a suitably rebellious mood. I have been listening to a lot of well-intentioned writing advice lately. The voices have been telling me how I should be writing, when and for how long. They've been telling me I'll…
The Gift of Poetry
I love getting presents, especially when they are precisely what I want at that moment in time. But if I could only get one more present for the rest of my life, it would be this: a poem written exclusively for me, by one of the poets I truly love. I would want to meet…
Gender Matters Matter
I dug this poem out today - I must have written it when I was around 9 or 10. What a laugh. I'll admit, along with some subtle editing, I've made one significant change today - Elly has changed from a boy to a girl elephant (and without the complicated surgery.) Recently I read an opinion piece…
The Writer in print
It's quite something to see yourself in print. This story was published in the April 2013 issue of Takahē, a New Zealand literary magazine. I received my copy in my letterbox today. I have posted the story previously, but for the sake of ease, here it is for those who haven't read it before. The Writer The Devil…
My Wee Winning Story
My, that's a large one. I refer to the photo of my face that jumped out and slapped me as I opened the April issue of Reader's Digest (New Zealand edition). With the issue finally out today, I can announce that out of thousands of entries I am one of two runners-up in the NZ Readers…
After the party
As our bodies collide and we miss each other, I start thinking of all the times we have touched but not touched. I open my mouth to tell you this then shut it again without saying a word. Our bodies part and we tuck and fold, packaging ourselves up again, gifting ourselves once more to everything…
The Hurty Bottom and other stories
The most gorgeous 5-yr-old in the universe (aka my daughter, Miss B.) was awarded a certificate at her school assembly this morning. The certificate read: "For writing some awesome stories so far this year. You are trying so hard with your writing!" Miss B. is turning into quite a storyteller. Every morning after mat time the…
You can take the girl out of Ireland…
I was born in Northern Ireland, and lived with my family in a little (as in: blink or you'll miss it) village called Altnamackin in County Armagh until we made the long and alienating journey to New Zealand in 1974. I was named after Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, who, legend has it, planted a…
That is not what I meant, at all
Recently I had to submit a forty-word statement on "What Writing Means To Me" to a literary magazine, as a preface to one of my short stories. My toes curled in horror and I could feel my computer keyboard bracing itself for some recalcitrant bashing and prodding. I just hate that sort of thing. It…
Recently I found out that a literary magazine (Takahē, published quarterly here in New Zealand) is keen to publish one of my short stories. In the same week, I learned that I am one of two runners-up in a writing competition I entered a couple of months ago. (I can't tell you any more details as they…
Patricia Bell, Author 