The Genius of William Blake

William Blake 1757-1827

By Laurie Epps

When you discuss poets of the Romantic Era, nobody can have an intelligent discussion without the mention of William Blake. So today, though he's known for a lot of works, as both poet & painter, I've selected a few of my favorite depictions of William Blake's life.

William Blake is often referred to as the prophet of Great Britain, and he's revered as a visionary. As exemplified in his famous hymn, Jerusalem, Blake wrote not only an unofficial anthem for Britain, but is also his opus giving England a hymn of an idealized Britain.

On This Washing Day

Anna Laetita Barbould
1743-1825

By Laurie Epps

Anna Laetitia Barbould was very close with her brother. Her brother's influence was so great upon her life, in part because he was the first one to tell her that she should write and later encouraged her to publish her poetry. Today, ALB reminds us of the playfulness of poetry. Told from a child's perspective, Washing Day reminds us that every truth in life is largely dependent on your perspective.

The collaboration of work between her younger brother, John Aiken and her has resulted in Evenings at Home and Monthly Magazine. Barbould even raised her brother's third born son.

In her own life, her husband Rochemont Barbould was a French Huguenot and sought asylum in England where the two fell in love. They were married in 1774, and bore no children, but ran a children's home until 1785. Her love of children highly influenced her writing, and she often plays around with writing from a child's perspective.

Unfortunately, by January of 1808, Rochemont's health was deteriorating, and he was stricken by mental illness. At one point, he chased her around a room of their house with a knife. Barbould, afraid for her life jumped out the window to  the safety of her garden. However, it shook her up so terribly that she had to make the painful decision to be separated from her husband in March of that year. This was followed by many entries about grief and loss. By November of that year, her husband escaped his mental institution and drowned himself in the river.

Pinterest & Image Copyright Issues

Photo courtesy of Edie Melson

By Laurie Epps

Let's hit the bricks together. What images can you use on the Internet? Which ones can't you use? How to know the difference is covered in our text, Connections: Social Media and Networking Techniques for Writers by Edie Melson. If you need to purchase a copy, just follow my link.

For example, if you'd like to use one of Edie's photos on her blog, she's got expressed written consent directly on her blog, just as I've done.

Pinterest doesn't change those rules, and anything you've posted wrongfully, you're liable for personally.

Encouragement for Recent Graduates

Happy Graduate, May 3, 2014

By Laurie Epps

Something I wasn’t prepared for when I graduated was the letdown post graduation. For the next ten days, I’d drop my daughter off at school, and go back to bed until 2 PM. That’s really out of character for me. I wasn’t prepared for the feeling of inadequacy, or for the feeling that I was lost and irrelevant.

When I spoke to other graduates, many of them felt the same way. Yet nobody talks about it, and I believe they should. Back in the good old days, students would receive bids for their talent, and often before graduation. But today, the graduate is in the drivers seat as conquerors of their own destiny. We’re placed in charge of the “what’s next” chapter of our lives. However, this is an area that college didn’t adequately prepare us for.

The Mouse's Petition

Anna Laetitia Barbould
1743-1825

By Laurie Epps

The Romantic Period of British Literature was unique, in that, it brought about new ways of seeing things. There was a deliberate attention given to the diminishing natural world. Focus was now being shifted to individual points of view, and these elements influenced poetry by making it more lyrical in quality.

In most British Literature courses, it begins with Anna Laetitia Barbauld. Barbould was born in 1743, and was educated at home by her mother in Leicestershire, England. In 1772, she married Rochemont Barbould. 

Do You Pinterest?

By Laurie Epps

Although I've got a Pinterest, I know it's grossly underused. As a writer, I only saw it's application to post book covers. My main line is feature writing, so it's first impression lost my interest. That's changing now.

We're continuing with our book, Connections: Social Media and Networking Techniques for Writers. Authored by my mentor, Edie Melson, she breaks down the good, the bad, and the ugly of social media, and explains it in very easy to read terms. If you don't know where to start with your branding, or a blog, this will be a great addition to your resource library.

Pictured with Edie Melson, my first day as an intern

A Grandmother's Legacy

My junior college graduation, 5/20/05

By Laurie Epps

Did you know that today marks the one hundredth anniversary of Mother's Day? So for all the mom's out there, I'd like to wish you a very Happy Mothers Day.

Back in my junior college days, my Cultural Geography teacher assigned a genealogy project. I didn't know it then, but it was a hobby that would stay with me for the rest of my life. Very early in the project, I realized that history books are full of men, and men's narratives. What I wanted to know was very different. I wanted to know the stories of the women that went before me. It also led me to think about what legacy I'd like to leave my daughters.

My Grandmother Everitt, 1977

Utilizing You Tube--It's Big

Compliments of Edie Melson

By Laurie Epps

As writers, it's easy to overlook video as an option for getting our name and platform out there, but since You Tube is still #2 most popular form of social media, it's something we shouldn't overlook. 

Edie has been in a number of You Tube videos and usually about social media. So we're going to continue to talk about social media in her book, Connections: Social Media and Networking Techniques for Writers.


She's going to walk us through the most basic of basic information. The nuts and bolts of creating your own You Tube videos. This can be the difference of working or not working because it gives your work a face and person behind the work.

Life Interupted

Photo compliments of Alexes Ciardi

By Laurie Epps

I'm so sorry that I didn't have blogs up for all of last week. (Apr.27- May 3, 2014) I've been slammed with year end final projects, and graduation. 

The last assignments of senior year were killer. Most of them packed a punch of at least a quarter of my grade. Not passing anything would mean that I wouldn't graduate.

It was overwhelming. I've not had a decent night's sleep in my four years at Anderson University. But it was worth it. Now I can say that I'm a college graduate.

Graduation Day 2014