Tag: reading

Poetry Reading @CBE Sept. 27th

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

I had a great time reading some of my poetry at Central Book Exchange’s Fall Reading.

(Alina Happy Hansen POETRY READING photo credit: Dallas Basta copyright 2019)

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I read a selection of poems I have been currently working on, plus a few poems I recently published here on my blog. It was a great experience and I was so happy I could participate in the Fall Reading after the Spring Reading back in April.

Spring Reading @ CBE April 2019

I want to keep participating in events like this and I need to gain more experience in reading my poetry to the public. My goal is to do at least half a dozen readings per year that will hopefully turn into more.

Thank you!

-Alina

https://www.alinahappyhansenwriter.com/portfolio-publications-events/
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My First Novel: Moving, NaPoMo and Tidying-Up (4/18)

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

This month has been crazy. With all the moving and changes happening I’ve been trying to keep up and finally feel like I got a foothold. Now that I’m more settled in my new place and I have a little bit more time on my hands, I can get back to business.

Working on “Part Two” draft of my book is difficult, there are so many places where I want to cut out whole chapters or rework certain aspects of characters but I’m holding myself back from completely tearing apart what I have. I miss my characters, in a weird way, it’s like I haven’t hung out with them in a while. I also need to get a quick refresh and reread my manuscript.

The Ending. I scratched about three to four different endings of my book a couple months ago before I finished revising the first draft. Now I’m left with an extremely rough outline of the ending I’m thinking of, still, it doesn’t feel exactly right. It seems like the ending won’t really be “the ending”, there could be a sequel which is scary.

It’s Na(tional)Po(oetry)Mo(nth) and I almost forgot, I admit it. I have a couple poetry books that I am trying to finish right now and I’m planning on focusing on those until the end of the month as a sort of mini-celebration.

William Carlos Williams Selected Poetry

Poetry Magazines April 2019 Edition

What else I’ve been reading:

Joan Didion’s Slouching Towards Bethlehem

I need to read more Didion, or at least I’m in the mood to now. I feel like after my Jane Austen binge I want to get back to reading more modern works. And I am holding myself back from rereading some of my favorite Patti Smith books right now. I have read a couple other Didion books and I love her style and approach to content. This one is no different and presents a very specific slice of time that I’m able to tap into as a reader all because of Didion’s writing.

Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying-Up

Curious about this popular trend, I got on the bandwagon about a month ago when I knew I was going to move. I didn’t follow Kondo’s method to the T but I managed to get rid of over half of the things I owned (and didn’t need). After watching the Netflix series I am now almost done with her book. It is has a simple format and it’s an easy read. 

What I’m listening to:

Thanks for reading!

-Alina

 

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Poetry Reading Saturday, April 13th

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

I will be reading some of my poetry at Central Book Exchange located in Sugarhouse (Salt Lake City, Utah). This is CBE’s first ever Reading Night so it is pretty exciting. The event starts at 6:30 p.m.

CBE reading night 1
Central Book Exchange Reading Night

I am not sure what time I will be going on but I will be there for the entire event. I will be reading a few poems that I’ve been working on for the last year, there are very rough and not at all finished. I am more excited about watching other local authors read.

I hope to see you there!

-Alina

 

INFO:

Central Book Exchange

2017 South 1100 East SLC, UT 84106

Event Contact: Evan 801-485-3913

https://www.alinahappyhansenwriter.com/portfolio-publications-events/

My First Novel: Moving with Austen (3/27/19)

Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

It has been a wild two weeks and I have to admit I have fallen behind but for good reason. I am moving! It is official and even though I’ll be moving only about five miles away into downtown it’s still significant. The last couple of weeks I’ve been cleaning and packing, readying myself for the final move-in day. It will be great going to a new place right as spring is finally taking hold of Salt Lake City but my novel has suffered because of this.

I’ve edited a few passages and read the end of part one about three times since I got back from Vegas earlier this month but my heart is not in it right now. I am distracted and unable to focus. I will get better and I am almost done with the transition now and I know right when I move I will want to focus on writing instead of unpacking.

What else have I been up to? Working and reading.

Over the weekend I felt like a little Austen so I watched a movie and then watched The Jane Austen Book Club. The movie was ok but bad enough to just make me want to read Austen instead of watch people ‘read’ her.

On Monday after work, I went to one of my favorite book stores and bought a cheap copy of Persuasion by Austen. I started reading it the same day and was about halfway through by Monday night now I only have about six pages left. It is good and I don’t think I’ve ever read it before. I love Pride and Prejudice but I am more fond of the Bronte Sisters than Austen. I thought why not, I’ll work my way backward with Austen and read her last work (Persuasion) then second to last and so on. It is a lot of reading and of course, I am reading about 17 other books right now but I can’t help it.

I think it’ll be a fun little list to read but I know I’ll cave in and read some Bronte here and there, I usually read Jane Eyre about once or twice a year.

Overall, I am on a little involuntary break from working on my novel and it is tearing me up. I will work more diligently on it soon after the chaos settles until then I write a little bit here and there for practice, my daily writing.

Thank you for reading my updates and following me on my journey through writing my first novel.

-Alina

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