Photo by Steve Brown, acumen photography
My name is Helen Valentina and I am a writer who loves to explore why we do the things we do and how our characters are formed by our beliefs and actions. This blog will mainly showcase my poetry, but will also promote my longer works – such as novels.
The theme of Elemental Writing I am using is an attempt to identify the key element of any piece of work – for instance poetry or prose that mainly reflects emotional ideas would be ‘water’, whereas ego, action and passion ideas might be best identified as ‘fire’ and so on.
This partly reflects a separate interest of mine, the tarot deck, and its elucidation of life in terms of the elements depicted in the Minor Arcana (Cups= Water/emotions, Swords= Air/intellect, Pentacles = Earth/the material and Wands= Fire/passion, action and ego.) when considered against the journey of the soul’s development through the Major Arcana.
But this isn’t a New Age blog, its just a theme to organise my work, so don’t feel you have to get out incense and meditation tapes to spend any time here. 🙂
My fascination with the elements and the different facets of life is why the type of poetry you will read here is quite eclectic, as are the genres and themes of novels I will publish. I hope that some of the terrain I cover may resonate with you and you enjoy your time here.
I hope also this blog allows me to continue the wonderful friendships I have formed through the networking possible with other writers and artists on WordPress and to continue to find and build more friendships of this kind. This experience so far has truly been a revelation and a joy in my life.
Thank you to all who come here and extend the hand of friendship and support – you cannot know how appreciated that is!!
(c) iStockphoto.com/TheRealDarla
helenvalentina 
Hi Helen!
If you check out my blog for today when you get a chance I left you an award. As I said to others it’s up to you what you do with your award (whether to display or not / pass on or not), the point is I want to say my thank-you for your support, and for your wonderful blog!
Hope you’re having a beautiful day 🙂 XOXO
Thank you so much, that is so very kind of you! I appreciate your support as well! The WordPress community is fabulous! 🙂
Nominated you for The Super Sweet Blogger Award! (because you are Super Sweet!) 🙂
Wow…thank you so much! that is so kind. If i get time this weekend I’ll follow up the nomination rules but if I don’t please know how much I appreciate you thinking of me and your kind words!! 🙂
I found your blog by accident, and I’m happy I did. Very interesting and inspiring poetry. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much, that is very kind! I was just trying to connect to your blog but I get a telstra messae saying it cant link..not sure why. Hopefully just a glitch…I’ll check back later and see if I have more success!! 🙂 🙂
Someone just followed my blog, so perhaps it was just a glitch. Happy to connect with you, Helen! xx
Strange..it still won’t connect from here, but you will see I reached your blog anyway from just using your URL outside of wordpress. Your blog is lovely – extremely beautiful layout, choice of colours, and the writing is sublime. I look forward to keeping up with your work and am very happy you found my blog to lead me to yours!! 🙂
I nominated you for an award http://soadhachami.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/liebster-blog-award/
Thank you so much! That is so kind! I doubt I’ll have time to follow it through but I am so touched you thought of me!! 🙂
Thank you for stopping by my blog. I nominated you for an award on my blog http://www.jemsbooks.wordpress.com. I really like your blog.
Thank you so much, that is incredibly kind of you. I may not have time to follow up the nomination rules but I do so appreciate you thinking of me! 🙂
That is great! I know how busy you must be with your amazing blog. Social media is very time consuming but fun!
Greetings! I have nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award (I’m not entirely sure how this works, so bear with me).
The rules are on the link that I posted, should you choose to accept! Enjoy!
http://meglatorre.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/liebster-blog-award/
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate you thinking of me, even though I may not have time to follow through on the nomination rules. It is very kind of you, and congratulations on your nomination too!! 🙂 🙂
Thank you! And it was my pleasure (:
I nominated you for the Wonderful Team Member award, Helen! 🙂 http://whenibecameanauthor.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/wonderful-team-member-award/
Thank you so much!! 🙂 🙂
Your work has become one of my favorite daily treats! Thank you for sharing with us.
Thank you so much, that is so very kind of you!! 🙂 🙂
Thank you for following my blog Helen.
You are my 200th follower! 😛
You’re welcome – I feel quite honoured to hear that! Your blog is great…one of the cleverest concepts and tag lines I’ve seen! I look forward to keeping up with your work. 🙂
And I look forward to seeing more of your work Helen 🙂
Thank you!! 🙂
😛
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I nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award http://petitemagique.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/three-more-awards/
Hugz to you!
Thank you so much, that is so kind of you!! 🙂 🙂
I nominated you for the Seed of Light Award. Thank you for all of your inspiring blog posts. http://legendsofwindemere.com/2013/05/19/seed-of-light-award/
Thanks Charles, so very kind of you!! 🙂
Hi! I enjoy your blog, and I’ve nominated you for the Sunshine Award. No obligation. 🙂 http://marnycopal.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/good-day-sunshine/
Thank you so much – that is so very kind of you!! 🙂 🙂
Hey! I’ve nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award! Congrats!
Check it out !
Thank you so much that is so kind of you! 🙂
You are an amazing poet!
I had to show you some Love:-)
Pingback: And the award for the most award nominations in one post goes to…. | Comfortably Numb
I think you write awesome stuff so I have nominated you for the sunshine and versatile blogger award. Keep writing brilliant stuff. For details about this awards visit here http://juned11blog.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/sunshine-and-versatile-blogger-award/
Thank you – that is so very kind of you! I really appreciate the support!! 🙂 🙂
Thanks for the stop by and the like. I’m looking forward to reading what you are writing.
Thank you!! 🙂
Helen, the many sides of you have kept me thoroughly entertained and very inspired. I know you are kept very busy. However, I want to let you know you have had an effect on me. I have the honor of nominating your blog for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award! Please visit http://shainbird.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/its-contagious/.
Thank you so much, that is so very kind of you! Please know I very, very much appreciate you thinking of me!! 🙂 🙂
I have nominated you for an award
Wow, thank you so much, that is so very kind of you!! 🙂
I have nominated you for the “The Sunshine” Award. I appreciate you letting me into a little corner of your mind/world and do hope others discover and enjoy all that you do.
So…Congrats!
You can find the information that you need by clicking here…
http://wordifull.com/2013/06/03/sunshine-award-my-very-first-award/
Thank you so much, that is so kind of you!! 🙂 🙂
Gravatar is cool. But the dragon is bigger than the moon! 😉
Thank you! Perhaps the dragon IS bigger than the moon, LOL!! 🙂 🙂
Boy! Freaky!
This is an interesting concept, elemental writing. I don’t use tarot cards but I’ve worked with Nature Elementals & have found differences in my writing (referring to a number of poems I wrote years ago) depending on my environment. I wasn’t looking to identify key elements as you’ve indicated, but I found differences in my writing along the lines of the associated emotions of the elements (which you’ve listed in your post). For example, if I was at a pool or river when I wrote, the writing was more emotional and flowery. And it wasn’t just environment, but also the time of day/ night made a difference. As I write this, I’m thinking I should just do a post about it. LOL. I’ll link your blog if I do. – Thanks for visiting my blog. 🙂
Thank you – that’s pretty much how I feel about the elements re my writing too. I just happen to do the tarot as well and that has the elements in the minor arcana. I’m glad I found your blog, it was via a reblog, and I really love the work you are doing with I. I look forward to following your work.
Thank you. I’m looking forward to your posts.
Another award for you! You have made me feel at home here thank you
Wow,thank you, that is so kind of you!! 🙂
You are most welcome…Sis 🙂
Thank you for subscribing to my blog. As you may have discovered, there are at the moment more than 1700 ‘full screen’ photos from Norway displayed. Please enjoy!
And I’m a bit curious as to from which country you are operating on this blog? USA?
Thank you – love your blog, the photography is beautiful! I’m from – and still live in – Australia. 🙂
Great! I used to live in WA back in the late 50thies. That is – to put it mildly – some time ago 🙂
Your blog is inspiring, the content is awesome and a ray of sunshine, so I have nominated you for these few awards. For details about this blog visit http://juned11blog.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/ray-of-light-happiness-intensified-5-awards/
Thank you so much, that is so kind of you!! 🙂 🙂
Helen – I have nominated you for the WordPress Family Award: http://creativityuntamed.com/2013/07/04/wordpress-family-award/
Thank you so much, that is very kind of you! 🙂 🙂
It’s my honor. 🙂
Helen,
Congratulations, I have nominated you for an award – see:
http://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2013/07/06/ive-received-the-liebster-award/
Thank you so much, that is so kind of you! 🙂 🙂
I adore all of your poetry here. If I “liked” it all we you would be all day checking off notifications. If you haven’t already, you should check out The Community Storyboard at http://www.neverendingstorydepository.wordpress.com We have a pretty cool group of readers and writers who like to hang out there, a variety of people from all backgrounds. You will find Ionia Martin and Charles Yallowitz particularly supportive. The blog was their idea and numerous authors have been Freshly Pressed. It is for poetry/prompts, short stories, excerpts and many such things.
Thanks so much, I’m a member of the Community Storyboard and agree with you description of it entirely – work and other things have limited my time there of late, but it is a fabulous community!! Thank you so much for your kind words! 🙂
Hi we’ve nominated you for a Liebster Award, because we felt you and your blog deserved it. You don’t have to pass it on or anything but we’re really interested in your answers to our questions.
TTFN
Gwen & Elinor
Thanks so much! That is very kind of you. If I don’t get time to do more than the questions perhaps I’ll email the answers to you if you like, as otherwise a post with the answers might look like a job half done. 🙂
A great beginning. AJM
Thank you, that is so kind! 🙂 🙂
Hello! Thank you for the visit! 😀
Welcome!! 🙂 🙂
Hiiii xD I nominated you for the super sweet blog award ❤
http://hopedreamwait.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/super-sweet-blog-award-%E2%99%A5/ here is the link ❤
Thank you so much, that is so very kind of you!!! 🙂 🙂
my pleasure <33
Hi Helen, thank you so much for taking the time to comment on my blog! 🙂 It’s always so great to meet other indie authors. I’ve only been in the indie mindset since February this year, and already I’ve found such a supportive and kind community. It really is all about co-operation, not competition, and that resonates with my own core values! Thank you for creating this wonderful blog! It’s exciting times! 🙂
You’re welcome! WordPress is wonderful isn’t it! I’m bookmarking your blog so I don’t risk losing you in the Reader scroll – that can sometimes inadvertently happen if people blog mainly when I’m at work, it can be hard to keep up!! – and so that I know when your books are published and available for purchase! Exciting times indeed – all the very best in your indie author journey! 🙂 🙂
WordPress is so great – there’s a community spirit around here, which is so supportive! That’s a good idea to bookmark blogs, thanks for the tip, otherwise they do seem to get a bit lost in the Reader!
I wish you the very best of luck too, and I look forward to reading your future blog posts! 🙂
Thank you for the follow, it’s very encouraging.
Terry
Your are very welcome! I look forward to keeping up with your work! 🙂 🙂
Hello 🙂 I wanted to let you know that I have nominated you for blogging excellence awards. Congratulations! Should you choose to, the criteria and acceptance info can be found here: http://booknvolume.wordpress.com/2013/08/13/thrilled-beyond-comprehension/
Thank you so much, that is so kind of you!! 🙂 🙂
Thanks for the follow!! Looking forward to reading more about you! ~ Gina
Cool, and welcome!! 🙂 🙂
Thank you so much for dropping by wePoets! Check our calendar page for what’s up and coming!
Will do, thank you!! 🙂
Great, thank you!
Hey, I have a quick question. When I was going through your blog I noticed that the bottom of your about page has a section on the left that covers copyright information, How did you get that to be there? Since I would like to attempt to have a similar thing appear on my blog.
I used one of my widgets to put it there. I can’t recall where I got the words – probably copied them from a friends blog. Feel free to copy mine – obviously changing the name of the blog owner etc to yourself!!
There is a poetry contest going on right now. All entries must be in by Monday, September 30. Patience Griffin has a Facebook author page with the information on it. The prize is a $25 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Also the chance to be published in her book. When I saw this, I thought of you. No one does poetry quite like you do. If you do decide to submit an entry, Good Luck!!
The page, if you need it: https://www.facebook.com/PatienceGriffinAuthor?v=app_432976163386165
Wow, thank you, that is so kind – I shall definitely check this out!! 🙂 🙂 I really appreciate your vote of confidence!! 🙂
You’re welcome! 😀
I have nominated you for a bunch of awards because I think you are so awesome and your blog is great – http://lauracrean.wordpress.com/2013/08/25/a-bunch-of-awards/
Thank you so much, that is so very kind of you!! 🙂 🙂
Thanks for the support on my blog- much appreciated!
Your blog is great! I’m very much enjoying it.
Keep up the excellent work!
-Andrew
Thanks so much!! 🙂 🙂
Please accept my sincere nomination for the 6-Award, just because I think you are very worthy of it…cheers madame and lotsa Luv 🙂
Thank you so much, that is very kind of you!! 🙂 🙂
Dear Helen, I am very pleased that you decided to follow my little “storytelling blog.” Your blog looks great, and I will enjoy reading it. Namaste. . . .
Thank you – your blog is lovely and I look forward to following you, too!! 🙂
Thanks so much for following my blog! I’m looking forward to your posts : )
Thank you, and ditto!! 🙂 🙂
Congratulations on the Summer Sun Award. Please go to the link below for the details! http://talesalongtheway.com/2013/09/14/summer-sun-award/
Namaste. . . . .Anne
Thanks so much, that is so kind!! 🙂 🙂
Hello, Helen, I hope you are feeling a bit better today. Here’s an award that might cheer you up: The Sisterhood of the World Blogging Award. Details are at my blog: http://1writeway.com/2013/09/21/more-awards-more-mea-culpa/
And truly, get well soon!
Thanks so much, the lurgy is proving hard to beat, but then everyone who has had it this year has found it so, so I suppose I can’t expect anything else! But thank you for the award, it is indeed very cheering, and very kind of you!! 🙂
You’re welcome. Just try and get as much rest as possible. Hope you are much better soon!
I was shocked to find that I was not following your lovely words. Now that that’s taken care of I hope you have a beautiful day.
Sincerely
Benjamin
Thank you so much, that is very kind! 🙂 🙂
Helen, thank you so much for the follow and your kind words on the pieces that Michael and I wrote last night. I also enjoy Tarot – look forward to catching up and following you from this day forth. 🙂
Thanks so much, and I look forward to following your work as well!! Perhaps one day we could collaborate on a poem about the tarot? 🙂
Hopefully you won’t be disappointed. Oh my that would be amazing – I would be honoured – I realise I am not in the same league as your good self, but I would love to give this a try – thank you 🙂
I think you under-estimate yourself – the poems that you and Michael wrote were fabulous!! Email me if you want to pursue this (my email should come up with this comment but if not it’s: helenvalentina66@gmail.com ) – Michael is more than welcome to join in too if tarot is also an interest of his, but if not you and I can have some fun with the topic together!! 🙂 🙂
Sounds brilliant – thank you so much. I don;t know with my writing I don’t/can’t put hidden meanings, metaphors and the like – I just write what is in my head and what I feel. It’s a like it or don’t type of read I’m afraid. I shall email you def. thank you Helen. 🙂 😉 x I shall ask Michael also.
Cool! Looking forward to it!! 🙂
amazing and fine writing, helenvalentina
Thank you!!! 🙂