Guest author: Judy Martin – Meeting the neighbours

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Sue Vincent
Image: Sue Vincent

Image: Sue Vincent

Hi Everyone, I am Judy from Edwina’s Episodes and I am thrilled and delighted to be writing a guest post here on Sue’s blog.

One of the many things I love about blogging is the community that we belong to.  It is like living in a neighbourhood where you can choose your neighbours, and be amongst great writers, poets, artists, culinary and fashion experts, and all manner of other unique and talented people.

 I am so proud to be a part of it all, especially as there have been some occasions where we have all come together to offer help and support to each other when it is needed.  A kind word, a virtual hug and undetrstanding are just as important as the funding and awareness we can raise for some wonderful causes.

Despite being a relative newbie in the blogging world, I do feel as though I have fitted right in here, and have made many friends with all kinds of people that I never would have had the pleasure of knowing otherwise.  The culmination of this was going to the Blogger’s Bash last year and meeting some of them ‘in the flesh,’ and they were just as I had found them to be online!

It was quite by chance that I found myself in the Blogosphere.  I had been suffering a particularly bad bout of depression, which rendered me almost housebound as I could not and would not go out of the house if I could avoid it.  I also did not want to socialise with anyone preferring to shut myself away.

I listened to the local radio every morning and they had a competition which I used to have a go at. My sister, who lives locally too also used to listen to the same show and heard my entry being read out.  She mentioned that I was good at saying funny thing, making jokes and recounting silly stories, and thought that it would be ideal for me to write a blog.

I didn’t have a clue but took her up on it and Edwina’s Episodes was born. I didn’t realise that two years on it would have changed so much in my life.  That does sound extreme I know, but take my book for example.

I have always written poems from a very young age, and the style that I prefer to use is verse.  I love the rhythm and melody of rhyme and manipulating words to make them fit.  As I grew older I would write little poems for my family too. If anyone had a special birthday engagement or wedding, I would write him or her poem to mark the occasion.  It was just something I did.

In one place that I worked, I would write leaving poems for colleagues who had new jobs or were retiring, I would often write for their birthdays too.  As a rule though, I never told anyone outside of the family that I did this.

Anyway, when It came to blogging, I thought I would try out a couple of my poems to see how well they would work on the blog, and they always received a good reception. I then wrote more and more, sometimes in response to writing challenges, other times just because I felt like it!

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My sister had always encouraged me to publish my poems and I did send off one or two that were published in anthologies years ago, but when a couple of fellow bloggers also suggested it, I decided that I would look into it and my self-published book, Rhymes of the Times was born.  I even had a fellow blogger Chris Graham design a fabulous book cover for me.

Again, this brings me back to the wonderful people that make up our blogging community.  I have learned a hell of a lot during my two years on here, and I know there is so much to discover and explore about blogging.  The great thing is I also get to meet yet more neighbours as well as spend time with the ones I already have.

Thank you so much Sue for having me, it is always a pleasure visiting you and Ani.

Find and follow Judy

WordPress Blog   Twitter @Edwinasepisodes    Pinterest

and YouTube

Listen to Judy’s interview with Annette Rochelle Aben on The Magic Happens

Judy E Martin

About the author

Judy Martin has just turned fifty and has entered a new phase in her life. She recently started work as an Associate Nurse in the community and loves it, finally finding her niche. She has in the past, done everything from serving as a soldier in the Women’s Royal Army Corps, to helping manage a kebab shop!

Judy has been writing humorous poems since she was a little girl. She has always had a love of words, and expressing herself through rhyme is so appealing. She enjoys the rhythm of the words as they dance to her tune.

She draws her inspiration from everyday events that most of us can relate to and puts her unique spin on it. Her large family is often her inspiration, as is the weather, the seasons,housework, even sex. No subject is safe from manipulation into verse!

Judy lives in the beautiful county of Kent with her long-suffering husband Bob, (Mr Grump), daughter Lucinda (Miss Hap), and not forgetting Roxy, the beautiful Cavalier King Charles spaniel.

Visit Judy’s blog, Edwina’s Episodes for more rhymes, anecdotes and humour.

Click the title or image to go to Amazon

Rhymes of the Times

Are you one of those people that barge through life, trying to get through it as best as you can, swimming against the everyday worries and stresses of life? Well, I have found a way to make it much more enjoyable. Don’t you think everything sounds better when it rhymes? I certainly do. In fact, I have found that everything from doing the housework to growing older, can sound more positive and less daunting when made into a little ditty. This book is about finding the humour, or raising a smile from the everyday things that we can all relate to in life, and looking at them from a different perspective. Nothing escapes versification; there is even a subject on sex! After all, that is one subject where there is plenty of room for laughter, even if it may not be the right moment!

Amazon:

UK – USA – Createspace

Amazon review by Ritu Bhathal

A fantastic collection of humerous poems, that span many facets of life. Judy Martin is a great poet, with that knack of getting her rhyming just right.
There were many poems that made me giggle out loud, and some that made me say “Aw!” Some I felt may have been written with me in mind!
So go on, treat yourself! Dip into this lovely collection of verse, you won’t regret it!

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About Sue Vincent

Sue Vincent is a Yorkshire-born writer and one of the Directors of The Silent Eye, a modern Mystery School. She writes alone and with Stuart France, exploring ancient myths, the mysterious landscape of Albion and the inner journey of the soul. Find out more at France and Vincent. She is owned by a small dog who also blogs. Follow her at scvincent.com and on Twitter @SCVincent. Find her books on Goodreads and follow her on Amazon worldwide to find out about new releases and offers. Email: findme@scvincent.com.
This entry was posted in Blogging, Books, Humour, Photography, Poetry and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

52 Responses to Guest author: Judy Martin – Meeting the neighbours

  1. The Story Reading Ape says:
    February 7, 2017 at 17:09

    Learn a little more about how author Judy Martin got started – she’s a guest on Sue’s blog today 👍😃

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. The Story Reading Ape says:
    February 7, 2017 at 17:09

    Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
    Learn a little more about how author Judy Martin got started – she’s a guest on Sue’s blog today 👍😃

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  3. Ritu says:
    February 7, 2017 at 17:15

    Aw Judy the blogisphere wouldn’t be the same without you!!! 😙😙😙

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  4. Judy E Martin says:
    February 7, 2017 at 17:15

    Thanks so much for having me Sue. I LOVE the presentation too!! xxx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. willowdot21 says:
    February 7, 2017 at 17:22

    Woohoo get you Judy a shining light to us all !! ❤

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  6. Judy E Martin says:
    February 7, 2017 at 17:48

    Reblogged this on Edwina's Episodes and commented:
    I have been lucky enough to have been visiting Sue over at her place 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  7. Marilyn Armstrong says:
    February 7, 2017 at 18:07

    I don’t know if one can be part of the community from across the pond, but nonetheless, I’m delighted to make your acquaintance. Welcome to the neighborhood. It’s a big, all-embracing place — and we never run out of room!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  8. Let's CUT the Crap! says:
    February 7, 2017 at 18:27

    You are right, Judy, the spirit of community is alive and well in the blogosphere. If you hadn’t tried to test the waters, I wouldn’t have met you either. Interesting to hear how you got started. 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  9. Mary Smith says:
    February 7, 2017 at 19:01

    Great post, Judy, and you are so right about the community spirit in the blogoshpere.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  10. TanGental says:
    February 7, 2017 at 19:16

    Ha look at you, all grown up on Sue’s blog. That’s reserved for special ones so well done!!!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  11. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. says:
    February 7, 2017 at 20:02

    Terrific Judy and Sue.. great post…look forward to seeing you around for many years to come.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  14. robbiesinspiration says:
    February 8, 2017 at 11:58

    Lovely to learn more about Judy, Sue. Tweeted this on @bakeandwrite.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  15. Don Massenzio says:
    February 8, 2017 at 18:01

    Reblogged this on Don Massenzio's Blog and commented:
    Check out this guest post with Judy Martin from Sue Vincent’s blog.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  16. Judy E Martin says:
    February 8, 2017 at 19:23

    Thanks so much Don 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  17. Rae Longest says:
    February 9, 2017 at 00:21

    As one who has almost finished a complete year in the blogging world, I am VERY IMPRESSED with what you have accomplished. My congratulations!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  18. Hugh's Views and News says:
    February 9, 2017 at 15:01

    The spirit of the blogging community captured oh so well, Judy. It’s lovely watching how the community members blossom as time goes on. You’re certainly at the heart of the community and is somebody who many people aspire to. Keep on doing what you’re doing, Judy.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  19. historyoftelephony says:
    February 10, 2017 at 17:05

    It is nice to have a support group from people all over the world that you have not even met. It is a great thing to be apart of. Thanks for the post.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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