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Ekphrastic Writing Within Fiction. An Article published in CRIMEREADS - Cyndi Macmillan's Blog

About Cyndi Macmillan

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Cyndi MacMillan lives in a small town in Ontario that is home to North America’s largest working waterwheel. Her writing has appeared in notable Canadian literary journals and local newspapers.

A Cruel Light is her debut gothic mystery (4/4/2023). She has been a Jill-of-all-trades, but for as long as she can remember, she has dreamt of being a novelist. Hard work and the wonderful team at Crooked Lane Books have made that dream a reality. Please note that her husband and daughter kindly keep her coffee mug filled when she is wrestling with a suspenseful chapter. During a pandemic lockdown, the family adopted a rescue cat who chirps.

When not writing, Cyndi enjoys reading Gothics, scrapbooking, and losing horribly at board games. Works-in-progress include the second (and third) Annora Garde Mystery, a Canadian noir series, and a standalone horror mystery, so more often than not, Cyndi is writing. She is a member of Crime Writers of Canada.

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Ekphrastic Writing Within Fiction. An Article published in CRIMEREADS

Blog Posted:5/10/2023 10:26:00 AM

Hey All--

I thought I'd share an article I wrote for CRIMEREADS.

When questioned by readers about my creative process, I often say that learning to write poetry made me an all-round better writer. My mysteries incorporate ekphrastic writing, and any work of fiction I write will include at least one work of art-- whether that art be a classic painting or a macaroni craft created by a kindergartener.

I highly recommend exploring the poetic form, and allowing the work to speak to you. If you've enjoyed writing ekphrastic poems, please share!

I'm a hair's breath away from finishing my second novel. In A BRUTAL ECLIPSE, I have a mix of fictional art/artists and real-life art/artists.

I enjoyed ekphrastically writing about Marie Spartali Stillman’s Luisa Strozzi; the painting hangs in Montreal's Museum of Fine Art.

Cheers,
Cyndi

https://crimereads.com/art-mysteries-painting/

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Suzette
Richards

Date: 5/12/2023 2:35:00 AM

I'm very pleased for you that you have found your niche in writing, Cyndi. I've only shared one acrostic poem where I have employed the rhetorical device, Ekphrasis, nl Stranglehold. My sonnet, Discord and Peace, was inspired by the sculpture, Love, by Alexander Milov, but I don't classify it as being Ekphrastic, because it can stand as a poem in its own right and does not rely on the visual aspect of art. Good wishes for your future writing endeavours. Regards, Suzette

Di11y
Da11y

Date: 5/11/2023 10:30:00 AM

Interesting read, I love writing ekphrasis

Craig
Cornish

Date: 5/11/2023 9:31:00 AM

Thank you for sharing excellent writing about writing! It's ironic that I alluded to much the same in my note to you - my art reference will be poetry - should be an interesting challenge, no matter the "Art", to tie it together in a cohesive and captivating form.

Craig Cornish
Date: 5/11/2023 9:41:00 AM

Unrelated, but our best friends when we are in Florida are from Orangeville and Midland.

Mark
Toney

Date: 5/10/2023 9:16:00 PM

Brilliant article, Cyndi. Thanks for sharing.

R. B.
Cawis

Date: 5/10/2023 12:29:00 PM

Thanks for this... I'm new to writing and this blog gave me additional ideas...

My Past Blog Posts


Ekphrastic Writing Within Fiction. An Article published in CRIMEREADS Date Posted: 5/10/2023 10:26:00 AM
Publishing News, a Dream Come True, and an Article on Ekphrastic Writing Date Posted: 4/15/2023 5:52:00 AM
A WRITER'S DREAM COME TRUE Date Posted: 7/19/2022 7:17:00 AM
My novel will be published by Crooked Lane Books Date Posted: 3/21/2022 12:16:00 PM
HOW THE POSITION OF POET LAUREATE HAS CHANGED Date Posted: 11/6/2017 3:12:00 PM
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? OPEN DISCUSSION. Date Posted: 10/24/2017 7:59:00 PM
Emotion in poetry: laying it on heavy by leaving it to the reader, a response to Brian's Blog Date Posted: 9/1/2017 5:00:00 PM
POETRY TOOLBOX SERIES: CONNOTATION Date Posted: 7/12/2017 8:51:00 AM
RESOURCE LINKS TO POETRY JOURNALS & EXCELLENT POETRY ARTICLES. HELP YOURSELF :) Date Posted: 6/12/2017 5:27:00 PM
A HAIKU SHABU SHABU PUB - SHOP TALK & SMALL TALK. Date Posted: 6/9/2017 8:07:00 PM
THE POETRY PUB: SMORGASBORD Date Posted: 5/26/2017 9:14:00 PM
THE POETRY PUB: CONTEMPORARY RHYME & THE NEW FORMALISM Date Posted: 5/5/2017 12:19:00 PM
***EDIT. ALL FIVE MOSIACS COMPLETE. THANKS FOR PLAYING THE WORD PAIRING GAME. THE PAIRINGS WERE AWESOME! Date Posted: 4/20/2017 2:06:00 PM
POETRY PUB: EMOTIVE. READ AND BLEED.**EDIT***MORE ON THE POEM GRIEF! Date Posted: 3/20/2017 11:32:00 PM
POET PUB: LET THERE BE LIGHT... (and poetics, friendly disagreements, shared observations and hot apple cider...) Date Posted: 1/15/2017 9:11:00 AM
5 PROOF BLOG. IF YOU ENTERED A POEM, PLEASE READ THIS. JOIN IN ON THE DISCUSSION. Date Posted: 2/25/2016 11:16:00 AM
POET PUB, TONIGHT'S SPECIAL: EXTRA TENDER, EASY TO DIGEST Date Posted: 1/25/2016 9:40:00 PM
THE POET PUB, GRAND OPENING, NO WIFI, WARM SEATS Date Posted: 1/11/2016 9:28:00 PM
CONTEST: 5 PROOF: FREE VERSE THAT SHOWS IT AIN'T NO PROSE Date Posted: 12/23/2015 6:30:00 AM
A CLOSER LOOK AT PUNCTUATION. SOME, PLENTY, NONE. Date Posted: 5/25/2015 10:05:00 PM
WORK WORK WORK! WAY TO GO! AND HOW TO USE AN ELLIPSIS. Date Posted: 5/16/2015 8:51:00 AM
FARMHOUSE: Uncommon word pairings poem #2 Date Posted: 4/9/2015 6:02:00 PM
WHATTA PAIR YOU GOT THERE: A WORKSHOP ON IMAGERY AND WORD PAIRINGS Date Posted: 4/7/2015 9:30:00 PM
MEMORIAL TRIBUTE ON THE CONTEST PAGE: A WORD COLLAGE FOR CHAN. PLEASE, Take up the challenge. <3 Date Posted: 11/10/2014 9:30:00 AM
A LOVE-IN & WAKE FOR CHAN. ALL SOUPERS WELCOME. PLEASE ADD SOMETHING. Date Posted: 11/9/2014 10:03:00 AM

My Recent Poems

Date Posted	PoemTitle	Form	Categories
7/25/2023	The Library's Book	Sonnet	emotions,feelings,poems,p
9/20/2018	The Yield	Free verse	moving on,peace,sleep,
10/20/2017	Dinner Guest: Me	Free verse	emotions,longing,rude,
9/20/2017	Toothsome	Free verse	life,poetry,writing,
9/5/2017	The San Antonio Night Crossing	Free verse	change,death,immigration,
8/23/2017	Turning the Other Cheek	Free verse	christian,hate,people,
8/16/2017	Whatever Happened To the Real Poets	Free verse	poetry,political,society,
6/18/2017	Fetal Position In the Er	Sestina	death,heartbreak,my child
6/7/2017	Well Understood	Free verse	feelings,language,people,
6/4/2017	I'D Rather Write About	Free verse	poetry,writing,,memorial,
5/19/2017	The Palm-Chats of Jalousie, Haiti	Free verse	analogy,bird,humanity,lif
5/4/2017	Water, Water	Free verse	africa,sympathy,
11/18/2016	We, Nasty Women	Ekphrasis	allegory,history,politica
5/22/2016	The Chronicles of a Phonophobic	Free verse	fear,life,people,
5/6/2015	Tail Spin, Revised	Free verse	courage,fear,love hurts,
11/10/2014	Chan	Free verse	friend,goodbye,
1/31/2014	Journey Companions: the Friend Sonnets Part Ii	Sonnet	friend,hero,places,poetry
1/29/2014	Divine Steeples	Sonnet	friend,love,places,poetry
1/26/2014	Muse	Sonnet	friend,love,places,poetry

My Photos

Fav Poems

PoemTitle	Form	Categories
The Sowing	Free verse	devotion,
Ten Little Toes	Rhyme	daughter,lifeold,old,gran
Woodland Rhapsody	Quatrain	inspirational,
Contradicting Keats	Sonnet	introspection,life
Surrender To Love	Rhyme	loveme,
A Totum Pole Ode	Concrete	native american,people,
More Dreams To Row	Rhyme	inspirational,life,
When the Tab Comes Due	Free verse	inspirational,introspecti
Lighting My Candle From Within	Quintain (English)	caregiving,introspection,
The Kirk By the Sea	Couplet	nostalgia,religion,love,
Moonlight on the Ward	Choka	health,life,
Nocturnal Poetry	Rhyme	imagination,life,poetry,
Slumber	Epic	dedication,slam,
Frosty Night Stroll	Couplet	inspirational,seasons,
Our Thanksgiving	Light Verse	holiday,
My Country 'Tis of Thee	Etheree	peace,
A New Star Shines Above Hawaii	Rhyme	dedication,music,
Monarch of Summer	Haibun	animals,devotion,inspirat
Untouched	Rhyme	forgiveness,me,me,
Beaucoup Blooms	Terza Rima	nature,spring,spring,
On Heaven's Doorway	Narrative	inspirational,life,care,c
Walking On Faith	Verse	faith,children,
Sleepless Nights	Narrative	angst,imagination,mystery
Another Face	Rhyme	lost love,
Paired Parings	Ballad	childhood,
Friend To Friend	Haiku	people,philosophy,
Calligraphy	Verse	on writing and words,
Cyndi	Sonnet	dedication,
Night Comes	Rhyme	time,
Without Hope's Gleam	Terzanelle	flower,hope,joy,paradise,
When Your Dead Your Dead	Rhyme	friendship,love,wife,
Chamber Music Chopped	Blank verse	music,
After My Prayer	Haiku	inspirational,
Down Fall	Italian Sonnet	beautiful,miracle,nature,
God Forbid	Couplet	angst,devotion,write,life
To Kashinath and Cyndi	Rhyme	dedication,devotion,frien
Cherished	Sonnet	love,peace,
Bliss State	Quatrain	faith,
Onward Christian Soldiers	Rhyme
A Tribute To Leonora G	Dramatic Verse	death,deep,evil,sorrow,st
In the Mood	Light Verse	adventure,woman,
Westward Movement	Free verse	devotion,love,peace,
The Rocking Chair	Rhyme	child,christmas,sister,
To the Rescue	Rhyme	snow,
Release	Free verse	encouraging,grief,hope,st
Beyond Tears	Rhyme	child,encouraging,hope,,L
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis	Epic	abuse,analogy,art,corrupt
Dewberry Cobbler	Haibun	growing up,
To Love Myself	Sonnet	love,new year,self,
The Byway	Rhyme	care,
In Stillness	Free verse	change,life,
Within Reason- Maurice Yvonne and Seren Roberts	Verse	life,
Candles of Your Fingers	Light Verse	death,memory,missing you,
The Skeletons and Songs of Samsara - 1	Crown of Sonnets	birth,death,life,
Softly	Sonnet	poetry,
Inner City	Free verse	city,
My Own Way	Free verse	adventure,life,self,

Fav Poets

Poet	Country
Debbie Guzzi	United States	Read
Caryl Muzzey	United States	Read
Joe Flach	United States	Read
Nette Onclaud	Philippines	Read
Poet Tacito	United States	Read
Elizabeth Wesley	Canada	Read
Rhonda Johnson-Saunders	United States	Read
Carrie Richards	United States	Read
Kathryn Collins	United States	Read
David Williams	United Kingdom	Read
Charmaine Chircop	Malta	Read
Francine Roberts	Canada	Read
Faye Gibson	United States	Read
Hannington Mumo	Kenya	Read
Lora Robinson	United States	Read
John Lawless	United States	Read
Kabuteng P.Ink K.	Philippines	Read
Roy Jerden	United States	Read
Anthony Mark	United Kingdom	Read
Brian Strand	United Kingdom	Read
Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser	Philippines	Read
Charlotte Puddifoot	United Kingdom	Read
Joann Grisetti	United States	Read
Painted Hunter	United States	Read
Connie Marcum Wong	United States	Read
Tim Ryerson	United States	Read
Olusegun Arowolo	Nigeria	Read
Becca Teagan	United States	Read
Royal Ninja	United States	Read
Justin Bordner	United States	Read
Garth Von Buchholz	Canada	Read
Jim Howe	United States	Read
Shronda Wilson	United States	Read
Sneha Rv	India	Read
Agnes Krampe	United States	Read