Ian

Hi, I’m a retired administrator having spent 30 years of my working life in Asia travelling widely . I’m married with two children and live on the fabulous Sunshine Coast Australia with beaches nearby and rainforest hinterland.

I like writing stories and poems and have a wide circle of internet friends.

I do not connect with advertising sites and am only interested in serious active bloggers.

Those with a positive outlook on life and people are welcome on my page.

Ian

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/IansCyberspace

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

© Ian Grice and “ianscyberspace” reference ownership of stories and poems by year of posting given at the foot of each blog or before. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Ian Grice and “ianscyberspace” with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

61 thoughts on “Ian”

    1. You have such talent. The illustrations used in that poem and how you applied them was so appealing to me. I like to see what people are writing in my mind not just read and pass on. To be able to communicate visually through writing is a gift. What is your Korean name? 🙂

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  2. Hi Ian,
    I’m delving into short story writing, just in a journal for now, but since you’re great at writing them, I wonder if you have any tips. 🙂
    Enjoy your weekend!
    ~ Lauren 📚📖

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    1. Lauren I don’t consider myself an expert. After a long career in business administration I wanted to do something quite different in retirement so took a course in creative writing at a college of journalism and loved it. My feeling is my writing has improved over the years. There are blogs where people get together to discuss techniques and I haven’t become involved in them other than a general interest read. Much of what I’ve learned comes from people’s reaction to the stories and poems I write and of course the number of hits on that particular story or poem. That tells you who your audience is and what they like. So there are only a couple of things I’d feel qualified to suggest. The first is to write from the heart. Then visualize the story. That vision might pop into your head from something you see, or a memory, or a series of separate events that suddenly meld into one story in your mind. Write down the outline as soon as you see that vision then sit at your computer and see it over again with the outline in front of you exploring each of the directions that story could travel, and there are many roads a story could travel. Let the story pour out of your fingers as you see it in your mind and try and avoid anything that could divert your mind as you immerse yourself in that story. Do not copy other people’s style of writing. Let your story carry your imprint. For me a story becomes more real and personal when you build conversation into the story. Other than those few thoughts there is not much I could give you on the technical side. You would need professional guidance for that. Best of luck as you branch out from your excellent poetry contributions. 🙂

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      1. Ian, I can’t thank you enough for your feedback and back story as to how you ventured into the writing world. I’ve never taken a creative writing course around here because they’ve been offered only during the hours when I work. A few years ago, though, I took 3 English classes at our local community college and loved those, and even learned a lot more than I thought I would. Other than that, I do write from the heart, and as you said about your writing, I feel my poetry has improved over the years, too. When I look back…ugh! 🙂 Anyway, I’m currently working on my second story, writing in a journal given to me by my 23-year-old son. He specifically gave it to me for short-story writing and tends to be the one who loves to challenge my abilities. It’s amazing how once the idea comes to mind, the words flow like water out of a faucet. They may not be any good, but at least the first drafts are taking shape, and I hope to fill the book up with a collection. A new goal for this year. I don’t know if I’ll share them on my blog; that will depend on how I feel about them, and maybe on the opinions of my family. Anyway, thanks again for your help, and for also your kind words about my poetry. That’s always nice to hear, and the same goes for your writing. Have a good rest of your weekend!

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Long time since I have herd from you ( also due to computer crashing )
    but lovely to hear form you
    I have many, many cockatiels this years, and have to sell a few ( 50 now )
    Regret that you did not know where I live, you were most welcome here

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  6. Hey Ian:

    Couldn’t find your e-mail address so I am contacting you here instead. Would you be interested in participating in a blog series on favorite children’s books? I just posted my own musings on the subject. Check it out and let me know. I can forward you some questions I put together if you are interested.

    Fondly,
    Elizabeth

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    1. I did check it out Elizabeth. It’s a great idea but I have very little time for blogging these days. My blogs this year are mainly stories and poems I’ve written long ago. Hopefully next year I’ll not have such a full program. I wouldn’t be much help on something like favourite children’s story books read as I grew up. We did enjoy reading and my parents kept us well supplied but there are few I remember titles to now. My own children would read a book a day so we were always hunting the second hand book stores and selling those read back to them afterward. lol. Fortunately our children were bought up in India consequently it was sports and books so they didn’t waste their time on Television. It developed a creativity in them which has been a boon for them professionally as adults.

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  10. I love your writings! They are not silly platitudes which I am unfortunately bombarded with on FB. You write very well! I thank you for having me on your site! I find your writings not only enjoyable but most informative!!!

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  12. Hello and good day Ian,

    I am planning to run a regular Monthly Blog Pick and as an intro I wish to mention your blog and the post last year – Sunshine Tales and Verses > http://wp.me/p1YE83-P3

    The Intro is scheduled for Friday 22 Feb.

    Trust this is okay with you. Thank you for a response,
    Eric

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    1. Well I’m not sure my works come up to your standard Eric so am surprised. I do enjoy writing and telling stories so we have that in common. I would be honoured to have you mention my humble site. Best regards.

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  15. Well, that’s exactly what I’m doing too – leave something behind for my kids.

    I’ll take your response as an affirmative.

    Many thanks, Eric

    P/S Have a great weekend. I’ll post it on Monday 16th July 🙂

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  16. Hello Ian – with your permission, I would like to mention you in my next blog post in the coming week. Nothing embarrassing I assure you – but to say how much I’ve enjoyed your posts. Hope it is okay. Krgds, Eric

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    1. It would be rather hard to embarrass me after travelling the world half my life Eric. LOL. I don’t claim to be a professional writer at all but do enjoy the exercise in retirement. It’s my hobby. Originally I wrote so my daughters would have something to remember me by when I go to the happy hunting ground, then to my surprise I found some enjoyed the stories and poems and it put me in touch with fabulous blogging pals like you.

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  18. Hello Ian, though you are not into awards here is one for you; the Commenter Award. Details here: http://wp.me/p1ZC80-Xf. Given the rules; I had to name you, sorry or congratulations, you choose.
    Love, Steph

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    1. You are so considerate and definitely very kind. Thank you Steph. You are a treasure and it is so nice to visit your page when I can to enhance my cultural appreciation. Thank you for the efforts you put forth to make our days happy.

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  20. Ian, it is so nice to meet you! I look forward in getting to know you better and to read your work; find out what you think about life. I have 3 friends living in Australia, one of which lives in Queensland in Chevallum. Good night to you 🙂

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    1. Chevallum is just a few miles north of us on the beautiful Sunshine Coast Australia Jeannie. I do not consider myself to be a professional writer, just one who enjoys it and delights in the perspectives of others. My children and their families live as citizens of the US. One of the things that happen when you work abroad and educate them outside of Australia. I’ll be visiting your page from time to time to learn more about you.

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  21. Hello Ian, I know you aren’t into all the awards circulating here but I do appreciate you, your blog and the comments you leave enormously and therefore I have nominated you for the Sunshine Award, because that is what you are bringing to me, sunshine. I just couldn’t not nominate you. Have a nice day.
    Love, Steph
    Details can be found here: http://wp.me/p1ZC80-IL

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    1. Steph you are such a treasure. Thank you for the nomination. I guess I’m a private person and don’t like being thrust into the public gaze. And that’s peculiar because being in top administration most of my life I was thrust into situations where I had to be very much in the public eye, meet many important people, lecture in schools of higher learning and attend those mindless professional gatherings where people are looking for ways to power their way up the ladder of success and stand for hours with bored eyes holding onto a glass and muttering platitudes. LOL. I hated it all, but somehow was successful in spite of that. But the fact you thought of recognizing me this way makes me happy. Thank you!

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    1. Eric you have been so generous with me and my work. As I’ve said before I don’t consider my blogs to be up to the high standards you set on your page. Perhaps after a year or so of writing I may be worthy of such an award.

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    1. Hi Steph: It was so kind of you to nominate me for the Versatile Blogger Award. I really don’t feel I qualify for that as I’m only an amateur blogger. But I find your contributions to be challenging, interesting and certainly worth reading. Thank you for taking the trouble to research and post a wide variety of professional authors. You certainly do deserve the title Versatile Blogger not me. Ian

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      1. No need to underestimate yourself, Ian. You blog has twice as much followers as mine, one that you think sets standards. I’m very flattered reading that, but your work and Eric’s (and so many others) is original, I’m just a publisher.

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  24. Hello Ian,
    Thank you for subscribing to my blog. I did likewise. As you know, I have been following yours posts for some time now. Enjoyed them. Keep them coming.
    All good wishes, Eric

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  25. Pingback: The Versatile Blogger Award « Written Words Never Die

  27. I love your writing. I am a great lover of Jane Austin but I also love Byron and Yates. Truth be known, I love the classics. Your poems, “True Blessing”, “Dora Creek”, and “Internet Life” were all so moving and very true! Thank you for sharing these wonderful writings.

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    1. I put the Facebook link on my Multiply page today. Just click on it and you will enter my FB page. Have a wonderful weekend there in the Netherlands. Your country is very pretty and well worth visiting. My daughter and her family lived in Brussels for some time so we were able to go in an out of your country often.

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