The Great Transition

Greetings! I am thrilled to introduce you to my new entity, Hiraethlon, who will take over all creative offerings I provide as well as offer new opportunities to connect to yourself in a holistic and meaningful way. Please visit Hiraethlon for all things writing, publishing, and now speaking, performing, and reimagining -related! See you there!

All the Things! An Update on the End and the Beginning

 Hello dear reader and viewer, so much as happened. So many creative additions to announce!

Let's get started...

Well, it's February of 2023. Much has happened since last we spoke in - 2019 was it? A pandemic visited and decided to get comfotable; our country has been divided like never before, particularly in areas of race, culture, identity, and politics; my life, like yours, has been upended by all of that plus extensive grief and loss from a personal tragedy in 2020. 

You might now be used to the idea of endings and beginnings as well as that more common phenomenon of living in the middle of a beginning and ending while embodying both. Dizzy yet? Such is the place for me and I don't see that changing soon. 

What has changed is that I am engaging with the world around me in a new and exciting way - more creative interaction, new perspective-taking, and new projects born! It is the end of an era as just a poet or offering things only relatead to poetry. New branches are growing. New projects, new offerings, a new home. 

Let me introduce a new project - Hiraethlon -  with its own website coming soon.  

Hiraethlon: full of a longing homesickness for a home you've never known. And I would add: yet. 

This notion of coming home has always intrigued me. The feeling of nostaliga and longing that comes with missing a home you've never known is a phenomenon I have felt since I was quite young and fell in love everything Irish. 

I will be continuing my journey over on the Hiraethlon website, which will be shared in the coming weeks. Thank you to everyone and anyone whow visited this page these many years. I will continue writing about writing, sharing any publication or workshop news, and sharing my creative offerings - all on the new website. 

Thank you for all your support! 

When Work and Passion Meet - a new Writing to Wellness Group in Madison

Way back in my previous life, in 2007-2008 (yes, as you get older, a decade ago seems like a previous life), I ran my own, private writing workshops called Inside Out Writing. I did all the marketing, calling, booking, facilitating, follow-up-ing, and I got a taste of the thrill of sharing the hope found in creative writing with others. We were a small group, but I received wonderful feedback. I stopped leading that group when I got married and changed jobs and life interrupted.


But I am so excited to say that I am like a giddy child once more. I now work as a Peer Support Specialist and have the honor of joining the roster of some AMAZING wellness groups as part of my job. I have the opportunity to lead a Writing Your Way to Wellness group starting October 11th in the Madison, Wisconsin area. Details are below:


My Inside Out Writing Workshop was a great learning experience and I believe formed small, beginning buds of a much greater flower waiting to be born.


October 11th I begin to share my biggest passion while working at my job - sharing the hope and comfort found in creative writing. All are welcome, whether you consider yourself a writer or not. (P.S. I will argue that EVERYONE is a writer. If you breathe, you have a story to tell)



At my group - which is really YOUR group - we will make writing accessible to any and everyone. We will use gentle writing prompts to invite us to look within. You may join in the weekly writing prompt OR you may work on your own writing. It's very much up to you!


At the end of the group, I will be leading us in a centering meditation so we leave feeling grounded and calm.

If you consider yourself someone in need of support with any mental health or substance use issues, please consider checking out The Wellness Studio in Madison.

It is a sanctuary in the middle of what might feel like a very prickly world. Good people, small groups, a beautiful space, and freedom to be exactly who you are.


You are so very welcome through these doors, at any of our groups!


Links to peruse:

The Wellness Studio Facebook Page - get up-to-date info here!

SOAR web page - scroll down through services to see The Wellness Studio

An article on "Recovery Block," consisting of The Wellness Studio

I am brimming with excitement at this upcoming opportunity.


Marrying healing and recovery with creativity is what makes me glow and gives me purpose.



Please message me with any questions! If you are from the area and this speaks to you, I would LOVE to see you there!

Teaching at Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books

I am looking forward to November where I'll be at the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books for the second time. My first year was 2015 and I was privileged to participate on a panel with two other authors speaking about healing and writing. This year, I am thrilled to be teaching poetry in the AllWriters' Workplace & Workshop track at the SEWI Festival of Books.

How to Write Poetry: Poetry as Internal and External Doors

SATURDAY, Nov 2nd 10:30-11:30

"AllWriters: How to Write Poetry:
Poetry as Internal and External Doors • N130
Lisa Marie Brodsky

Poetry opens doors to new worlds of expression
and allows us to find/reclaim identity, overcome
barriers, connect with others, and give what was once
unspeakable a powerful and earth-shattering voice. Lisa
Marie Brodsky explores how discovering your poetic voice
can open doors in your life and in the world around you."

All level of poets welcome! 

Take a look at the homepage for the festival here!

https://www.sewibookfest.com/

https://pixnio.com/objects/books/book-art-ceiling

Happy National Poetry Month!

It's April and here in the Midwest, we've had our fair share of Winter and are ready to welcome Spring! National Poetry Month always seems to perk me up and I've been glad to do some readings and events this month (as well as in March).

The featured reading at Mama D's in Wales was amazing. I read from "Motherlung," "We Nod Our Dark Heads," a few new poems, and rounded it off with my old favorite, "Birds in the Mediterranean Speak Like Syrup."

You can view the latter here:

My husband was kind enough to record my intro to "Motherlung"

I appreciated the ambiance and audience at Mama D's. I met quite a few wonderful poets and friends. Thanks to Jim Landwehr, poet laureate of Wales and a cohort of mine from AllWriters' Workplace & Workshop, for inviting me.

I celebrated National Poetry Month closer to home, as well - like down the street. The Eager Free Public Library here in Evansville hosted local poets to speak to the Women's Literary Club. We read our own work as well as our favorite poets' and also guided the group in a writing prompt.

 Explaining the writing and publishing process at Eager Free Public Library

The Evansville Review joined in on celebrating National Poetry Month by highlighting me as their local poet of the week.

I don't often get to share my "other persona" with my wonderful little city of Evansville as I am known as Lisa Auter, wife and stepmom first and foremost. It was nice to have neighbors stop and ask if that was me in the paper.

April also brought Artful Dodge to my mailbox and I was delighted to see my poem, "Cleave," amidst the other fine work (ahh, can we say Marge Piercy???!!!)

And at the end of April, the Eager Free Library is holding an open mic and I'll be starting it off with some "Motherlung!"

As much as I love April because poetry gets recognized as the wonder that it is, I'm a huge fan of celebrating it every month. Check back often! I have exciting plans in the making for November!

New Event!

March 20th - I'm SO excited to be the featured reader at this highly acclaimed coffeehouse. Won't you stop on by if you are in the area or fancy buying a plane ticket for scrumptious food, delicious coffee, and darn-good poetry? Open Mic follows!

Poetry Therapy Practitioner

I'm excited to announce that I am currently undergoing training with the International Academy of Poetry Therapy to be a Poetry Therapy Practitioner.
This is a natural stepping stone for me as I continue to share the use of creativity as a way of emotional healing. I've long admired the idea of bibliotherapy in general and cannot wait to be certified so that I can work among those who need empowering reminders of the importance of their personal story.

More to come!

www.iapoetry.org