Balloons Blog

October 27th, 2019

27/10/2019

Happy to launch this beautiful 10th issue of BLJ. Check it out here:

https://www.balloons-lit-journal.com/issue-10.html

Thanks to all who contributed to this issue. It's not easy to run a free access literary journal and it's even harder to keep it living for years. But I do believe in the importance of language arts and educating youngsters through creative works.

It's been 5 years since I started BLJ and I hope it is just the beginning of many more 5 years.

Happy reading!

Pete

BLJ 9 is launched!

14/4/2019

Here it is. The 9th Issue of BALLOONS Lit. Journal

https://www.balloons-lit-journal.com/issue-9.html

A bit delayed, but I'm still proud of this edition! Thanks to all the contributors, our advisors and proofreaders to help complete this issue. Please take your time to enjoy what we have collected for you here! Happy reading!

Pete

BLJ promoted in EDUHK

1/3/2019

Had a chance on Tuesday (26/2) to speak to some fifty brilliant postgraduate students doing their Master of Teaching at the Education University of Hong Kong. I shared with them on nurturing the high-ability students and took the chance, of course, to promote language arts with BALLOONS Lit. Journal. They were all hungry for a copy at the end of the lesson and all the copies I brought were gone in seconds!

Pete

BLJ 8 promoted by Jacqueline Jules

28/1/2019

Renowned American poet and author Jacqueline Jules promotes BLJ Issue 8 in her educational blog:

https://penciltipswritingworkshop.blogspot.com/2019/01/an-amazing-classroom-resource.html?spref=fb&m=1

BLJ Issue 8 Launched!

23/9/2018

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Here's a gift for you all - BALLOONS Lit. Journal Issue 8 is launched!!! Check it out:

https://www.balloons-lit-journal.com/issue-8.html

Thanks to all our amazing contributors who trust us and share with us their incredible poems, short stories and artwork! Thanks to our advisers for their professional support! Last but not least, thanks to you, our beloved readers, who are simply why BLJ exists.

Happy reading and writing!

Pete

Promoting BLJ in Scotland...

5/5/2018

My Scotland tour is more than an educational trip, I took the opportunity to introduce to more people about BLJ. I only brought with me three copies of BLJ Issue 7 but I am glad to have handed them to three of the great people I met (from left to right): Scottish singer Kirsty Law, school teacher Tommy Donnelly (who impressed me so much being involved in deaf education), and my lovely cheerful tour guide Emma McKenna. It is always a blessing to meet someone who enjoys poetry and artwork! Happy reading ^o^

Pete

BLJ Issue 7 launched!

26/3/2018

I'm very glad to announce the launch of BLJ Issue 7 online:

https://www.balloons-lit-journal.com/issue-7.html

You can now read the issue online as a flipping book and/or download the PDF file from the page.

This issue features world-class works from 15 brilliantly creative people...no, should be 16, including the jaw-droppingly superb foreword from poet Daniel Galef!

I love this issue very much and I can't wait to share the product with all of you! I hope you feel the same!

Happy reading and writing!

p.s. And don't forget to submit your great work to us and tell more people about BLJ!

Pete

Interviewed by Aaduna

12/3/2018

I was interviewed by publisher of aaduna Bill Berry, Jr, for the kick-off of his "Chat Me Up Sundays" series. Check it out here:

http://aadunanotes.blogspot.hk/2018/03/talk-talk-talk.html

BLJ @ HKU Again

2/3/2018

Having done my guest lecture at the University of Hong Kong in the evening of 28 Feb on teaching the high-ability, I grasped the chance in the end to promote BLJ to the master's students as well as the two hosts! Thanks to Dr YUEN Man-tak (first on the left) and Dr Serene CHAN (first on the right) for inviting me for the session and showing great interest in BLJ.

Pete

BALLOONS Lit. Journal Introduced in Word Matters

23/1/2018

I recently have an article on BALLOONS Lit. Journal published in Word Matters, the journal of The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama (UK). It introduces the journal to speech and drama educators and practitioners as well as sharing with people the experience I have using different parts of the magazine as valuable teaching materials. Click the image or here to read the article in full.

Pete