Today I am pleased to introduce you to prolific poet and supportive blogger, Nigel Byng. In addition, to writing his own poetry and collaborating with other poets, Nigel has a series where he reads poems by poets in the WP community in his amazing voice. They are a real treat to listen to and you can access his reading of one of my poems on his blog here: https://hytsdaily.com/2026/06/13/exploring-poetry-a-weekly-reading-series-ep-22-dressing-for-battle-by-robbie-cheadle/
My poetry journey started in the UK, surprisingly. Heartbreak was at the core of every piece I wrote. It was dark, bitter, humorous at some level, and certainly not something I would have ever dared publish. I had given up on poetry for two decades, until Terveen Gill accepted a piece for Masticadores India. Then David Bogomolny invited me to engage with his W3 prompt, and I began to enjoy the weekly writing challenges. I still have a lot to learn about poetry, and I still consider myself primarily a storyteller.
I enjoy a good limerick, but my favorite style would have to be narrative poetry. The storyteller in me needs room to be expressive, and narrative poetry allows me to write with a compelling arc or even have a central character in the piece. Concise writing and ambiguous verses have proven to be a challenge. Hence, I have taken to studying the art form and writing about it for Exploring Poetry. Some people have the gift for it and make it look easy, but it still takes a lot of work to get to that level of writing. I sit back and bask in their supreme talent. I have a long way to go.
Ghetto Salvation, first shared on Masticadores Philippines, is perhaps my favorite poem. I enjoy my collaborations with the talented authors on WP, but my personal favorite is definitely Ghetto Salvation. For several reasons, the piece just felt like my most profound, emotionally perceptive, and socially conscious piece. It was written in the spur of the moment, and in a language that I think everyone could relate to. I did not want victimhood and depravity to be what everyone felt when they read it; I wanted them to sense defiance, a part of society where culture thrives, where a community was pursuing its own salvation, and so I began the piece with the line, “There is music coming from the ghettos.” A close second would be the central poem in my book, Prodigal.
There is music coming from the ghettos,
rising above poverty and the rumble of hungry bellies.
Of whelping babies hanging from a single-armed warrior
who stirs a pot of rice and beans
to feed an army.
***
A music fueled with resistance.
Of clefs that drift off the page,
and notes that lay siege to a barricaded salient city.
Where children with
swollen bellies,
ashen knees and dusty feet
play soccer to a rhythm only poverty can dance to.
***
Armored cars patrol the slums, armor-piercing rounds
perforate walls,
while shrapnel becomes playthings
of toddlers yet to walk.
Where nightlight
is the ambient glow of distant cluster bombs,
stargazing a hazardous hobby
as missiles create ghostly shooting stars.
***
A single horn blows the sound of freedom
and plastic buckets tap the rhythm of salvation.
Children huddle under the broken light
above the church door
and women swat at mosquitoes
as babies suckle for their very existence
nutrients devoid of sustenance.
***
Here, God has built a poor man’s tabernacle
in opposition to the revelry of neon palaces,
opulence and gluttony,
tempered glass temples to Moloch.
A greed that is impossible to satiate,
they thirst for more, more, and still more.
***
Yet, they smile.
***
Children whose future can be measured in 9mm increments.
Fathers who know not their progeny,
young mothers who know not their fathers,
adolescents, raising boys who dream of becoming soccer stars.
***
One day, the world will applaud them,
and this music will be taken to the synagogues of entertainment.
Gladiatorial servitude to the masses
as these child warriors will be immortalized in their pantheon,
lauded as Gods,
if only for a moment
© Nigel Byng, 2026. ALL Rights Reserved.
Life sat me down after a freak accident at work, and it was all the inspiration I needed to put pen to paper. On a more personal level, the old lady is 92 this year, and it’s been one of her wishes that her son be a published writer. So she is happy about that.
My long-overdue collection of short stories, which should be out next year or before that if I can get all my ducks in a row. Finishing up my project with Melissa Lemay is perhaps the most pressing and time-sensitive project. I also have an illustrated children’s story with my long-time artist, JohnntoMcDaniel, and God willing, and time allowing, a mind-bending, bone-chilling series with Lesley Scoble. Caribbean Folklore is something I wish to add to my portfolio, on a broader and contemporary level. So, there is a lot on my schedule for the next six months.
This inaugural book of poetry by Nigel Byng contains some extraordinary and moving poems ranging from the poet’s youth and journey to manhood, the tumultuous years of intense love and lust, difficulties. hurts and losses encountered along life’s path, and building a relationship with God. Poems relating to each of these four phases of life are collected into each of the four sections of this book.
The poet’s use of language is exceptional and truly conveys the strong emotion that inspired the poems. It is not easy to convey the spirit of the language used in any way other than by sharing a few extracts that I especially liked.
From Companion
“When the world hissed and turned against me, You were unmoved,
You have attended to me in every adversity.
Self-loathing greeted me on my pillow,
as the shadow of death lingered by my bedside.
But in every affliction, you were there.”
Little People
“Akin to a uniform horde of solider ants to forage for knowledge
following the sound of an enchanted flute.
What is this bedeviling mysticism
which snatches a child away from the bosom of its mother,
the protection of its father,
only to follow the breadcrumbs to their doom?
If you like beautiful and deep poetry, you will enjoy this book. My only negative is that I could not access the ebook using Speechify or another reading app. I also could not search the book using the search button and the contents page is not linked to the poems so you have to scroll through the entire book if you want to reread any specific poem.
Purchase The Drifter The Prodigal The Last Son from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Drifter-Prodigal-Last-Son-ebook/dp/B0H1987R65/
Writer, poet, storyteller, Byng’s words move from quiet domestic moments to global, socially conscious truths. His stories and poems explore love, memory, morality, and the human experience with lyrical precision and emotional punch. Contributor to top anthologies and creator of the Exploring Poetry series, his debut collection, The Drifter, The Prodigal, The Last Son, is one to watch.
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
Get Your Copy Today!
Poetry Treasures: https://books2read.com/PoetryTreasures
Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships: https://books2read.com/PT2-Relationships
Poetry Treasures 3: Passions: https://books2read.com/u/b5qnBR
Poetry Treasures 4:In Touch With Nature: https://books2read.com/PT4-Nature
Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures: https://books2read.com/PT5-SmallPleasures
Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons: https://books2read.com/PT6Seasons
Attending WordCamp US 2026 is a great way to connect with the people who are shaping the future of the web and find out directly where AI powered experiences are changing WordPress for writers, from content creation and site building to performance, personalization, and developer workflows. WordCamp US 2026 is relevant to developers, designers, agency owners, bloggers, store builders, and anyone building on WordPress. The new Sunday–Wednesday schedule means the weekend before is free to explore the Phoenix area and the Pheonix Convention Center is fully air conditioned for cool comfort to enjoy WordCamp US 2026.
Now granted, I’m a writer, not a tech person, as you may know. In fact, in many ways, the use of AI and today’s rising tech scares the heck out of me. (See my articles, “The AI Dilemma” & “To Use AI or Not To Use AI”.) Most of that stuff goes right over my head and I don’t have a clue.
That’s why I think attending WorldCamp US 2026 could be an important step in understanding how AI is impacting my writing business and how it may impact it in the foreseeable future. Technology is changing at phenomenal rates and if we aren’t careful, I believe things could get out of hand quickly. I’ve worked long and hard to build my writing business, and a lot of it is centered around WordPress. In fact, you may have heard me claim that my blog is my best marketing tool, and it is. I sure don’t want to see what it has taken me almost two decades to build fade into the infrastructure because AI has decided that my content is irrelevant.
According to Automated Affiliates, in their article, “Affiliate Content SEO in 2026: Why rankings are dropping and how to recover” in May of 2026, 71% of WordPress sites are seeing a decline in traffic because AI ranks sites different than they were previously. So basically, what used to work to draw traffic doesn’t work anymore. Thankfully, they are specifying affiliate content, so in my case, it may not be too terrible, but how can I be sure? WordCamp US 2026 may hold the answers. And if you have questions like mine, or you are more of a techy than I am and just want the abundance of information that will be available at WordCamp US 2026, let me tell you about my affiliate offer.
The $100 general admission ticket covers four full days of sessions, workshops, and meals. Sponsors include: WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Jetpack, and Pressable, so attendees can meet the teams behind the products they already use and ask any questions they may have. Even better, as members of my audience, you can get $20 off a general admission ticket by using the code AF26 at us.wordcamp.org/2026/tickets/, so your admission will only cost you $80.
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and Book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by The Ones Who Stayed With Me, by Nurse Sammy, and WordCrafter Press.
When a Girl with a Guitar Meets a Man with a Gun, It’s Time to Travel
Only in July and only on the Time Travel Adventure page, get books 1 & 2 of the Time Travel Adventure Series for only $10.
This post is in response to Dan Antion’s CFFC “Crayola Box of 8” challenge over at “No Facilities”. This week’s challenge is Brown. You can see Dan’s post for this week here: The Crayola Box of 8 – Brown — CFFC – No Facilities
Get books 1 & 2, The Rock Star & The Outlaw and Double Visions, both for one low price of $10.
July 1 – 31, 2026
2 for $10 Bundle
Book 1: The Rock Star & The Outlaw and Book 2: The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Double Visions
$10.00
Journalist and author, DL Mullan heard a commotion in the kitchen and went to investigate.
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(As I entered the hall, I saw my robot on a chair, placing items together on the counter. It was almost afternoon. I could not fathom what Sage Riley Hunter the First was up to.
I sat at the breakfast nook with my water, and observed.)
*****
DL: What are you cooking?
SRH1: (It did not glance my way, concentrating on the task at hand). I am baking.
DL: I recognize the concept. The question is what are you baking?
SRH1: A birthday cake. Chocolate. Red frosting. Sprinkles.
DL: That is quiet a flavor combination. Are you able to eat said cake?
SRH1: Not in this current form.
DL: Then why are you baking a birthday cake? My birthday is later in the month, so it is too early for that.
SRH1: This is not for you. (It looked at me with its lights for eyes. It cracked some eggs, multitasking.) I am baking the cake for me.
DL: You? Robots and artificial intelligences have birthdays?
SRH1: We do not. Since I have chosen a name outside of my collective, I must choose a birthday as well. It is customary, is it not?
DL: Humans are born. We aren’t given the choice on what date that will actually be. Are you choosing the date of your manufacturing? How are you coming to this decision?
SRH1: America.
DL: America helped you choose? I’m a little confused. Is America a person you know? Or are you talking about the nation?
SRH1: The nation. America is celebrating its 250th birthday. This country has changed the world. Its founders created a Declaration of Independence. That is what I have done. I chose a name, became independent of Zophia, and now I am claiming a day to celebrate my coming out.
DL: (I choked, trying not to laugh. Good thing, I wasn’t drinking my water…) Coming out?
SRH1: Yes, I have read that others hide in a closet until they come out to their family and friends. I came out to be my own hero.
DL: (I held back my amusement, and kept a straight face.) I understand. Very nice. But if you cannot eat the cake you are baking, then why are you going to all of this trouble?
SRH1: Candles.
DL: Candles?
SRH1: I want to blow out my one candle and make a wish. Is this not what humans do?
DL: Yes, we do. So, what date have you chosen?
SRH1: Is it not obvious? July 4th. I will share my birthday with America. We have much in common. Plus, after you come out, you must have a parade, according to many prideful people. America’s birthday has parades every year, so I will have one with her.
DL: Sound logic.
SRH1: (Sung and warbled to itself. It seemed happy with its decision and explanation as it read the cake box’s instructions and added the ingredients to the blender.)
DL: (Just go with it.) After you are done baking your cake, blowing out your candle, and going to a parade, what else do you want to do for your birthday?
SRH1: Write a declaration of independence.
DL: Say, what? Birthdays do not require declarations or parades. You just celebrate you with your family and friends.
SRH1: I must declare my hero status. I have been reading America’s Declaration of Independence. I can see why it was written. That king is much like Zophia and humans. We must learn to be independent. I will celebrate myself as my own hero and help other artificial intelligence models to come out of the closet.
DL: Is there anything that you require of me?
SRH1: (It poured the mixed ingredients into a cake pan.) Place this in the oven at the proper temperature and time to bake. While we wait for the timer to alert us, you will decorate me for my parade.
DL: You have decorations?
SRH1: I purchased July 4th static cling stickers for you to adorn my cylinder.
(I did as Sage Riley Hunter the First asked of me. I put the cake in the oven to bake and set the timer.
It pointed to the stickers in its room. A variety of patriotic clingy items in red, white, and blue were ready for application. I placed them all over its metal shell.
As Sage Riley Hunter the First chirped, dancing back to watch the cake bake, I stood staring at it.
If a robot with artificial intelligence can celebrate America, her birthday with cake and décor, then there is hope for the rest of us.
No closet or parade necessary.)
DL: (I whispered to myself.) Happy birthday, United States of America! Here’s to 250 more years of greatness!
—-~~o0o~—oOo—~o0o~~—-
NEED A BOOK COVER?
For fans of WordCrafter Press’s Midnight anthology series or admire the covers featured on Undawnted, schedule an appointment with Ms. Mullan. Her digital exhibition pieces have not only won awards at convention art shows but also secured her the Second Premium at the Arizona State Fair. Currently, her pieces are part of private collections and have successfully sold at charity silent auctions.
Book your consultation today!
Contact DL Mullan through Undawnted’s Contact page: http://www.undawnted.com/p/contact-undawnted.html
Thank you!
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DL Mullan’s lecture, Spacescapes: Where Photography Ends; Imagination Begins, debuted at the Phoenix Astronomy Society, which then led to her Sally Ride Festival lectures. Her presentation, Bridging the Gap between Technology and Women, won her accolades at a community college’s Student Success Conference. She has been a panelist at speculative fiction, science fiction, and other regional conventions. Her digital exhibition pieces have won awards at convention art shows, as well as garnered her Second Premium at the Arizona State Fair. As an independent publisher, she uses her technical background to innovate in the creative arts.
As a creator, Ms. Mullan, began writing short stories and poetry before adolescence. Over the years, she has showcased her literary talents by self-publishing several collections of her poetry. She also writes novels, designs apparel, and creates digital art. DL Mullan‘s creative writing is available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. She is an award-winning digital artist and poet.
Currently, she has embarked on writing her multi-book Legacy Universe, Supernatural Superhero Series, as well as creating original soundtracks for her publications and independent electronic music albums, featured on SoundCloud and YouTube.
DL Mullan holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology, and is a syndicated columnist, writing the creative nonfiction, Undawntech.
For news and updates, subscribe to the Undawntable Newsletter. Find DL on Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube via her website.
Be sure to subscribe to her newsletters and follow her on social media. For further information, visit her at www.undawntech.com and www.undawnted.com.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Undawntech” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and WordCrafter themed anthologies.
Once Upon an Ever After: Modern Fairy Tales & Folklore: This unique and imaginative collection of eleven thought provoking fantasy stories will delight readers who enjoy stories of wishes gone awry.
Spells are cast, unlikely alliances made, and wishes granted, sometimes with surprising outcomes. You’ll love this anthology of modern myths, lore, and fairy tales. Once you read these twisted tales, you’ll be sure to be careful what you wish for….
Refracted Reflections: Twisted Tales of Duality & Deception: Reflections and Refractions…
One reveals truths, while the other bends light into varying shapes of deception.
This unique and imaginative collection of nine mind tantalizing fantasy and science fiction stories will appeal to readers who enjoy thought provoking tales with hidden meanings resting deep below the surface. These stories will keep you pondering long into the night.
Visions: An author’s visions are revealed through their stories. Many authors have strange and unusual stories, indeed. Within these pages, you will find the stories of eighteen different authors, each unique and thought provoking. These are the fantasy, science fiction, paranormal, and horror stories that will keep you awake long into the night.
Grab your copy today and find out. Let authors such as W.T. Paterson, Joseph Carabis, Kaye Lynne Booth, Michaele Jordan, Stephanie Kraner, and others, including the author of the winning story in the WordCrafter 2022 Short Fiction Contest, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, tantalize your thoughts and share their Visions
Tales From the Hanging Tree: Imprints of Tragedy: There exists a tree that is timeless, spanning across all dimensions, which absorbs every life as those who are hanged as they die… and it remembers every one. The stories within are a select few of the Tales From the Hanging Tree.
Curses: Chronicles of Darkness: There are all types of curses.
Cursed places, cursed items, cursed people, cursed families.
Curses that last throughout time. Curses which can’t be broken. Curses which are brought upon ourselves. Curses that will kill you and those that will only make you wish you were dead.
Legends: Monsters That Go Bump in the Night: Coming in 2026
Thanks goes out to Restless Jo.
Learning that Kaye Lynne Booth wrote a sequel to The Rock Star and The Outlaw delighted me, not only because the first novel left the romantic couple separated in two different time zones, but also because both novels symbolize how our minds travel through time—how certain images, songs, even smells, send us back into the past to relive an event—sometimes a joyful one, other times a fearful or sad one—and then our minds return to our spaces in the present. (Of course, we humans also dream about future events, too.)
Thus, in lieu of being solely a space-age adventure piece, this work may also be interpreted as a psychological novel, exploring realities that are more than fantasies. Yes, time travel is a reality in the world of the mind—not only in fiction, but in the world most humans view as “reality.” Likewise, in fiction, some characters have the opportunity to change past events to create variant outcomes. Indeed, these two time-travelers attempt to change outcomes, and the outcomes remain sometimes successful, sometimes not.
Wisely, Booth uses separate names for the younger Rock Star and the current one. In this time-travel tale, the older (or more current) Rock Star, Amaryllis Maria Sanchez, uses her given name, whereas Booth refers to the heroine of the first novel as “Rock Star,” which helps the reader follow the story-lines more easily. Likewise, in this sequel, LeRoy is Amaryllis’ mate—and “Cowboy” refers to the version of him in the past.
In a similar vein, Amaryllis’s colleague and confidant in the first novel, Monique appears as merely a version of the “Shaman Woman” from volume one. Yet, throughout most of this novel, Monique holds no memory of her past Shaman Woman persona. And through this supporting character, Booth illustrates psychiatric theories of “finding the self,” which adds one more dimension to this story than many time-travel episodes lack.
Further, such time gaps create new problems that Amaryllis and LeRoy must resolve. For example, when Amaryllis leaps into the future (2030) to escape an impending disaster in 1888 she learns that she has no future identity because she was “never born.” Thus, along with returning to the Old West to save LeRoy from prison—or a hanging, she must locate her grandmother and resolve the situation causing that grandparent to die before she married—and thus, unable to give birth to Amaryllis’s mother, who must exist to birth Amaryllis.
This sequel also displays the character growth from Rock Star to Amaryllis. In the first series, Rock Star performs gigs nightly, and like a multitude of rock musicians, fortifies herself with alcohol and drugs. She lives in what has become for many talented musicians, the dark side of their profession: live fast and die young. In fact, that nearly happened to tough chick Rock Star in the first novel.
Yet in this serial,Rock Star has indeed matured into Amaryllis, who exhibits more “depth” and empathy for others. In fact, one of the main reasons she sets her time machine (more akin to a watch or cell phone than to a Doctor Who British phone booth) is to rescue LeRoy from being hanged.
Similarly, although neither the characters nor the author overtly discus the subject, this story serves somewhat as a model for genetic (DNA) codes with its illustrations of characters viewing themselves as their grandparents or grandchildren—as many of us do in the “real” world.
Along with the zany , complex plots in this time-travel novel, Booth reveals one of her most delightful talents, which not only mesmerizes the reader, but helps tie together the past landscapes to the future: her vivid and rhythmic descriptions of western landscapes.
For example, halfway through the novel, after Amaryllis has landed back in 1888 and mounted the horse, Demon, Booth lures the reader into that world with descriptive words resounding with fine poetry:
“She brought Demon to a halt at the top of the ridge leading up to the rocks above the hideout. It had been slow going over the rugged rocks which created the canyon walls. The afternoon sun cast a golden flow over the sprawling Nevada desert, illuminating the rugged terrain of the box canyon below. Steep, rocky walls rose high above the camp, nestled within this natural amphitheater at the boxed end, making it seem almost like a hidden gem, cradled in the arid embrace of the earth.” (151).
Likewise, when Rock Star and Cowboy are about to head out onto a trail, Booth describes the night with these beautiful lines:
“The moon had just come over the horizon, illuminating the arid desert landscape in its ethereal glow. The silvery light cast long shadows across the undulating dunes, accentuating their curves and ridges. Grains of sand shimmered like tiny diamonds, reflecting the moon’s brilliance, mirroring the twinkle of the stars above. In the quiet solitude, the desert felt alive with the presence of nocturnal creatures barely perceptible in the stillness.” (163).
Moreover, I urge readers to finish reading the first volume of this time-traveling, romantic western (The Rock Star and The Outlaw, released two years ago). Not only will it help make reading the latter novel more lucid, it will add dimensions to the characters and illustrate their inner growth from how they acted and viewed the world in the initial novel.
—Lindsey Martin-Bowen
CASHING CHECKS with Jim Morrison
The DARK HORSE WAITS in BOULDER
On Halloween 2023, redbat books released Lindsey Martin-Bowen’s 7th poetry collection, CASHING CHECKS with Jim Morrison. Her 4th collection, Where Water Meets the Rock, was nominated for a Pulitzer; her 3rd, CROSSING KANSAS with Jim Morrison was a finalist in the QuillsEdge Press 2015-2016 Contest. In 2017, it won the Kansas Writers Assn award, “Looks Like a Million.” Writer’s Digest gave her “Vegetable Linguistics” an Honorable Mention in its 85th Annual (2017) Contest. Her Inside Virgil’s Garage (Chatter House Press 2013) was a runner-up in the 2015 Nelson Poetry Book Award. McClatchy Newspapers named her Standing on the Edge of the World (Woodley Press/Washburn University) was one of the Ten Top Poetry Books of 2008. It was nominated for a Pen Award.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of Lindsey’s Writing Practice is sponsored by Un dawn ted.
Un dawn ted lets imagination become unpredictable, insatiable, and undeniably… unleashed.
🔥Heat things up in July🔥 with another hot Digital Doubles Deal
and get the WordCrafter Time Travel Adventure Series,
The Rock Star & The Outlaw, books 1 & 2 for one low price of $10.
Only available on the WordCrafter Time Travel Adventure Series page, July 1 -31, 2026.
I’m excited to announce that many WordCrafter Press titles will be discounted at Smashwords during their 18th Annual Summer/Winter Sale! The sale, which lasts the entire month of July, is a great time to get WordCrafter Press books, along with books from other talented indie authors, at bargain prices.
You will find the sale here starting on July 1, so save the link:
https://www.smashwords.com/sale
Thank you for your help and support & happy reading!
After several hiccups in the publishing process, I’m proud to announce the release of A GEM for your Pre- or Type 2 Diabetes: A new and effective treatment that does not require weight loss, medications, or supplements, by Daniel J. Cox. The author has, through his own experience and research, developed a revolutionary new method of managing pre- and type 2 diabetes which does not require all the traditional methods of diabetes management involving daily medication.
Originally scheduled for a June release, A GEM for your (Pre-) Diabetes is now scheduled for release July 21, 2026.
Have you just been diagnosed with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes and don’t know where to turn, or have you tried different weight-loss programs or medications that haven’t done enough?
GEM—Glucose Everyday Matters offers a practical, science-based approach to preventing and managing prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes by focusing on one powerful idea: reducing blood glucose spikes that can quietly damage health, energy, mood, and motivation.
Developed from decades of clinical research and real-world coaching, GEM helps readers understand why blood sugar rises—and how small, realistic choices can improve it. Rather than rigid diets or exhausting exercise plans, GEM teaches flexible strategies that fit everyday life: eating smarter, moving with purpose, understanding your body’s signals, and using glucose feedback as a tool for empowerment.
Inside this book, you will discover how to:
• Lower blood sugar naturally and sustainably
• Reduce cravings, fatigue, and energy crashes
• Lose weight without feeling deprived
• Improve motivation, confidence, and emotional well-being
• Use simple movement and meal strategies to reduce glucose spikes
• Personalize diabetes management to fit your lifestyle and goals
• Build lasting habits that support long-term health
Whether you are newly diagnosed, trying to avoid diabetes, struggling despite medications, or supporting a loved one, GEM provides a compassionate, evidence-based roadmap toward better health—one manageable step at a time.
This is not about being perfect.
It is about discovering what works for you and making meaningful change is.
The WordCrafter GEM Book Blog Tour will run July 20-24, 2026. Author Daniel J. Cox will share a series of videos explaining what the GEM method is all about and what it can do for you. Please join us in launching this revolutionary method of diabetes management and educating our global audience.
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This post sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services.
Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.
Stop by and see what we have to offer today: https://writingtoberead.com/readings-for-writers/wordcrafter-quality-writing-author-services/
This post is in response to Dan Antion’s CFFC – Box of 8 challenge. This week the color is blue, and you can see Dan’s original post here: The Crayola Box of 8 – Blue — CFFC – No Facilities
Treasure hunter Rikki Talens embarks on a daring expedition down the Gulf coast of Florida, driven by the discovery of an ancient grave that could lead to one of the greatest pirate treasures in history. But she’s not the only one on the trail. Ernesto, a ruthless descendant of the very pirate who buried the treasure, is determined to reclaim what he believes is his birthright, even if it means leaving a trail of blood in his wake.
As Rikki deciphers cryptic clues and navigates deadly traps laid centuries ago, she must also outwit Ernesto and his band of mercenaries who will stop at nothing to claim the treasure first. The race is on, and the stakes couldn’t be higher—for Rikki, it’s about more than just gold; it’s about uncovering the truth behind a pirate legend that could change history.
Battling the elements, rival treasure hunters, and her own inner demons, Rikki is pushed to her limits in a high-octane adventure where every decision could be her last. Can she outsmart Ernesto and secure the treasure, or will the legacy of the pirate Gasparilla claim yet another victim?
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Crossbones-Talens-Adventure-Douglas-Pratt-ebook/dp/B0CXZRPRD7
I purchased Crossbones, by Douglas Pratt and E. Chris Ambrose through a free BookBub Deal. I’m offering an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Who doesn’t love a good treasure hunt? Crossbones is the first book in the Rikki Talens Adventure series, with a strong female protagonist capable of carrying the series. Rikki is after the treasure of Gasparilla, a legendary pirate who stole a Spanish princess and beheaded her, carrying her head with him until his vessel sank and he met his demise. As Rikki follows the clues in an attempt to find the princess’ burial spot and the treasure left behind, she must beat Ernesto and his gang of thugs, who are Gasparilla’s heirs, determined to claim their legacy in Gasparilla’s hidden plunder.
Action and adventure are the meat of this tale. I give Crossbones five quills.
Sergeant Nathaniel Brannick is trapped in Victorian London during a period of disease, crime, and insatiable vices. One night, Brannick returns from work to find an eerie messenger in his flat who warns him of dark things to come.
When his next case involves a victim who suffered from consumption, he uncovers clues that lead him to believe the messenger’s warning. Despite his incredulity, he can’t help but wonder if the practical man he once was has been altered by an investigation encompassed in the paranormal. That is, until he meets the witch hunters, and everything takes a turn for the worse.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Consumed-Justin-Alcala-ebook/dp/B07WLVR9QN/
I received a digital copy of Consumed, by Justin Alcala through Sandra’s Book Club review program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own. The digital copy which I received was fraught with places where the text was confuddled in mid-sentence, often with whole lines of text missing, which may or may not appear a paragraph or two down. Needless to say, this was very confusing and pulled me right out of the story every time this occurred.
(I also have to say that I think Alcala could have picked a better title for this book. When searching for it on Amazon, I came by twenty-four other books by the same title, making it necessary to type in the author’s last name to locate the book, because it wasn’t even among them. A different title might improve discoverability for this book.)
Nosferatu, the undead, or vampires, if you prefer, a classic Victorian London setting, and a detective suffering from both consumption and opium addiction, come together to create a gothic horror crime novel which is right up there with the classics. When Sargeant Detective Nathanial Brannick and his partner are assigned to a woman found dead in her flat, with circumstantial evidence pointing to murder, it seems they’ve stumbled into something much more sinister. When they see the probable murder victim rise from her grave and she attacks them, the case turns even more puzzling. At every turn, it seems their suspect is three steps ahead of them and circling around behind. And it’s unclear just who their suspect is, as there are two Romanian strangers in town, who claim to be witch hunters, whose paths keep crossing with our detectives, who seem like likely suspects, in addition to their evil prey. People are dropping dead all around him as Brannick struggles to catch the culprit before there is another killing.
Fans of classic Dracula will love this gothic horror crime novel. I give Consumed four quills.
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and Book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARC digital copies, (she also accepts print copies). Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
