Welcome to Day 1 of the WordCrafter “The Dark Horse Waits in Boulder” Book Blog Tour
Posted: May 11, 2026 Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Fiction, Giveaways, Guest Post, Romantic Comedy, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press Leave a comment
Welcome! Today, you can find us celebrating on three different sites: Poetry by Mich, Hotel by Masticadores, and Masticadores Phillipines, where our host Michelle Ayon Navajas has done a lovely job of setting up a stop to introduce us to Lindsey Martin-Bowen, the author of The Dark Horse Waits in Boulder, as she shares her inspiration for the story. (The link below goes to Poetry by Mich.) Join us in learning about this wild and zany woman’s adventure rom-com story from WordCrafter Press, and help us to send it off right. Get your comments in for a chance to win a free digital copy in our giveaway.
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Everyone is a Critic: Novocaine
Posted: May 11, 2026 Filed under: Action/Adventure, Everyone is a Critic, Movie Review, Movies, Review | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, Kaye Lynne Booth, Movie Review, Novocaine, Writing to be Read 1 Comment
Novocaine (2025), with Jack Quaid
We’ve all wished we couldn’t feel pain at one time or another, most likely, when we’re in a situation that makes us scream with the pain. But that old saying, ‘Be careful what you wish for’ applies here. Just ask Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid), who has lived a life of caution due to a physical condition which sort circuits his pain sensors and makes him a danger to himself at times. But when the new girl in his dreary, humdrum life as a bank manager, is taken hostage in a bank heist, Nathan uses his affliction to turn himself into a superhero, as he singlehandedly chases down the bank robbers and dispatches them one by one. To do so, Nathan must go through some very painful stuff, and although we know he can’t feel it, the scenes are so visceral, that we almost feel it for him, as he turns his fists into lethal weapons by grinding them into crushed glass, or shoves his hand into a vat of hot oil to retrieve a gun.
What an interesting premise. What would you do if you couldn’t feel pain? At first, you might think you’d do whatever you wanted with no pain to stop you. The love interest in this movie, Sherry (Amber Midthunder), states it well, forshadowing what’s to come, when she says, “Wow! You’re a superhero.” And, while battling the bad guys, Nathan seems to be unstoppable. But there’s a dark side to the absence of your body’s defense mechanisms, because pain is there for a reason. He doesn’t feel the pain and so he just keeps going, but the question Nathan must ask himself is can he find the girl and save her before he does so much damage to his body that it shuts down completely? How much abuse can one man take, and survive?
About Kaye Lynne Booth
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 and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.
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 “Read and Cook” with Robbie Cheadle is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
Historical Women’s Fiction
Get Your Copy Today!
Delilah: https://books2read.com/DelilahWiW1
Sarah: https://books2read.com/Sarah-Women-in-the-West
Marta: Coming in 2026
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Book Review: “Haunted River” & “Of Body and Bone”
Posted: May 8, 2026 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal, Review | Tags: Book Review, Crime Fiction, Dectectives Daniels and Remalla, Haunted River, J.T. Bishop, Kaye Lynne Booth, mystery, Of Body and Bones, Paranormal, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
About Haunted River
Detectives Daniels and Remalla came to Dumont for a quiet week off. They found a body on the riverbank instead – and a town that suspects they’re the killers.
The Black River has secrets. For years, locals whispered about the ghost of a murdered woman haunting its banks. Her killer was never found. Her case went cold.
Then they discover a second body on the riverbank behind Daniels’ cabin. Same spot. Same killer?
Suddenly, their peaceful vacation becomes a fight for survival. The small-town sheriff suspects them. The townspeople watch their every move. And someone in Dumont is willing to kill to keep the past buried.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-River-Paranormal-Thriller-Detectives-ebook/dp/B08HY1KL8P
My Review of Haunted River
I purchased a digital copy of Haunted River: A Murder Mystery Suspense Thriller, by J.T. Bishop through a free KindofBook deal. I’m offering an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
I chose this book because of the title. I mean, who wouldn’t be intrigued by a mystery involving a haunted river? It is book 1 in the Detectives Daniels and Remalla Murder Mystery Series. Obviously, the characters carry this series.
Gordon Daniels is a great dad and husband, in addition to being a first-rate detective. Aaron Remalla is a good-looking single guy, with a healthy fear of the paranormal. Together, they charm the local residents of the small town of Dumont, (or not), and battle the bad guys, once they dispel the myth of the woman in white that roams the river and identify who the bad guys really are. This tale has more twists and turns than a winding mountain road as Daniels and Remalla try to unravel what is truly happening in Dumont, where everyone is suspect, even the local sheriff.
When a dead body is found in the river on Daniels’ uncle’s property, our two big city detectives become suspects, and the race is on to prove who really murdered the girl before the local sheriff finds a way to pin it on them. The girl is found in a place and a manner that is uncannily similar to another death which occurred in the distant past and is also tied in with the local legend of a lady in white, reportedly seen by many of the local residents.
A top-rate paranormal murder mystery. I give Haunted River five quills.
About Of Body and Bone
A kidnapper strikes again, but his evil ties to a killer reveal a dangerous threat.
After a shocking investigation ends, Detectives Daniels and Remalla are back at work, but their routine is shattered when a child goes missing and they rush to find a young boy and the man who kidnapped him. But all is not what it seems when they discover the kidnapper’s connection with a previous case and a killer now behind bars.
When Daniels becomes a target and Remalla is plagued by the past, they must trust their instincts to find a killer and protect an innocent victim. But when Daniels’ family is threatened, Daniels must choose between following the law, or breaking it.
As the killer reveals his true nature, strange abilities, and mysterious hidden ties to an evil past, Daniels and Remalla are forced to confront their oaths as officers and moral compass in order to defeat a man capable of destroying… both body and bone.
Of Body and Bone is book three in the Detectives Daniels and Remalla Series. It closely follows and should be read after Of Breath and Blood.
If you love two bantering detectives, a gripping murder mystery thriller that will keep you up at night, a touch of supernatural suspense, and a riveting fast-paced read, then enjoy Of Body and Bone.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Bone-Edge-Your-Seat-Paranormal-ebook/dp/B08W4PKQZW
My Review of Of Body and Bone
I purchased a digital copy of Of Body and Bone, by J.T. Bishop through a free BookBub deal. I am offering an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
I chose this book because I just finished Book 1 in the Detectives Daniels and Remalla Murder Mystery Series and very much enjoyed it. So, when I found Book 3 in a free BookBub deal, I just couldn’t resist. The series is titled for the two detectives who are the main protagonists, the good guys who solve the crimes, but not before being put through the wringer by their adversaries, Gordon Daniels and Aaron Remalla.
I must say, these books are written in such a way that they work well as stand alones. Even though I skipped book 2, the author offers enough information about the interim between books. 1 and 3 to have a general idea of what happened in book 2 without actually reading it. As a reader, that’s a good thing, but I wonder if it is so good for the author.
In Of Body and Bone, Rem is still recovering from his experience with an evil cult in Book 2, and we learn that although the head of the cult is behind bars, looking at being locked away for a very long time. But her reach is far and they soon find that the kidnapper they are looking for in their current case has ties to the cult leader, Allison. It soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary kidnapper and things just get weirder as they try and solve the case, and Allison’s lawyer tries to discredit them both. No spoilers here, but we are left with the feeling that this story may not be over yet, even as they wrap up the case.
Filled with surprises, this paranormal mystery does not disappoint. I give Of Body and Bone five quills.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
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.
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Writer’s Corner: Why Put All Your Eggs on One Basket?
Posted: May 4, 2026 Filed under: book marketing, Book Review, Books, Drat2Digital, Indie Publishing, Publishing, Review, Writing | Tags: Kaye Lynne Booth, Publishing Wide, Reviews, Writer's Corner, Writing to be Read 8 Comments
Recently, I’ve been hearing complaints about Amazon pulling down revues when they suspect the reviewer and author know one another, by checking if they are on each other’s friends lists on social media. While it’s true that this is not a fair practice. I’ve been known to purchase the book of someone who happens to be on my friends list, because the name is familiar. I’ve also been known to request a review copy if I see a promo post on social media for a book that catches my interest. Neither of those scenarios means that I actually know the author personally, although I may know of them on social media.
Anyone that has followed me for very long knows I’m not a big fan of the business practices of Amazon. And this is just one of the reasons why. In Amazon land, Amazon makes all the rules. For authors, they encourage exclusivity and then they monitor your activity and they determine what is acceptable and what is not. Their rules don’t always make sense, and they often are unfair, but what is an author to do? Amazon is the number one book distributor, to be sure, and they bring in the most sales.
I’ll tell you what I do. I rebel. Amazon can urge you to go exclusive and put your books in Kindle Unlimited, but they cannot force you to do so. I publish wide, through an aggregator, Draft2Digital, and through them, my books are distributed to not only Amazon, but also Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Rakuten Kobo, and Smashwords, and they are available in libraries and brick and mortar bookstores, which doesn’t mean they will be there automatically, but it gives me a foot in the door. (For more on why I publish wide, see my post “5 Reasons Why I Chose to go Wide With my Books”.)
Still, Amazon slaps my hands for not publishing direct through them by making my books wait until the day of release to accept them for publication, so they aren’t available on Amazon for preorder as advertised. But they are still available for preorder on other distribution platforms, so I’m not sure who they are hurting with that one.
The reason I publish this way? I just don’t like putting all my eggs in one basket. Think about it. If you enroll your books in Kindle Unlimited, and agree to keep them exclusively on Amazon, you are limiting the readers who can find your books to only those enrolled in KU, whereas my readers might be found on any of the above-mentioned platforms, as well as being listed in library catalogs. Not only that, but when Amazon decides you’ve violated one of their all-cherished rules and freeze your account, and it happens. If they are your only distribution platform, your income just came to a screeching halt. It doesn’t matter whether the violation is real or imagined on Amazon’s part, your income will remain on hold until you can prove they are in error, which is not an easy feat, or until you’ve done your penance in Amazon’s mind. I don’t know about you, but I know I don’t want to give anyone that much control over my publishing business.
I know for many exclusive authors, KU is a big part of their incomes. But there are other subscription services, like Kobo Plus, which don’t require exclusivity. I don’t know how they compare because I’ve never had my books in KU. Kobo Plus likely does not have as big a reach as Amazon KU, but of course it also serves a different part of the globe. So, by publishing wide and enrolling in Kobo Plus instead of KU, you can extend your global reach, increasing the number of potential readers who see your book, all over the world.
No matter which platforms you chose to publish on, you must be prepared to promote like crazy. There is no difference in the platforms in that regard. By publishing wide you also increase the areas your promotions need to reach, but thanks to social media, authors can now do that fairly easily. When I was interviewed on the Stark Reflections podcast, Mark Leslie Lefebvre asked me what my best marketing tool was. I replied, hands down, this blog, Writing to be Read. He seemed surprised by my response. But, I post here, then use social media channels to promote the post. I promote on X, Pintrest, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Occasionally, I share a promotion on Instagram, but I don’t generally use that platform. It’s a soft sell, promoting the blog, rather than the product. Once I get them to the blog, the post promotes the product.
Every book I release gets a blog tour with WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, and I use this blog to promote those posts and spread the word with social media, as well. My own books also get a Kickstarter campaign, which I promote mostly through social media. Kickstarter has their own platform for updates for folks who are already following the campaign, so I just need to spread the word on social to draw in new backers.
So, what do we do to solve the problem of our perfectly legitimate reviews being taken down? Well, you can go wide with those, too. If you send out review requests, ask reviewers to post their reviews on other platforms, in addition to Amazon. You might also consider purchasing paid reviews, like Kirkus Reviews, which can be placed in the area for Editorial Reviews on your Amazon page, but I’m not a big fan of these either. On the one hand, you are guaranteed a good review. Even if they claim they are honest reviews, you must wonder, because no one wants to pay for a bad review.
And when posting your own reviews, don’t limit yourself only to the distribution platforms. When I post my reviews, I post them first on my blog, where no one can pull them down. Then, on Goodreads and BookBub, in addition to Amazon. If I have the time, I may also post on the Barnes & Noble site. Those aren’t the only ones out there. These are just the ones which I know and use.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the Amazon dilemma. Where do you post your reviews? How do you handle Amazons reviewing requirements? And while we’re at it, what is your best marketing tool? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
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.
___________________________________________
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.
Chronicles of the journey into the medical field as a young nurse and beyond, told with raw sensitivity and compassion. The Ones Who Stayed with Me offers small glimpses into the world of an L.P.N. put in difficult, often touching or humorous, situations—and Nurse Sammy’s courage, vulnerability, and insight are a gift to us all. In these pages, Nurse Sammy tells her story and that of those she met along the way.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/OnesWhoStayed
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Book Review: “Wicked Tides”
Posted: April 29, 2026 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Dark Fantasy, Fiction, Review | Tags: Book Review, Courtney Leigh, Dark Fantasy, Kaye Lynne Booth, Wicked Tides, Writing to be Read 2 CommentsAbout Wicked Tides
Love was never meant to bloom in blood-soaked waters.
Treson Harbor is a place plagued by terrifyingly beautiful monsters from the deep and they’re hungry.
When no man is safe on the water, pirates and fishermen alike, people look to hunters.
Vidar “Bone Heart” Woelfson is the Captain of the Burning Rose, a ship known for its blood red sails and the ruthless nature of its crew. He has hunted more sirens than any other ship on the sea and unlike most, Vidar hardly does it for the money. He is haunted by events from his childhood and lives to see every daughter of the sea slaughtered.
Dahlia knows the ship with red sails well, but she knows its captain even better. The man who took everything from her as a child still hunts her waters and she will end him if it’s the last thing she does.
Scarred and vengeful, Vidar and Dahlia will soon cross paths again after eighteen years and things certainly will not be peaceful. But even greater horrors might force the two together in an unwilling partnership.
Their rivalry runs deep… their love will run deeper… but not without bloodshed.
***This book contains violence, graphic sex, and language. Please see inside or on my website for a more detailed list of triggers***
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Tides-Enemies-Lovers-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B0DDN19X28
My Review of Wicked Tides
I purchased a digital copy of Wicked Tides, by Courtney Leigh in a KindofBook deal. I’m offering an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Wicked Tides is described as a dark fantasy romance, which intrigued me. Following the enemies/lovers romance trope, which I’ve found difficult to buy into in the past. But Miss Leigh does a nice job of making me believe that a Siren and a man who lives to hunt her kind could develop an affection for one another through their hate. Nicely done.
The secret is to not let the hero or the heroine realize themselves their changing feelings, and make them deny them once they do. By giving them a common cause, they find the opportunity to learn their previous assumptions about one another may not be completely true.
Captain Vido Weolfson, known also as Bone Heart, due to his hard-hearted cruelty, makes his living hunting Sirens – vile and evil creatures who lure men to their deaths and eat their flesh, often while they still live. But, hunting is more than just a job to Vido. It was a quest for revenge on the creatures who captured and murdered his father and his crew when he was just a boy. Only Vido and an old hunter named Gus came away alive, but not before he had made the sirens pay for what they’d done.
Dahlia is the lone survivor of that massacre, and the young siren who took pity on the young Vido and helped him to escape, thinking he would flee. Instead, she was left alone, cast out by her kind as being responsible for the death of her clan. She’s always known she’d see the boy who destroyed her life, but when their paths cross once more, they make a temporary alliance for a common cause. Although neither will admit it, they each discover that their enemy is more than just a cold-blooded killer
Finding romance amidst danger and suspense. I give Wicked Tides five quills.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
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.
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WordCrafter News: Winners of the “Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons” Tour Giveaway, May Release – “The Dark Horse Waits in Boulder”, Spring Book Sale & Approaching Submission Deadline
Posted: April 27, 2026 Filed under: Book Sales, Books, Children's Books, Fiction, Giveaways, Relationships, Romantic Comedy, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press | Tags: A Dark Horse Waits in Boulder, Book Release, Giveaway Winners, Lindsey Martin-Bowen, My Backyard Friends series, Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons, Spring Book Sale, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press 2 Comments
Winners of the WordCrafter “Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons” Book Blog Tour Giveaway
We had a great tour last week to celebrate the release of Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons. guest posts and poetry readings from the contributors, as well as learning fun facts about them and catching reviews of their latest releases. We had All those who followed the tour, or just dropped in a left a comment were entered in a random drawing to win one of five digital copies of the poetry anthology. (I think I originally said three, but we had so many wonderful commenters on this tour, I felt the need to give away five.) Now it’s time to reveal and congratulate the winners of the Giveaway, and here they are:
And the winners are:
(Drumroll please)
- Beth
- Teagan Genevienne
- T.W. Dittmer
- Beetlypete
- Lauren Scott Author
If your name is on the above list and you have not heard from me, please contact me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail to get your volume of Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons.
May Release: The Dark Horse Waits in Boulder, by Lindsey Martin-Bowen
WordCrafter Press is pleased to announce the upcoming release of award winning author Lindsey Martin-Bowen’s romantic comedy novel, The Dark Horse Waits in Boulder. Scheduled for release on May 12, 2026, you won’t want to miss this zany rom-com and the quirky Charli Erickson, who is full of surprises that will keep you chuckling through to the last page.
Recently divorced Charli Erickson arrives in Boulder, Colorado during the 1970s—a wild time for that city—where she hopes to develop her “rock poet” talent and find the perfect mate. Instead, she links up with the imperfect Ched Lyons, a Boulder native who leads her in a multitude of adventures, including scaling a mountain and a 1,200-mile motorcycle ride to southeastern Utah. While she intermittently envisions a black stallion with blue eyes, who puzzles and enchants her, she also strives to make sense of its appearance.
Through Charli’s snarky humor recounting her tales, readers will enjoy this Rom-Com doubling as a woman’s adventure story and may relate to scenes from the wild, zany era that followed the serious, revolutionary 1960s.
WordCrafter Spring Book Sale
April showers bring May flowers, and great prices on the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series.
During the month of May, (May 1-31), all volumes of the My Backyard Friends will be priced at $2.50 each at the links below:
Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend
Timothy Turtle Discovers Jelly Beans
Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home
But that’s not all! You can get an even better deal by purchasing here on site. You can get all 3 for $6.
Available only on the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series page, right here on the WordCrafter Press site.
Approaching Deadline for 2026 WordCrafter Dark Fiction Contest/Midnight Madness Anthology
Reminder: Only three days left until the deadline for submissions, (April 30), for the 2026 WordCrafter Dark Fiction Contest, and a chance to have your story included in the Midnight Madness anthology from WordCrafter Press. You can find submission guidelines, submission portal and instructions here.
Time is growing short. So, get those stories in before the deadline comes round.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
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 post is sponsored by Small Wonders: Reflective Poems, by Kaye Lynne Booth and WordCrafter Press.
The world is filled with amazing things, if we will just stop a moment and take notice. In this vast universe, we are but tiny individuals, filled with awe and amazement. From reflections on first love, to reflections on growing old. The poems within these pages express a lifetime of unique reflections in Small Wonders.
Get Your Copy Now: https://books2read.com/SmallWonders
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Day 6 of the WordCrafter “Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons” Book Blog Tour – Nolcha Fox, Melissa Lemay, and Robbie Cheadle
Posted: April 25, 2026 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Review, Giveaways, Poetry, Review, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Book Reviews, Book trailer, Giveaway, Melissa Lemay, Nolcha Fox, Poetry Anthology, Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons, Robbie Cheadle, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 44 Comments
Welcome to Day 6 of the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons Book Blog Tour, where we’re sending off the sixth volume of the Poetry Treasures anthology series, Seasons. Each volume of this poetry anthology series features the work of the talented poets, spotlighted as guests on Robbie Cheadle’s blog series, “Treasuring Poetry”, from the previous year. Seasons’ poets were guests in 2025.
For this tour, you’ll meet two poets at each stop, with fun facts about them and reviews of their work. Some of the contributors also share guest posts or poetry readings. Today, we’re introducing Nolcha Fox and Robbie Cheadle. And we’re giving away three digital copies of the anthology in our Giveaway. Each comment earns a chance to win, so be sure to give a shout out and let us know you were there.
Giveaway
We’re giving away three digital copies of
Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons.
Follow the tour through the links in the schedule
and leave a comment at each stop for additional entries.
Winners will be chosen in a random drawing following the tour.
Tour Schedule
Mon. – Cindy Georgakas (Reading) & Kevin Morris – Poetry by Mich, Hotel by Masticadores, Masticadores Phillipines
Tues. – Jean-Jacques Fournier (Reading) & Colleen Chesebro (Reading) – Dragons Rule
Wed. – Freya Pickard & V.M. Sang (Reading) – JoyNealKidney.com
Thurs. – Joy Neal Kidney & Yvette Prior – Roberta Writes
Fri. – Michelle Ayon Navajas (Guest Post & Reading) & Marsha Ingrao (Guest Post & Reading) – Prior House
Sat. – Nolcha Fox, Melissa Lemay & Robbie Cheadle – Writing to be Read
Introducing Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons
Picture caption: Cover of Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons
Blurb
Open the cover
and you will discover
Poetry Treasures
from the guests on
Robbie Cheadle’s 2025
“Treasuring Poetry”
blog series
on Writing to be Read.
Join poets Robbie Cheadle, Cindy Georgakas, Freya Pickard, V.M. Sang, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Marsha Ingrao, Nolcha Fox, Joy Neal Kidney, Kevin Morris, Jean-Jacques Fournier, Melissa Lemay, Yvette Prior, and special guest, Colleen Chesbro share their personal seasons of poetry.
Purchase link
https://books2read.com/PT6Seasons
Short Trailer for Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons
Rave Reviews for Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons
Dawn Pisturino offers up our first review, posted on her blog site:
Next we have one from Marjorie Mallon on Kyrosmagica:
This one comes from Abbie Johnson Taylor on Abbie’s Corner:
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Meet Nolcha Fox
Nolcha Fox’s poems have been curated in print and online journals. A best-selling author, her poetry books are available on Amazon and Dancing Girl Press. Nominated for Best Of The Net and Pushcart Prize multiple times. Editor of Chewers by Masticadores and LatinosUSA.
Website: https://writingaddiction2.wordpress.com/ and https://nolchafox2.wixsite.com/nolcha-s-written-wor/blog
Picture caption: Author photograph of Nolcha Fox
Fun Facts about Nolcha Fox
When I was a baby, my parents were so anxious to get out of North Carolina that they drove in front of a hurricane to get to Ohio.
My nickname as a toddler was Chatterbox.
I never learned how to sleep.
A review of Finger Painting with Words by Nolcha Fox (Robbie Cheadle – Treasuring Poetry)
Picture caption: Cover of Finger Paining with Words by Nolcha Fox
This is a relatively short collection of fascinating and different poems and the first collection I’ve read by this poet. I have read a lot of classic books and poems written by British authors and poets and have only recently started exploring American writers and poets. The difference in style and content is intriguing to me and I have developed a real appreciation for the boundaryless thought processes and unstructured writing styles of American writers.
For me as a reader, Nolcha Fox’s poetry is a wonderful example of thinking and writing outside the ‘box’ and I enjoyed each poem in this collection a great deal.
An example of this freedom in writing is her poem, Catch Them, as follows:
“In morning dark, the stars are blinding white,
rampaging fireflies on steroids.
Hollyhocks defy gravity and aphids
to kiss the sky before the weight of
summer
tilts them to kiss the ground.
Heat bakes the sidewalk
into squares of peanut butter fudge,
sweet sludge from oven top.
Each second a butterfly
I scoop with net of tangled words
before it flies pastward to cocoon.”
This is an interesting and thought provoking short collection of poems designed to make you think. I must also mention the lovely cover which I found very attractive.
Purchase Finger Painting with Words by Nolcha Fox from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Finger-Painting-Words-Nolcha-Fox-ebook/dp/B0DBNZ7WR9
Meet Melissa Lemay
Melissa Lemay lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with her children and cats, and her snake, Charlotte. She writes about God, addiction, trauma, healing, motherhood, and many other things. She enjoys spending time with family, drinking good coffee, and being outdoors. She loves animals. Her poem, “Ephemeral,” was chosen as Poetic Publication of the Year for 2023 at Spillwords Press; she was Author of the Month for July 2024 and Author of the Year for 2024. She co-authored a poetry collection, Bro ken Rengay (Prolific Pulse Press, 2025) with Nolcha Fox and Barbara Leonhard. Find her at melissalemay.wordpress, collaborature.blogspot, and at dVerse Poets Pub.
Fun Facts About Melissa Lemay
I cannot blow a bubble with bubble gum.
I wrote my first short story (60 pages) in the sixth grade.
As an adult, I have carpal tunnel in my wrists and this makes it difficult for me to write with a pen and paper for very long.
A review of Bro Ken Rengay: Unruly Poetry, by Melissa Lemay, Nolcha Fox, and Barbara Leonhard (Review by Dawn Pasturino)
I’m new to the rengay form of Japanese poetry, but I’ve admired the poetic works of Fox, Lemay, and Leonhard for several years. Their collaboration on a collection of three-person rengay was bound to be a success.
The poets interlock like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to form poems that are witty, clever, and stunningly beautiful. Some of my favorites are “Off the Rails,” “Glitter Lips,” “Make Up Your Mind, Already,” and “Pain Will Do That.” The cover art by Lesley Scoble enhances the charm of this delightful little book. I give it five gold stars.
You can purchase Bro ken Rengay: Unruly Poetry, by Nolcha Fox, Melissa Lemay, and Barbara Leonhard from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Bro-ken-Rengay-Unruly-Poetry-ebook/dp/B0FQ4C9L9V
Meet Robbie Cheadle
South African author, photographer, and artist, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, written and illustrated four poetry books and written and illustrated one celebration of cake and fondant art book with recipes. 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/.
Picture caption: Robbie Cheadle author photograph
Fun Facts about Robbie Cheadle
Robbie’s full name is Roberta, but she has never been called that. Her aunt called her Robbie as a baby and the name stuck. People are always surprised to discover Robbie is female.
Robbie is a qualified Chartered Accountant (South Africa) and has worked in corporate finance for nearly 30 years. Her area of expertise is documentation relating to various stock exchanges around the world.
Robbie was a gym instructor before she started her family. She taught 10 spinning classes a week at the local gym and entered several cycling challenges a year.
A review of Behind Closed Doors by Robbie Cheadle (Cindy Georgakas – “Celebrating Poetry”)
(https://lifesfinewhine.ca/2024/11/26/celebrating-poetry-by-cindy-georgakas-review/)
Picture caption: Cover of Behind Closed Doors by Robbie Cheadle
“Behind Closed Doors” is an elegant and engaging collection of poems written in various styles, either free or short form, poetry that is deeply relatable, drawing the reader’s attention to a variety of life’s aspects while conjuring up a swarm of emotions. In all its 6 parts, In the Boardroom, After death, In my mind, In the home, During lockdown and In nature, reading the poems feels both like a keen introduction to and a freely flowing zigzag through life’s moments… be them pleasant and enjoyable or much less so. And be them all closed, the “doors” – so convincingly part of the lovely title, still, the verses in the collection do ultimately slam them all open, airing out the “stuffy rooms” or letting the beauty in the “bright rooms” shine through refreshingly.
I was especially impressed by the grim details that could be read between the lines in the poems inspired by the corporate world (Achieving Tranquility, Do you want it enough?, The corporate hunt, Making A Splash). Nevertheless the verses inspired from the lockdown days also left a strong impression on me (No contact, Other Worldly, Lockdown days, I saw a fish a-swimming) with their harsh reminders of a sad reality in the whole world that the pandemic years also suddenly seemed to emphasize so acutely for us all, hopefully helping us to become more aware.
In the midst of the collection, two poems seemed to stand out to me, “A fabricated world” and “Stars in her eyes”. The latter feels like being in the eye of a storm, a calm and clear center, throbbing with all the beautifully bare truth and dreamy escape that the author’s heart can contain and express.
Equally impressive were all the poems that the author delightfully dedicates to the beloved members of her family, as was the last but one poem in the collection, “The best gift of all”, making the readers empathize with South African people on a blissfully rainy Christmas morning.
I gladly recommend “Behind Closed Doors” to everyone, as there is a little for everybody to delight in and learn about in Robbie’s wonderful collection.
Purchase Behind Closed Doors by Robbie Cheadle from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Closed-Doors-Robbie-Cheadle-ebook/dp/B09BBR94NC
Wrap-Up
That wraps up Day 6 of the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons as we finish up the tour, as well. Get your comments in for the giveaway entries. You can visit any stops that you missed through the links in the Tour Schedule at the top of this post. Winners will be selected in a random drawing and announced in Monday’s “WordCrafter News”, here on Writing to be Read.
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Day 5 of the WordCrafter “Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons” Book Blog Tour
Posted: April 24, 2026 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Release, Books, Giveaways, Guest Post, Poetry, Poetry Readings, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Giveaway, Marsha Ingrao, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Poetry Anthology, Poetry Readings, Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 1 CommentIt’s Day 5 of the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons Book Blog Tour, and we’re over at the Prior House Blog, Yvette Prior is hosting, with readings from contributors Michelle Ayon Navajas and Marsha Ingrao. Join us in sending off this fabulous poetry anthology and enter to win a free digital copy.
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Book Review: “25 Fires” & “In This Burning World”
Posted: April 24, 2026 Filed under: Apocalyptic, Book Review, Books, Collection, Poetry, Review | Tags: 25 Fires, Book Review, Eric S. Hoffman, In This Burning World, Mary Mackey, Poetry, Poetry Collection, Writing to be Read 5 CommentsAbout 25 Fires: A Call to What Comes Next
A book for anyone frustrated with the present – but unwilling to give up on the future.
25 Fires confronts a fractured world and asks: What comes next?
Told across 25 short, incendiary chapters, it traces an arc from the glittering cosmos to the choices of a single life.
Fierce and poetic.
Clear-eyed and human.
A book you can read in one sitting.
A fire you can carry for years.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/25-Fires-Call-What-Comes-ebook/dp/B0GNHJK9KT
My Review of 25 Fires
I received a digital copy of 25 Fires, from the author, Eric S. Hoffman, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
25 chapters of poetic verse make up this short book. It begins in the first section, titled “Inferno”, laying out the poet’s bleak vision of the world as we know it
“Our institutions are crumbling.
Schools are running on fumes.
Democracy sells to the highest bidder
And insulin costs more than your car.
We’re better than this.”
In the second section, titled “Smoke”, and deals with the desperation of dealing with life in today’s world. Chapter 7 depicts life in our world.
“is there anybody out there?
Is anyone actually home?
I wonder sometimes.
I scroll past all these comments and conversation.
I swipe through photos and updates about your dog.
But it all feels… empty.
And although many of these are a cry of woe, amongst the predictions of doom, there lies a message of hope, like in chapter 24, in the section titled Sparks:
“The shift has already started.
The new world is already being built.
Not by the biggest armies,
Or the deepest pockets,
Or the loudest mouths.
But the rest of us.
Getting our minds in order.
Putting our hands to work.
The single mom hunched behind a laptop.
The grandfather up at 3 a.m.inhis garage.
Little fires.
Scattered in the dark.
We may not see each other,
But together we’re illuminating what comes next.”
One must ponder which is more captivating, the verse or the message which it carries? This short volume is easily read in a single sitting, but you may want to go back and go over it again to absorb the full impact.
Poetic verse with an important message. I give 25 Fires four quills.
About In this Burning World
Poetry for a planet in crisis: Love, loss, and hope in a burning world.
In In This Burning World, Mary Mackey offers a powerful collection of poems that unflinchingly confront the realities of climate change. Through vivid imagery and emotional depth, Mackey explores themes of apocalypse, love, and resilience, inviting readers to find hope and connection in the face of environmental destruction.
These poems capture the beauty of a world on the brink, while also celebrating the enduring power of human relationships. Perfect for readers seeking:
- Poetry that addresses climate change
- Inspirational verses about love and loss
- A hopeful perspective on the future
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/This-Burning-World-Poems-Apocalypse-ebook/dp/B0DYWXW9Z9
My Review of In This Burning World
I received a copy of In This Burning World: Poems of Love and Apocalypse from the author, Mary Mackey, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Poems of love and apocalypse. It seemed to me a curious combination. I had to check out this poetry collection.
True to the title, there are poems depicting both. Poems of apocalypse bring vivid images of destruction and ruin.
When Mirrors Are Reversed
When mirrors are reversed
we will walk together through skeleton forests
along rivers that boil like molten glass
behind us ghost panthers
will stalk us through the dust of our cities
gathering up our unborn children
and unraveling our dreams
the skies will be filled with fish
and the oceans will be filled with crows
our mouths will be filled with dust
and we will not drown
we will smother
Poems of love evoke feelings of pleasure and contentment.
Walking Toward the Largo do Machado
when the smell of jasmine
flows through the streets of Catete like a warm fog
when the scent is so liquid you can
breathe it in get drunk and stagger
I think of all the years I have loved you
and all the years I will go on loving you
I think of how we protect each other from pain and betrayal
how each night we wrap ourselves around each other
and peace floats above our bed like a canopy of white petals
Somehow, they all fit together perfectly to form a tapestry of anticipation and hope.
A unique collection of poetry about climate change, life and love. I give This Burning World five quills.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
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.
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Day 4 of the WordCrafter “Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons” Book Blog Tour
Posted: April 23, 2026 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Release, Books, Giveaways, Poetry, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours | Tags: Joy Neal Kidney, Poetry Anthology, Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press, Yvette Prior 3 CommentsWe’re over at Robbie’s Inspiration for Day 4 of the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons Book Blog Tour with contributor guests Joy Neal Kidney and Yvette Prior. Join us in celebrating the release of this wonderful poetry anthology and enter the giveaway for a chance for a free digital copy.
