Today, I am thrilled to welcome talented Kevin Morris back to Treasuring Poetry. Kevin was one of my inaugural guests when I first started this series nearly six years ago. Kevin’s latest book is a real treasure and I am proud to showcase it here.
The blurb of your book, Passing Through: Some thoughts on life and death, explains the circumstances that resulted in this book of poetry. Please can you give a bit of background to this health event and how it motivated you to write the poetry in this book.
In late January this year I collapsed whilst at home. At that time I had no idea that I had suffered a seizure. Therefore, I continued my life as normal. Then, on the first Sunday in February I suffered another seizure whilst out walking with my guide dog, Apollo, and a friend and her dog.
Following my seizure I was admitted to Croydon University hospital where I suffered another seizure, as a consequence of which I was kept in overnight for observations and tests.
The next morning I was discharged with a diagnosis of epilepsy and Levetiracetam, tablets designed to treat the condition.
Following my discharge from hospital, I decided to spend a week with my family in Liverpool to recuperate prior to returning to work. However, a few days after having arrived in Liverpool I lost most of the movement in the right side of my body, began slurring my speech and became very confused. Consequently I was admitted to hospital where a scan revealed that I was suffering from a brain abscess which was causing the health issues I was experiencing.
Having undergone an operation for the removal of my brain abscess, I spent some 6 weeks in the Walton Centre recovering, during which time I was treated with antibiotic drips and, in the latter stages by a combination of drips and oral antibiotics. My health scare brought me face-to-face with my own mortality in a profoundly shocking manner. And being a poet I responded in the only way I knew how, by spending a considerable part of my time in hospital in the composition of poetry. Hence my book, “Passing Through: Some Thoughts on Life and Death” was born.
What is your main hope for readers of this poetry book? What would you like them to take away from the experience?
Writing poetry whilst recovering in hospital provided me with tremendous solace. I hope that those who read my work will derive both pleasure and solace from my collection. We all must come face-to-face with death and I believe that poetry can help us when this occurs.
Which poem/s is/are the most meaningful for you in the collection. Please share the text of the poem/s and what it means to you.
The first poem in the collection, “On the Death of a Writer”, was written in 2024 prior to me becoming unwell. It relates to the death of a writer I met only once. However, I was reminded of the poem on becoming ill, hence it seemed appropriate to include it here:
“The rain is falling again.
The garden smells fresh
And a solitary blackbird sings.
I heard of your death.
Your book remains unread.
You had others to write
And now are dead.
Each man has his plans,
Literary or otherwise.
But none knows
When his eyes may close.
The clock ticks as I write.
The scent of wet earth
Enters the house.
Tonight, I will close my eyes
And tomorrow write…” .
Whilst in the Walton Centre, I longed to return to my home in London’s Upper Norwood, and my poem “Humility” deals with my yearning to be back in my own space:
“My old blue armchair
Is still there
By the wooden bookcase.
In that space,
I sat and read
As the antique clock ticked
My day away.
Here, no clock ticks
And my need
Is for these antibiotic drips.
But how I miss
My old bookcase
And the ageing armchair where
I read the day away.
When I return again
To my own private place
The tick tock
Of my old clock
From high on the bookcase
Will teach me humility.”
Are there any poems by other poets on the subject of life and death that influenced your writing? If yes, is there any specific poem that you would like to share.
Following my discharge from Liverpool’s Walton Centre, I spent some time recovering at my mum’s home. My poem, “Emily’s Carriage” was composed during this period and stems from a walk I took on a sunny windswept day. It was also influenced by Emily Dickinson’s poem “Because I Could not Stop for Death”, hence the title “Emily’s Carriage”:
Because I Could not stop for Death by Emily Dickinson
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –
We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –
Or rather – He passed Us –
The Dews drew quivering and Chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –
Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses’ Heads
Were toward Eternity –“.
What’s next for Kevin Morris?
Back in 2019 I published “The Selected Poems of K Morris”. Since then I have published several other collections, including this one. I have long intended to update my “Selected Poems” and will now sit down and do so.
My review of Passing Through: Some thoughts on life and death by K Morris
I have read a lot of this poet’s thoughtful and though provoking poetry and, for me, this is his best collection to date. A short collection of intense and heart felt poems written by the poet in the aftermath of a seizure leading to brain surgery, and his subsequent recovery in hospital.
Having experienced a similar health incident with a loved one, I related strongly to Kevin’s reflections on both life and death as he grappled to come to terms with ‘looking death in the eye’ as depicted in his poem, Seizure:
“I felt no cold breath of Death Nor the Reaper’s skeletal hand Yet he greeted me And I mumbled and tumbled And found myself on the cold ground Where all are bound.”
The tedium and drift towards institutionalisation that characterise a long stay in hospital are exposed through the poet’s fine words in Free Air”
“How dear the air is to me. It enters through my window And calls to me of liberty And says how, below, people don’t know The profundity of the air.”
A change in attitude towards life having faced mortality intimately is a common reaction. I have witnessed this same change in others and I believe it does lead to better life choices and seizing joy in moments. All of these reflections and subtle changes in outlook are clearly evident in these compelling poems.
Extract from A Garden in Early Spring:
“I could decide to go inside As the temperature has dropped. Yet the blackbird has not stopped His song, which brings delight. So I stay as the day Moves imperceptibly towards the night.
Picture caption: Author photograph of Kevin Morris
I was born in Liverpool on 6 January 1969, a year best known of course for my birth. Well no actually it is better known for the moon landings which certain
peculiar conspiracy theorists still maintain never took place (the moon landings that is, not my birth!).
One of my earliest recollections is of eating roast dinners, on Saturday in British Home Stores with my grandfather. Although cooked in the kitchen of a department store they tasted wonderful to a small boy but then again it is easy to look back at one’s childhood with rose tinted spectacles.
On Saturdays my grandfather and I would invariably pop into W H Smiths and buy a book. Often he bought Enid Blighton books and I’ve happy memories of him
reading to me about the adventures of Julian, Dick and Ann – not forgetting Timmy the Dog (who could!) Being blind, it was a real treat to sit on my grandfather’s knee, hearing him regail me with children’s adventures. It was from my grandfather – a man who had never so much dreamed of going to university that I derived my love of literature.
As I grew older I learned to read braille which opened up a world of independent reading to me. Only a tiny proportion of books are available in braille, however it was still amazing to me, as a young boy to be able to sit with a book on my knee reading for myself. Besides braille I was also a huge consumer of spoken word cassettes, everything from Treasure Island to Wuthering Heights.
I still possess almost all of the many cassettes which I have purchased and had bought for me over the years but many of them have now warped with age so are, sadly unusable. Today it is the text to speech facility on my Kindle and iBooks (using voiceover) on my iPad which is my favourite means of accessing the wonderful world of literature.
I attended school in Liverpool and later went on to read history and politics at university. I must be a glutton for punishment as having obtained my degree
I went onto study for and obtain a MA in political theory (I can see your eyes glazing over already)!
Since 1994 I have lived and worked in London. I live in Crystal Palace, a part of London high above sea level and famed for it’s steep hills. It is very
green and the air is much fresher than many parts of London. I like were I live and I’m lucky that my home overlooks a large garden and an historic park.
I began to write seriously in mid 2012. All of my writing takes place in my spare room surrounded by books. Being blind I use a standard laptop with Jaws (software which converts text into speech and braille allowing me to access my computer’s screen).
I can not write with background noise other than the singing of birds, as conversation and other extraneous sounds interfere with my concentration. I do most of my writing at weekends and once the bit is between my teeth I can write for hours sustained by copious cups of coffee!
Other than writing I enjoy walking in green places with my guide dog Trigger, listening to a wide variety of music and socialising with friends.
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.
__________________________
This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
Today, I have a special treat for you. A review of Graeme Cumming’s new thriller, Borderline, and a short Q&A with this excellent author.
Borderline by Graeme Cumming
Picture caption: Cover of Borderline featuring a man facing towards a dock with warehouses
Blurb
When the system isn’t working, work outside the system.
A search for a missing man thrusts Rand Scott into the dark realms of homelessness, drug dealing and sex clubs.
Kirsty Moore wants to find her brother Johnny, a one-time rock star.
The police also want him – for murder.
And there are others looking who don’t play nicely.
A simple job turns deadly as Rand uncovers a world where money talks louder than the screams of innocent bystanders.
My review
I don’t read a lot of thrillers as I find the plotlines tend towards being repetitive. I am really glad I gave Borderline a chance as it is not the run of the mill thriller. Using the dark scene of sex clubs as a spring board, this book delves into the world of organised crime in Britain that reaches right up into the top echelons of the police force. It stretches into the murky waters of fear of job losses and reprisal being used as a tool to keep police colleagues from taking action against the corruption. The main character, Rand, is a victim of such manipulative reprisal and his unjust treatment has helped mould his attitudes and character. There is a great deal going on in this novel which also sends tendrils into the world of hard core environmentalists who will cross legal lines in pursuit of their cause.
There are two areas, in my mind, that differentiate this book from its peer group. Firstly, the excellent characterisation. The author has depicted various characters with a clear and brutal honesty that cuts to the bone of human nature and fallibility. Rand, a man whom the system has failed and even savaged, has a deep understanding and sympathy for the homeless and is driven to try and make a difference. The homeless are not invisible to him, as they are to many of the well fed workers of the world, he sees them clearly and understands the hopelessness of their situations. He tries to make a difference. His assistant, Hazard, a war veteran who has experienced homelessness, is one of the people Rand has helped and it has changed her life and turned her into his best friend.
Kirsty, a woman with whom Rand has a fleeting relationship and who asks for his help leading into the plot of the book, is also depicted with fearless accuracy. The author has delved deeply into human nature and effectively depicted the reality of conflicting emotion and manipulated trust. Even Elizabeth, who only makes a few sporadic appearances in the book, is very human in the eyes of the reader. You really hope these women can find a way out of the mess they’ve made of their lives and can find a better path.
The second differentiating factor for me with this book, was the number of topical political and social issues the author seamlessly wove into this story. It was not overwhelming, it was gratifying to see such topics given a good airing. After all, life does not come in separate little boxes and we are all confronted daily with all of these overwhelmingly appalling factors of modern life.
In summary, this is a fast paced and multifaceted book with excellent characterisations. I highly recommend it.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your aspirations as a writer
As you know, I have written books in the past, though these have been in other genres. My first love, though, is crime fiction, and this is what I’m focusing on for the foreseeable future.
Borderline is the first of a series. That wasn’t my plan, but the main character was too good to use just once, as were the supporting characters – have you got a favourite yet?
Having decided to go down the series path, I was also conscious that it would need continuity, so I wrote books two and three before going back to Borderline and revising it to make sure it fit the stories to come.
As a result, although final drafts are not there yet, the next two in the series should be released comparatively quickly (by my standards anyway). Book two, Renegade, should be out within the next 6 months, and the third book, Suicide, some time next summer.
I feel like I have the bit between my teeth now, so there should be some momentum over the next few years.
I really like the inclusion of the homeless people aspect in your book. What gave you the idea to include this aspect in your novel?
I’ve spent quite a bit of time over the years talking to homeless people. The stories behind their homelessness are varied, but always tragic in their own way.
Relevant to Borderline is the relatively high proportion who came from a military background. I don’t delve too deeply into this. After all, the book is intended to entertain first and foremost. But it did allow me to highlight shortfalls in support for them.
Borderline is the first in a series and, when I came up with the original idea for the main character – and the people around him – it had a kind of pulp fiction feel to it. But I also wanted to include references to the growing inequalities in society. Homelessness is one of the more extreme outcomes.
Hopefully, by providing an entertaining read, I’ve also given readers some food for thought.
Your main character in Borderline is a vegan. What inspired this choice? Are you a vegan or did you research veganism for this book?
I stopped eating meat in 1999 because I wanted a healthier diet. Since then, I’ve become more conscious of animal welfare and went vegan 6 years ago. Animal welfare will be touched on in the next book in the series, Renegade – which should be available within the next 6 months. Hopefully, that’s also told in a way that’s entertaining but might give readers pause for thought.
There is a reason for Rand to be vegan that is relevant to plot, and it harks back to his past life, some of which is revealed in Borderline, but is expanded on in Renegade – so watch this space!
About Graeme Cumming
Picture caption: Author photograph of Graeme Cumming
Graeme Cumming lives in Robin Hood country. He has wide and varied taste in fiction, but a particular leaning towards the darker side – though he’s very pleasant when you meet him. Borderline, the first book in his new crime series was released in 2025 and already gained praise from readers.
When not writing, Graeme is an enthusiastic sailor (and, by default, swimmer), and enjoys off-road cycling and walking. He is a past President and Education Director at Sheffield Speakers Club. He also reads (a lot) and loves the cinema.
For more information about Graeme and his books, you can check his website www.graemecumming.co.uk.
Picture caption: Two loaves of avocado and lemon bread
This recipe is like banana bread i.e. it is sweet. It is not a vegan recipe but it is vegetarian.
Ingredients
430 ml (1 and 3/4 cups) cake flour
310 ml (1 and 1/4 cups) sticky brown sugar
5 ml (1 tspn) bicarbonate of soda
2.5 ml (1/2 tspn) salt
2 medium sized eggs
2 medium sized avocados, mashed
1 medium sized lemon, zested
125 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
60 ml (1/4 cup Greek yogurt
5 ml (1 tspn) vanilla extract
Method
Mash the avocados in a mixing bowl and add the lemon zest. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and then add to the mixture. Add the yogurt and vanilla. Finally add the sugar, mix, and then the flour and bicarb. Mix until combined. Do not over mix, stop when the dry ingredients are combined.
Picture caption: mashed avocado and lemon zest
Spoon the mixture into a prepared loaf tin and bake in an oven pre-heated to 180C for 55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Slice and serve with butter.
Picture caption: Sliced and butter avocado and lemon bread
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? 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.
__________________________________________
This segment of “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Today, I am delighted to introduce Joy Neal Kidney, poet and writer of historical memoirs.
What is your favourite style of poetry to read i.e. haiku, ballad, epic, freestyle, etc.?
Free verse.
What is your favourite poem in your favourite style to read?
Also free verse.
Meadowlark by Nicholas Dowd
Every morning that summer
Brought a premonition
A sense of something pending
Fencerows buzzed with it
Breezes whispered it to the corn
Meadowlarks sang it at sunrise
Some nights we wondered
What might lie ahead, but
All we could do was listen
Waiting for the song of the lark
To drift across our field at dawn.
Note: Nicholas Dowd writes poignant free verse but isn’t published, yet. He allowed me to share this one in Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family During World War II. (Another of his poems, “Morrisburg Cemetery,” opens Leora’s Early Years: Guthrie County Roots.)
What is your favourite style of poetry to write?
I’ve tried several styles but keep coming back to free verse, for the freedom it offers as I sculpt the words and thoughts.
What is your favourite of your own poems?
That Fateful Sunday Dinner
The clink of silverware,
Sammy Kaye’s Sunday Serenade,
amiable background music
for Iowa after-church diners.
The scent of Evening in Paris
mingles with that of pot roast.
A news bulletin interrupts
a smooth danceable melody:
Pearl Harbor has been attacked.
Diners gasp, ask a flock of questions.
Does this mean we’re at war?
Where is Pearl Harbor?
Doris, in her gold waitress uniform,
shudders. One brother in the navy,
and her other brothers
are “all the wrong ages.”
Five brothers serve.
Only two come home.
This was published in Lyrical Iowa 2023. Doris was my mother. (Lyrical Iowa 2025 will include another poem, “Learning How to Vote, 1920,” as the First Honorable mention in the National/World Events category. It’s about my great grandmother, Leora’s mother.)
Please tell us about your poetry book, Meadowlark Songs: A Motherline Legacy. How did this book come about? How does this book fit with your historical books about Leora?
Books by three authors sparked the idea of capturing the women of my motherline in vignettes: Luanne Castle’s Kin Types, Elizabeth Gauffreau’s Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance, and The Horse Lawyer and Other Poems by Greg Seeley. Greg’s book captures three generations on the same Iowa farm, beginning with his Civil War ancestor.
Meadowlark Songs covers seven generations. The legacy of a small log church was nurtured through my motherline and woven into the blessing and mystery of my own inheritance. Glimpses into the lives of these women, along with cameo appearances of the men they married, reveal a legacy of faith and hope while navigating challenging times and great losses.
My other books cover Grandma Leora’s life through WWII, when she lost three sons during WWII and was widowed shortly afterwards. I was born during the war and I’m her oldest granddaughter. She was a delight as a grandmother, who lived to the age of 97. She’s the fifth generation in Meadowlark Songs, “The Heart of Her Family.”
My review of Meadowlark Songs: A Motherline Legacy
Picture caption: cover of Meadowlark Songs: A Motherline Legacy featuring a meadowlark
This historical memoir is written as a series of interrelated poems which I though was a wonderful and unique idea. The book is divided into sections, each relating to a woman in the Motherline Legacy, and comprises of a series of poems relating to that individual, her life, spouse, circumstances and family. Each section shares a great deal of historical information about the specific time period and fascinating details about, inter alia, life, dress codes, work, and education. Such a novel way of sharing historical information and the highlights of each individual’s life.
Life was tough for the women featured in this collection. They worked incredibly hard, overcame obstacles including the deaths of children, siblings, and parents, and battled the elements, but they prevailed and built good lives for their families. There is a strong religious thread throughout the book demonstrating the importance of faith in each family’s life.
Due to my fascination with war, the sections about Leora (Goff) Wilson and her daughter, Doris (Wilson) Neal interested me the most as they included details about Leora’s five sons who all fought for the USA in WW2. Leora suffered the deaths of three, a terrible tragedy for one family.
The poetry is freestyle and provides a lot of insight into the characters of the Motherline women and their family members. The poems reminded me, over and over, how much easier life is now with fewer infant deaths and technology and appliances to make housework so much quicker and easier. One poem that really captivated me in its great sadness was Baby Marilyn.
This is a quote from Baby Marilyn: “I was the third of seven Wilson kids, now eight. It was 1931 and we had to many mouths to feed.
I didn’t want another baby, but she was beautiful and needed a name. Mom suggested I name her. Marilyn Louise. She was mine to care for every day after school.
She died while I was at school, just a month later. A weak heart, the doctor said. My arms were empty, helpless.”
A beautiful and interesting collection of poetry that weaves a story of several generations of mothers. This collection has certainly sparked my interest in reading this authors other historical novels about her family.
About Joy Neal Kidney
Picture caption: Author photograph of Joy Neal Kidney
Joy Neal Kidney is the oldest granddaughter of Leora Wilson and author of four “Leora books.” She lives in central Iowa with her husband, Guy (an Air Force Veteran of the Vietnam War and retired Air Traffic Controller). Their son and his wife live out-of-state with Joy’s only grandchild Kate, age eight.
A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Joy has lived with fibromyalgia for two dozen years, giving her plenty of home-bound days to write blog posts and books.
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.
__________________________
This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
Picture caption: cover of Jaws by Peter Benchley featuring a shark heading for a swimming woman.
I watched the Stephen Spielberg movie when I was twelve years old and I never forgot it. Like most of my generation, Jaws, the movie, terrified me and I never swim at night or in murky water. I didn’t know about the book until I rewatched the movie recently. I was curious to read the book that underpinned the movie, which although dated, is still terrific. The book did not disappoint me. In fact, the book is better than the movie as it explores human relationships and elements outside of the main shark storyline thereby increasing the reader’s investment in the main characters. I loved the Chief of Police, Martin Brody, and rooted for him to succeed in his quest to save his hometown. from the shark. I disliked Hooper, the shark expert and one of the wealthy ‘summer’ people, and Brody’s wife who didn’t know what she wanted from life. It always fascinates me how American author’s depict political figures such as the major as being corrupt and unreliable. Jaws was no different and had its unethical character who unintentionally becomes an ally to the shark.
The writing is enticing, and I enjoyed the depictions of the great ‘fish’ in its natural environment and role as a super predator. The shark’s behaviour, although more deliberate and considered than average for a shark, did not cross lines and become unbelievable. The author kept the storyline within the realms of the possible which I liked. . As mentioned earlier, the book refers to the wealthy summer visitors and the poorer all year round ‘winter’ folk who are dependent on summer trade to see them through the winter. It gently explores the differences between the two sets of people and highlights the lack of social cohesion between the groups and the resultant resentment of the winter people who feel inferior.
The book also explores regret and a lack of gratitude for the non-material blessings in life. Hooper represents the spirit of the summer people and is shallow, arrogant, and selfish in many ways. He is also conflicted and uncertain of his role in society and life in general despite having all the privileges wealth brings. Brody represents the winter people who are solid, salt of the earth types with strong values and family ties.
This is a book with a few fascinating layers making it more than the movie, however thrilling and chilling the movie was.
“There’s nothing in the sea this fish would fear. Other fish run from bigger things. That’s their instinct. But this fish doesn’t run from anything. He doesn’t fear.”
“Sharks have everything a scientist dreams of. They’re beautiful―God, how beautiful they are! They’re like an impossibly perfect piece of machinery. They’re as graceful as any bird. They’re as mysterious as any animal on earth. No one knows for sure how long they live or what impulses―except for hunger―they respond to. There are more than two hundred and fifty species of shark, and everyone is different from every other one.”
“The boy’s last—only—thought was that he had been punched in the stomach. The breath was driven from him in a sudden rush. He had no time to cry out, nor, had he had the time, would he have known what to cry, for he could not see the fish. The fish’s head drove the raft out of the water. The jaws smashed together, engulfing head, arms, shoulders, trunk, pelvis, and most of the raft. Nearly half the fish had come clear of the water, and it slid forward and down in a belly-flopping motion, grinding the mass of flesh and bone and rubber. The boy’s legs were severed at the hips, and they sank, spinning slowly, to the bottom.”
Fish Paella
Ingredients
olive oil to cook
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 x red onions, diced
15 ml garlic flakes
1 litre chicken stock (you can use fish stock)
500 grams white fish. I used hake
500 grams Norwegian salmon
2 cups (500 ml) medium grain rice
3 tomatoes diced
pinch turmeric
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
milk for cooking
Method
Lay the fish in a large pan or wok and cover with milk. Once the milk starts boiling, cook for 10 minutes. Remove the skin once cooked and break into chunks.
In a large pot on the stove, fry the onion in the olive oil. Add the red pepper, garlic, turmeric, paprika, and tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes start to soften. Add the rice and then the chicken stock. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer until most of the liquid is gone and the rice is plump. Add the peas and the fish. Simmer for another 5 minutes until the peas are cooked. Serve.
Picture caption: Fish paella in the pot prior to servingPicture caption: Serving of fish paella with roasted cauliflower
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? 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.
__________________________________________
This segment of “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Today, I am delighted to welcome Nolcha Fox as my Treasuring Poetry guest. Nolcha is an accomplished poet and also the editor of Chewers by Masticadores. You can find out more about Chewers by Masticadores here: https://chewersmasticadores.wordpress.com/
What is your favourite style of poetry to read i.e. haiku, ballad, epic, freestyle, etc.?
I don’t have a favorite style. What I enjoy is poetry with unexpected twists, poetry I want to continue past the end. I enjoy poetry I can dance to because of the rhythmic quality of the words. My favorite books are still “Alice and Wonderland” and “The Cat in the Hat.”
What is your favourite poem in your favourite style to read?
I’ve always loved Robert Frost, especially “The Road Not Taken.”
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Every time I read this poem, I find something new.
What is your favourite style of poetry to write?
It’s a toss-up between freestyle and pantoum. I don’t like to write rhyming poetry (funny because I enjoy reading it, when well-written). Needless to say, I break many poetry form rules.
I enjoy writing poems with a strong rhythm. Internal rhymes happen accidentally. As I write, I internally feel the bum-bum-bum-bum-bum.
What is your favourite of your own poems?
Robbie, almost every poem is my favorite when I write it. Until the next poem. This is my latest favorite (published in Medusa’s Kitchen), even though I have no idea what I wrote:
Sunflowers in My Hair
I can’t untangle flowers
from the memories of youth.
They are the knots I can’t brush out
until the withering winter.
If it’s not a favorite after I write it, I hit it on the head with a shovel and bury it in the backyard. I’ve learned to run my unfavorite poems past a poet friend (or two). Many poems have been allowed to live because of the feedback I received.
My favorite poems are included in two books, if you want to check them out:
Here is my favorite poem in “My Pelvis Wants to Be Elvis:”
My pelvis wants to be Elvis
on The Ed Sullivan Show, you know,
I want to be that cutie who shakes her booty
while Elvis bumps and grinds. Who minds
gyrating hips and snarling lips?
The truth be said, my darling Ed,
the rest of me wants to be
in bed.
Please tell us about your poetry book, Finger Painting with Words. How did this book come about? What would you like readers to take away from this collection?
“Finger Painting with Words” is a collection of short poems written to inspire readers to see the world with refreshed eyes — through imagination, through the senses, through the emotions. Not through a cell phone (although that could be a different book).
I also wrote this book to thrill my mother. She loved that her daughter was an author. Unfortunately, she died before this book was published.
Book reviews
Seesaw: Quirky Poems by Ken Tomaro and Nolcha Fox
Picture caption: Cover of Seesaw: Quirky Poems
This poetry collaboration between Nolcha Fox and Ken Tomaro is darkly humorous and most entertaining. The poems celebrate daily life in all its boring ordinariness and, by demonstrating how much worse it could be if these chores and activities were not undertaken, highlight the charm of ordinary life. They also ‘take the mick’ out of people’s ridiculous obsession with social media and watching life being lived by others. These poems made me smile and reminded me of the poetic works of Roald Dahl.
Two short extracts that highlight the style and content of the poems:
“Debris that hurries by becomes a melody and why aren’t we taking cover instead of videoing this hurricane on our phones?
Aluminum siding and a trampoline whiz by. So, I’ll snap a pic for all the wandering eyes, just to break the monotony of cat photos on my phone.”
“I come to a door I open it. Not because it is easy, or because I’m curious, or because I’m bored, but because it is the only one that will open. I take weak little steps. Not because I am unsure, but because I am tired. I follow the same path. Not because it is worn, but because all paths are the same.
The only door that opens is to dirty dishes, unmade beds, laundry someone left behind. By the time I clean this house, I’ll be too weak to find a pathway out of here.”
A book that will give your spirits a lift as you laugh at yourself and life.
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.
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. Nominee for Best Of The Net and Pushcart Prize. Editor of Chewers by Masticadores.
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.
Pachinko is an amazing family saga set in Korea, Japan and America from when Japan took control of Korea in 1910 to 1989. Admittedly, this book was a real eye opener. I had no idea the japanese treated the Koreans so badly and how much the Koreans suffered, both in Korea and in Japan if they immigrated. This discrimination, abuse, and racism towards Koreans by Japanese people continues right up to the end of the book in 1989. It did leave me wondering what the current situation is for people of Korean descent living in Japan.
The book starts with the story of Hoonie, the son of a poor fisherman and his wife who was born with a cleft lip and a club foot. The couple are hard working and have a good sense of business, taking in lodgers and building a secondary business as a boarding house for working class people. This business helps them maintain a reasonable life during the first years of the Japanese occupation when the livelihoods of ordinary Koreans were devastated by high taxes and poor treatment. A matchmaker arranges a marriage for Hoonie, despite him being illegible in terms of cultural law due to his disabilities, to the daughter of a farmer rendered destitute by the colonialization. Hoonie and his wife, Yangjin, continue to build the boarding house business and have one surviving daughter, Sunja. Hoonie dies when Sunja is still a girl and Yangjin and Sunja continue the business alone. When Sunja is sixteen she is singled out by a wealthy fishtrader, Koh Hansu, a Korean living in Japan, who slowly woos her and ultimately seduces her. Sunja becomes pregnant and hopes to marry her loves, but discovers he is already married with three daughters. He proposes to support her as his mistress but Sunja rejects this idea as it goes against her principles. Fortunately for Sunja and her mother, salvation arrives in the form of a sickly Korean minister, Baek Isak, who is travelling to join his brother in Japan. Sunja marries Baek Isak and goes with him to start a new life in Japan as a minister’s wife. The story continues with Sunja and Baek’s lives in Japan and their family of two sons, Noa, son of the wealthy Korean fisherman, and Mozasu, Baek’s son. The saga ends years later when Sunja’s sons are older men with childen of their own.
Sunja was an excellent character. The author aptly captures the innocence of a young girl and demonstrates how Hansu inveigles his way into her life, ultimately seducing her. Hansu is not depicted as being a terrible man in these early days. He wants to support his son and Sunja and keep up his relationship with her but on his terms. These terms would result in Sunja and her mother’s disgrace in their community and her son having no name, but so would Sunja’s having an illegitimate child. If Baek hadn’t entered the story, practically, Sunja would have had to capitulate to Hansu’s request as there would have been no other way for her and her mother. Sunja is a woman of much inner strength and she accepts her situation and marriage to Baek and does her best to be a really good mother and wife to him. She demonstrates much fortitude in overcoming the difficulties she faces in Japan and shows that she is hard working and also has a good business brain and survival abilities. I felt that Sunja was a magnificent tribute to the fortitude and resourcefulness of many women forced to face terrible hardship and find a way to feed their children.
Sunja’s second son, Mozasu, is another wonderful character. Hard working and also an astute business mind, he makes the most of his situation and builds a good business for himself and his family. He also manages to overcome a lot of hardship and tragedy. He is a devoted father to his only son and demonstrates much support of, and affection for, his own people and community. He is not a criminal personality despite being involved in a gambling business that is rigged as all such business must be. He does his best to help other people and be as law abiding as possible in a society aimed at subjugating and even destroying Koreans. His attitude towards the end of the book, when faced by a disappointing (to him) decision by his son, is exemplary and shows what a good parent he was and sensible in the face of life facts.
The author demonstrates in many places his deep understanding of the human condition. One particularly striking demonstration of this understanding is towards the end of the book when Sunja goes home to see her sick mother. This scene really stayed with me and, having experienced similar situation with aging relatives, I found it deeply compelling.
I highly recommend this compelling and fascinating read that shares so much information about the history of Korea and Japan between 1910 and 1989 and also shows a deep understanding of people and their relationships, reactions, and emotions.
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? 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 Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Today, I am delighted to host blogger and hostess of Story Chat about which she says the following: “Story Chat is more than a writing challenge. It is a unique and proven online program that encourages interaction between authors and readers. It’s part writers group, part beta readers, part fun fiction, and pure enjoyment.”
Robbie, thank you so much for inviting me to be on your blog. It is such an honor. I’ve spent a lot of time reading and researching poetry since you sent these questions to me, so it’s taken me a long time to come up with the answers.
What is your favourite style of poetry to read i.e. haiku, ballad, epic, freestyle, etc.?
I adore reading tankas, but my favorite style to read is freestyle, words that are natural without the constraints of order.
What is your favourite poem in your favourite style to read?
Mary Oliver is a new author to me, but well-known to many. I picked her because I have so many favorites among our friends, and I don’t want to choose. Mary Oliver published poetry from 1963 to 2015 before she passed in 2019. She was well known for her observations of the natural world, tying them to deep emotions or emotional events, as you can see in the following poem.
Gethsemane
By Mary Oliver
The grass never sleeps.
Or the roses.
Nor does the lily have a secret eye that shuts until morning.
Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples slept.
The cricket has such splendid fringe on its feet,
and it sings, have you noticed, with its whole body,
and heaven knows if it ever sleeps.
Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did, maybe the wind wound itself into a silver tree, and didn’t move,
maybe
The lake far away, where once he walked as on
a blue pavement,
lay still and waited, wild awake.
Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not
What I loved about this poem is that it takes a familiar biblical event way outside the box. When you saw the title, Gethsemene, did you think about the grass sleeping or the wind winding itself into a silver tree? I didn’t, until her poem suggested that I think about it.
How can I train myself to think past and around the outer edges of my topic? That is my goal this year.
What is your favourite style of poetry to write?
I like free style, acrostic, limericks, and tankas best. But I also enjoy other syllabic poems and some of the French form poetry when I want a challenge. What I want to improve this year are some of the nuances that I’ve missed in writing syllabic poetry as well as thinking outside the box with freestyle poems.
What is your favourite of your own poems?
Messages From the Cat (free verse)
Poems, no longer innocent kittens,
Intentionally sneak up on you at night,
Concise imagery padding silently across the carpet,
Weaving its way into your dreams.
Rhyming couplets stealthily leap onto your bed,
Pretending they would curl at your feet for a long nap,
Or lie warm against the curve of your spine,
But instead, they pounce on your head, tearing it open.
If you cry out, call for help,
Precise verses slip away, leaving only an open gash.
Life’s language drips from the wound.
You jump to consciousness, capture each phrase
As it percolates from your throbbing skull
Like slush melting away from Frosty on a sunny day.
At sunrise, linguistic gems gleaming,
Iambic felines sun themselves
In a streaming hot shower of midmorning light,
Licking their forms to glistening perfection,
For all to stroke with admiration,
While you trod off to work,
Exhausted from your sleepless scratch with immortality.
Please tell us about your poetry book, Embracing the Power to Live. How did this book come about? What would you like readers to take away from this collection?
You’ve asked several important questions, Robbie. I hope I’ll answer the first question as I answer the second and third ones.
I’ve written (and kept) poems since the 1980s when my first husband and I moved to Visalia, California, to pastor a tiny church in the rural community of Ivanhoe, California. At that time, I experimented with different styles of poetry, most of which were out of date, but writing them challenged me.
After I retired in 2012, I wanted to write a book, but my blog led me in a different direction. Arcadia Books contacted me because of some of my posts about Woodlake, California. Five months later, they published my book, Images of America Woodlake.
Then I tried fiction, and struggled for years trying to write a bestseller that would become the next Netflix series. That didn’t happen.
I loved blogging, and that’s what I did best, so I gave up my dream of publishing a book of my own work until I met Colleen Chesebro and had a year of writing Haiku and other syllabic poetry under my belt. Meanwhile, several of my blogging friends started publishing poetry books. I was intrigued. Normally, I struggled to read a whole book of poetry. However, Robbie, when I read your book, Lion Scream, that changed for me. I was not ready for this poem. I had to put the book aside and wait for my heart to calm down. I had never read such moving poetry in my life.
As I read the poem aloud to a friend, while I prepared for this interview, it brought tears to my eyes and made my stomach churn. I wanted my poems to matter, but I didn’t have an agenda. So, I fell back on what I do naturally, which is to encourage people to do what they do best.
When I picked my word of the year for this year, the title fell into place. I wanted to create something that would be uplifting to others and would help them fulfill their own dreams. So, somehow, I had to go from the poems I had written about random topics and pull them together with new poems that would minister to people’s souls and encourage them to find their own creativity.
I drew a lot from Sunflower Tanka and Cindy Georgakas’s book Celebrating Poetry. As I read her book, I fell in love with certain poems and the titles of poems. For example, isn’t her title “Messages from the Moon” a great title? The idea of the moon sending me messages set my imagination on fire. It became “Messages from the Cat” in Embracing the Power to Live. There were no similarities in the poetry or the subject, but I loved the title.
I have already started to realize the joy that comes from reaching the goal of helping others. I’ve shared on social media and my blog about my neighbor Dan Daniels. Dan started writing poetry at age 11 when he was a rough and tumble New York City kid in a large family. He started working at about age seven.
As he handed me an aged sheet of paper with a typewritten poem, he told me I was only the second person he had ever shared his poem with. I was blown away. He is now in his 80s, and he and his wife inspired one of the poems in my book, “Aging Gracefully.” This is his poem, and I am proud to announce that you are now collectively the third person he is sharing it with.
Stand Amongst the Flowers Gentle
By Dan Daniels
Stand amongst the flowers gentle
Look and smell and feel their power
How they light the day with beauty
Not long enough to stay an hour.
Stand amongst the flowers gentle
Let them fill your soul inspired
Touch them all with love and kindness
Nothing more of you required.
Nature all around us speaks
We, who hear, must answer strongly
Love all that nature has to give
Stand amongst the flowers gentle.
Robbie, I can’t wait to read what your readers say about Dan’s poem. When I called to ask permission to use his poem, he and his wife were sitting in their living room reading Embracing the Power to Live and talking about where he might have hidden the other poems he wrote through the years. Dan has Parkinson’s Disease, so I am going to help him publish them in a small book that he can give to his family as part of his legacy to them.
Another friend called me the week the book came out to tell me she was ordering it for a couple of relatives of hers who had stopped communicating with each other and with her. She thought somehow my book might encourage them to start talking. Helping Dan come out of his poetry shell and helping people find ways to communicate their feelings exemplifies the reasons I wrote the book, Embracing the Power to Live.
Thank you again for inspiring and encouraging me, and for inviting me to take part in this project. It means so much to me.
Thank you, Marsha, for this wonderful interview. It is truly amazing how much you have gained from being part of this on-line poetry community. I am deeply honoured that my poem resonated with you and thank you for the contribution of Dan’s gorgeous poem as well as detailing how Sunflower Tanka and Celebrating Poetry inspired and guided you.
My review of Embracing the Power to Live
Picture caption: Cover of Embracing the Power to Live featuring a painting of a teenage girl stepping through a door
What Amazon says
Embracing the Power to Live is a poetic journey of a woman’s perseverance despite life’s hard knocks. This collection taps into the true spirit of poetry—reaching ordinary people with the message that they are enough. Some poems hold profound meaning. Others are included simply for the fun of playing with words – a joy reborn when she stepped into the world of syllabic poetry. Told by different authority figures in her life that she would never marry or achieve her dreams, the author defied the discouraging voices. Her poetry shatters shame uplifts the spirit, and encourages readers to embrace the strength to do the same. This collection isn’t a self-help guidebook—it’s an invitation to laugh, weep, grow, and live together, connecting hearts through poetry. Embracing the Power to Live is for anyone who seeks to rise above a spinning world to gain strength, perspective, and a new beginning.
My review
This is a most unusual and enjoyable collection of poems, photographs, memories, and religious quotes that collectively tell the story of the poet’s life. A most interesting memoir, the poet has not shied away from sharing her human experience in all its marvelous highs and compelling lows. The short paragraphs embellishing the poems with additional colour and memories are enlightening and the photographs make the whole experience more visual and vivid.
This book is presented in different chapters, each focusing on different aspects of life and living to highlight and reveal in. While the poems are all encompassing and share moments of sadness and discomfort, the collective package is a positive experience of finding contentedness and peace to support the poet on her journey through life in all its manifestations. Religion, the poet’s guiding light, is threaded throughout the book as a common thread of hope and support.
I am sharing one poem, It’s hard being semi smart (pantoum) which I feel embodies the spirit of this book and its relatability to us all.
It’s hard being semi-smart because, It’s so hard to choose. I have many skills with several flaws And activities that enthuse.
It’s so hard to choose Because I’m sort of good. And activities that enthuse Make me think I should.
Because I’m sort of good, I try to do too much. Makes me think I should, But nothing has the master’s touch.
I try to do too much. I have many skills with several flaws. But nothing has the master’s touch. It’s hard being semi-smart because.
In closing, I must mention the cover of this book which I think is gorgeous.
Picture caption: Marsha Ingrao’s author photograph featuring her in a blue top with her dog against a setting sun background.
Marsha’s newest book, Embracing the Power to Live, a poetry anthology and memoir, is set to come out in late May or early June. She is the contributing editor for Story Chat Volumes I and II. Previous works include a chapter in This Is How We Grow (2023) by Yvette Prior, contributions to Sunflower Tanka, a Poetry Anthology by Colleen Chesebro and Robbie Cheadle (2024), and Images of America: Woodlake – Arcadia Publishing (August 13, 2015), available on Amazon. In addition, Ingrao published numerous poems and articles. She has blogged since 2012.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts, Teaching, and Administrative Credentials from Fresno State University. As a bilingual teacher, she earned a CLAD Certificate. While employed at Tulare County Office of Education, she earned her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Fresno Pacific University. At the county office, she developed curriculum for Migrant Education and later served as a History Consultant for the county’s Educational Resource Services.
Ingrao believes in lifelong learning. Today, she remains active as a blogger, writer, photographer, and history buff.
She grew up in Indiana and Oregon, moved as an adult to Colorado, then near the Giant Sequoias. After living in Arizona for four years, she and her husband, Vince, her dog, Goldie, and her cat, Moji, have recently returned to the land of the big trees in California.
About Robbie Cheadle
Picture caption: Robbie Cheadle author picture
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.
Posted: June 11, 2025| Author:robbiesinspiration|Filed under:Uncategorized|41 CommentsPicture caption: Read and Cook bannerPicture caption: The cover of Volcanic Adventures in Tonga featured a small boat on the ocean heading towards an island.
What Amazon says
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the remote islands of Tonga with Ann, a young conservation scientist, in this captivating travel memoir that will leave you breathless. From smoking volcanoes to fierce cyclones, Ann braves the elements while racing against time to save an endangered bird. But as she immerses herself in the rich culture and untouched beauty of Tonga, she discovers the true power of stepping outside her comfort zone. Join Ann as she uncovers the secrets of this breathtaking destination and navigates the challenges of living without modern comforts in “Tongan Time”. This thrilling adventure will ignite your wanderlust and make you appreciate the comforts of home like never before. It will transport you to a new world filled with tropical delights, adventure, a unique culture, and self-discovery.
Here is what you will discover in this book:
A captivating 17-month-long travel story that takes you on an exciting armchair adventure.
Original photos documenting the journey and showcasing the vibrant life in Tonga.
Unique insights into authentic Tongan culture, revealing experiences that go beyond what most short-term tourists encounter in the South Pacific.
Fascinating glimpses into the life of a remarkable bird that relies on a volcano to incubate its eggs.
My review
I read a recommendation for this book on a blog and its premise fascinated me. I am a great lover of southern African wildlife and a part time environmentalist so the idea of a young couple being so devoted to saving an endangered species of bird delighted and intrigued me.
The book tells the true story of the author’s experiences on a remote island in Tonga in the early 1990s. I am slightly younger than the author and grew up in South Africa so the descriptions of rural life and how the Tongan people lived and ate, are quite relatable to me. Having lived and worked in southern Africa for years and studied many reports about corruption and administrative red tape in setting up projects and businesses, those aspects of Ann’s story are also very understandable and relatable to me.
The difficulties faced by this young European couple in gaining entry to Tonga, setting up the project, and ultimately conducting it, were interesting, but the most interesting part of this memoire was the coming of age aspect and the information about the birds.
The couple were idealistic and full of good intentions when they set out on the project. They were going to help save an endangered an highly unusual bird on a remote island in Tonga. These are wonderful intentions but it was obvious to me from the outset, that the reality of what they were undertaking would be difficult and even disillusioning. The hardships the couple faced with illness, getting good food, understanding the culture and the language, and overcoming cultural obstacles and mindsets were fascinating. The story is actually a triumph for this couple who managed to stay true to their objectives in many ways, despite the huge obstacles and, towards the end, deteriorating health.
On reflection, I would never had done what this couple did at their young age, and even less so now. Perhaps because I always had a much greater understanding of what they would encounter on their path. This knowledge makes me even more admiring of their great achievement.
A fascinating story for lovers of wildlife and animals but also a story of enthusiasm, courage, and overcoming obstacles and staying true to an objective despite everything life throws at you in the process. An excellent book that I really enjoyed.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Mix the spice ingredients in a small bowl. In a wok or frying pan, brown the lamb chops using olive oil. Place the browned chops in a greased casserole dish. Fry the onions in the pan. Once soft and browning, add the spice, tomato paste and combine. Do not let the spices burn. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Pour the chicken stock mixture into the casserole dish and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and top up the liquid with more stock if necessary. Add the apricots. Return to the oven and cook for a further 1 hour.
I served with rice and garlic naan bread.
Picture caption: Lamb tagine with rice and roasted vegetables
About Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? 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 “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Today, I am delighted to welcome Michelle Ayon Navajas, poet and curator of After Rain Skies Global Anthology, back to Treasuring Poetry.
About After Rain Skies
After Rain Skies: The Global Anthology is the third installment in the After Rain Skies series, bringing together writers, poets, and storytellers from around the world to speak out against all forms of abuse and violence. Each poem and prose piece is either a personal story or one that inspired the writer—a voice raised in solidarity with those who have endured hardship. These are raw, real stories of resilience, courage, and the search for light after darkness, told through powerful prose and poetry.
Michelle Ayon Navajas, The Curator Published by Michelle Ayon Navajas Publishing House
Over to Michelle!
There are two books in the After Rain Skies series. The first, After Rain Skies: A Compilation of true and inspiring stories of abuse and violence in prose and poetry, comprises of your own poetry based on your experiences speaking to victims of abuse. The second is a global anthology, with contributors from all over the world. What were your aspirations for each of these two poetry collections?
It was in 2019 that I met the women of Perak Women For Women Society in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. I learned from them the devastating effects of abuse and violence on women and children. At that time, I was running an anonymous blog on WordPress for a while, and I thought if I could help them reach more people to amplify their cause and voice, then maybe, together, we would make a difference. I started writing about it on my blog, and I was surprised to receive emails from hundreds of women around the world sharing their stories, and those of someone they know and loved experiencing abuse and violence. It was then that the founder of PWW said, maybe we can do more than just listen and read their stories, that was when the first book was born. I’ve interviewed victims of abuse and violence and put all of their experiences in one collection written in prose and poetry. The first book was a success, it helped PWW generate funds to support their advocacy in helping distressed victims of abuse and violence, and the proceeds of the sales of the book went to the foundation. They also started receiving support from people around Malaysia. We were also able to provide immediate reading material whenever they needed to do campaign talks about abuse and violence. The book was an eye-opener for some victims who were afraid to speak up and tell their truths. More people started to speak up since then. Five years later, I’ve realized that abuse and violence are still a rampant societal problem worldwide. And so with the support of my fellow poets and bloggers, the Global anthology was born. It is aimed to amplify voices rallying against abuse and violence on a global stage coming from the experiences and perspectives of poets, writers and authors around the world.
There were two teenagers and two young adults who contributed to the global anthology. What are you hoping younger readers will gain from this collection?
I was very delighted to receive submissions from Arshien Deticio, an 18-year-old Senior High School student from the Philippines, and Michael Cheadle, a 19-year-old student from South Africa. These are indications that even teenagers are becoming more aware of the effects and tragedy brought about by abuse and violence. Having the voices of young people is a great help in seeking more support from the youth. Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ National Hero, once said, “The youth is the hope of our motherland.” this is true not only to the Philippines but to the youth worldwide. They will be the hope of our world, and having youths who take part in issues and concerns about issues like abuse and violence is an assurance that our world will be in good hands.
Arshien and Michael are the representatives of the great leaders and advocates of the future. I hope these two will continue advocating for causes and issues that are pertinent to making this world a better and safer place to live.
It seems from the contributors to the global anthology that gender-based violence is widespread. What do you see as the leading factors that contribute to this on-going issue? Do you see hope for change in the future?
With my experience and exposure to actual victims of abuse and violence, I’ve realized that they have one common denominator that is they are afraid to speak up because of the social stigma on victims. We as a society also lack the facility to provide immediate care to the distressed victims of abuse and violence. If we have a home for the ages, which caters to our elderly people, and an orphanage for abandoned children, maybe we can also have homes for distressed victims of abuse and violence. The number of victims skyrocketed over the years because they are afraid to speak up and afraid to report, or even seek help. And when they finally find the courage, they don’t have a safe place to go. Another aspect that I believe contributes to the rampant cases of abuse and violence is the lack of awareness and education, especially at home. Maybe it’s time we teach and raise boys not to hurt or abuse a girl or a woman, maybe it’s also time we change the family dynamics. As we all know, men who come from abusive families are highly likely to become abusive during their adult lives. And finally, there is a strong need for efficient legislation on abuse and violence. It is time for our government officials to strengthen the laws concerning abuse and violence. In the Philippines, we have the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act of 2004 (RA 9262). You could just imagine what happened to victims of abuse and violence in the Philippines before 2004. Their stories were forgotten. Despite this, the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) revealed that 17.5% of Filipino women aged 15-49 have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence from their intimate partners. Why? Because the law itself has so many loopholes. The abusers can just easily get away, especially if they have the power and the money. And I am sure this is also true for the rest of the world.
I know that we have a long way to go in the battle against abuse and violence, but with our collective voices, we will make a difference.
My review of After Rain Skies The Global Anthology
After Rain Skies is an incredible collection of strong voices crying out against abuse in all its forms. There are contributions from countries all across the planet, reminding me that abuse is alive and well everywhere, from the most developed countries to the least developed. The poems involve a variety of different settings and are not exclusive to one sex which reinforced my own views and experiences never to judge people as you don’t know what their circumstances and life obstacles where and continue to be.
Every poem in this collection resonated with me even though I have not personally suffered many of the abuses shared. I have seen it in the world around me, read about it, and can feel it. While all the poems are incredible, visual, and powerful, there are a few that have stayed with me.
Extracts from three poems that really ate into my heart and soul:
“Father said
For because I am selfish
I shall make you want
For because I am angry
I shall make you timid
For why should you, my son
Benefit from the ability to love yourself
When I have not”
From In My Image by Michael L. Utley
“at 31, she just wants to be present for herself.
Sometimes, she feels selfish for it, but being
everything to everyone has drained her. she longs
for a break, a moment of solitude in silence”
From At 31 by Scarlet Rose
“Women, you don’t need to walk around broken.
Pick up every piece that’s been snatch away from you.
Every piece that’s been stolen.
Every piece that’s been smashed to pieces.
Search for them, find them and put them back where they belong.”
From Fine Piece of China by Martha Gloria Byng-Cornwell
Picture caption: Banner of Michelle Ayon Navajas featuring a selection of her books
Michelle Ayon Navajas (born June 23, 1976) is a Filipino poet, writer, and educator. She is a Best-Selling international Poet known for her books reaching the #1 spot within days of their release. Her 8th poetry book, “I Am In Itself Poetry In The Dark,” went straight to the top of both the best-sellers list and new releases on Amazon on short notice. Her 7th poetry book, “It Ain’t Winning If Without You,” went straight to the best-sellers list on Amazon in less than 24 hours of release by pre-orders alone and eventually became the number Poetry Book on Amazon India on its actual release day, soon after the book rose to the best- sellers list as well in all other Amazon Markets worldwide.
Currently, Michelle holds the title of having 4 books published in a row to have made it to Amazon’s Best-Sellers List (“I Will Love You Forever, Too,” “After Rain Skies, 2nd Edition,” “It Ain’t Winning If Without You,” and “I Am In Itself Poetry In The Dark”) and 3 books on Amazon’s #1Hot New Releases/New Releases (“I Will Love You Forever, Too,” “It Ain’t Winning If Without You,” and “I Am In Itself Poetry In The Dark”.)
Her poetry appeared in several international literary magazines and anthologies such as Spillwords NYC, MasticadoresUsa, and MasticadoresIndia. Her poems “Holding Hands” was voted as Spillwords Publication of the Month for November 2021 and “Love Happens” was voted as Spillwords Publication of the Month for December 2022.
She is also part of the award-winning ensemble of authors in two Poetry Anthologies, that are both Amazon Best-Sellers: Hidden In Childhood and Wounds I Healed.
Graduated with a Master of Education majoring in English in the Philippines (University of San Agustin, Iloilo City). Michelle was a former college professor, teaching literature, speech & oral communication, creative writing, drama, and theatre arts. She is also a graduate of Mass Communications major in Journalism (Centro Escolar University, Manila).
Michelle is active in her writing profession and works as a freelance creative writer.
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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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
The Willows is the story of two friends, the narrator and his companion, called ‘the Swede”, who embark on a canoe journey down the Danube River. As they approach an isolated region, they are warned by the locals to turn back, but they continue, believing the locals to be superstitious peasants. Their adventure quickly turns from an ordinary camping trip into a confrontation with an ancient, elemental force that appears to have been awakened by their intruding into its remote and peaceful territory.
The force that besieges the canoers remains mysterious and undefined throughout the story, thereby heightening the tension and creepiness especially as the two men’s perceptions of what they are seeing and experiencing differ.
This difference in perception is illustrated by the following short extract:
““Good heavens, it’s a man’s body!” he cried excitedly. “Look!”
A black thing, turning over and over in the foaming waves, swept rapidly past. It kept disappearing and coming up to the surface again. It was about twenty feet from the shore, and just as it was opposite to where we stood it lurched round and looked straight at us. We saw its eyes reflecting the sunset, and gleaming an odd yellow as the body turned over. Then it gave a swift, gulping plunge, and dived out of sight in a flash.
“An otter, by gad!” we exclaimed in the same breath, laughing.”
The narrator describes himself as being the more imaginative of the pair and rather included to overdramatise situations. The Swede is depicted as a pragmatic and sensible fellow with little to no imagination. As the story progresses, however, the Swede is the first of the pair to acknowledge that there are strange and unnatural forces at play. This narrator is the one who attempts to explain away all the peculiar things that are happening.
The bread goes missing and the narrator tries to explain it away as follows:
““How criminally stupid of me!” I cried, still determined to be consistent and find an explanation. “I clean forgot to buy a loaf at Pressburg. That chattering woman put everything out of my head, and I must have left it lying on the counter or –“
“The oatmeal, too, is much less than it was this morning,” the Swede interrupted.a
Why in the world need he draw attention to it? I thought angrily.”
This role reversal and the narrator’s increasing agitation amid desperate attempts to explain away all the mysteries adds to the dread.
This story is very unsettling and at the end, the reader is left unsure whether any strange occurrences actually took place or whether the creepy surroundings and natural elements like the wind and water unsettled the pairs minds to an extent that they imagined the entire episode. This sense of uncertainty by the reader is created by paragraphs such as the following:
“And, apart quite from the elements, the willows connected themselves subtly with my malaise, attacking the mind insidiously somehow by reason of their vast numbers, and contriving in some way or other to represent to the imagination a new and mighty power, a power, moreover, not altogether friendly to us.”
An extraordinary novella that will appeal to readers of dark psychological horror stories that expose how reason and sense can be worn down by terror.
Speculaas Cake with Raspberry and Butterscotch a la Robbie
I found a recipe for this cake in a magazine. I liked the idea but preferred my own spice cake recipe. The recipes below are the result of my experimenting.
German Spice Cake recipe
Prepare two cake tins, one slightly smaller than the other. Line the bottoms with baking paper and use a non-stick spray for the sides.
Picture caption: My two German spice cakes after they came out of the oven
Pre-heat the oven to 180 C.
Ingredients
1 kilogram cake flour
10 ml salt
320 ml castor sugar
6 ml bicarbonate of soda
20 ml baking powder
10 ml ground cinnamon
10 ml ground ginger
5 ml ground cloves
5 ml ground black pepper
5 ml ground nutmeg
250 grams butter
350 ml golden syrup
160 ml hot water
2 egggs
300 ml double thick yogurt
Method
Sieve all the dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl. Heat the butter, syrup and water together until everything is melted. Beat the eggs and add to the yogurt. Mix into the dry ingredients and then add the butter mixture. Mix until all the lumps are gone.
Bake for 45 – 60 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
Picture caption: My final decorated Speculaas cake with Raspberry and Butterscotch
Place the frozen raspberries in a pot with the lemon juice and simmer until you have a pulp (about 10 minutes). Strain the mixture to remove the raspberry seeds and pulp. Beat the icing sugar into the softened butter until smooth. Add the raspberry juice and beat until completely combined. Refrigerate until soft but solid.
Butterscotch icing
Ingredients
250 grams full-cream smooth cream cheese
250 grams tinned caramel
Beat the caramel and the cream cheese until smooth.
Assembly
I used the raspberry icing to stick the two cakes together, the smaller cake on top of the bigger cake. I then layered the butterscotch icing over the top and along the front and back of the two cakes leaving gaps at the sides. Where the two cakes joined, I used icing to fill the gap and make the icing smooth. I then layered the raspberry icing along the sides of the cakes, filling the gaps. I decorated my cake with Easter eggs.
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? 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 “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
