Welcome to the WordCrafter “Hope for the Tarnished” Book Blog Tour & Review
Posted: June 13, 2022 Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Review, Books, Fiction, Review, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, Young Adult | Tags: Ann Chiappetta, Book Review, Books, Family Drama, Hope for the Tarnished, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, Young Adult Fiction 12 Comments
Welcome to the WordCrafter Hope for the Tarnished Book Blog Tour. On this tour you’ll learn about a touching new young adult novel, Hope for the Tarnished, with guest posts by the author, Ann Chiappetta, as well as reviews and an interview. I hope to see you all at each tour stop. Here’s the tour schedule so you don’t have to miss any of the stops:
Day 1: Writing to be Read – Introduction and Review
Day 2: Patty’s World – Guest Post by Ann Chiappetta
Day 3: Writing to be Read – Interview with Ann Chiappetta
Day 4: Roberta Writes – Guest Post by Ann Chiappetta
Day 5: Zigler’s News – Guest Post by Ann Chiappetta and Review
About Hope for the Tarnished
Young Abbie struggles to cope with the traumatic experiences in her life. Ripped from everything familiar after her parents’ divorce, she is dropped into a strange neighborhood and is emotionally abandoned by her unstable mother. Abbie is caught up in the cruel nature of one sister’s addictions and often rescued by her other sister’s sense of familial responsibility and love.
The story takes place in the 1970s, revealing family secrets and the shift of cultural norms as Abbie leaves her doubts in the past, embracing a bright future.
My Review
Hope for the Tarnished, by Ann Chiappetta is a young adult novel about a young girl who triumphs over the adversities of life to find a chance for happiness as a young woman. It’s a story of tragedy and triumph. It’s a story of hope that will tug at your heartstrings.
Growing up as a latch-key kid, before it was ‘thing’, with a mentally unstable mother, who is indifferent to her daughters’ needs, and sister who is an addict, Abbey faces loss and tragedy head on. But as she grows into a young woman, love complicates her life and makes her doubt her own decisions. With time, social norms and personal situations change, making Abbey dare to hope for happiness once more.
A touching story of love and hope, with the message that nothing ever stays the same, Hope for the Tarnished leaves you with an overall good feeling. I rooted for Abbey all the way through.
$11.50/3.99 Purchasing links: Amazon/Kindle Smashwords
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Wrapping Up the WordCrafter “Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships” Book Blog Tour
Posted: May 2, 2022 Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Books, Poetry, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours | Tags: Arthur Rosch, Colleen M. Chesebro, D. Avery, Elizabeth Merry, Harmony Kent, JulesPaige, Kaye Lynne Booth, Lauren Scott, Leon Stevens, Lynda McKinney Lambert, M.J. Mallon, Miriam Hurdle, Poetry, Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships, Robbie Cheadle, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 25 Comments
We’ve had a great tour for Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships, but now it’s time to bring the fun to a close. To wrap things up today, we have a guest post from contributing author and poet Leon Stevens.
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Why do I write poetry? Maybe poetry writes me.
I like the conciseness of a poem and how it can capture a moment, thought, emotion, experience, or an observation, like a painting. With descriptive colors, thoughtful hues, rhyming shades, and new perspectives, when inspiration comes—usually when I least expect it—I just need to put it into words.
People will often say that they don’t understand poetry. I try not to hide the meaning in the words, rather I want to use the poem as a way to describe the feelings I have at that time. Life is a struggle. Poetry doesn’t have to be.
I wrote the four “ego” poems out of a need to understand why people act in ways that seemed detrimental to positive interactions. Watching people posturing, jockeying for status, and exerting pressure for personal gain, left me shaking my head and rolling my eyes.
Ego. The mention of ego can set people on the defensive. Ego drives greed, fame, and power, but it can also drive ambition, innovation, and progress.
“You have an ego.” Is it an insult, a compliment, or a fact? We associate having an ego with a negative trait because usually, it’s somebody’s ego that gets in the way of healthy relationships, sabotages the progress of others, or projects a not-so-amiable image. But, if you have a strong sense of self and abilities, an ego can help propel you forward in your personal endeavors.
I suspect that many readers can relate to at least one of the poems. We know the one who always needs to be the center of attention, the person who is always right, the one who thrives on social status, and the person who constantly seeks affirmation. Often, they are the fragile ones, and we see the positives and for those reasons, we keep them within our grasp.
-Leon Stevens
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Leon Stevens is an author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publication is the novella, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories. He is currently working on a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.
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Get your copy today: https://books2read.com/u/3kP8aK
That wraps things up for the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships Book Blog Tour. Don’t forget to leave a comment, because you have to comment on each of the eight blog stops to be entered for a chance to win a free digital copy of this wonderful poetry anthology. It doesn’t have to be a long or even particularly smart; just enough to let me know you were there. If you missed any of the stops, I will post them here and I won’t do the drawing until tomorrow, so everyone will have plenty of time to visit this last stop and any that they have missed:
Day 1: Writing to be Read: Guest post by Lauren Scott
Day 2: ShiftNShake: Guest post and three readings by Robbie Cheadle
Day 3: The Showers of Blessings: Guest post by Lynda McKinney Lambert
Day 4: Bay Dreamer Writes: Guest post by Miriam Hurdle
Day 5: Zigler’s News: Guest post by M.J. Mallon & Review by Victoria Zigler
Day 6: This is My Truth Now: James Cudney interviews Kaye Lynne Booth
Day 7: Robbie’s Inspiration: Guest post by Colleen M. Chesebro
Day 8: Brings us right back here to Writing to be Read and the wonderful guest post by Leon Stevens. Thanks for following the tour and don’t forget to get your copy of Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships. 😉 Bye for now.
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Day 5 of the WordCrafter “Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships Book Blog Tour
Posted: April 29, 2022 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Books, Poetry, Treasuring Poetry | Tags: Arthur Rosch, Colleen M. Chesebro, D. Avery, Elizabeth Merry, Harmony Kent, Leon Stevens, Lynda McKinney Lambert, M.J. Mallon, Miriam Hurdle, Poetry, Poetry Anthology, Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships, Robbie Cheadle, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 9 Comments
For Day 5 of the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships Book Blog Tour, we’re over at Zigler’s News with a delightful guest post from contributing author M.J. Mallon and a review of the anthology from Victoria Zigler. Join us in celebrating the release of this unique and delightful collection of poetry.
http://ziglernews.blogspot.com/2022/04/poetry-treasures-2-relationships.html
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Welcome to the WordCrafter “Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships” Book Blog Tour!
Posted: April 25, 2022 Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Poetry, Treasuring Poetry, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Arthur Rosch, Colleen M. Chesebro, D. Avery, Elizabeth Merry, Harmony Kent, JulesPaige, Lauren Scott, Leon Stevens, Lynda McKinney Lambert, M.J. Mallon, Miriam Hurdle, Poetry, Poetry Anthology, Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships, Robbie Cheadle, Treasuring Poetry, WordCrafter Press 34 CommentsIn Celebration of National Poetry Month!
Relationships are golden and each of
Arthur Rosch, Elizabeth Merry,
D Avery, Robbie Cheadle,
Harmony Kent, Lauren Scott,
JulesPaige, Leon Stevens,
Colleen M. Chesebro, Miriam Hurdle,
M J Mallon, and Lynda McKinney Lambert
pay poetic tribute to their most intense
personal moments.
This is Day 1 of the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships Book Blog Tour, and I want to tell you all, you are in for some real poetic treats this week. This wonderfully unique collection of poetry features works by Robbie Cheadle and her poetic guests from the 2021 “Treasuring Poetry” blog series right here on Writing to be Read, and it really is a treasure chest filled with poetic gems. We’ve got a fantastic eight day tour planned for you to learn more about this poetry anthology and I hope you will all join us through each tour stop.
Day 1: Opening Day here on Writing to be Read with a guest post from contributing author Lauren Scott.
Day 2: Finds us at the ShiftNShake blog with a guest post from blog series host, contributing author and editor Robbie Cheadle.
Day 3: The Showers of Blessings will host a guest post from contributing author Lynda McKinney Lambert.
Day 4: Bay Dreamer Writes will host a guest post from contributing author Miriam Hurdle.
Day 5: Zigler’s News will bring us a guest post from contributing author M.J. Mallon and a review by Victoria Zigler.
Day 6: The publisher, (that’s me), will be in the interview spotlight over at This is My Truth Now.
Day 7: Robbie’s Inspiration hosts with a guest post from contributing author Colleen M. Chesebro.
Day 8: Writing to be Read will wrap things up with a guest post from contributing author Leon Stevens.
Follow the tour and leave a comment at each stop to be entered
in a random drawing for a free digital copy of
***Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships***
That all being said, I’m going to turn this post over to a wonderful author and poet, Lauren Scott. Enjoy the tour. Don’t forget to leave your comments for your chance at a free digital copy of this wonderful collection of poetry gems.
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I am thrilled to announce the release of Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships, an anthology consisting of poetry from twelve authors. It is an honor to be among a group of amazing poets in this lovely collection that was compiled by Kaye Lynne Booth and Robbie Cheadle. Below is a little backstory of how Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships was born:
Kaye’s words:
In January of 2020, Robbie Cheadle introduced a new blog series on Writing to be Read called “Treasuring Poetry”, which quickly rose in popularity. Once a month, Robbie would feature one
author/poet in a formatted Q&A and review their latest book on a blog platform where favorite poems could be shared and discussed. Robbie had some wonderful guests who are both talented poets and authors, and Robbie was attracting quite a bit of blog traffic.
By the end of 2020, we had a list of 12 talented poets who we felt were gems, so in 2021 we created a poetry anthology and invited Robbie’s “Treasuring Poetry” guests from the previous year to add their own contributions. The result was the first volume of Poetry Treasures, which was well received. 2021 had an equally talented line-up of guests, so we decided to do it again.
In Poetry Treasures 2: A Treasure Chest of Relationships, we’ve found some new gems. From the “Treasuring Poetry” guests of 2021, we have contributions from some very talented poets who are treasures in and of themselves: Arthur Rosch, Elizabeth Merry, D. Avery, Harmony Kent, Lauren Scott, Jules Paige, Leon Stevens, Miriam Hurdle, M.J. Mallon, Lynda McKinney Lambert, and of course, Robbie Cheadle. But unlike the pirates of olden days, we won’t bury our treasures. We want to share them with the world. I hope that you will enjoy reading these poems as much I’ve enjoyed helping to put them altogether.
I have contributed four poems, and the first, “The Fine Points” was inspired by my 33-year marriage to my husband. He is literally my best friend. The love we have shared over the years survived tough times when life threw us curveballs out of our control, but that same love thrived in more joyful moments than I can name. From the beginning when we shared our vows, when cell phones and computers were unheard of, we delivered unconditional love to each other that harbored no expectations of us to change in any way. I can’t ask for anything more.
After a couple years of marriage, our daughter was born, then our son completed our family three years later. Fast forward many years and our children are well into their adulting years.
“2020 in Digital” speaks of the chaos that raged in 2020, but how our year was brightened by our daughter and son-in-law’s unconventional yet beautiful wedding. They had been engaged for two years, together for nine, then Covid entered into the equation. A big wedding wasn’t going to happen due to restrictions, and they didn’t want to wait. So, they chose to do the next best thing.
“Something Right” was inspired when my husband and I were close to becoming empty nesters. Our daughter who is mentioned above had been out of the house for three years. Our son was about to venture into the world, paving his own path. Exciting, joyful, yet bittersweet. They both live across the country, pursuing their dreams, and we couldn’t be prouder knowing they’re making it on their own. But there are just too many states in between us, so hopefully, we can minimize that number in the near future.
Lastly, the poem entitled, “The Roses” is about my parents who have left our physical world. They used to love working in the garden, taking special pride in their roses. We miss them so much. It’s very surreal losing both parents, the family’s foundation.
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If you’re a fan of poetry, I hope you’ll pick up a copy of this fabulous anthology that Kaye and Robbie worked hard in putting together. I’m sure there are poems within these pages that will resonate with you and touch your heart.
To purchase a copy:
Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3kP8aK
Thank you for reading!
Lauren ❤️
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Lauren Scott resides in California with her husband of over three decades and their lovable lab, Copper. Their adult daughter and son live on the east coast. Lauren began writing poetry as a teen, but life intercepted her university plans, so as an adult she took writing classes at the local community college. Apart from these classes, her studies of poetry originated from reading the works of many great poets. Her strong connections to family and friends provide writing inspiration, as well as her love of nature and the marvelous wild world surrounding her. Backpacking trips with her husband along the California coast and Sierra Nevada mountains have stirred thoughts to pen about love, loss, family, and the many possibilities waiting to materialize.
Lauren was published in the anthology, Indra’s Net (2017). Additionally, she has been published in Woman’s World Magazine and The San Francisco Chronicle. She has authored three books: two collections of poetry – New Day, New Dreams (2013), and Finding a Balance (2015), and her recent memoir, More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose (2021).
Visit/contact Lauren:
Blog: baydreamerwrites.com
Shop: hittps://www.amazon.com/-/e/B08NCRH4MK
Email: baydreamer25@gmail.com
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Day 4 of the WordCrafter “Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog” Book Blog Tour – Review by D.L. Mullen
Posted: March 3, 2022 Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Children's Books, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours | Tags: Children's Books, Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog, Michael Cheadle, Robbie Cheadle, Sir Chocolate book series, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 37 Comments
Sir Chocolate and Lady Sweet,
Have a son, Chocolate Fudge,
A mild mannered and kindly lad,
He’d never bear a grudge.
From Book 8: Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog
We’ve had a great tour so far with a post from Robbie and a review by Miriam Hurdle on The Showers of Blessings blogsite on Day 1; an interview with Michael Cheadle and my review, here on Writing to be Read for Day 2; James Cudney interviews Robbie Cheadle on This is My Truth Now for Day 3.
For Day 4 of the WordCrafter Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog Book Blog Tour finds a guest post from Robbie on the villian of her story here, on Writing to be Read and D. L. Mullen’s review of her delightful children’s book over at the Undawnted blog site. Because Undawnted does not accept comments, you can comment, like or share here.
Robbie’s Post
In most good stories, there is a hero and a villain.
The villain of Chocolate Fudge save the Sugar Dog is …
… Lord Humbug
Lord Humbug was haughty and proud
His dogs: undisciplined, naughty, and loud
Yorkie could’ve drowned
While her brothers clowned
“I’ll train them,” Lord Humbug vowed
Lord Humbug is named for the expression “Bah Humbug”, a well-known catchphrase uttered by miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge, the main character in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Scrooge, who thinks Christmas is an enormous deception, retorts, “Bah! Humbug!” to anyone who dares to wish him a merry Christmas.
Lord Humbug’s black and whited stripped suit is based on Humbug sweets. These are traditional hard-boiled sweets available in the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. They are triangular shaped with rounded edges and are usually black and white stripped and peppermint flavoured.
Blurb
Sir Chocolate and Lady Sweet’s son, Chocolate Fudge, sees one of Lord Humbug’s dogs struggling to stay afloat in the hot chocolate pond.
Can Chocolate Fudge save the sugar dog from drowning?
Includes lovely new recipes.
Purchase links
Paperback: https://tslbooks.uk/product/chocolate-fudge-saves-the-sugar-dog/
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Fudge-Saves-Sugar-Dog/dp/1914245547
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Robbie Cheadle is a South African children’s author and poet with ten children’s books and two poetry books.
The eight Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.
Robbie has also published two books for older children which incorporate recipes that are relevant to the storylines.
Robbie has two adult novels in the paranormal historical and supernatural fantasy genres published under the name Roberta Eaton Cheadle. She also has short stories, in the horror and paranormal genre, and poems included in several anthologies.
Robbie writes two monthly posts for https://writingtoberead.com called Growing Bookworms and Treasuring Poetry and one monthly post, under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle, called Dark Origins: African Myths and Legends.
Robbie has a blog, https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/ where she shares book reviews, recipes, author interviews, and poetry.
Robbie Cheadle’s books
Sir Chocolate books
Sir Chocolate and the strawberry cream berries story and cookbook
The adventures of Sir Chocolate and Lady Sweet in poetry form. Michael came up with the idea of Sir Chocolate and Lady Sweet and many of the characters contained in the books, when he was ten years old. His ideas were such fun that Robbie decided to turn them into little verse books for his entertainment. The book contains recipes for children to make with adult assistance.
Sir Chocolate and the baby cookie monster story and cookbook
Book 2 of the Sir Chocolate series: Sir Chocolate and Lady Sweet find a lost baby cookie monster. Join them on an adventure to return the baby to its mother and learn how to make some of their delicious recipes at the same time.
Sir Chocolate and the sugar dough bees story and cookbook
A greedy snail damages the flower fields and the fondant bees are in danger of starving. Join Sir Chocolate on an adventure to find the fruit drop fairies who have magic healing powers and discover how to make some of his favourite foods on the way.
Sir Chocolate and the Condensed Milk River story and cookbook
The Condensed Milk River where Sir Chocolate goes fishing has stopped flowing. The water creatures are losing their homes. Can Sir Chocolate and Lady Sweet solve this problem? Five lovely new recipes are also included.
Sir Chocolate and the Sugar Crystal Caves story and cookbook
The Condensed Milk River where Sir Chocolate goes fishing has stopped flowing. The water creatures are losing their homes. Can Sir Chocolate and Lady Sweet solve this problem? Five lovely new recipes are also included.
Sir Chocolate and the Fondant Five Story and Cookbook
Number 6 in the Sir Chocolate series: Five zoo animals go missing and Sir Chocolate needs to find them. Includes five lovely new recipes.
Sir Chocolate and the Ice cream Rainbow Fairies Story and Cookbook
Join Sir Chocolate and Lady Sweet on a fun adventure to discover why the milkshake rain is pale and white.
Silly Willy goes to Cape Town
When the George family go on holiday to Cape Town, Cautious Craig cannot believe what he has to endure at the hands of his naughty and wilful younger brother, Silly Willy. Willy throws tantrums at the most embarrassing and inappropriate times, causes a commotion on the aeroplane and tries to steal a chameleon from Butterfly World. What is a poor older brother expected to do in these situations?
While the Bombs Fell
What was it like for children growing up in rural Suffolk during World War 2?
Elsie and her family live in a small double-storey cottage in Bungay, Suffolk. Every night she lies awake listening anxiously for the sound of the German bomber planes. Often they come and the air raid siren sounds signalling that the family must leave their beds and venture out to the air raid shelter in the garden.
Despite the war raging across the English channel, daily life continues with its highlights, such as Christmas and the traditional Boxing Day fox hunt, and its wary moments when Elsie learns the stories of Jack Frost and the ghostly and terrifying Black Shuck that haunts the coastline and countryside of East Anglia.
Includes some authentic World War 2 recipes.
Open a new door
Open a New Door is a poetic peep into the lives of the poets, Kim Blades and Robbie Cheadle, both of whom live in South Africa.
The book is divided into four categories: God bless Africa, God bless my family and friends, God bless me and God bless corporates and work. Each part is sub-divided into the good, the bad and the ugly of the two poets’ experiences, presented in rhyming verse, free-style, haiku and tanka, in each of these categories and include colourful depictions of their thoughts and emotions.
The purpose of this book of poetry is encapsulated in the following tanka and haiku poems:
What drives me to write?
To share my innermost thoughts
The answer is clear
It’s my personal attempt
To make some sense of this world.
Inspiration blossoms
Like the unfurling petals
Of the Desert Rose
Behind Closed Doors
What goes on behind closed doors: in the boardroom, after death, in the home, during lockdown, and in nature? This collection of poems, ranging from rhyming verse to twisted nursery rhymes, captures the emotions and thoughts people hide behind the masks they present to the world.
What thoughts are hidden
Behind her immobile face
Quite expressionless
Eyes cold and indifferent
Scrutinising me – hawk like
This book includes some of Robbie Cheadle’s spectacular fondant art and cakes.
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Follow Robbie Cheadle at:
Website
https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
Blog
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Thank you for stopping by to help us celebrate the new release of Robbie and Michael Cheadle’s Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog. Tomorrow’s blog stop will be over on Ziglar’s News, with one last post from Robbie and a review by Victoria Ziglar for a fitting wrap up of the tour. I do hope you will all join us there.
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Day 2 of the WordCrafter “Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog” Book Blog Tour – Author Interview & My Review
Posted: March 1, 2022 Filed under: Blog Tour, Books, Children's Books, Fiction, Poetry, Stories | Tags: Children's Books, Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog, Fondant Illustrations, Michael Cheadle, Robbie Cheadle, Sir Chocolate, Sir Chocolate book series, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 74 CommentsIt’s day two of the WordCrafter Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog Book Blog Tour, and today I’m bringing you my review of this wonderful little book. Robbie and her son Michael co-write the Sir Chocolate books, illustrated with lovely fondant scenes and filled with delectable recipes which will make your tummy rumble. Many of us know Robbie and are familiar with her “Growing Bookworms” blog series and the Sir Chocolate books, so today I’d like to bring you and interview with her son and co-author, Michael Cheadle and share my review of Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog.
Author Interview
Kaye: How old are you, Michael?
Michael: I am 16 years old.
Kaye: How long have you been writing Sir Chocolate books with your mom?
Michael: Mom and I started writing the Sir Chocolate books when I was 7 years old and in Grade 1 at school.
Kaye: Being such a young author is quite an accomplishment. Does it make you a celebrity among your friends?
Michael: No, I have not told my high school friends about my books. It just hasn’t come up.
Kaye: Do you help your mom with the baking for the books, too?
Michael: I used to make a fondant creation for inclusion in the books although I haven’t done that for the most recent two books in the series. I don’t do fondant art anymore. I do enjoy baking with my mom and now I also cook with either mom or dad depending on who is doing the cooking that day.
Kaye: What do you like most about writing the Sir Chocolate books?
Michael: I enjoy thinking up a fun storyline with my mom and deciding on new and interesting characters for inclusion in the stories.
Kaye: What is the most difficult part of being a co-author with your mom for you?
Michael: My mom doesn’t always listen to my ideas and sometimes she changes them which can be annoying for me.
Kaye: Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog is the eighth book in the Sir Chocolate series. Which one is your favorite and why?
Michael: Sir Chocolate and the Sugar Crystal Cave story and cookbook is my favourite. I liked learning how to make sugar crystals. Mom and my first attempt to make the crystals was a failure because we didn’t let the water cool down enough before we inserted the sugar-coated sticks in the sugar mixture. The sugar on the sticks melted and no crystals formed. We redid the experiment and it worked very well.
Kaye: Do you think you might write books of your own when you are older?
Michael: Yes, I think I might write in the future. I have lots of ideas for stories.
Kaye: What are your aspirations for your future?
Michael: I want to go to university to study a Bachelor of Science: Computer Science like my brother, Gregory. I will write in my spare time like my mom does.
Kaye: What is the most important lesson gained from the collaborative writing experience?
Michael: I learned that if you put your mind to something, then you can achieve success in it. I wanted to write stories about a little man who lived in a world where you can eat everything. With my mom’s help, we have created Chocolate Land and all the creatures that live there and published 8 books in this series.
Kaye: Are you planning more Sir Chocolate books in the future?
Michael: Mom and I have a few books that are already written. My mom does most of the illustrations so it will depend on her and whether she wants to do more fondant and cake art. I think she will and the books will be published.
I want to thank Michael for agreeing to this interview. I think he provided some wonderful answers. It’s great to chat with an aspiring young author, and delightful to learn that Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog wont be the last in the Sir Chocolate book series.
My Review
I’m a huge fan of Dr. Suess, and the cadence and ryhming in the verse written by Robbie and Michael Cheadle is reminiscent of that found in the lovely books from Dr. Suess, so of course, I loved Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog. And then there is the beautiful illustrations created by the talented Robbie with fondant figurines making up the lovely scenes described in the verse, which let the story unfold before your eyes. (They may make you hungry too, because they look deliciously sweet.) One I found especially endearing is the scene for the actual rescue of the Sugar Dog, where Chocalate Fudge is emerged in the hot chocolate pond.
The extra added feature that the Cheadle books include which Dr. Suess never thought to include is the wonderful recipes, and the accompanying photo illustrations for each one are sure to make whet your appetite. Included in Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog, are recipes for scrumptious peanut butter cookies, delectable Oreo cupcakes, mouth-watering avacado and bacon scones, poured fondant icing, and chocolate chip shortbread dipped in chocolate. Yummy!
Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog is a delightful children’s book with delicious recipes sure to please both young and old. I give it five quills.
Purchase links
Paperback: https://tslbooks.uk/product/chocolate-fudge-saves-the-sugar-dog/
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Fudge-Saves-Sugar-Dog/dp/1914245547
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Thanks for dropping by and helping us celebrate the release of Robbie and Michael’s wonderful new book, Chocolate Fudge saves the Sugar Dog. In case you missed the opening day, yesterday on “The Showers of Blessings” with a post by Robbie and a review by blog host, Miriam Hurdle, you can still read it here.
I hope you all will continue to follow the tour, because we’ve got some great things planned for each blog stop. Tomorrow’s stop features an interview with Robbie and we have at least two more reviews coming, too, in addition to Robbie’s wonderful posts on Thursday and Friday. I hope to see you there.
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Day 5 of the WordCrafter “Lingering Spirit Whispers” Book Blog Tour: Guest Post by Christa Planko
Posted: December 3, 2021 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Guest Post, Paranormal, Short Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Christa Planko, Lingering Spirit Whispers, Paranormal, Paranormal Anthology Set, Spirits of the West, Where Spirits Linger, Whispers of the Past, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 1 Comment
Thank you for joining us for Day #5 of the WordCrafter Lingering Spirits Whisper Book Blog Tour. In case you missed any of the posts from earlier in the week, you can find them all right here on Writing to be Read, and you can visit the author interviews on Un dawnted , but you can only leave comments on Writing to be Read.
Monday November 29th – Writing to be Read/Un dawnted interview with Stevie Turner
Tuesday November 30th – Writing to be Read/Un dawnted interview with Kaye Lynne Booth
Wednesday December 1st -Writing to be Read/Un dawnted interview with Jeff Bowles
Thursday December 2nd – Writing to be Read/Un dawnted interview with Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Today we have a guest post by author Christa Planko about the inspiration behind her winning story, “Olde-Tyme Village”, which is featured in Where Spirits Linger.
“Where Spirits Inspire: The Inspiration Behind ‘Olde-Tyme Village’”
By Christa Planko
A stroll through a Victorian shore town during off-season leaves enough to the imagination to raise goosebumps and stir the creative mind. The brightly painted homes with their steeply pitched roofs and ornate gables give the sensation of having stepped into a time machine. With summer’s tourists packed and gone, the streets lie practically barren. The exception is the few living beings taking in the autumn air and architecture—and the spirits who may be joining them unseen.
That was the inspiration behind my story, “The Olde-Tyme Village.” It was an October trip to historic Cape May, NJ that fed my imagination. Wandering through the quiet town, I marveled at the elaborate homes, many of them vacant. I couldn’t help but fancy I saw a curtain move in a window or a grey face peering through a dusty pane. A shift of wind carried a moan that could have been the spirit of a woman watching from a widow’s peak for her husband to return from sea. Mind trick or imagination?
Certainly, many of the homes have a long-standing history. The peninsula was originally inhabited by the Lenni-Lenape tribe before Cornelius Mey purchased the land in 1621. It soon developed into a prosperous fishing and whaling industry for English colonists. Later in the 18th century, Cape May began its development as a resort town for enjoying the ocean and fresh seafood. The town saw its share of pleasure, prosperity, and promiscuity over the years. It saw an equal share of tragedy. Surviving wars and devastating fires, residents’ emotions must have run deep. The wealth of books and oral accounts of Cape May’s ghostly occupants suggest that many tormented souls were left to linger.
Was “Olde-Tyme Village” based on any researched history? The answer is yes and no. Like my October stroll through Cape May, the story was fueled by pure imagination. It takes place at a fictional resort remote from modern society. The “historic residents” and guests of the village are made up as well. The research I did do was to learn about Victorian architecture and industries that prospered during this era in order to ground the descriptions and backgrounds in historic fact. The story’s mood and time-warp occurrences were exaggerations of my own experiences in Cape May.
A final question may be: Do I believe in ghosts? While I enjoy a spooky story around a campfire or during Halloween season, I can’t say that I ever truly believed in ghosts. I did have an unexplained experience at a historic site near my hometown a few years ago. That experience—or possible encounter—has since opened my mind to the possibility. I’ll spare the details until I have the chance to do some further research on the area and possible tragedies. I sense a future story on the horizon!
To see my bio and a list of published works, please visit:
https://christascorner.godaddysites.com/about-us
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Christa is a professional writer with a passion for creative expression. She has had her poetry and short stories featured in several publications, including River Poets Journal, Wingless Dreamer, Tanka and Haiku Journals, Rune Bear, Jitter Press, and Every Day Fiction. When she’s not writing, she is likely bicycling, kayaking, or dancing. She currently resides in South Jersey with her 4 feline muses.
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You can get your copy of Lingering Spirit Whispers here.
Thanks for joining us on the WordCrafter Lingering Spirit Whispers Book Blog Tour! I hope that you’ve enjoyed Christa’s guest post here on Writing to be Read, and the Un dawnted author interviews earlier in the week. If you missed any, the links can be found at the top of this post to go back and catch them all.
As a reminder, tomorrow will be Sonoran Dawn’s Autumn Wonders Book Event on Facebook, so be sure to drop in. Contact the host, D.L. Mullen and Sonoran Dawn Studios, if you’d like to reserve an author slot for promotion of your work. WordCrafter has a slot in the event, so you can find more about this anthology set, as well as other WordCrafter Press books there. Come and join in the fun.
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Day 4 of the WordCrafter “Lingering Spirit Whispers” Book Blog Tour: Interview with author Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Posted: December 2, 2021 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Interview, Paranormal, Short Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Author Interview, Ghost Stories, Lingering Spirit Whispers, Paranormal, Paranormal Anthology Set, Spirits of the West, Stevie Turner, Where Spirits Linger, Whispers of the Past, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 36 CommentsWelcome to Day #4 of the WordCrafter Lingering Spirit Whispers Book Blog Tour, where we’re celebrating the release of the Lingering Spirit Whispers paranormal anthology set. This unique paranormal set combines three paranormal anthologies into a single set for ghosties galore, and you can get your copy here.
Today we’re over at Un dawnted, where D.L. Mullen interviews contributing author, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, the only author beside myself to contribute stories to all three anthologies.
Roberta Eaton Cheadle is writer of young adult and adult fiction in the supernatural fantasy, historical horror, and historical supernatural genres.To date, Roberta has published two novels, Through the Nethergate and A Ghost and His Gold, and several short stories in various anthologies including Whispers of the Past and Spirits of the West, and Where Spirits Linger edited and compiled by Kaye Lynne Booth, and Spellbound, compiled by Dan Alatorre.Roberta has a historical supernatural novel set during the Second Anglo Boer War in South Africa coming out in early 2021.When she is not writing, Roberta enjoys working in the garden and creating fondant and cake artworks.
Her stories of chilling encounters, “The Last of the Lavender” and “Missed Signs”, were featured in Whispers of the Past.
Cheadle also has two stories of paranormal encounters on treks through the South African bush are featured in Spirits of the West – “The Thirstyland Journey” and “The Ghost in the Mound”.
And her tale of the completion of business left unfinished, “Listen to Instructions” is featured in Where Spirits Linger.
You can join in on DL Mullen’s interview with Roberta over at Un dawnted here: http://www.undawnted.com/2021/12/wordcrafter-lingering-spirit-whispers_2.html
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Day 3 of the WordCrafter “Lingering Spirit Whispers” Book Blog Tour: Interview with author Jeff Bowles
Posted: December 1, 2021 Filed under: Anthology, Author Interview, Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Interview, Paranormal, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Author Interview, Ghost Stories, Jeff Bowles, Lingering Spirit Whispers, Paranormal Anthology Set, Spirits of the West, Where Spirits Linger, Whispers of the Past, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 2 CommentsWelcome to Day #3 of the WordCrafter Linger Spirits Whisper Book Blog Tour, where we’re celebrating the release of Linger Spirits Whisper paranormal anthology set. Connoisseurs of ghost stories will want to add this unique paranormal set to their collections. The release is today and you can get your copy here.
Today we’re over at Un dawnted, where D.L. Mullen is interviewing contributing author Jeff Bowles, who has stories in two of the three anthologies included in this set.
Jeff Bowles is a science fiction and horror writer from the mountains of Colorado. The best of his outrageous and imaginative work can be found in God’s Body: Book One – The Fall, Godling and Other Paint Stories, Fear and Loathing in Las Cruces, and Brave New Multiverse. He has published work in magazines and anthologies like PodCastle, Tales from the Canyons of the Brave New Multiverse. He has published work in magazines and anthologies like PodCastle, Tales from the Canyons of the Damned, the Threepenny Review, and Dark Moon Digest. Jeff earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing at Western State Colorado University. He currently lives in the high-altitude Pikes Peak region, where he dreams strange dreams and spends far too much time under the stars. Jeff’s new novel, Love/Madness/Demon, is available on Amazon now!
His story “A Peaceful Life I’ve Never Known” was the winning story in the 2019 WordCrafter Paranormal Short Fiction Contest and is featured in Whispers of the Past.
And his story “Wenekia” is featured in Spirits of the West.
I hope that you will join us and follow the rest of the tour to learn more about the stories included in this set and their authors. Undawnted does not have commenting abilities, but feel free to leave any comments you have on the interview here: http://www.undawnted.com/2021/12/wordcrafter-lingering-spirit-whispers.html
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Day 2 of the WordCrafter “Lingering Spirit Whispers” Book Blog Tour: Interview with author Kaye Lynne Booth
Posted: November 30, 2021 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Books, Ghost Stories, Interview, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Kaye Lynne Booth, Lingering Spirit Whispers, Paranormal, Paranormal Anthology Set, Spirits of the West, Where Spirits Linger, Whispers of the Past, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 6 CommentsWelcome to Day #2 of the WordCrafter Lingering Spirit Whispers Book Blog Tour, where we are celebrating the December 1st release of the Lingering Spirit Whispers paranormal anthology set. This unique collection of ghosties galore is a must read for all lovers of paranormal fiction. Available for pre-order now.
We’re hanging out over at Un dawnted, where D.L. Mullen is interviewing contributing authors from the anthologies included in this set, and today’s author guest is… um… me! Kaye Lynne Booth. I have one story featured in each anthology. Un dawnted has no commenting capabilities, so please leave any comments you might have about the interview here, on Writing to be Read.
Kaye Lynne Booth lives, works, and plays in the mountains of Colorado. With a dual emphasis M.F.A. in Creative Writing, writing is more than a passion. It’s a way of life. She’s a multi-genre author, who finds inspiration from the nature around her, and her love of the old west, and other odd and quirky things which might surprise you.
She has short stories featured in the following anthologies: The Collapsar Directive (“If You’re Happy and You Know It”); Relationship Add Vice (“The Devil Made Her Do It”); Nightmareland (“The Haunting in Carol’s Woods”); Whispers of the Past (“The Woman in the Water”); Spirits of the West (“Don’t Eat the Pickled Eggs”) and Where Spirits Linger (“The People Upstairs”). Her western, Delilah, her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets, and her short story collection, Last Call, are all available in both digital and print editions.
In her spare time, she keeps up her author’s blog, Writing to be Read, where she posts reflections on her own writing, author interviews and book reviews, along with writing tips and inspirational posts from fellow writers. She’s also the founder of WordCrafter Enterprises. In addition to creating her own imprint in WordCrafter Press, she offers quality author services, such as editing, social media & book promotion.
In Whispers of the Past, my story is “The Woman in the Water”.
In Spirits of the West, my story is “Don’t Eat the Pickled Eggs”.
In Where Spirits Linger, my story is “The People Upstairs”.
You can pop over and join us for my interview with D.L. Mullen here: http://www.undawnted.com/2021/11/wordcrafter-lingering-spirit-whispers_30.html
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