Welcome to the WordCrafter’s “Poetry Treasures” Book Blog Tour
Posted: May 24, 2021 Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Books, Giveaways, Poetry, Treasuring Poetry, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Poetry Collection, Poetry Treasures, Treasuring Poetry, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 27 Comments
Welcome to Day #1 of the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures Book Blog Tour. We’ve got a great tour planned with guest posts from several of the contributing authors to this poetry collection, and an awesome giveaway. Follow the tour and leave a comment at each stop for a chance to win one of three digital copies of Poetry Treasures to be given away. (Winners will be randomly selected following the end of the tour.)
Many of you may be familiar with Robbie Cheadle’s monthly blog series, “Treasuring Poetry”, which has grown in popularity since she began the series last year, here on Writing to be Read. For those who are not familiar with this series, Robbie hosts one author/poet guest each month, with an interview and review of their latest poetry collection. The series is popular because Robbie asks good questions which are designed to reveal some of the inner poetic workings of the author, and her guests are talented and insightful.
Poetry Treasures is a collection of poetry written by eight of the “Treasuring Poetry” guests in 2020, as well as the poetry of the series author, Roberta (Robbie) Eaton Cheadle. The poetry of the late Sue Vincent is also featured, along with a special tribute to this talented and vibrant poet and human being.
Poetry is subjective, often speaking to the reader in ways in which the author never intended, but are nevertheless just as valid as the ways in which those same words affected the poet. But, there are certain poems that just reach out and grab you, and I think that we have some of those featured in this poetry anthology, or at least I hope that we have managed to capture a few.
To introduce this wonderfully unique collection, we have a guest post by one of the contributing authors, Jude Kirya Italaki. You can find more of Jude’s wonderful poetry between the covers of Poetry Treasures.
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Sometimes the most beautiful things are that way because we are able to share them with others. And once those people leave our lives, the beauty we used to see can turn sour.
All that was beautiful, now mocks me
The resplendent night sky, hides secrets in plain sight
The vermillion sunrise, paints scars in bloody hues
And I hide from all their beauty; because it reminds me of you
However, there are things we will always find beautiful. It is important to discover ourselves, hold on to what makes us happy as individuals, and in turn share this with others. When introduced to beauty we did not know before, it might be crucial to love it genuinely, and instead of attaching it to the people who introduced us, we juxtapose it so that the grief of loss may not taint it.
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We’ve got a great blog tour planned this week to introduce you to this wonderfully unique collection of poetry, published by WordCrafter Press. Contibuting authors include Sue Vincent, Geoff Le Pard, Frank Prem, Victoria Zigler, Annette Rochelle Aben, Colleen M. Chesebro, K. Morris, Jude Kirya Italaki and Roberta Eaton Cheadle, many of whom will be sharing their poetry and their inspirations in guest posts for this tour. I do hope you will join us and purchase your copy of Poetry Treasures, available in digital and print formats.
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Poetry-Treasures-Sue-Vincent-ebook/dp/B0933KSJR9
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Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!
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Treasuring Poetry: Meet author and poet M J Mallon
Posted: May 15, 2021 Filed under: Author Profile, Book Review, Books, Interview, Poetry, Review, Treasuring Poetry | Tags: Author Interview, Book Review, M.J. Mallon, Mr. Sagittarius, Robbie Cheadle, Treasuring Poetry, Writing to be Read 60 Comments
My Treasuring Poetry guest today is talented author and poet M J Mallon. I am delighted to host Marje here and hope you enjoy her thoughts on poetry and her favourite poem.
Which of your own poems is your favourite?
This was such a difficult decision, I have at least three favourites! I narrowed it down to the robin. The robin and the dragonfly are my spirit animals and trees are also a huge inspiration. I’ve written about all of these and more in Mr. Sagittarius.
Bench,
A bird,
Red-breasted,
So, tame you rest,
Beside me robin,
Two friends on a park bench,
One human, one of nature,
I appreciate your kind time,
Until you away… exploring far,
Hinting at possibilities you go.
I wonder what you notice in your world.
And why you choose that ground to explore,
When you could have stayed here with me,
In mindful meditation.
Maybe you’ll visit me,
Christmas day, perhaps?
To bring good cheer,
Until then,
Peace to, You.
What inspired you to write this particular poem?
I’d been studying mindfulness at the sixth form college where I work. Mindfulness is the act of observing and using the full array of our senses meditatively to become more at one with ourselves. I’ve discovered that this is a fantastic practice to adhere to. It benefits an author’s creativity by making you more aware of the nuances of your surroundings. I’m fortunate in that I work near the botanical gardens in Cambridge, so I often visit and walk and observe the wonder of nature taking photographs of the trees, flowers, animal and insect visitors. Over time, I collected these photographs and wrote poems about them. These, along with various seasonal and short pieces of fiction feature in Mr. Sagittarius. It is a joyful celebration of siblings, magic, loves, nature, the seasons and the circle of our lives.
Which genre of poetry do you enjoy writing the most and why?
I love writing poetry about life in all its vibrant colours. I am often inspired by photography, (I am a keen amateur photographer – my grandfather and uncle were professional photographers,) or I use images I discover as prompts, often via Colleen Chesebro’s poetry challenge: https://wordcraftpoetry.com/
Specifically, I enjoy writing poems about nature, trees, flowers, love and Halloween! Halloween poems also feature in Mr. Sagittarius. Halloween is an autumnal activity, (and often a childhood one,) so it links well with the seasonal/circle of life, aspect of my poetry writing.
Which genre of poetry do you enjoy reading the most?
I enjoy reading short form poetry. It is so expressive and brilliant. I love how short verses of poetry convey so much detail in so few words. I enjoy haiku, and tanka, as well as poems that form a pattern on the page. I also enjoy longer forms as you will see from my choice of favourite poem.
What is your favourite poem?
I have always loved Ode To Autumn by John Keats. I can almost taste the words. They are magnificent—that first line: Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness —draws you in and makes you long to read more.
Ode To Autumn by John Keats
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.
2.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep,
Drows’d with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.
3.
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
https://allpoetry.com/Ode-To-Autumn
Mr Sagittarius by M J Mallon
About Mr Sagittarius
Twin brothers Harold and William love the magic of the natural world.
When Harold dies he leaves a simple memorial request.
Will his brother William and his sister Annette honour it?
Or, will the garden work its magic to ensure that they do.
A magical story expressed via an original compilation of poetry and prose with photographic images.
#Poetry #Prose #Photography #NaturalWorld #Trees #Magic #Spirit #Animals #CircleofLife #Humour #Halloween #Cats #Buddha
My review of Mr Sagittarius
Mr Sagittarius is a beautiful collection of poems and short stories, set in the lovely gardens of Cambridge and linked by the visits and experiences of a family of twin brothers and their younger sister.
The story starts with William visiting the weeping willow tree in the garden, a place that was special to his twin brother, Harold, who has recently passed away. William sees Harold’s spirit in a dragonfly that he chats to and finds solace in their one-sided communication.
This is a few lines from a poem about the dragonfly:
“Ancient, sweet fellow
Sacred magic bestower,
Change tumbling on fragile wings.”
When William returns home, he has an altercation with his sister, Annette. During their spat Annette reveals that she has always felt left out and overlooked by her twin brothers. This revelation leads to William and Annette becoming closer and visiting the garden together. Not long after, William passes on and Annette is left alone. She visits the garden and communicates with the spirits of both her brothers over the course of the rest of her long life.
The visits of the siblings to the garden are captured in lovely verse. This is an example I really enjoyed:
“I dream in colour
But now everything is dark
Where has the light gone?
Oh, cruel leafy canopy,
No green meadow, just blue thoughts.”
My favourite of the short stories was The Old Man of Snow and The Snow Snake. This is a story about making good choices in life and rejecting greed. I enjoyed the tale and the descriptive writing.
Mr Sagittarius is a gorgeous book full of delightfully depictive poems and short stories and decorated with striking photographs. This is a book that lovers of poetry, mystery, and wonder will love.
Purchase Mr Sagittarius: Poetry and Prose
About M J Mallon
I am a diverse author who blogs at: https://mjmallon.com. My interests include writing, poetry, photography, and alternative therapies. My favourite genres to write are: Fantasy YA, Paranormal, Ghost and Horror Stories and I love writing various forms of poetry and micro poetry – haiku and Tanka and flash fiction.
I am proud to be included in the best selling horror anthology Nightmareland which received best seller status with best-selling author Dan Alatorre at the helm.
It is one of my greatest pleasures to read and I have written over 100 reviews: https://mjmallon.com/2015/09/28/a-z-of-my-book-reviews/
About Robbie Cheadle
Robbie Cheadle is a children’s author and poet.
The 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 books for older children which incorporate recipes that are relevant to the storylines.
Robbie writes a monthly series for https://writingtoberead.com called Growing Bookworms. This series discusses different topics relating to the benefits of reading to children.
Robbie has a blog, https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/ where she shares book reviews, recipes, author interviews, and poetry.
Find Robbie Cheadle
Blog: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
Blog: robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com
Twitter: BakeandWrite
Instagram: Robbie Cheadle – Instagram
Facebook: Sir Chocolate Books
Want to be sure not to miss any of Robbie’s “Treasuring Poetry” segments? Subscribe to Writing to be Read for e-mail notifications whenever new content is posted or follow WtbR on WordPress.
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Deadlines, Reminders and Announcements
Posted: April 26, 2021 Filed under: Anthology, Book Promotion, Books, Fiction, Paranormal, Poetry, Stories, WordCrafter, WordCrafter Press, Writing, Writing Contest, Writing Event | Tags: 2021 New Beginnings Virtual Writing Conference, Poetry, Poetry Treasures, Short Fiction, Treasuring Poetry, Where Spirits Linger, WordCrafter Paranormal Short Fiction Contest, WordCrafter Press, Writing, Writing Conference, Writing Contest, Writing to be Read 2 CommentsLast chance to enter the 2021 WordCrafter Paranormal Short Fiction Contest!
The deadline to enter the 2021 WordCrafter Paranormal Short Fiction Contest is April 30th, for a chance to have your short paranormal story included in the 2021 paranormal anthology, Where Spirits Linger. The entry fee is $5, and the author of the winning story receives a $25 Amazon gift card and inclusion in the anthology. See full submission guidelines and send me your ghost stories. There’s still time. Hurry!
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There’s still time to get tickets for the 2021 WordCrafter New Beginnings Virtual Writing Conference
Join us for a free Facebook pre-conference promotional and social book event on May 3rd, where you can meet conference presenters and other authors, learn about their latest releases, play games and enter giveaways! You can reserve your spot on the Facebook Event Page to join in on the fun from the comfort of your own livingroom or wherever you happen to be.
Then on May 4th & 5th, the interactive portion of the conference will be held, with interactive workshops & panel discussions will be offered by talented and experienced presenters, including Keynote speaker Paul Kane. Tickets can be purchased for $5 for individual sessions or a full event pass at the discounted rate of $50 for all 13 sessions. Visit the WtbR Event Page, right here on Writing to be Read, to see the full line-up and author bios, and purchase tickets. It’s going to be a lot of fun and we plan to learn a lot, too, so reserve your spot today.
I can’t offer a preview, because the conference will be live, but I can offer a sample from the 2020 WordCrafter Stay in Place Virtual Writing Conference to whet your appetites. Below is a video of the Visceral Story Beginnings interactive workshop with Ellie Raine. Ellie jumped in to present this workshop after the originally scheduled presenter was unable to attend. I think you did a fantastic job of picking up the ball.
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Announcing the release of Poetry Treasures, the WordCrafter poetry anthology featuring poetry by 2020’s author/poet guests on “Treasuring Poetry” blog series with Robbie Cheadle, right here on Writing to be Read.
Nine creative and talented poets have come together to produce this unique poetry collection, each one is truly a poetry treasure.
2020 “Treasuring Poetry” Featured Poet/Author Links:
Sue Vincent (December)
Sue Vincent (April)
Geoff Le Pard (October)
Frank Prem (August)
Victoria Zigler (March)
Colleen M. Chesebro (February)
K. Morris (July)
Annette Rochelle Aben (May)
Jude Kirya Itakali
Roberta Eaton Cheadle (Host)
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Treasuring Poetry: Meet poet and author, Ritu Bhathal, and read about her thoughts on poetry
Posted: March 20, 2021 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Interview, Poetry, Review, Treasuring Poetry | Tags: Book Review, Poet Interview, Poetic RITUals, Poetry, Poetry Collection, Ritu Bhathal, Treasuring Poetry, Writing to be Read 61 CommentsToday, I am delighted to feature Ritu Bhathal, talented poet and author, as my Treasuring Poetry guest. Ritu has a lovely poetry book, Poetic RITUals, a romance, Marriage Unarranged, and is a contributor to This is Lockdown, compiled and edited by MJ Mallen.
Which of your own poems is your favourite?
There are a lot of poems I have written, which resonate, but one of my favourites will always be this one:
From Twinkle To Reality
Let me take you down that road,
Much travelled through eternity
The journey to become a mum,
From twinkle to reality.
The plans you make at a young age,
Full of gurgles and laughter,
The horror as you realise,
What really does come after!
The fun of trying,
The monthly wait.
The disappointment,
That feeling, you hate…
The years of trying,
Full of hospitals and checks,
The medication taking you over,
You feel like total wrecks…
Then finally, the day comes
That positive is clear
The goal that you were aiming for,
Has suddenly come near.
The months of fascination,
Your changing body grows
The feeling of satisfaction
That only you can know.
Those pain-filled days, or hours
To reach the prize you sought
The feeling of satisfaction
That this little bundle brought.
I gaze at you in wonder
Are you really here?
I’m overwhelmed with happiness
And a tiny bit of fear.
Will I be able to give to you
All you want and need?
As you look at me, wide eyed
Snuggled close while you feed.
Little blessing, sent from God
My heart is filled with joy
I will do all I can for you,
My darling baby boy.
And so the cycle continues
The waits and checks again
We’re gifted with a gorgeous girl
After a little more pain.
My life is here with me right now
Some twinkles from my eyes.
But I’ll never forget those twinkles
That now, do grace the skies…
A lovely poem, Ritu, that all parents can relate to. I can see why it is your favourite.
What inspired you to write this particular poem?
This poem is dedicated to my wonderful children, recognising the struggles to have them, and remembering my 2 angels lighting the sky at night. The words just came to me, one day, as I was running a bath. The poem formed within ten minutes, and garnered a great interest on my blog when I published it, and on my anthology, Poetic RITUals.
Which genre of poetry do you enjoy writing the most and why?
I have learned a lot about poetry, since I began blogging. I do love simple rhyming couplets and four-line rhyming verses, but I also love the succinct haiku, senryu and tanka forms. It’s amazing how much you can convey in such few syllables.
Which genre of poetry do you enjoy reading the most?
I don’t have a favourite genre of poetry to read. I find that, depending on the subject, all forms can appeal. Sometimes freeform poetry speaks to me, sometimes it is the simple abab rhymes. And who doesn’t love a limerick?
What is your favourite poem?
I have to say I don’t have a strict favourite poem, but I am a huge fan of Pam Ayres.
Here is a great one!
YES I’LL MARRY YOU MY DEAR
Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear.
And here’s the reason why.
So I can push you out of bed,
When the baby starts to cry.
And if we hear a knocking,
And it’s creepy and it’s late,
I hand you the torch, you see,
And you investigate.
Yes I’ll marry you, my dear,
You may not apprehend it,
But when the tumble-drier goes
It’s you that has to mend it.
You have to face the neighbour
Should our labrador attack him,
And if a drunkard fondles me
It’s you that has to whack him.
Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear,
You’re virile and you’re lean,
My house is like a pigsty
You can help to keep it clean.
That little sexy dinner
Which you served by candlelight,
As I just do chipolatas,
You can cook it every night!!!
It’s you who has to work the drill
And put up curtain track,
And when I’ve got PMT, it’s you who gets the flak,
I do see great advantages,
But none of them for you,
And so, before you see the light,
I DO, I DO, I DO!!
Haha, Ritu, you had better hope Hubby Dearest does not read this.
Poetic RITUals
What Amazon says
Delve into a book of verse exploring different topics and different genres, all with a RITUal twist.
A collection of poetry drawing on the experiences of the writer, ranging from matters of the heart, love for the family, situations in life and some verses written with a humorous twist.
My review
This is a delightful book of poetry with a lot of variety in the tone and content of the poems. They are all written from a very human perspective and cover the day-to-day life of a Mother of two, wife and employee with a lovely twist of humour. As all of these things myself, I found the verses to be very relatable. The book is divided into four sections which each deal with different aspects of life, namely, Family RITUals, Life rituals, Rituals of the heart and Rituals to make you smile.
Who could not enjoy such words as the following:
“Snuggled close while you feed.
Little blessing, sent from God
My heart is filled with joy”
This took me right back to those first days as a Mother and the closeness of cuddling your new-born and breastfeeding.
“A cough or sniffle, fever, rash
You wish you could
make them well
but other than love, and Calpol
It’s a parent’s
Form of Hell”
As a Mother of a child with a chronic illness, this verse had me nodding my head in agreement and feeling Ritu’s anguish.
I would recommend this book which is a keeper. A book to delve into for a smile when life gets heavy going.
Purchase Poetic RITUals
Other books
You can read my review of Marriage Unarranged here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1UMFET10EPA4M
You can read my review of This is Lockdown here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R10H47WGGWTVWT
About Ritu Bhathal
Ritu Bhathal was born in Birmingham in the mid-1970s to migrant parents, hailing from Kenya but with Indian origin. This colourful background has been a constant source of inspiration to her.
From childhood, she always enjoyed reading. This love of books is credited to her mother. The joy of reading spurred her on to become creative in her writing, from fiction to poetry. Winning little writing competitions at school and locally encouraged her to continue writing.
As a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and teacher, she has drawn on inspiration from many avenues to create the poems that she writes.
A qualified teacher, having studied at Kingston University, she now deals with classes of children as a sideline to her writing!
Ritu also writes a blog, www.butismileanyway.com, a mixture of life and creativity, thoughts and opinions, which was awarded first place in the Best Overall Blog category at the 2017 Annual Bloggers Bash Awards, and Best Book Blog in 2019.
Ritu is happily married and living in Kent, with her Hubby Dearest, and two children, not forgetting the fur baby Sonu Singh.
About Robbie Cheadle
Robbie Cheadle has published nine books for children and one poetry book. She has branched into writing for adults and young adults and, in order to clearly separate her children’s books from her adult books, is writing for older readers under the name Roberta Eaton Cheadle.
Robbie Cheadle’s Sir Chocolate children’s picture books 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. Her books for older children also incorporate recipes that are relevant to the storylines.
Roberta Eaton Cheadle’s supernatural stories combine fabulous paranormal elements with fascinating historical facts.
Children’s picture books – available as a square book and an A5 book (co-authored with Michael Cheadle):
Sir Chocolate and the strawberry cream story and cookbook
Sir Chocolate and the baby cookie monster story and cookbook
Sir Chocolate and the sugar dough bees story and cookbook
Sir Chocolate and the Condensed Milk River story and cookbook
Sir Chocolate and the Sugar Crystal Caves story and cookbook
Sir Chocolate and the Fondant Five story and cookbook
Sir Chocolate and the Ice Cream Rainbow Fairies story and cookbook
Middle school books:
Silly Willy Goes to Cape Town (includes five fun party cake ideas)
While the Bombs Fell (co-authored with Elsie Hancy Eaton)
Poetry book:
Open a new door (co-authored with Kim Blades)
Supernatural fantasy YA novel:
Through the Nethergate
Horror Anthologies (edited by Dan Alatorre):
Spellbound
Nightmareland
Dark Visions
Paranormal Anthologies (edited by Kaye Lynne Booth):
Spirits of the West
Whispers of the Past
Murder mystery Anthology (edited by Stephen Bentley)
Death Among Us
Find Robbie Cheadle
Blog: https://bakeandwrite.co.za/
Blog: robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com
Twitter: BakeandWrite
Instagram: Robbie Cheadle – Instagram
Facebook: Sir Chocolate Books
Want to be sure not to miss any of Robbie’s “Treasuring Poetry” segments? Subscribe to Writing to be Read for e-mail notifications whenever new content is posted or follow WtbR on WordPress.
Want to be sure not to miss any of Robbie’s “Treasuring Poetry” segments? Subscribe to Writing to be Read for e-mail notifications whenever new content is posted or follow WtbR on WordPress. If you found it interesting or entertaining, please share.
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Day #4 of the WordCrafter “Seizing the Bygone Light” Book Blog Tour: My Review
Posted: March 18, 2021 Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Book Review, Books, Photography, Poetry, Review, Story Telling Methods, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours | Tags: Cendrine Marrouat, David Ellis, Hadiya Ali, Photography, Poetry, Seizing the Bygone Light, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, Writing to be Read 3 Comments
Day four of the WordCrafter “Seizing the Bygone Light” Book Blog Tour brings this wonderful tour to a close. Thanks to all who ventured on this brief book tour with us. On Day #1, I introduced this wonderful collection of photgraphy and poetry, Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography, an amazing collaborative effort from Cendrine Marrouat, David Ellis, and Hayida Ali, right here on Writing to be Read.
On Day #2, we visited Barbara Spencer’s Pictures from the Kitchen Window, where she interviews the three members of the ArtProMo Collective about their inspiration for Seizing the Bygone Light and the combining of poetry and photography as a storytelling medium.
Day #3 found us over at Robbie Cheadle’s Robbie’s Inspiration, where we get a guest post from the authors about their visions and collaborative efforts to create this unique collection of visual imagery and verse.
Now here we are, back where we started, where my review of this very interesting collection will finish off the tour. I want to thank you all for joining us, and if you missed any of the four blog stops along the way, just click on the links above to go back and see what you miss kelellpe.
My Review
Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography combines the visual media of photography and the art of poetry into a insightful method of storytelling. Cendrine Marrouat, David Ellis, and Hadiya Ali are visionaries in their arts. This collaborative effort employs the use of styles of both photography and poetry, which they have created themselves, exploring new and unique realms in their individual mediums.
The book is structured into three sections of black and white photographs. The third section combines the Pareiku and Haibun poetry of David Ellis with photographs of bygone days, while the reminigrams created by Cendrine Marrout produce timeless photos, and the captivating subjects and striking images of nature by Hadiya Ali are inspired by the photographic images of Irving Penn and Karl Blossfeldt, but her young eye and fresh vision offer unique perspective. The result of this collaborative effort is a stunning collection of inspiring visual stories that pay homage to the black and white era of days past, while at the same time, celebrating the rise digital photography with their original and innovative styles
Inspirational and innovative, Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography, is a must for anyone with an interest in photography or its history and for anyone who likes to view the world through a unique and captivating lense, as well as those who just have an appreciation of poetic form. I give it five quills.
Buy Link for Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography
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About the Authors
Hadiya Ali is a 19-year-old Pakistan-born artist who now lives in Oman. A keen observer of people,
she noticed at a very young age how talented market workers were at what they did – but that they
seemed unaware of their own talent. So she decided to capture their stories with her camera.
Before she knew it, her project had attracted attention and she had been booked for her first
professional photoshoots, suddenly realizing that she, too, had been unaware of her own talent all
this time.
Hadiya works on projects that capture unique stories and themes. Some of her photography is
featured in The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: 2020 Edition.
David Ellis lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent in the UK. He is an award-winning poet, author
of poetry, marketing workbooks/journals, humorous fiction and music lyrics. He is also a co-author
and co-founder of Auroras & Blossoms, and the co-creator of PoArtMo (Positive Art Month and
Positive Art Moves) and the Kindku / Pareiku.
David’s debut poetry collection (Life, Sex & Death) won an International Award in the Readers’
Favorite Book Awards 2016 for Inspirational Poetry Books.
David is extremely fond of tea, classic and contemporary poetry, cats, and dogs but not snakes.
Indiana Jones is his spirit animal.
Cendrine Marrouat is a French-born Canadian photographer, poet, and the multi-genre author of
more than 30 books. In 2019, she co-founded the PoArtMo Collective with Isabel Nolasco, and
Auroras & Blossoms with David Ellis. A year later, Ellis and she launched PoArtMo (Positive Art
Month and Positive Art Moves) and created the Kindku and Pareiku, two forms of poetry. Cendrine is
also the creator of another poetry form (the Sixku) and a type of digital image (the Reminigram).
Cendrine writes both in French and English and has worked in many different fields in her 17-year
career, including translation, language instruction, journalism, art reviews, and social media.
Together, Cendrine, David, and Hadiya comprise the PoArtMo Collective, an artist collective dedicated
to creating and releasing inspirational and positive projects.
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#Blogtour – Behind-the-Scenes Look at ‘Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography’
Posted: March 17, 2021 Filed under: Blog Tour, Books, Photography, Poetry | Tags: Cendrine Marrouat, David Ellis, Hadiya Ali, ProArtMo Collective, Seizing the Bygone Light, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours Leave a commentDay #3 of the WordCrafter “Seizing the Bygone Light” Book Blog Tour finds a guest post from the authors, Cendrine Marrouat, David Ellis and Hadiya Ali to tell us more about this amazing collection on “Robbie’s Inspiration”, hosted by Robbie Cheadle. Please join us in supporting these authors in their ambitious efforts to pay historical tribute.
Welcome to Day 3 of the Seizing the Bygone Light blog tour hosted by WordCrafter Book Blog Tours.
Welcome to the talented David Ellis, Cendrine Marrouat and Hadiya Ali with their new book Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography.
PoArtMo Collective started as FPoint Collective, a group of photographers. When we recently relaunched, we decided that it was time to welcome a larger diversity of artists.
Our passion for photography is still there, though. And while some of us are professional digital photographers, we are all indebted to the pioneering days of the art form, a time when documenting the minutiae of everyday life was the norm.
In 2020, we wondered how we could pay tribute to those old days through a multimedia project involving three artists, digital images, and poetry. The concept would be challenging, but we knew we could achieve something unique.
We decided…
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My Blog today is from The Bygone Light Tour: A Tribute to early photography
Posted: March 16, 2021 Filed under: Blog Tour, Books, Photography, Poetry | Tags: Cendrine Marrouat, David Ellis, Hadiya Ali, ProArtMo Collective, Seizing the Bygone Light, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 2 CommentsDay #2 of the WordCrafter “Seizing the Bygone Light” Book Blog Tour brings an interview with authors Cendrine Marrouat, David Ellis, and Hadiya Ali by Barbara Spencer on “Pictures From the Kitchen Window”. Please join us to learn more about these three innovative artists and their wonderful collection of poetry and photography.
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at ‘Seizing the Bygone Light:
PoArtMo Collective started as FPoint Collective, a group of photographers. When we recently relaunched, we decided that it was time to welcome a larger diversity of artists. Our passion for photography is still there, though. And while some of us are professional digital photographers, we are all indebted to the pioneering days of the art form, a time when documenting the minutiae of everyday life was the norm. In 2020, we wondered how we could pay tribute to those old days through a multimedia project involving three artists, digital images, and poetry. The concept would be challenging, but we knew we could achieve something unique.
Meet my guests: Cendrine Marrouat is a French-born Canadian photographer, poet, and the multi-genre author of more than 30 books. In 2019, she co-founded the PoArtMo Collective with Isabel Nolasco, and Auroras & Blossoms with David Ellis…
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Welcome to the WordCrafter “Seizing the Bygone Light” Book Blog Tour
Posted: March 15, 2021 Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Books, Photography, Poetry, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours | Tags: Cendrine Marrouat, David Ellis, Hayida Ali, Photography, Poetry, Seizing the Bygone Light, Visual Storytelling, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 16 Comments
Welcome to the Seizing the Bygone Light Book Blog Tour, where we will be learning more about a delightful collection of photographs and poetry, which was created by three authors of the ProArtMo Collective as a tribute to early photography. This is a four day tour that will run through March 18, bringing you a guest post on Robbie’s Inspiration from the authors on what they strived to accomplish with Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography, an interview with the author’s by Barbara Spencer on Pictures from the Kitchen, and a review of the book by me to wrap things up, right here on Writing to be Read. I do hope all of you will join us in celebrating the history of photography along with authors Cendrine Marrouat, David Ellis, and Hayida Ali.
The medium of limitless possibilities that is photography has been with us for almost 200 years.
Despite its great advancements, its early days still influence and dazzle a majority of professional photographers and artists. Such is the case of Cendrine Marrouat, Hadiya Ali and David Ellis, three members of the PoArtMo Collective.
The result? Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography.
This unique collection of artistic styles brings together different innovative concepts of both gripping writing and stunning visual imagery.
Visual imagry can be a method of storytelling, and a powerful one at that when presented with a skillful hand. I know each of the authors has put much thought into the stories they wished to tell here, and how they wanted to do it. So, to introduce you to this marvelous group of original photography and poetry, I wanted the authors to tell you what they are trying to accomplish in their own words.
What inspired you to create this book?
All three of us were inspired together to celebrate the stunning vintage photography of the past and at the same time create an artistic project that shines a contemporary light alongside it, with our own individual blends of photography and poetry. This book allowed us to express ourselves in endearing ways that combine all of our passions and strengths. We wanted to collaborate in a way that would cause people to really become interested in the
images of the past and the endless rewards that they have to offer.
What makes Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography unique?
Our book looks back at the beginnings of photography in a way that has never been done
before. It is divided into three parts.
In part 1, Hadiya Ali has “recreated” the timeless photographic styles of Irving Penn and Karl Blossfeldt. Part 2 features some of Cendrine Marrouat’s reminigrams, a type of digital image that she invented years ago. Finally, in part 3, David Ellis shares a series of pareiku poems inspired by archival images.
Anyone with an interest in vintage photography has noticed how it documented the minutiae of
everyday life. Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography looks at that triviality
with a refreshed and positive outlook. It is one of the reasons why it is so unique.
The other reason? Three authors and artists whose vastly different styles actually complement
one another in a fascinating way.
(The Pareiku is a visual poetry David and Cendrine invented in 2020. For more information, visit
https://abpoetryjournal.com/pareiku/.)
Did you face any particular issues while working on the book?
Yes, we did. But these issues actually helped make the book more interesting and unique than if just one author had worked on it.
Hadiya decided to recreate the timelessness of Karl Blossfeldt’s and Irving Penn’s beautiful photography. She quickly realized that the subjects and props she was supposed to use were not as widely available as before. She had to find substitutes, like ordinary plants and create her own props, which taught her valuable lessons about simplicity and creativity.
Cendrine struggled to select the images that would fit the book, until she found herself thinking about her emotional relationship with photography. The result was ten images that made complete sense together, gelling naturally with Hadiya’s photos and David’s poems.
David used archival images as inspiration for his poetic section. At first, he was a little unsure about which photos to include, until he realised that since every photograph tells its own story, there should be an unconscious thread that can link almost anything if you are willing to look hard enough to uncover it. He then made sure to select the most intriguing, engaging images he could find and let his subconscious mind make the necessary connections between them, which was very exhilarating in the extreme.
Why do you think poetry and photography work so well together?
Because they more or less speak the same language. It is all about the finer details and how they are interpreted. Photography, just like poetry, thrives on meaning and purpose; both disciplines require attention to subject matter and framing things in the right light if they are to be taken seriously. Both mediums are great at telling stories with minimal amounts of words, they connect instantly with our souls and move us, just like beautiful music, we identify with common struggles and the beauty of life as it unfolds around us.
What are your goals with this release?
We would love it if this book led to more people getting interested in checking out photography of the past. Digital images are fantastic, but exploring old and film photography leads to a greater awareness of what photography truly is and represents. The greatest rewards lie there.
Do you have any advice for artists?
Never give up! Make time for your craft, do many different things to feed your passions and above all don’t be afraid to put your work out into the world. If it sounds like someone is exerting their opinion rather than giving you actual independent advice, feel free to take what you need and ignore the rest to improve and evolve your work. Your work will never be perfect but that doesn’t stop you from always trying to make the next piece even better than the last, to the best of your ability, then move on and sincerely appreciate the art you have made!
What kind of book can we expect from you next?
We are always working on new ideas. This year, Auroras & Blossoms (Cendrine and David) plans on adding several more guides and workbooks for authors and artists to its list. Members of the PoArtMo Collective will also continue working together on more positive and inspirational books and themed exhibits.
When this book was brought to my attention, I was eagar to learn more about this unique collection of original photography and poetry, and as I learned more about the creativity and inspiration of its authors, I came to believe that Seizing the Bygone Light may be a very special collection indeed. If you would like to following along on this book blog tour to learn more, check in right here on Writing to be Read for guiding posts that will lead to each blog stop, or just subscribe to this blog for reader feed or email notifications.
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Welcome to the First Blog Stop on the Feral Tenderness Book Blog Tour
Posted: February 15, 2021 Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Books, Poetry, Review | Tags: Arthur Rosch, Feral Tenderness, Photography, Poetry, Poetry Collection, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours 3 Comments
I first met Arthur Rosch online. That was back in 2008, when I was just dipping my toes in the as yet uncertain waters of the internet, and although I didn’t have any idea what I was doing, I started my own social network called “Writer’s World”. Art stumbled onto the “Writer’s World” network somehow and he’s been loyal follower and supporter, and over the years I’ve come to respect him and his writing, and also to call him a friend and valued team member for Writing to be Read.
I’m introducing Arthur Rosch here today because he has a great new poetry and photography collection out, Feral Tenderness. I’m excited about it because I had a hand in editing, compiling and publishing Arthur’s book through WordCrafter Press. Art writes poetry that remains down to earth and real, while hanging out with universal truths. It’s true that some of his ideas may be a little wild, but so are the ideas of many writers. Maybe writing is a safe outlet for all of our crazy thoughts and that’s what motivates us to put words to paper, or screen, as the case may be.
His biography, from the back of his wonderful new release reads:
“Arthur Rosch is a mid-westerner, who became a Californian as a young man. A lover of jazz, poetry, painting and photography, and writing, as well as a passion for astronomy, photography, history, psychology and the weird puzzle of human experience. After receiving Playboy Magazine’s Best Short Story Award for a comic view of a planet where there are six genders, he was immersed in circles that could have taken him to the top, but it was short lived. Arthur found himself reeling, struggling with depression and addiction on the streets for almost a decade, and repairing and rediscovering himself was a defining event in his life, nurturing his literary soul…. “
All of the above is true. These are all truths about Arthur Rosch, yet they are surface level truths; truths that the author chose to share with the world at large, in the back of his book. Let me introduce you the Arthur Rosch, the author who I know.
Art is an undiscovered talent, who once was near the threshold of discovery, only to plummet back down into the depths of reality. But he never let go of the dream, although at times it altered its shape and appearance. He is a literary craftsman and wordsmith, whose words can be found on his blog, Write Out of My Head, on my blog, Writing to be Read, in his books, and various other places online.
Stepping into the world of Arthur Rosch can be a surreal experience, as it was for me when I reviewed his science fiction novel, The Gods of the Gift, because he is a talented craftsman of the written word. Quite a different effect was achieved with Confessions of an Honest Man, a tragic tale of familial dysfunctionalism, mental illness, drug addiction and emotional abuse that has the ability to make the reader suspend disbelief and feel for the main character beyond the conclusion of the book. And his humor shines through his words and is sure to leave readers chuckling in his memoir about life in an R.V., The Road Has Eyes.
His poetry has this same ability to evoke desired images and emotions from within the reader. His photography captures views seen with a unique and unusual eye. The cover for Feral Tenderness was created from one of his photographs, and others are interspersed among the poetry throughout the book, making it an extra special treat for readers.
I do hope you’ve enjoyed this introduction enough to make you want to get to know more about Arthur Rosch and his poetry and photography, by following this tour. We’ve got two interviews with Arthur, and a review of the book coming later in the week, plus some author generated content that promises to be interesting. Stay with us and visit each blog stop as the tour progresses, with a closing post on Art’s blog, Write Out Of My Head, on Sunday. Please join us. You can purchase Feral Tenderness in digital and print on Amazon.
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Feral Tenderness – Just My Opinion
Posted: February 18, 2021 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Blog Tour, Book Promotion, Books, Commentary, Cover Art, Excerpt, Opinion, Poetry, Promotion, Visual Media, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours | Tags: Arthur Rosch, Collection, Feral Tenderness, Photography, Poetry, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, Writing to be Read | 2 CommentsFeral Tenderness, by Arthur Rosch, is a poetry and photography collection like no other I’ve ever encountered. I can say this with confidence, because I am the editor and compiler for this book, however it exempts me from posting my opinions of this collection on Amazon. But Writing to be Read is my blog, so I’d like to tell you about this interesting and unique collection of creativity here, taking into account that the author is a friend of mine, so the opinions expressed are likely to be biased. Be that as it may, I’m proud to associate myself with this work of creativity, a collection of poetry and photography worth more than just a casual glance. Arthur’s works need to be savored, like a fine wine, simmered over, like a sweet glaze, and appreciated for their unique and delectable flavors.
As I’ve mentioned on several occassions, Arthur Rosch sees the world in a unique way. Through his creative endeavors, those who care to look are allowed a glimpse of things through his eyes. His photography is amazing. The images that he captures with his lense say so much in a single moment. His poetry, on the other hand, is often a lengthy, social commentary on higher powers, human behavior, or the world at large. Yet, even his short poems seem to have a lot to say.
To illustrate my meaning, the following poem is minimal, yet it speaks volumes. It is my favorite of Arthur’s short snippits of poetry and the only one for which a true companion photo was also available from his photo library for inclusion in the collection.
Dewdrops
Dewdrops on spiderwebs:
sit lightly with life
Another of Arthur’s profound poems, “Stars“, declares, in part, (I did mention that some of his poems are rather lengthy, too much so to be reprinted here in full),
” …Stars know what they are.
Stars are alive and individual,
quirky with personality,
often pulsing and drawing
gravity blood, gas and heat,
combining with other stars
combining and mating with other
stars and forming unions of
higher imaginations
in order to serve the Master of Stars… “
Another poem is an expression of nature, as seen through Arthur’s eyes. This one is one of my personal favorites.
Hunted By The Hawk
Make joy from stones.
Make wit from mud,
make humor from blood.
The tiny finch flies crazily,
for the sheer fun of it,
though it knows, each morning,
that it’s hunted by the hawk.
We too, each morning,
are hunted by the hawk.
The cover image for Feral Tenderness also came from Arthur’s photo library. With this photo, I was able to create an awesome cover design, if I do say so myself. We created cover images using several of Arthur’s photos, but in the end, this one grabbed both author’s and publisher’s hearts.
The poetry and photos featured in this collection are so varied in subject matter and tone, that several book promotions with very different appeals seemed applicable to me. I used one of Arthur’s photographs for the background of one of them. Can you guess which one? Let me know in the comments which you like better.
Like this post? Let me know in the comments. You can be sure not to miss any of Writing to be Read’s great content by subscribe to e-mail or following on WordPress. If you found this content helpful or entertaining, please share.
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