Something New on Writing to be Read
Posted: March 21, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 9 Comments
In my post on Monday, I mentioned that I’ve been out of work and having a difficult time recently. Yet, I am determined to keep at my writing and carry out my business plan for 2024. I received a larger than usual royalty check a few days ago to give me encouragement. It occurred to me that some of you might be willing to help by showing your support through a small donation, so I have provided the opportunity to do that on my About Kaye Lynne Booth page: https://writingtoberead.com/about-me/.
If you’d like to show your support to help keep WordCrafter on track in the coming year, or you’d just like to throw a dollar or two my way, please click on the link and head on over to my author page.
To show my appreciation, I’ll send you a free copy of my short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction as a thank you gift.
*Note: There is a problem with my free book delivery system. If you have donated, your free book will be received as soon as I can get it fixed. Sorry for the delay.
All support is greatly appreciated.
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Treasuring Poetry – Meet poet and novelist, Jude Itakali, and a review
Posted: March 20, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 44 Comments
Welcome to fabulous poet and novelist, Jude Itakali. As a fellow African, Jude is from Uganda, I always feel we have a lot in common and that our love of this continent, its wildlife, and its people, shows through in our writing. Welcome Jude.
What is your favourite style of poetry to read?
It’s so difficult to choose. I love different forms for different reasons and employ them depending on the purpose.
However, if I had to choose one, I’d go with “haibun”. The transition from vivid verbiage and concise prose, to a juxtaposed haiku which most often provides the ‘wow’ moment, really hits the spot for me. So yeah, haibun it is.
What is your favourite poem in your favourite style to read?
It’s near impossible to pick a favourite as I read poetry in a cocktail of forms and never really remember which haibun or sonnet was my favourite. But I’ll include two haibuns that I read recently that really got me:
Susan B. Auld
Directed by reception I wait. But not in the same room where I once sat with other pregnant women, where we spoke soft conversations, smiled in recognition, crocheted pastel blankets, read parenting magazines, made lists of things to buy, to do. There is no baby now
winter rain
an empty nest
beneath the tree
Margaret Domaus
His fingers – are what I can’t stop conjuring. Long and slender nails trim and clean, a baker’s hands lightly dusted with flour.
snowbound
the underground pulse
of hot springs
What is your favourite style of poetry to write? Why?
Another tough choice. Ask me on a different day and I’ll likely have a different answer. But Afro now, I’ll go with ‘etheree’. I love its descending/ascending order of syllables depending on whether to write a reverse etheree or not. This is because writing in this form enables me to expand my musing upon a single word or simple thought, or else to comprehend complex musings and reduce them to a particular word or single thought.
What is your favourite of your own poems in your favourite style?
My favourite amongst the haibun I’ve written is the most difficult question I have to answer here. It’s impossible to choose amongst my babies. I write all of them with so much emotion. Because of this, I’ll simply pick the most recent haibun from my blog. It’s a little bit longer than a single paragraph and haiku, so I’ll include the link instead:
How do you promote your poetry and poetry books?
Not very well I’m afraid. Promotion is a work in progress. For now, I write for my blog, twitter, and do creative reels on my Instagram. I’m still trying to figure out the self-promotion thing, so any help is absolutely welcome.
Thank you so much for listening to me mumbling.
My review of Jude’s latest book, Dark Butterflies: Poetry and short stories of mental health
Dark Butterflies is a deep and compelling exploration of the darker side of life. Itakali uses poems and short stories to expose the mental health issues that lie hidden under the shiny surface of societies. Some of the poems and short prose pieces interspersed with syllabic poetry, are told from two or even multiple points of view and experiences, which I really liked. One of my favourite prose pieces is A Tale of Two Beauties which is truly heart warming.
A few of the themes explored in this book, with a relevant quote, are as follows:
Child abuse – ‘You carry the mark of a black kiss,
A bruise etched into your every wish’ from Child fleeing light
Loss of hope – ‘All wonder diminishes in their reflection
The light that once sparked is gone’ from Unseen
Split personalities – ‘By day she is Anne
By night she is Liz’ from Split
Drug abuse – ‘Syringe on the cracked floor
Pills to numb the stench of failure’ from Dark themes we do not see
Loneliness – ‘In the dark hour before dawn, I scale the precipice
Of loneliness. If only for a glimpse of a dream.’
Each of the harrowing mental illnesses or seemingly inescapable circumstances, is handled with compassion and understanding by the poet.
This is a beautiful collection that opens the reader’s eyes to the places in life where the shadows have ownership and trauma is the dwellers daily companion.
You can purchase Dark Butterflies from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Butterflies-Poetry-stories-mental-ebook/dp/B0CJ54YLST
Jude also has another poetry book and two novels in the Realms of the Mist series. You can find all of Jude’s books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jude-Itakali/author/B093BJSYTB
About Jude Itakali
Jude Itakali is a poet, writer and fiction author from the suburbs of Kampala, Uganda.
Itakali never liked sharing his books as a child. That has changed, especially since he started writing his own.
A lifelong obsession with ‘the good story’ evoked his personal phrase, “Reality is all around us, but fantasy is a part of us.” Egged on by a conniving appetite to consume works across genres, Itakali crafts the compelling themes and rounded characters in his books.
When not ‘life-ing’ or pursuing infrequent exercise routines, you can find Itakali writing fiction in a small cubicle, or under a tree, furnishing his website, Tales told different, with life epiphanies, ponderous prose, and poetry.
About Robbie Cheadle
Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published fourteen children’s books and three poetry books. Her work also features in several poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
The eleven 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 and Michael Cheadle have recently launched a new series of children’s books called Southern African Safari Adventures. The first book, Neema the Misfit Giraffe is now available from Amazon.
Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/
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Day 2 of the WordCrafter “Northtown Angelus” Book Blog Tour
Posted: March 12, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 2 CommentsJoin us over at Robbie’s Inspiration for Day 2 of the WordCrafter Northtown Angelus Book Blog Tour with an enlightening guest post from author Robert White. And don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of this hardboiled crime novel.
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Lessons learned from our characters
Posted: March 12, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentShare this:
A Rave Review for “The Rock Star & The Outlaw”
Posted: February 6, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 3 Comments
Thanks goes to M J Mallon for this wonderful review of ”The Rock Star & The Outlaw”. Drop by her Kyrosmagica blog site and see for yourself. Coming soon in AI Audio.
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Treasuring Poetry, 2024: Introducing the poetry of DL Mullan and a review #poetry #poetrycommunity #TreasuringPoetry
Posted: January 17, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 54 CommentsToday, I am pleased to introduce the poetry of poet and author, DL Mullan, as well as my review of her poetry collection, The Descent.
Over to DL Mullan
Thank you for this opportunity to discuss poetry with your audience. I am grateful to share my love of the creative arts with fellow enthusiasts.
Poetry is a part of the writing craft that is an art and science with a touch of mysticism. It is much more than words on a page. It’s a feeling, a moment… a place engaged inside of our hearts and souls that cannot be duplicated on film or in prose. The science of meter and rhyme meet the art of turning a phrase or metaphor into a memory.
Still verses express an economy of words, which speaks volumes in the empty spaces. Poetry is about reading the content, but also extracting a personal meaning. Sometimes the poet gives the reader the context, and at other times, the reader grasps a connection with the words beyond the initial texture of the composition.
To illustrate, Transcendence, from my Impetus chapbook, is one of those poems that becomes both context and connection:
Transcendence by DL Mullan
I have this little place in me
that will always be alone.
No matter the circumstances
-the outside world,
or anything given to me-
it will forever be there.
It’s that part of me you can never touch.
Never be healed. Never feel redeemed.
A place so isolated from the rest of my life,
it keeps me hungry, destitute-
it’s a fragment that lacks belief.
Don’t try to heal me, or know this place;
this longing need keeps silent.
Without this solitary eclipse that creeps into my life,
I could never find any kind of peace.
This curse cuts me deep.
Penetrates my soul.
Reveals me. Liberates me.
The one place that keeps me from being whole
-is the one place you cannot reach.
Without this lone embrace,
my life, your love would be meaningless.
A poet has to be many ideas to many people: the fire bearer of unrivaled passion; the vocabulary of a priest, lover, and devil’s advocate; the heart of a broken soul; the perseverance of an honorable warrior; the spirit of a wise sorcerer.
People enjoy poetry, because the poet expresses what they wish to hear or say. Words reach through the ages. Consoles us. Enlightens us. Reminds us of our own vulnerabilities.
The Good Morrow by John Donne
I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I
Did, till we loved? Were we not weaned till then?
But sucked on country pleasures, childishly?
Or snorted we in the Seven Sleepers’ den?
’Twas so; but this, all pleasures fancies be.
If ever any beauty I did see,
Which I desired, and got, ’twas but a dream of thee.
And now good-morrow to our waking souls,
Which watch not one another out of fear;
For love, all love of other sights controls,
And makes one little room an everywhere.
Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone,
Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown,
Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.
My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,
And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;
Where can we find two better hemispheres,
Without sharp north, without declining west?
Whatever dies, was not mixed equally;
If our two loves be one, or, thou and I
Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.
And makes one little room an everywhere… a poet conjures such repleteness and amplifies our innate impulses, if we only have the courage to be as one with another. Do you have the courage to live forever because of love?
This poem by John Donne, The Good Morrow, began my journey into the magical realm of writing poetry. Some may believe that Edgar Allan Poe was the genesis, but the classics generated the progression toward his writings. The Descent: a darker breed of poetry is my genre inspired chapbook. Upon Reading Edgar Allan Poe is in homage to him.
Poetry seemed daunting to write at first. In adolescence, I would rewrite song lyrics for friends. It was easy to complete someone else’s rhythm and rhyme, while my original creations remained in prose. In college is where I met John Donne, and other poets throughout the ages.
In this concise form of narration, I enjoy telling stories. I have embarked on writing short thematic chapbooks as well as publishing long form poems. Effloresce: Earth Changes is my Arizona inspired chapbook, which is under expansion. Eclipse: Cloaked by Totality is a compilation of poetry about how humanity views solar and lunar eclipses from science to legend. My Long Form Poetry like Galactic Ride, Undisclosed, and The Rain take the reader on a journey beyond the norm. This past summer I published a lyrical prose short story piece called The Jonah Collector, based on seafaring lore.
To pick a favorite poem that I have written is difficult. Each poem is my favorite in its own way. I write poems which speak a universal truth. When a poem hovers at that level of mysticism, what isn’t there to love? Either lyrical stanzas or descriptive verses, every poem holds a special place within me.
Here are a few examples:
The Flower Within by DL Mullan
Hear not the silence in the new fallen snow
embankments high of drifted wonder hide
all that winter buries underneath its surface
and cocoons itself in an invisible whisper
when temperatures rise, sounds of rustling begin
from the depths of a volitional quietus
small lives will break beyond their shells
as they ascend toward the sunlit heavens
and discover how to unleash their power
by finding the flower within.
Weather by DL Mullan
Bending.
Resisting.
Opaque patterns web across the aging twilight.
Reflection meets citrine, ruby, sapphire–
Shapes stretch.
Reaching.
Touching.
The placid breeze spreads unevenly. Cumulus formations emerge.
Imagination awakens.
Building.
Sweeping.
Luminous wings expand. Gracious angel, show the world your glory.
Magnificence reigns.
Collapsing.
Fading.
Overcast merges with night. Dreams condense. The rain soaked wind roars.
The future of my lyrical rhymes is to write poetry that matters. A poet should have an authentic voice that reaches across philosophical lines. In addition to topic-based chapbooks, I create my own forms of poetry, including cinquains. I experiment with structure and form, as well as rhyme. I am interested in the challenge of creating something new and unsaid.
I would like to leave readers with a poem that combines art and science with that hint of mysticism:
Asymptote by DL Mullan
The line observed.
Its angles transparent,
Like the fanciful dream of a sliding geometry.
It’s the hint of curve that plagues me
of a slender and willful architecture.
It’s the acute optics that pitch me downward
into a maze of unrevealed canvas
unearthed and unexplained
and spreading into the heart of oblivion.
Thank you, DL Mullan, for this lovely discussion.
The Descent: a darker breed of poetry by DL Mullan
What Amazon says
This chapbook houses “a darker breed of poetry,” from paranormal research topics to metaphysical literary iterations. There is a poem for everyone who is curious about genre-inspired poetry. DL Mullan’s readers praise her work as easy to read, understand… and satisfying:
“The poem [Breathe] is as scrumptious and sensual as it is dark and deep.”
“This is a first for me. I have never read genre poetry before. I love it. Hugely imaginative and utterly unique…”
“As if Poe came right off the page. This homage is literally perfect.”
“The language and flow here is superb, the description detailed. This also has an air of mystery, almost Halloween-ish.”
“‘Until once again, night revisits his kingdom and he is resurrected.’ You know your subject. Are you reminiscing about an owl, or our immortal souls?”
“Both the language (the word choices) and the rich imagery here is exquisite! You have blended sound, description, meaning- all, in a way that shows precise crafting.”
“A lot of thought has gone into this very interesting poem, which made me think, which is what poetry should be all about, 5-star poem
My review
This collection of mysterious and slightly chilling poetry revolves around the topic of death in all it permutations: the process of dying, what it feels like to die or be dead, grievers and grieving, the afterlife, and spirits and the spirit world.
A most intriguing poem about reading Edgar Allan Poe and the influence of his works on the poet, kicks off this collection. As a fellow member of the Poe admiration club, I really enjoyed this poem and identified with the poet’s thoughts and reactions to all his magnificent poems. This is a short quote from ‘Upon Reading Edgar Allan Poe’:
“A peculiar doorway opens inside of me.
Listen to the music playing, hear the voice, of beautiful Lenore.
Sing to me a violent ballad of love.”
Another interesting introductory poem, is entitled ‘Death Replies to Emily Dickinson’, an extraordinary response to Emily Dickinson’s poem ‘Because I Could Not Stop for Death’. This inspirational poem is the perfect introduction to the poems that lie ahead in this collection. For me, this stanza sums up the collection:
“Instead, come. Join the procession into the unchartered
where rarely seen a setting sun and gloom is discarded.”
I really enjoyed this unusual collection of dark poetry. It is certainly unique and inspired. A few of my favourite poems from this book, with short quotes, are as follows:
The Rocking Chair:
“Dusty chair rocks. He used to sit there: in the corner looking out the window.”
Spirit Box (My favourite of all the poems):
“Four different voices sung through the waves.
Each expressing their own distinct individuality.”
Alone with My Thoughts:
“Death can be harsh. Death can be amusing.
Your perspective is needed to see that death is a rite of passage
that all of us will be using.”
If you enjoy Poe and like to experience different perspectives on poetry, this book will enthrall you.
Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CKWKCNZ3
About DL Mullan
DL Mullan has been writing award-level poetry for thirty years. Recently, she has showcased her literary talents by self-publishing several collections of her poetry. She also writes novels, designs apparel, and creates digital art. Ms. Mullan‘s creative writing is available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies.
As an independent publisher, she produces her own book cover designs and video presentations, as well as maintains her own websites. She is an award-winning digital artist and poet.
Join her Undawntable Newsletter for everything Undawnted. Be sure to enroll in her Substack writing program, RhymeScribe, which focuses on the form and function of poetry. Become a YouTube subscriber for her Poetry Slam updates.
http://www.undawnted.com/p/poetry.html http://www.undawnted.com/p/long-form-poetry.html
About Robbie Cheadle
Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published fourteen children’s books and two poetry books. Her work also features in several poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
The eleven 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 and Michael Cheadle have recently launched a new series of children’s books called Southern African Safari Adventures. The first book, Neema the Misfit Giraffe is now available from Amazon.
Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/
You can find example of Robbie Cheadle’s artwork in her art gallery here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/art-gallery/
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Dark Origins – Letters to Santa #DarkOrigins #Christmas
Posted: December 27, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized 52 Comments
Thomas Nast, an illustrator and cartoonist for Harper’s Weekly between 1857 and 1887 can be credited with kickstarting the process of sending letters to Santa. Nast’s depictions of Santa Clause largely shaped the way we now view Santa Clause. Even Santa’s backstory of being from the North Pole was influenced by Nast, who used his Santa illustrations to spread cheer to both the young and the old.
Picture credit: https://recollections.biz/blog/thomas-nast-santa-claus/. The image shows Santa seated at his desk and going through his mail. He is sorting letters into stacks labeled “Letters from Naughty Children’s Parents” and “Letters from Good Children’s Parents”.
This is an extract from a work in progress of mine titled Silly Billy goes to England. It’s all about Christmas letters.
“I was worried. Willy and I had only just written our Christmas letters and it was noon on the 24th of December. What if Father Christmas didn’t get them? I was sure his elves were busy the day before Christmas. It was all Dad’s fault. He shouldn’t have cancelled the plane tickets he’d booked in France. We would have gotten back to England much quicker if he hadn’t relied on the free flights provided by Eurostar. Mind you, when the trains were cancelled due to the snow, I thought we’d be stuck in Euro Disney over Christmas. That would have been awful. I’d had enough of the crowds and dirty toilets in the park.
Mom helped us write our letters as soon as we woke up. I had a list of ten books that I wanted on mine and a Star Wars Lego playset. Mom was pleased when she heard my wish list and smiled at me.
Willy didn’t have any books on his list. Willy wanted a Star Wars light sabre, the knights costume he had seen in Euro Disney, a police lego set, a wooden sword and shield, a big tin of chocolates (all for him – no sharing) and ten knights and a dragon. Mom looked less pleased about Willy’s list. He had no books on it and Mom said he was being greedy. She wrote three books on Willy’s list and didn’t add the last three items on his list.
Mom decided that now was the time to teach us boys a life lesson about being greedy at Christmas. She opened her laptop computer and Googled “letters to Santa through the ages”. A list of letters written by children from long, long ago came up in response to her search. Mom read them to us.
The first letter was written by a boy who lived in a place called Sumter in South Carolina. Mom said that South Carolina is in America. I want to go to America. I want to visit the Disney Land in America.
This letter was written in December 1883. Mom read the following:
“Dear Old Santa Claus
I call you old, because Papa says, you are the same “Santa Claus” that lived when Grandpa was a little boy, and he is over 75 years old now. Papa says that you are either at the North Pole, or in Norway or Russia today, he don’t know exactly where, but if I write you through the Watchman and Southron you will be sure to get my letter, as it is a very popular paper and goes everywhere.
Dear Santa, please come and see us once more next Monday night. Papa says times are so hard and money so scarce, that he is afraid you won’t be able to come and make us have a “Merry and Happy Christmas.
You mustn’t buy and bring us expensive presents, but only some little trifle to make our hearts glad.”
This letter made me feel a bit sad when I thought about all the things I had put on my wish list. The next two letters were even worse, and I felt tears coming into my eyes when I thought about the children who wrote these letters so long ago.
“Dear Santa
I hope you will enjoy your Christmas, as I intend to enjoy mine. O, how glad I am that Christmas is so near and that the dear child Jesus was born so many years ago when laid in a manger. I hope we will enjoy our Christmas better than the last one, as our dear good father die the 14 of Dec. We have miss him very much and will miss forever. I hope I will see him once again not in this world; but in heaven. Teresa Riedmiller Mom said that this letter was published in a newspaper called The Chicago Tribune on 22 December 1895.
The next letter that Mom read was from a time she called “the Great Depression”. Mom said that this was a time when all the people in the world were very poor. There were no jobs and lots of families were homeless and hungry. Mom said that throughout the Great Depression, which lasted for more than ten years, children wrote to Father Christmas, who these children called Santa Claus. Many of the letters asked Santa Claus for jobs, money or schoolbooks instead of toys and games. Some of the
children posted their letters to the White House in Washington D.C. Mom said that this is where the America president lives. The children hoped that the American president at that time, President Roosevelt, who cared so much about the American people, could somehow get their Christmas wishes to Santa Claus. Mom read that one letter to Santa Claus during the Great Depression was address as follows: Santa Claus in the Happy Land where there is no depression. The letter said the following:
“Dear Santa Claus, State street: I am a little girl, 7 years old, and I’m afraid that you won’t call at our house, because we are so poor. Father has to work hard all day and mother is sick and says we needn’t expect anything. Please when you are on the west side if you will just call and leave a little book or something I will be much obliged. You can’t come down the chimney, because it is too small, but I will open the door if you knock.”
Willy did not appreciate the life lesson Mom was giving us. He started to wriggle and kick the back of the settee.
Mom ignored him and read us a story that she said was written by a man acting as Father Christmas when he visited a boy in a Children’s Hospital on Christmas Day in 1960. This is what she read:
In the hospital was a boy called Bobby. When I met him he had tubes running every which way and had been in the hospital most of his life. Bobby looked up at me and said “Santa, what do you do with pain?”
I replied: “Well, because of my crooked fingers, I can’t even point straight to the North Pole, so I have to take Advil. What do you do with pain?”
Bobby said “I take pain and put it in a box and wrap it with tissue paper and bright ribbon and throw it away.”
“Why” I asked.
“I can’t show pain” said Bobby.
“Why not?” I asked.
“It hurts my Mother’s heart,” he replied.
Mom stopped there thank goodness. I had tears streaming down my face and Willy was standing on the floor jumping up and down, wanting to get going.
We put our letters on the counter and got ready to go shopping. There was no food in the house as we had eaten everything before we left for France. It was still snowing outside, and it was very cold. Dad didn’t want to drive far in the bad weather, so he said we would shop at the nearby city of Canterbury.”
About Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Award-winning, bestselling author, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta also has thirteen children’s books and two poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5
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WordCrafter News: Special Christmas Edition – Looking Forward to 2024 & Early Call For Submissions
Posted: December 25, 2023 Filed under: Anthology, Books, Call for submissions, Children's Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark fiction, Dark Humor, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Holidays, Horror, Kickstarter, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Short Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Stories, Uncategorized, Western, Women's Fiction, WordCrafter, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press, Writing, Writing to be Read | Tags: 2024, Anthology, Call for submissions, Charlie Chickadee Finds a NEw Home, D.I.Y. Author, Dark fiction, Heather Hummingbird Makes a NEw Friend, My Backyard Friends series, Poetry Treassures 4: Natural World, Sarah, Tales from the Hanging Tree, Timothy Turtle Discovers JEllybeans, Women in the West adventure series, WordCrafter Press, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services, Write it Right Quality Editing Services, Writing Reference, Writing to be Read 16 Comments
Looking Forward to 2024
WordCrafter Press
2024 promises to be exciting at WordCrafter Press and I am thrilled to tell you about it.
In January, book 2 of the Women in the West series, Sarah launches on Kickstarter and its going to be a good one. Rewards will include not only early digital and signed print copies of Sarah, but Special Edition Illustrated copies of both Sarah and Delilah, never before offered.
In March, Sarah will be released through distributors, and will be available at your favorite online retailers. I’ll be launching with a book blog tour and giveaway, so be sure and watch for that.
In April, Poetry Treasures 4: Natural World will be released through distributors. (The cover pictured above is just a fill in.) Featuring poetry written by guests of the 2023 “Treasuring Poetry” blog series with Robbie Cheadle. There will be a book blog tour for this book, with audio/video readings by the poets.
In May, my nonfiction writing reference book, D.I.Y. Author will be released through distributors, and will be available at your favorite online retailers. If you’re an author on a shoestring budget determined to find ways to write and sell books, this book is for you. Naturally, a book blog tour and giveaway will accompany this release.
In July, we have a Kickstarter campaign planned for my children’s book series. I’ll be releasing the first three books in the My Backyard Friends series, Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend, Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans, and Charlie Chickadee Finds a New Home. After a first illustrator experience which turned sour, these books have been awaiting an illustrator for eight years. But I finally found one, whose illustrations I am proud to have featured in my books, Robbie Cheadle. If you know her, you might be familiar with the wonderful illustrations she’s begun to do recently, and you’ll understand why I am so thrilled to have her as an illustrator. These stories feature animal and bird characters in tales that each teach a social lesson. With Robbie’s beautiful illustrations, they are not to be missed.
In August, the first three books in the My Backyard Friends series will be released through distributors, and will be available at all your favorite distributors. I’ll be launching with a book blog tour and giveaway.
In September, a by invitation only themed anthology, Tales From The Hanging Tree, will be released through distributors and launched with a book blog tour and giveaway, with audio/video readings by the authors.
In October, the 2024 WordCrafter anthology will be released. Each year I release the annual anthology in October, which is just a scary month. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I love scary stories, and other scary stuff, so releasing in October is condusive to dark fiction. In 2023, we had a great line-up of dark and scary stories in Midnight Roost, so we’re going with a dark fiction theme again this year. It will include both by invitation submissions and contest submissions that are worthy, and feature the winning story from the contest. (See Call for Submissions below.)
WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services
I’m happy to announce that in 2024, WordCrafter will be adding Book Trailers to our list of quality author services. We will have three different trailer designers available to choose from: myself, Robbie Cheadle and DL Mullan, and they will be offered at affordable prices.
Other services offered include editing and publishing services and WordCrafter Book Blog Tours. I still have time slots available for editing services into 2024. Learn more at Write it Right Quality Editing Services.
Writing to be Read
On Writing to be Read, 2024 promises more of the new monthly blog series, “POP with Jeff Bowles”, which has been well recepted. A blog series about all things POP, the first Wednesday of every month.
We also have a new addition to the WtbR team. Starting in January, DL Mullan will be bringing us another new blog series the first Friday of each month, “Undawntech: Technology and the Creative Arts”. Be sure to check it out and give Dawn a big welcome.
Call for Submissions – 2024 WordCrafter Anthology
It’s time for the Call for Submissions for the 2024 WordCrafter Anthology, which we’re calling “Dark Fiction” for now. Dark fiction is the theme: horror, paranormal, dark fantasy, science fiction, speculative fiction. Any genre as long as it is dark or scary will do. I’m leaving it wide in the hopes of bringing in a diverse selection of stories that will keep readers awake at night.
Submission Guidelines
Genres: Paranormal, Dark Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction, Dark Humor, Speculative Fiction any combination there of.
Length: up to 5000 words
Submission Deadline: April 30, 2023
Submissions open January 1 and close on April 30. Watch for the January 1 post for full submission guidelines and contest entry.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All!
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Treasuring Poetry – Thinking of cancer sufferers and survivors at Christmas, as well as those who have passed #cancerpoetry #bookreview #TreasuringPoetry
Posted: December 20, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized 51 Comments
I like to keep this final Treasuring Poetry post for the year as a tribute to wonderful blogger, poet, and author, Sue Vincent, who passed on the 29th of March 2021. This year, I am adding blogger and writer, Mary Smith, who passed on Christmas Day 2021. Both Sue and Mary died of lung cancer, and were a huge loss to the blogging community which still remembers their community spirit, talent, and generosity.
This post is also a celebrating my mother, Elsie Hancy Eaton, a breast cancer survivor who has been in remission for nearly 7 years, and talented author and poet, Freya Pickard, who is a bowel cancer survivor.
Sue Vincent
Sue Vincent’s wonderful blog: Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo is still available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeXvcrOUl5I. You will find all her books listed there.
This is my reading of one of Sue’s poems which features in Poetry Treasures published by WordCrafter Press:
Mary Smith
I had the good fortune to meet Mary Smith in Dumfries during my family’s tour of Scotland in 2019. This is the post I wrote about our tour of Dumfries, with Mary as our marvelous guide, and my review of her book, Secret Dumfries:
Freya Pickard
Freya Pickard is a talented poet and fantasy author.
You can find Freya on her blogs here: https://dragonscaleclippings.wordpress.com/ and here: https://purehaiku.wordpress.com/
My review of Vampirical Verse by Freya Pickard
What Amazon says
This book is for the broken, the damaged and scarred.
This book is for the walking dead who have learnt to live as best they can with hollow hearts and gaping wounds.
“They (the poems) are straight from the heart, soul and gut. They are never trite, never overblown but wonderfully, articulate and rich in imagery.” S Moore
Broken people get through the experience of brokenness and then have to adapt to living with it and its effects on the other side.
To deny we are broken is wrong. To try and forget the horror is wrong. Who we are today has been forged out of the trauma we have been though. Our lives now take a different, somewhat darker turn.
Vampirical Verse reflects the emotional, mental and spiritual fallout from cancer. These poems are an attempt by Freya Pickard to express the inexpressible.
Warning – the poetry in this volume contains themes of death, suicide, cancer and sexual acts which some readers may find upsetting.
My review
“This book is for the walking dead who have learnt to live as best they can with hollow hearts and gaping wounds.”
The author says her brokenness comes from nearly dying of bowel cancer, having open surgery to remove the tumour, a uterine fibroid, and her womb. She then had six months of chemotherapy.
I have had several first hand experiences of the emotional, mental, and physical devastation caused by chronic illness, and dreaded disease. It impacts on the patient and on everyone around them. My own experiences include nursing family members through breast cancer, a pulmonary embolism, a venous sinus thrombosis, and chronic and on-going illnesses suffered by both of my two sons. My younger son is a ‘medical mystery’ or a ‘medical miracle’ depending on your viewpoint.
People react differently to chronic illness and near death experiences, but no-one escapes unscathed. The poems in this book are the author’s expressions of the fear, anger, and stoic numbness which accompany different stages of treatment and survival. Experiencing these poems will change you, as the disease itself changed the author. They will teach you compassion, appreciation, understanding, and gratitude.
A few of the stanzas in this book that resonated with me the longest.
From: The Dead
“the dead feel –
I am not in stasis as you believe
I fluctuate between despair and hope
empty days, lonely nights”
From Camouflaged
“if you blink
you’ll catch a glimpse
and wish you’d not;
I am the thought
you didn’t want to think”
and a haiku
“on this side of death
shadows remain long, gaunt, thin
light never expands”
If you know someone who is, or has, suffered chronic illness or dreaded disease, these poems will give insight into their world. I encourage lovers of poetry to read this book and allow yourself to change and grow.
You can purchase Vampirical Verse from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Vampirical-Verse-Dragonscale-Delvings-Book-ebook/dp/B0CH4Q8KD8
This is a performance of Wake up and smell the corpses by Freya Pickard:
Elsie Hancy Eaton
My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014. She had 19 months of treatment including chemotherapy and herceptin.
Mum is my co-author for While the Bombs Fell. This is the most successful of my books and has 64 reviews on Goodreads. You can purchase a copy here: https://tslbooks.uk/product/while-the-bombs-fell-robbie-cheadle-and-elsie-hancy-eaton/
While the Bombs Fell is my mother’s story, growing up in Suffolk, UK during World War 2.
Wishing all my blogging friends a very Merry Christmas and all the very best for 2024.
About Robbie Cheadle
Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published fourteen children’s books and two poetry books. Her work also features in several poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
The eleven 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 and Michael Cheadle have recently launched a new series of children’s books called Southern African Safari Adventures. The first book, Neema the Misfit Giraffe is now available from Amazon.
Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/
You can find example of Robbie Cheadle’s artwork in her art gallery here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/art-gallery/
