Mind Fields: This Is How I Think

Posted: March 17, 2025 | Author: artrosch | Filed under: essays, Mental Health, Mind Fields, Opinion, Self-Help | Tags: Arthur Rosch, Mind Fields, Writing to be Read | 1 Comment

Background: A sunset Text: Mind Fields by Arthur Rosch, Ideas on the Eternal and the Fleeting

I have a bit of a crush on a woman. It’s harmless. I don’t plan to do anything about this crush. I have everything I need. We are colleagues in a psychotherapy group and some strange osmosis took place. We connected briefly. We shared one another’s status vis a vis relationships. Neither of us is “available”. For about a week I convinced myself that she was thinking about me. I sent a couple of emails that I now regret sending. I had the conceit that she was as enmeshed with me as I was enmeshed with her. I now ask myself this question: what made me think that I was important in this woman’s life?

I look at my own grandiosity. I thought it was banished from my psyche, but…uh oh…here it is again in a new form. Self-importance is not attractive. There are NO important people. Anywhere. If you think otherwise you haven’t grasped the sheer SCALE of existence. Consciousness is important because that’s what everything IS. The relative importance of a human being within the structure of consciousness is a passing conceit.

The grandeur, wisdom and compassion of the Highest Power is far far beyond our grasp. It is utterly inclusive and envelopes everything in the physical world, the soul world, the spirit world, in all the worlds. I use the word “world” as a metaphor for certain structures in the Realm of Everything. If this is a difficult concept, just imagine an onion made from layers of thought. The core of this onion resembles a stellar object, such as a Black hole. This Realm subsumes the Permanent and the Impermanent as complimentary aspects of The One Truth….or whatever you want to call it.

It’s refreshing to drop this facade of self-importance. I’ve got an ego. It’s pretty tattered and irrelevant at this point but it still holds sway in my psyche. I want to be admired, respected, loved, and I want, especially, to be understood. I also want to have the resources to return this regard with affection. I have not always been a warm person. This is an ability to connect with people in a way that is safe for everyone. Let’s just say that I’m getting there.

I have too much invested in my appearance. I’m in love with my own face. That isn’t always a bad thing. I am confident in my identity but I still have psychological problems. I hope to minimize my propensity for delusions, obsessions and over-excitement. I simply accept my problems as integral to my life’s narrative.

I can’t put it more succinctly than this: today I hope to be less ignorant and stupid than I was yesterday.

About Arthur Rosch

Arthur Rosch is a novelist, musician, photographer and poet. His works are funny, memorable and often compelling. One reviewer said “He’s wicked and feisty, but when he gets you by the guts, he never lets go.” Listeners to his music have compared him to Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Randy Newman or Mose Allison. These comparisons are flattering but deceptive. Rosch is a stylist, a complete original. His material ranges from sly wit to gripping political commentary.

Arthur was born in the heart of Illinois and grew up in the western suburbs of St. Louis. In his teens he discovered his creative potential while hoping to please a girl. Though she left the scene, Arthur’s creativity stayed behind. In his early twenties he moved to San Francisco and took part in the thriving arts scene. His first literary sale was to Playboy Magazine. The piece went on to receive Playboy’s “Best Story of the Year” award.

Arthur also has writing credits in Exquisite Corpse, Shutterbug, eDigital, and Cat Fancy Magazine. He has written five novels, a memoir and a large collection of poetry. His autobiographical novel, Confessions Of An Honest Man won the Honorable Mention award from Writer’s Digest in 2016.

More of his work can be found at www.artrosch.com

Photos at https://500px.com/p/artsdigiphoto?view=photos

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This segment of “Mind Fields” is sponsored by the Roberta Writes blog site, where you can find the poetry, photos, videos, and book reviews by Robbie Cheadle and so much more.

Book Review: Draakensky

Posted: March 14, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Book Review, Books, Dark fiction, Ghost Stories, Gothic, Horror, Review | Tags: Book Review, Draakensky, Gothic Horror, Paula Cappa, Writing to be Read | 4 Comments

About Draakensky

**Readers’ Choice Book Awards Finalist

Jon R. Meyers at The Horror Zine writes “Draakensky is a powerful, timeless piece of dark fiction . . . beautifully haunting. A book that is unique and stands out loudly from the rest. Highly recommended.”

A murder. A wind sorcerer. A dark spirit. In the shrouded realm of Draakensky Windmill Estate—where magic dictates destiny—reality and the supernatural blur.

THE MURDER: Heida Mead is found dead in the thrashing Mianus River in Bedford, New York.

THE WIND SORCERER: Jaa Morland is the reclusive spinster of Draakensky estate, a commanding wind-witch and deeply attuned to ghosts—and, she knows the meaning of owl sorcery.

THE DARK SPIRIT: A ghost hurls whispers into the fabric of Draakensky, stirring up secrets of river magic and untold horrors.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Draakensky-Supernatural-Tale-Magick-Romance-ebook/dp/B0DCKBVQTV

My Review of Draakensky

I received a digital copy of Draakensky, by Paula Cappa in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.

This story has ghosts and witches and everything a gothic fantasy story needs, but the thing that captivated me the most about Draakensky is the owl imagery and lore. Cappa does an excellent job of weaving owl symbolism into the story, adding meaning and driving the story forward.

When Heida Mead is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Charlotte Knight is commissioned to complete the illustrations on the book of Rilke’s poetry that she had been working on under the direction of Heida’s sister, Jaa Moorland. She accepts and comes to the Draakensky windmill, in Bedford Village, New York, in hopes of launching a new path in her career, away from the hustle and bustle of Chicago and a cheating boyfriend.

But Jaa is difficult to deal with, at times seeming deranged and unreasonable, with Charlotte’s career hanging in the balance. With nothing left to go back to, Charlotte is determined to stick it out, even as strange events begin to occur which could be downright dangerous. Voices in the cottage, a foreboding groundskeeper, a strange white wolf, menacing owl attacks, and speculations about the murder around every corner. There is magick in the wind, and in the river, and in the very soil of Draakensky, and it controls the animals and the elements, even from beyond the grave.

An outstanding gothic horror mystery. I give Draakensky five quills.

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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.

Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle and Toad in the Hole #fiction #cooking

Posted: March 12, 2025 | Author: robbiesinspiration | Filed under: Uncategorized | 35 Comments

The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle

Picture caption: Cover of The Museum of Ordinary People showing people organising display items in a room against a yellow background

What Amazon says

Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she’s ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold. As she sorts through a lifetime of memories, everything comes to a halt when she comes across something she just can’t part with: an old set of encyclopedias. To the world, the books are outdated and ready to be recycled. To Jess, they represent love and the future that her mother always wanted her to have.

In the process of finding the books a new home, Jess discovers an unusual archive of letters, photographs, and curious housed in a warehouse and known as the Museum of Ordinary People. Irresistibly drawn, she becomes the museum’s unofficial custodian, along with the warehouse’s mysterious owner. As they delve into the history of objects in their care, they not only unravel heart-stirring stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long-buried secrets that lie closer to home.

Inspired by an abandoned box of mementos, The Museum of Ordinary People is a poignant novel about memory and loss, the things we leave behind, and the future we create for ourselves.

My review

Most people have items in their lives that are special to them. Items that may not hold a high numerical value but which represent a special time and/or memory in their lives. These are the things we all try to hold on to over the course of our lives. The things stored in a memory suitcase or box that we would save first in the event of a fire or disaster. These are the things that constitute the Museum of Ordinary People.

This book is an extraordinary idea that builds on the concept of beloved possessions with which we do not want to part when someone dies, but which we may not have the space or ability to keep. The author has built a heartfelt and brilliant story around the interesting idea of a museum where these special items from ordinary people can be housed and displayed.

Jess Baxter grow up in Northampton in a single parent family. Her mother is incredibly dear to her and when she dies unexpectedly, Jess is overwhelmed with grief. Jess is left with the dreadful job of going through her mother’s possessions and disposing of them in order to empty her home, ready for sale. With the help of her best friend, Luce, Jess manages to get this task completed, but she hangs on to a set of battered and well used encyclopedias from her childhood. She takes them home to the posh London flat she shares with her boyfriend, Guy, and stores them for a period to time. A year later, Guy decides they should formalise their relationship and purchase a house together. Jess is faced with having to get rid of the encyclopedias. A search uncovers the existence of The Museum of Ordinary People and Jess decides to take the encyclopedias there where they will be safely stored. When she arrives, she finds that the owner has recently died and his business, including the museum, have been inherited by a man called Alex. Alex has terrible scars which have impacted his whole life and turned him into an introvert. Alex doesn’t know what to do with the museum and Jess desperately wants to save it. She also sees the museum as an opportunity for her to act in the capacity of curator of her own museum, a position she has dreamed of. Jess persuades Alex to give her a chance to turn the museum into a money-making venture.

Jess is a lovely character. She is anxious and full of self doubt but she has an inner strength that comes out strongly over the course of the book. She has made some mistakes including her involvement with Guy who is stifling her creativity and preventing her from pursuing her dream. Jess has the strength of character to go against Guy’s wishes and follow her dream which I really enjoyed. She demonstrates determination, a great work ethic and ability to achieve success in difficult circumstances. As the novel progresses, Jess also gets a second chance at love.

A thoroughly entertaining read with a strong female main character.

You can purchase The Museum of Ordinary People here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1538740842

Toad in the Hole, a traditional British recipe

This recipe is available for free on line from Tin Eats here: https://www.recipetineats.com/toad-in-the-hole/

Ingredients (I made double of the Toad in the Hole)

16 pork sausages (pricked on both sides)

Olive oil for cooking the sausages

Yorkshire pudding batter

500 ml egg (I used 10 1/2 eggs) – you need to measure the egg

500 grams all purpose or plain flour

375 ml milk

125 ml cold water

2 Tbspns mayonnaise

1 tspn salt

White pepper to taste

100 ml olive oil

Onion gravy (I did not double this part of the recipe)

Sausage fat and olive oil for frying

1 large red onion chopped

1 tspn garlic flakes

45 ml all purpose or plain flour

500 ml beef stock

5 ml Worcestershire sauce

Black pepper to taste

Method

In a bowl, whisk the flour into the egg. I used an electric mixer. Add the cold water, milk, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth. Place in the refrigerator.

In a frying pan, brown the sausages in a little olive oil. Retain the sausage fat.

Heat the oven to 220C. Place the olive oil (100 ml) into a baking pan and place in the oven for c. 10 minutes. When sizzling hot, remove carefully from the oven and quickly place the sausages all around the pan. Pour over the batter and replace in the oven to cook for c. 35 minutes until golden brown.

Picture caption: Toad in the hole ready to be baked in the oven

Add some olive oil to the sausage fat and cook the onion. Mix in the flour, garlic and black pepper. Add the beef stock stirring continuously. It will thicken quickly. Add the Worcestershire sauce.

Serve immediately.

Picture caption: A serving of toad in the hole with onion gravy

About Robbie Cheadle

Photo of Robbie Cheadle standing in front of trees.

South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

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This post is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.

Feild of colorful flowers and butterflies in background. Digital copies of "Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend, Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans, and Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home in foreground. Text: My Backyard Friends Kid's Book Series

The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.

Get Your Copy Now.

Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird

Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-TimothyTurtle

Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home (Ages 6-8): https://books2read.com/MBF-CharlieChickadee

Everyone is a Critic: “Tale of Tales”

Posted: March 10, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Dark Fantasy, Everyone is a Critic, Fantasy, Film Review, Horror, Movie Review, Movies | Tags: Everyone is a Critic, Fairytales, Movie Review, Tale of Tales, Writing to be Read | Leave a comment

Three kingdoms. Three horrific tales, braided into one tragically horrendous fairytale in the classic tradition, Tale of Tales is a skillfully crafted triple fairytale. Fairytales were used to frighten children into behaving themselves in days of past. They are supposed to strike fear in readers, or in this case, viewers, so the element of horror is no surprise here. Everyone knows fairytales are tales of tragedy and don’t always have a happy ending. Even when they do have a HEA, the characters must face gruesomely frightening trials to reach that point.

A King (John C. Riley) and Queen (Selma Hayak) of the kingdom of Longtrellis are barren and will stop at nothing to have a son. The Queen summons a necromancer to make her wish come true. Upon his instruction, the King slays the sea monster, but loses his life. None-the-less, she eats the sea monster’s heart and bears a son, Elias Christian Lees, with alabaster skin and hair. At the same time as the cook bears a son, Jonah (Jonah Lees), who looks enough like Elias to be his identical twin, and the two boys grow up to become fast friends who are inseparable. Enraged after the boys fool her, the Queen sends the cook and her son away, but the boys’ bond is stronger, and when her son, Elias, fears his friend is in trouble, he runs away to go to his aid. Desperate for the return of Elias, the Queen summons the necromancer once more. She will have her son back, but at what price?

The King of the kingdom of Strongcliff (Vincent Cassell) becomes lustful when he hears a beautiful voice and must have the singer as his wife. But the singer is one of two sisters, aged spinsters, Imma (Shirley Henderson) and Dora (Haley Carmichael), who fool the King and he unwittingly takes Dora to his bed under her insistence that it be in complete darkness. Enraged upon waking and discovering her true appearance, the King has his guards throw her from the cliffside castle window, but Dora survives and is found by a witch who suckles her, giving her back her youth. The King and his hunting party found the beautiful young woman (Stacy Martin) laying on the forest floor and he falls in love and makes Dora his Queen. But Imma is lonely and longs to have her sister back with her, threatening to reveal Dora’s secret. Dora turns Imma away, leaving her alone to suffer a tragic end.

The King of the kingdom of Highhills (Toby Jones) becomes fascinated with a flea and makes it a pet that grows to gargantuan proportions. When his daughter, Violet (Bebe Cave), wishes to be married, he develops a plan to make her happy without risking losing her by placing the fleas hide on his wall and promising her hand to any suiter who can guess the creature that it came from. But it leads to the loss of his daughter when an ogre (Guillaume Delaunay) guesses correctly by smell, and he is forced to give Violet to the ogre, who takes her to his cave in the side of a high cliff. She’s recued by a family of acrobats, but the ogre slays them all and Violet fools the ogre and slits his throat. She returns to the kingdom, to find her father ill, and presents him with the head of the husband that he chose for her.

Official Clip: https://images.app.goo.gl/pAFnUmGSwCHFgcXo6

The three kingdoms and their tales are brought together at Violet’s coronation, where representing Longtrellis, Elias is in attendance, as well as the King of Strongcliff and his new Queen. But the witch’s magic wears off and Dora loses her youthful appearance and sneaks away unnoticed.

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For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, her the first three books in her kid’s book series, My Backyard Friends, her poetry collection, Small Wonders, and her writer’s resource, The D.I.Y. Author. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

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This segment of “Everyone is a Critic” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories: 20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ

Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: 17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Garden-Where-Tales-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0DJNDQJD3

Chatting with the Pros: Multi-Genre Author, Tom Benson

Posted: March 8, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Chatting with the Pros, Crime, Interview, Review, Suspense | Tags: A Taste of Honey, Chatting with the Pros, Crime Fiction, Tom Benson, Writing to be Read | 6 Comments

Fantasy background. Two women on a couch with books and pad of paper facing each other.
Text: Chatting with the Pros with host Kaye Lynne Booth

I met Tom Benson through an author’s group on Facebook, and he has since become a frequent visitor here, on Writing to be Read. Come to find out, Tom has been at this writing thing for over a decade, and has several books out there in at least three different genres.

About Tom Benson

In 1969 at the age of 17, Tom left his native Glasgow to join the British Army. Tom’s military career spanned from 1969 to 1992. He followed this with a career in Retail Management, in which he was employed from 1992 to 2012.

Tom has been writing since 2007.

He has published novels, anthologies of short stories, a five-part novel, a variety of erotica books, and a series of genre-based poetry.

Tom is presently working on more novels.

My Interview with Tom Benson

Kaye: Your Light at the End series is categorized in the metaphysical science fiction sub-genre category. I’d never heard of that particular sub-genre. Can you talk a little about what attributes define metaphysical science fiction?

Tom: In simple terms, it’s a branch of philosophy that deals with life beyond what we know or see (usually, but not exclusively, the supernatural). This broad label includes existence, space, cause and effect, and more. Although there would be nothing supernatural in my story, because of the change of circumstances I intended for my characters, I felt the sub-genre was a good fit.

Kaye: The Light at The End series might also be categorized as post-apocalyptic science fiction. Right? Why don’t you tell us a little about that series?

Tom: Apart from short stories, I’d never written in this genre, until I was inspired when visiting Cruachan Power Station. Cruachan is a functional hydroelectric installation operating from within a mountain in Scotland. My story sees a coachload of tourists taking shelter from the start of a nuclear war inside a railway tunnel within a mountain. They’re compelled to investigate the tunnel when the entrance collapses behind them. Without giving spoilers, as they learn about their new environment, they also learn to depend on each other for survival. The group begins a new life inside the mountain. I intended it to be one book, but it grew as I developed the story, and it’s become a popular trilogy with a spinoff, Sylvia.

Kaye: Ten Days in Panama is classified on Amazon as both thriller and romance genres. I think it is brilliant that you combined the two genres and then used both in your keyword selections to broaden your reading audience instead of focusing on one, to the exclusion of the other as many authors choose to do. Of course, the story came first, and you just capitalized on what you had. Tell us a little about this story, and how you ended up combining these two genres?

Tom: I opened with a British investigative reporter keen to follow up on a big story, and he needed the help of an expert in marine biology. He chose a female scientist in Panama, and they arranged to meet there. I wanted the thrust of the story to be a thriller, whereby the reporter’s life was under threat, but I saw the opportunity for a ‘will they, won’t they?’ scenario between the two main characters. I’m a Scotsman who lives in England, and I’ve never been to Panama. However, my friend Carmen Lopez, (a fellow author) lives in Panama, and she is a microbiologist. She was incredibly useful in helping me with various aspects of research. Carmen was also a wonderful sounding board as I developed the relationship between the main characters.

Kaye: You also write military stories and poetry. Would I be correct in assuming these come from your own personal experience serving in the military?

Tom: Yes, some of my military poetry is based on personal experience, and some is fiction. My military short stories, too, include factual tales, but others are fictional. The series, A Life of Choice, is my military memoir detailing my 23-year career in the British Army. The digital edition is a series of five eBooks.

Kaye: Many of your protagonists are female. Why have you chosen females to take the lead in your stories?

Tom: In the 1960s, as a young teen, I was a fan of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. Apart from the TV series, at around that time, I began to read everything I could about clandestine operations and international espionage. When The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. screened for one season, I was fascinated to see April Dancer (Stefanie Powers) demonstrating that a woman could be as capable as a man in the covert role. I bought all the ‘U.N.C.L.E.’ books, and the idea of a modern heroine remained a favourite in my mind. It should be remembered that many of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) operatives during WWII were courageous young women. In the late 90s, I saw The Long Kiss Goodnight (starring Geena Davis), which remains one of my favourite films. There are now many films and series in which the lead is a woman, whether an assassin, a vigilante, a resistance fighter or working with law enforcement. I believe it’s important to remember that it’s not only men who can demonstrate courage or participate in clandestine missions.

Kaye: What do you do to get into the female perspective for your characters?

Tom: I found it difficult at first, but I practised with short stories and acquired plenty of feedback from female readers. As I do with all of my stories, I build a character profile so that by the time the character hits the page, I know their full description, likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, wardrobe (including disguises), favourite weapons, vehicles and, importantly, their past and how they became who they are. I give a female lead all the characteristics I admire in a woman and reinforce that with a no-nonsense attitude and a suitable background. I strive not to let a female character become a sex object, although occasionally, it helps with certain situations in which she might gain the upper hand.

Kaye: The A Taste of Honey series is your most recent. It’s a crime thriller, but it’s more about vigilante justice. Would you like to tell us about that series?

My aim with the first book was twofold: to create a hard-hitting vigilante thriller using a female lead and to set it in the US for various reasons. The premise is that ‘Honey’ is an NYPD detective who is awoken by a call from her sister’s cellphone, but it isn’t her sister’s voice she hears. The detective drives across the country to Greensburg, Indiana. In the basement of the family home, she finds a scene of abuse and torture. She also finds clues as to who was responsible. Honey crosses the line and sets out on a mission of vengeance, which takes her to different states. The sequel, Another Taste of Honey, sees the ex-detective fly to Europe to search for two men who evaded her in the US. While in Europe, several others make the mistake of tangling with Honey—a woman on a mission.

Kaye: What is the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?

Tom: In my early efforts writing short stories, a fellow author told me feedback wasn’t always positive, so I ought to ‘get used to taking the knocks’. I learned to differentiate between criticism for the sake of it and constructive criticism. When mentoring a novice writer, I expand on the advice I was given. I suggest to any new scribe that ‘Acting on genuine feedback can have a positive effect on your writing.’ An important piece of advice is given in Stephen King’s excellent book, On Writing: ‘If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.’

Kaye: As a multi-genre author, what do you find is most difficult about marketing your books?

The short answer—justifying the cost of advertising. The long answer—I quickly learned that getting a foothold in the market was difficult, with only one or two titles published. I paid for my first author’s website, my early covers, and advertising. Making money has never been my incentive when writing, but I had a major rethink when considering how much I paid out with little return. I recognised that my main marketing tool didn’t have to cost me anything but time and effort. After the first couple of years, with more titles published, I concentrated on strengthening my brand—which I believe is an author’s main marketing tool. I created a new website, practised and designed new book covers, and stopped paying for publicity. Since then, my only advertising has been on social media; it’s free, and with many more books published in different genres, I’m only dependent on reviews and recommendations. I created laminated bookmarks myself, which I include when sending a paperback edition to a charity. I have also paid for business cards to be made so they can be left in restaurants, cafes, and campsites here in the UK or in Europe when I visit.

Kaye: Where can readers learn more about you and your books?

Tom: I was a poet and regular blogger in my early creative writing days, and though my poetry and blogging have eased off, I maintain a writing blog at www.tombensoncreative.com. I also have an author website I created myself at www.tombensonauthor.com

Thank you, Kaye, for the opportunity to reach a wider audience regarding my writing, and I hope your readers enjoy this article.

About the A Taste of Honey Series

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQ9GSW4S?binding=kindle_edition&ref_=ast_author_bsi

My Review of the A Taste of Honey Series

I received digital copies of A Taste of Honey and Another Taste of Honey, by Tom Benson, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.

This series features a strong female protagonist, which is always a plus for me, and Benson does a nice job of making her believable, giving her an appropriate backstory as a police operative gone rouge, and plenty of friends to help her along the way. Honey Woods is on the hunt for the men who tortured and killed her younger sister in her previous life as Police Detective Kimberly Forest. She is an expert marksman, a master of disguises and seasoned law operative, and she still takes time for a morning run each day to stay in shape for the seemingly impossible tasks which lie ahead.

When Kimberly finds her sister’s tortured body in a basement dungeon, she vows to stop at nothing to get justice for what they’ve done to her sister and other young girls like her. She leaves her old life behind, acquiring a new identity as Honey, and everything begins to fall conveniently into place.

Her search for justice leads her to a ring of men, pillars of the community, who have been kidnapping, abusing and murdering young girls for a very long time, as well as other deserving recipients of her unique style of justice in A Taste of Honey. In Another Taste of Honey, our heroine travels to Europe in pursuit of the remaining two members of the ring still needing to be held accountable. When you’re on the receiving end of Honey’s justice, it may not be so sweet.

I strongly suggest reading these books in sequence, as I suspect I’d have a more difficult time relating with the character had I not already known her motivations. If the reader doesn’t understand this character, they might mistake her for a villain as she humiliates and emaciates her opponents.

This series provides an entertaining read that keeps readers guessing as to what devious, but fitting treatment Honey will serve to her next target. I give the A Taste of Honey series four quills.

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This segment of “Chatting with the Pros” with Kaye Lynne Booth is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.

Historical Women’s Fiction

Get Your Copy Today!

Delilah: https://books2read.com/DelilahWiW1

Sarah: https://books2read.com/Sarah-Women-in-the-West

Marta: Coming in 2025

“Writing to be Read” Sponsor Drive: We Need You!

Posted: March 5, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Blog Sponsors, Writing to be Read | Tags: Blog Sponsors, Writing to be Read | 8 Comments

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It’s time for the annual sponsor drive on Writing to be Read.

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Writer’s Corner: Listening to Your Characters

Posted: March 3, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Books, Character Development, Dialogue, Fiction, WordCrafter Press, Writer's Corner, Writing, Writing Process | Tags: characters, Kaye Lynne Booth, Writer's Corner, Writing Process, Writing to be Read | 11 Comments

Caracature of a woman typing on a keyboard at a very messy desk. Text: Writer's Corner with Kaye Lynne Booth

Do your characters talk to you? I’ve met authors who say, “How could they? They aren’t real. They are fictional characters which I made up.” But if you are in touch with the characters which you created, I don’t see how they could not talk to you. I believe these authors who claim to not hear their characters maybe just aren’t listening.

My characters talk to me and help guide my stories. My characters refuse to stay silent. I don’t actually hear or see them, of course, but they do talk to me in my head. I hear the dialog as it goes on the page, and they are sure to tell me if I get it wrong.

I recall when this first happened while writing my first novel, Delilah. There was a scene in the story which I recognized wasn’t working, but I couldn’t figure out why. I sat in front of my computer re-reading the chapter, which was the dialog of a conversation between Delilah and another character. I said to myself, “Something isn’t right here, but what is it?” And a voice in my head replied, “I wouldn’t react that way.” Re-reading it once more, I realized that the voice of Delilah was right. I had my character reacting in a certain way because it was necessary in order for events in the future to occur, but it wasn’t a reaction that would come naturally from the character I had created. I rewrote the conversation, changing Delilah’s reaction to be true to her character, and it changed the direction of the story, completely. It required extensive revisions throughout the story, including total rewrites of the chapters which came after that scene, but it made it a much better tale than the one I had planned to write, so it was better for the story in the long run.

While writing Sarah, my character hijacked a conversation between her, Big Nose Kate, and a high-society woman, and her opinions on corsets set off an unexpected suffrage movement in Glenwood Springs, complete with a protest and corset burning. When I began writing the story, I had no idea that this would happen in the book, but when I placed the words upon the page, it all just clicked, and I said, “Oh, yeah”.

With both books in my Time Travel Adventure series every chapter is paired with a song. All of Amaryllis’ music was done by The Pretty Reckless, which first inspired her character. But for LeRoy and the other characters who were given P.O.V. in the second book, the music from various artists were used. As I perused the radio stations, searching for just the right song for each chapter. I can think of several times when a song I wasn’t familiar with would come on and LeRoy would give my mind a nudge that said, “Listen to this song.” Paying attention to what he had to say, I focused on the music, listening to the lyrics, and found that the song was perfect for a specific chapter, and the song ended up in the book and on LeRoy’s play list.

Of course, I’m aware that my character’s voices are really voices from my own subconscious, because every one of the characters I create are a part of me. But being in touch with them enough to them to hear their voices in my head makes them feel more like old friends and helps me bring the story to life.

We all have the ability to hear our characters if we’ll only listen to what they have to say. I’ve found that their observations are right on the money. My stories turn out better for listening to them. So, tell me. Do you listen to your characters?

About Kaye Lynne Booth

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.

Get Your Copy Now.

Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird

Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-TimothyTurtle

Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home (Ages 6-8): https://books2read.com/MBF-CharlieChickadee

Rave Review for “The Rock Star & The Outlaw”

Posted: February 26, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Book Release, Books, Review, romance, Science Fiction, Time travel, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Book Review, Kaye Lynne Booth, Lindsey Martin-Bowen, The Rock Star & the Outlaw | 1 Comment

Three cheers for The Rock Star & The Outlaw! Check it out.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/RockStarOutlaw

Review by Lindsey Martin-Bowen

BOOK REVIEW: The Rock Star & The Outlaw by Kaye Lynne Booth

At first glance, the title The Rock Star & The Outlaw intrigued me. Archetypes spur my interest, and here were two of them. Add to those archetypes, other genres: romance, adventure-thriller, time-travel adventure, and an author hooks me—a tough audience (veteran college/university literature and writing instructor/professional writer and editor).

Within this novel, author Kaye Lynne Booth created an offbeat love story that never lapses into sentimentality or becomes “precious.” Instead, it hooks the reader with precise external descriptions and character’s thoughts, actions, and crisp dialogue—beginning with the initial interplay between the two main characters, “Amaryllis,” a 2025 rock star who encounters “LeRoy,” a cowboy outlaw tossed into the twentieth century from 1887 after he watches a horse for a time-traveler Nick, who lands his time machine into the Old West. (Fortunately for LeRoy, Nick had set the controls to return a user to 2025.) After landing there, shortly afterwards, Cowboy LeRoy met Amaryllis performing at a club—while she attempted to avoid a group of thugs seeking “vengeance most foul” for the death of their leader, Amaryllis’s former paramour, Claude, whom the rock star killed in self-defense.

Although unbeknownst of LeRoy’s arrival and background, Amaryllis was ready for him. Using apt external and internal descriptions of Amaryllis, Booth prepares the reader for her initial encounter with LeRoy.

“She’d donned one of her sexiest dresses—the short black sequinned one with the

low-cut back and oval slits that ran up each side, covering the blue and purple areas on her torso

with foundation, so they wouldn’t be noticeable. This dress never failed to turn heads, and tonight,

that was just what she was after . . . There was no question she’d be sharing her bed tonight.”

After she surveyed the room again, she spotted LeRoy, “the guy she’d locked eyes with up on stage standing at the end of the bar, tall and lanky in his denims. His leather vest was cut to display his muscular biceps through the chambray fabric of his shirt. This guy looked like he just walked out of the pages of a western novel. He wore a red bandana around his neck, a black felt cowboy hat . . .dusty cowboy boots . . . and … ooooh … a gunbelt on his hip, complete with six-shooter. A real live cowboy, right here in the middle of Las Vegas. My, my.”

Obviously, Amaryllis didn’t realize how apt her perception was of a “real live cowboy,” because he perplexes her when he lights her cigarette with a stick match. “I guess you’re just an old-fashioned kind of guy,” she said . . . “I like that.”

Yet LeRoy’s reply, “I guess you might say that . . . Some of this new-fangled stuff is kind of overwhelming to me,” perplexed her. She wondered if he was “genuinely naīve or if he was putting on a convincing act.” Nevertheless, she found him “refreshing and different,” perhaps “even a challenge to get into bed.”

After awhile, when the two of them escaped from the backstage entrance to avoid Claude’s gang-mates, she became frustrated with what she considered LeRoy’s personna, especially after he looked “puzzled” when she asked him to point out his car.

“Look, drop the country bumpkin act,” she retorted and was shocked to discover he’d arrived at the club on his horse.

Meanwhile, when she maneuvered her Corvette like an Indiana-500 driver, applying techniques she’d learned from a former boyfriend, who was a professional race-car driver, LeRoy was impressed.

And thus, the romance took off. Together they loved the speed, the adventure of escaping the gang pursuing her. This ensues for awhile, albeit mainly by horseback. And they fortunately are still riding horses when they hit the setting on the time machine to send them to 1887.

So do they settle in 1887, away from Claude’s gang? Or do they gallop into more misadventures there? Well, dear Readers, I urge to read the novel to discover what happens.

Nevertheless, I offer one hint: At the story’s end, I screamed, “Sequel! Kaye Lynne must write a sequel.”

And guess what? Today, I discovered she did, and it will be available in May. Check out both this incredible novel and its sequel on Facebook’s Global Writers and Poets, artists or on Kaye Lynne Booth’s Writing to be Read at https://www.facebook.com/groups/writingtoberead/

I’ll bet fifty cents you’ll be glad you did.

—Lindsey Martin-Bowen, author

Poetry collections include Where Water Meets the Rock,

CROSSING KANSAS with Jim Morrison,

CASHING CHECKS with Jim Morrison;

Fiction: Cicada Grove, Hamburger Haven, and

Rapture Redux

In Touch With Nature – Black-backed Jackals #SouthernAfricanwildlife #Intouchwithnature

Posted: February 26, 2025 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Uncategorized | 95 Comments

This month, I am introducing you to the black-backed jackal, one of my favourite creatures to see in the bush. They are incredibly quick so getting a decent photograph is difficult. On our last bush trip to Babanango Private Game Reserve in Kwa-Zulu Natal, one decided to post beautifully for me and I got some amazing pictures of this small dog-like creature.

The black-backed jackal, also called the silver-backed jackal, is a medium sized canine native to eastern and southern Africa. These animals are known for their cunning and daring and are sometimes seen nipping into a lion kill and stealing a choice morsel. The black-backed jackal feeds on small mammals, reptiles, birds, eggs, carrion and fruit. They are scavengers but also hunt in their own right.

Five interesting facts about black-backed jackals:

These creatures are highly vocal. In the early evenings, individuals frequently make high, wailing calls to one another until an unearthly chorus builds up. They also make a continuous yapping sound when tailing a predator like a lion or a leopard, often giving the predator away to its potential prey.
Fossil deposits have revealed that the black-backed jackal is one of the oldest known dog species. It has remained in its current form for up to 2,5 million years.
Black-backed jackals are monogamous and form life-long pair bonds. Another interesting fact is that the youngsters from the prior year’s litter often stay around to help their parents raise their next lot of pups before setting out on their own breeding adventure.
Black-backed jackals are one of the most significant vectors of rabies in southern Africa. They have been associated with epidemics with occur in four to eight year cycles.
In Khoikhoi folklore, the black-backed jackal frequently travels with the lion which is usually outwits due to its higher intelligence. You can read one of these stories here: https://sacred-texts.com/afr/saft/sft09.htm

Picture caption: Black-backed jackal frontal view

Picture caption: Black-backed jackal side view

Picture caption: Black-backed jackal getting ready to bolt

Picture caption: Black-backed jackal close up

My YouTube video of a black-backed jackal up close and personal:

Jackal Love

A black backed jackal couple
Dash across the road
Happy to spend his life in monogamy
He courts his future bride
And they mate for life
***
“What would you like, my dear
for your wedding feast?
How about a yummy dung beetle or two?
Or some tasty locusts?
A meal for a king”
***
Life couldn’t be better
For the newly weds
Then the lion pride makes a wildebeest kill
Leftovers for dinner
When they are finished

The above poem is from my poetry collection, Lion Scream: Syllabic Poetry about Southern African Wildlife available from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Lion-Scream-Syllabic-Southern-Wildlife-ebook/dp/B0BXP5N766

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta is also the author and illustrator of sixteen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of three 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

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

WordCrafter News: Looking Ahead

Posted: February 24, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Book Release, Books, Dark fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, Time travel, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Midnight Oil, Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, Rock Star 2: Seeing Doubles, WordCrafter News, WordCrafter Press | 17 Comments

The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles

Scheduled for release in May, The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles is in the final developmental editing stages. I have a beta reader sitting at the ready before a final proofread and formatting of the book. I’m finding solutions to a couple of problems I’ve had from early on with this story because of the multiple time lines it deals with, which may require some extensive rewriting. It has already taken longer than anticipated and I’m behind schedule with it, which is why I’ve pushed back to May. But hey, when you’re dealing with time travel, you have all the time in the world, right? Even if it gets pushed back to a May release, this book will be well worth the wait. I have had tons of fun with the writing of it, and I know readers will have fun reading it.

Book Cover: Psychedelic time piece in background with three women in black leather on the left and three men dressed as cowboys on the right of an elongated and skewed purple guitar.
Text: The Rock Star & The Outlaw 2: Seeing Doubles, When a Woman with a Guitar Meets a Cowboy with a gun, It's Time to Travel, Kaye Lynne Booth

In 1887, LeRoy is stuck, bringing trouble down on those around him. When Sissy is kidnapped and he’s the only one who can save her.

In 2030, Amaryllis will stop at nothing to find LeRoy fix what she messed up in the past, when she wakes up in a future very different to the one she knows, one in which she may not be born.

She and a version of Monique which is different from the one she grew up with travel back to 1887 to try and make things right.

When they cross the other time loops, already created, things change, but not the way Amaryllis intended.

Add two time travel regulators from the future who are after the time module, and things start to get wild.

2025 WordCrafter Dark Fiction Contest Reminder

Book Cover: A garden at night lit by several small lights and a lantern with a candle in the center.
Text: Midnight Oil: Stories to fuel your nightmares, A WordCrafter Midnight Anthology, Edited by Kaye Lynne Booth

Just a reminder: There’s still time to enter your dark fiction story into the 2025 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest, for a chance to have your story featured in this year’s dark fiction anthology, Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares. The submission deadline is April 30, and you can find submission guidelines here.

Preparations for Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures

Book Cover: Treasure chest with a book and a cup of tea on top sitting in a field of flowers with hilly landscape in the background.
Text: Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures, WordCrafter Poetry Anthology compiled and edited by Kaye Lynne Booth & Robbie Cheadle

Robbie and I will both be working on compiling Poetry Treasures 5: Simple Pleasures, which will be scheduled for release in April, during National Poetry Month. This year’s contributors are DL Mullan, Barbara Harris Leonhard, Jude Itakali, Ivor Steven, Robbie Cheadle, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Gwen M. Plano, Elizabeth Gauffreau, David Bogomolny, Dawn Pisturino, Maggie Watson, and Colleen Chesebro.

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This post sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services.