Book Review: The Shaman
Posted: November 11, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Magical Realism, Review, Self-Discovery, Speculative Fiction | Tags: Book Review, Joseph Carrabis, Magical Realism, The Shaman, Writing to be Read 3 Comments
About the Book
Gio Fortuna, a boy spurned by his parents for being “slow,” is raised by his grandfather in the ways of the Practice, a rich esoteric discipline drawing upon mystic traditions passed down over thousands of years from a multitude of cultures. Written in five parts chronicling Gio’s life, The Shaman sees Fortuna embark on a journey from initiate to adept, young boy to old man, as he navigates a network of teachers, each with their own unique lessons and challenges. Steeped in wisdom applicable to all, The Shaman is an inspiring story that proposes a unique path to self-discovery and growth unlike anything written before.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Shaman-Joseph-Carrabis/dp/B0CJ43GCDH/
My Review
I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The Shaman, by Joseph Carrabis is an adventure into the human coondition and beyond. I’ve learned more about myself from this book than I ever have from any work of fiction. A journey into the magical worlds of world cultures, this tale uses magical realism to guide us through an amazing adventure. As always, Carrabis is a master at lining his fiction with valuable lessons for all of us.
The magic of shamans lies within Gio Fortuna and Shaman is the story of his journey to discover the magic within himself, learn to use it, and teach others who are eagar to learn. But as he learns, others don’t understand, and they fear him for what he does. Feeling outcast and trying to find his place in life, Gio is on an amazing life-long journey of self-discovery. He learns something new with every interaction, whether they be teacher or student. For Gio, the incredible is ordinary, although most everyone else is left in awe.
Carrabis skillfully crafts his tale into life lessons learned by his character, Gio. As Gio ventures through life on a soul searching journey, each lesson is portrayed in a way which leaves them open to interpretation, for the reader to attach their own meanings. If you read this book, you will, too, without even realizinng that you’re doing it. I read chapters over repeatedly in order to grasp the meanings that were waiting there for me, although sometimes differing from their meanings for Gio.
I have always been interested in the mystical, but it hasn’t come naturally to me. I’ve never truly been able to meditate, and often fallen asleep during my attempts at it. Gio shows me what I need to do, but I need to learn to do it: lower – center – relax -breathe. The lessons which Gio learns and teaches are within the grasp of us all, and the author kindly lists them at the back of the book, where they can be referred to easily. As for the rest, we must each seek out our own path in our own way.
A spiritual oddesy in human nature, with so many lessons inside. I give The Shaman 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 here.
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Book Review: The Funny Business
Posted: November 10, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Review, Short Fiction, Stories | Tags: Book Reviews, Fantasy, Humor, Kevin J. Anderson, Short Fiction, Short Stories, The Funny Business, Writing to be Read 2 Comments
About the Book
Sometimes you just want to be silly.
#1 Bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson is known for his grand science fiction sagas, his epic fantasies, his fast-paced adventures, or his steampunk Clockwork chronicles.
But Kevin J. Anderson also has a lighter side. You’ll laugh so hard, brains will come out your nose.
What happens when—
A wimpy, henpecked man finds an enchanted loincloth that turns him into a real jungle Ape Man?
A stranded alien uses his advanced technology to fool audiences as a stage magician?
A frustrated monster-movie actor uses a gypsy witch’s special makeup to turn into a real werewolf when the cameras start to roll?
A group of heavy-metal fans finds a spell on the internet to raise their favorite dead rock star from the grave for a final encore?
A vampire, just minding his own business, wakes from his coffin to find he’s being stalked through his own castle by an over-enthusiastic vampire hunter?
A futuristic law firm uses time travel as a legal loophole to win their client’s case?
Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. takes on the Boogeyman for a client, or is hired out to save a sacrificial Aztec Christmas turkey?
These twenty stories cover a range of slapstick, subtle, short-short, and groaner humor. The Funny Business also includes for the very first time the scripts of the hilarious comic miniseries Grumpy Old Monsters, never before published.
Beware—silliness ahead. Open the book, and prepare to snicker!
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Funny-Business-Kevin-J-Anderson-ebook/dp/B0C2QLRKML
My Review
The Funny Business, by Kevin J. Anderson is a collection of 20 totally silly stories, which entertain and elicit chuckles, including a few that he wrote with wife, Rebecca Moesta or other co-authors.
With so many stories, I’m not going to talk about them all. But I will mention those which particularly stuck out for me.
- “Frog Kiss” is a classic fairytale turned upside down and a lesson in appreciating what life offers.
- “Special Makeup” is werewolf story that proves you should be careful what you wish for.
- “Bump in the Night” is a short Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. adventure, when Dan is hired by the Boogyman to protect him from his overbearing aunts. Dan Shamble as always, is good for a few laughs.
- “Paradox & Greenblatt, Attorneys at Law” are legal beagles specializing in time-travel dilemmas. By the time the case is through Paradox’s defense tactics may leave your head tied in ridiculous knots of possibilities and probabilities.
- “Eighty Letters, Plus One” (with Sarah A. Hoyt), tells the tale of a misguided inspector with his priorities terribly twisted. The final letter offers a final ironic twist to this tale.
- “The Sacrifice” brings us a village virgin awaiting the dragon to come for his ritual sacrifice, harboring a secret that may put the joke on the dragon.
- “Technomagic” is a story about what happens when an alien being is stranded on Earth for twenty-seven years. The report he gives upon rescue may surprise you.
- “Dark Carbucle” ( with Janis Ian), is a story of a rock stars personal hell.
- “Cold Dead Turkey” is another Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. story. Always a favorite for me. I love the antics of Dan and the antics of the unnatural quarter. In this one, an Aztec mummy hires him to track down his stolen wish turkey. ( I told you many of these tales were just plain silly… but really fun.)
- “Loincloth” (with Rebecca Moesta), is the story of a timid little man who uses Tarzan’s loincloth to bring out the beast in him.
Of course, there are many more, including a comic strip script for “Grumpy Old Monsters” (with Rebecca Moesta), which is a different kind of reading, but funny just the same.
Twenty stories that will tickle your funny bone, I give The Funny Business 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 here.
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Growing Bookworms – War in Children’s Literature: yes or no? #GrowingBookworms #childrensliterature #warbooks
Posted: November 8, 2023 Filed under: Books, Children's Books, Classics, Fiction, Growing Bookworms, Historical Fiction | Tags: Children's Books, Growing Bookworms, Historical Fiction, Robbie Cheadle, War and children, Writing to be Read 68 Comments
The world is full of conflict currently, and this has been the case throughout the reign of ‘civilized man’ on this beautiful planet of ours.
According to save the children US, a total of 93,236 children have been killed or maimed in conflicts in the last ten years (this figure is from November 19, 2020 before the two recent conflicts centering around Ukraine and Israel), which equates to 25 children (an averaged size school classroom) of children every day.
These children were mainly victims of airstrikes, shelling, landmines, and other explosive weapons used in populated areas.
War and conflict is a very real factor of human society. Wars displace people and create refugees; people who are unable to continue living in their homes and carrying on with their daily lives because of violence. Refugees are a huge concern and area of focus in Western society.
With these thoughts and figures in mind, I ask, should children read books about war?
My answer is yes. Books and stories are a way of teaching empathy, understanding, and raising awareness.
Jennifer Armstrong is quoted as saying: “if we don’t encounter war in the safe way, by experiencing it through literature and art, how will we be moved to avoid the real thing? Reading about was doesn’t imply an endorsement of it: it’s a way of acknowledging part of the human experience that has been with us since the days of the Trojan War and long before. If you really want to teach young readers about peace, give them books about war.”
Jennifer Armstrong is the author of over 50 books for children from kindergarten through to high school. She is best known for writing historical fiction. You can read more about Jennifer Armstrong here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Armstrong
To:You
Mon 2023/11/06 09:29
Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote: “Children think about and ponder such matters as justice, the purpose of life, the why of suffering. They often find it difficult to make peace with the idea that animals are slaughtered so that man can eat them. They are bewildered and frightened by death. They cannot accept the fact that the strong should rule the weak.” You can read more about Isaac Bashevis Singer here: https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/hebrew-literature-biographies/isaac-bashevis-singer
I’ve always been fascinated by war and have been reading about children and adults in war situations since I was a young girl. These are a few of the books about war and conflict situations I was given by Sister Agatha when I was a young student (10, 11 and 12 years old) at Holy Cross Convent in George in the Western Cape of South Africa:
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Discovered in the attic where she spnt the last years of her life, Anne Frank’s remarkable diary has become a world classic—a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit.
In 1942, as Nazis occupied Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the secret upstairs rooms of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death.
In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, Anne’s account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.
I am David by Anne Holm
David escapes from the concentration camp where he has spent his entire life and flees across Europe. He is utterly alone – who can he trust? What will await him? And all the while, how can he be sure that they won’t catch up with him…David learns that his polite manner, his haunted eyes and his thin features are strange to other people. He must learn to fend for himself in this strange new world.
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
This semi-autobiographical classic, written by the beloved Judith Kerr, tells the story of a Jewish family escaping Germany in the days before the Second World War.
This beautiful new edition celebrates the fifty year anniversary of an adventure that Michael Morpurgo called “The most life-enhancing book you could ever wish to read.”
Suppose your country began to change. Suppose that without your noticing, it became dangerous for some people to live in it any longer, and you found, to your surprise, that your own father was one of those people. This is what happened to Anna in 1933.
Anna is too busy with her schoolwork and tobogganing to listen to the talk of Hitler. But one day she and her brother Max are rushed out of Germany in alarming secrecy, away from everything they know. Their father is wanted by the Nazis. This is the start of a huge adventure, sometimes frightening, very often funny and always exciting.
Judith Kerr wrote When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit fifty years ago, based on her own journey, so that her own children would know where she came from and the lengths to which her parents went to keep her and her brother safe. It has gone on to become a beloved classic that is required reading for many children all over the world and is an unforgettable introduction to the real-life impact of the Second World War.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
A powerful story set in Nazi occupied Denmark in 1943. Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen is called upon for a selfless act of bravery to help save her best-friend, Ellen – a Jew.
It is 1943 and for ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen life is still fun – school, family, sharing fairy stories with her little sister. But there are dangers and worries too – the Nazis have occupied Copenhagen and there are food shortages, curfews and the constant threat of being stopped by soldiers. And for Annemarie the dangers become even greater… her best-friend Ellen is a Jew. When Ellen’s parents are taken away to be ‘relocated’ by the Nazis, Ellen is taken in by Annemarie’s parents and suddenly Annemarie’s family are under threat too.
Annemarie has to call upon all her resources for courage and bravery as she helps her friend make a daring escape.
A Newbery Medal winner by an acclaimed author *For readers from 8 to 12 *
I still enjoy reading children’s books about war, and have written one, While the Bombs Fell, myself. These are few I’ve enjoyed.
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Michael Morpurgo has a number of children’s books that centre around war and conflict situations. This blurb is for War Horse.
An unforgettable tale of war, redemption, and a hero’s journey. It is 1914, and Joey, a farm horse, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of World War I on the Western Front. When Joey is dragged away, his heart aches for Albert, the farmer’s son he is forced to leave behind. In the army the beautiful red-bay horse is trained to charge the enemy, drag heavy artillery, and carry wounded soldiers not much older than Albert off the battlefields. Amongst the clamoring of guns, and while plodding through the cold mud, Joey wonders if the war will ever end. And if it does, will he ever find Albert again? War Horse joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!
Elizabeth’s War by DL Finn
It’s April of 1917, and World War I has reached Elizabeth’s family on their wheat farm in North Dakota. Although the battles are being fought overseas, the war has affected her in ways she couldn’t have imagined. Elizabeth is thrust into a new role after her brother and father leave the farm to do their part in the war. And she’s only eleven years old! Having almost died as a toddler, Elizabeth has been babied most of her life. Now she must learn to help out around the farm; cooking, cleaning, and tending to the garden and livestock. No longer can she run from her responsibilities, as she did when her horse Rosie was giving birth. There were complications during the delivery, and Elizabeth panicked and froze. The foal didn’t make it. Elizabeth faces her biggest challenge yet as a huge Christmas Eve snowstorm rages outside, cutting her family off from any help; and her mother is about to have a baby! Her brother and sister are laid up with chicken pox. Does Elizabeth face her fears or run from them? Can she help her family, who need her more now than ever? Or will she retreat like she did when Rosie needed her?
You can find out more about DL Finn’s latest book here: https://dlfinnauthor.com/2023/10/30/new-release-the-destination-harbor-pointe-series-book-3-dlfinnauthor-harborpointeseries-storyempire-writingcommunity-whattoread/
My Gentle War: Memoir of an Essex Girl by Joy Lennick
The affection Joy Lennick nee Mansfield felt and feels for Wales is immediately evident in this charming memoir.
Separated in World War 11 from her parents – with her father serving in the Royal Air Force abroad and her mother working in munitions – she finds herself living on a mountain with her two brothers. It is a world away from the cosy environment of her home in Dagenham, Essex.
You can read one of Joy Lennick’s blog posts here: https://joylennick.wordpress.com/2017/12/21/a-labyrinth-of-meanings/
While the Bombs Fell by Robbie Cheadle and Elsie Hancy Eaton
What was it like for children growing up in rural Suffolk during World War 2? Elsie and her family live in a small double-storey cottage in Bungay, Suffolk. Every night she lies awake listening anxiously for the sound of the German bomber planes. Often they come and the air raid siren sounds signalling that the family must leave their beds and venture out to the air raid shelter in the garden. Despite the war raging across the English channel, daily life continues with its highlights, such as Christmas and the traditional Boxing Day fox hunt, and its wary moments when Elsie learns the stories of Jack Frost and the ghostly and terrifying Black Shuck that haunts the coastline and countryside of East Anglia. Includes some authentic World War 2 recipes.
The ebook of While the Bombs Fell is available from Lulu.com here: https://www.lulu.com/shop/robbie-cheadle-and-elsie-hancy-eaton/while-the-bombs-fell/ebook/product-23768958.html?page=1&pageSize=4
You can find out more about the South African concentration camps in my book, A Ghost and His Gold. IT IS NOT FOR CHILDREN. https://tslbooks.uk/product/a-ghost-and-his-gold-roberta-eaton-cheadle/
About Robbie Cheadle
Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published fifteen children’s book and two poetry books. Her work has also appeared in 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’s new Southern African Safari Adventures series is aimed at teaching young children about Southern African wildlife in a fun and entertaining way. Each book contains a rhyming verse story about a particular animal, as well as illustrations by Robbie Cheadle, photographs and links to video footage about that animal.
Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/
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Book Review: Three Years of Her Life
Posted: November 4, 2023 Filed under: Anthology, Book Review, Books, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Review | Tags: Book Review, C.E. Robinson, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Three Years of Her Life, Writing to be Read 6 CommentsAbout the Book
This debut novel is an indelible portrait of family love, trust, commitment, and unrelenting prejudice. A stirring tale that rides the line between historical fiction and romance., inspired by a famous musician’s hidden secret in Germany.
Three Years of Her Life, set in New England and Central Europe, is similar in concern and significant issues to bestselling America epic books of the Great Depression, The Great War and the U.S. South. People and places focused, the novel’s heartwarming and heart wrenching themes mark history in unsettled times.
My Review
The first thing that struck me about Three Years of Her Life, by C.E.Robinson, was the gorgeous cover. I was fortunate to have a print copy gifted to me by the author, which is always a treat. Most of the historical romance I read are westerns, but when well written, I have a taste for it at times. As her debut novel, C.E. Robinson has done a smashing job with this one. This novel was engaging, never losing my interest and I enjoyed every turn of the page. I found myself creating extra opportunities to read this print edition.
A romance set in the 1960s, ventures deeper into the past as Elizabeth and Erik delve into the hidden secrets of Elizabeth’s grandfather, to unravel a mystery dating back to Nazi Germany. What they uncover could unravel her whole family as old predjudices simmer just below the surface, and sometimes boil over into the public eye. Then the past reaches out to touch them both, when Erik is detained in East Germany as they raise the Berlin Wall, and Elizabeth, pregnant with their first child, journeys to West Germany to somehow bring him home. A tale of true love of the purest kind, as Elizabeth does what she must to keep the man she loves.
Mystery, intrigue and danger. Three Years of Her Life has all that and more. This historical romance is thoroughly engaging. I give it 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 here.
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Book Review: Yes, And
Posted: November 3, 2023 Filed under: Audiobook Review, Books, Commercial Fiction, Drama, Review | Tags: Ageing, Bethany Luhrs, Book Review, Cynthia Gunderson, Humor, Writing to be Read, Yes. And 2 CommentsAbout the Book
College student Toby and sharp 87-year-old Jo may sound like an unlikely pair, but the neighbors find unexpected friendship when they take on Jo’s money-hungry nursing aides and work to uncover Toby’s purpose. Together, they embark on madcap adventures and explore life’s mysteries in this touching, humorous tale that’s perfect for fans of Fredrik Backman.
My Review
I listened to the audio book, Yes, And, by Cynthia Gunderson and narrated by Bethany Luhrs. This story was different, outside of my usual reading or listening fare, but the title intrigued me, and so I picked it up with a Chirp deal. It is a heart warming, feel good story in many ways, yet it is not all smiles. It focuses on realistic situations and events that are relatable.
Jo is an older woman whose mind may be slipping some, but has it together most of the time. She believes her caregivers are stealing from her, but it is written off as paranoia, or forgetfulness by most. When young Toby moves in next door, an unlikely friendship forms as they team up to find out if Jo is right. This is a story about finding our own path in life and respecting the paths of others.
This is a touching tale of acceptance and caring, proving that everybody needs somebody. Gunderson’s dialog is spot on, and her characters are realistic and likeable. In fact, I kind of fell in love with them, just a little.
Bethany Luhrs does a nice job of differentiating characters, and somehow manages to do an eighty-something woman and a twenty-one year old man with equal conviction. Kudos on a story well read.
This book had the potential to be a really great story, with an ‘everybody needs somebody’ theme. Unfortunately, there was not enough foreshadowing, so often twists in the story came as a bigger surprise than they should have been and this reader felt like something important was missed, so I can only give it four 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 here.
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Book Review: The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet
Posted: October 28, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Review | Tags: Book Review, Flash Fiction, M J Mallon, Poetry, The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet, Writing to be Read 6 CommentsAbout the Book
The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet is a collection of poetry and flash fiction celebrating the beautiful vulnerability of the forest kingdom. It begins with the poetic tale of the kind-hearted Hedge Witch, Fern, who discovers an injured stranger in desperate need of her woodland spells and magic.
The sweet pairing learn from each other and through Fern’s guidance, Devin embraces the power of magic to leave behind his troubled past to become The Musical Poet.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Hedge-Witch-Musical-Poet-Fiction-ebook/dp/B0B56G2GHT/
My Review
The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet, by M J Mallon is a lovely poetic collection which forms a lyrical tale of a man found in the forest and transformed, with the help of the Hedge Witch, into the poet the forest needs him to be. This enchanting tale unravels through a combination of flash fiction and poetry which explores magical realms and celebrates the forest. The playful, happy tone makes this tale the perfect short read for a palate cleanser after a more serious story where the fate of the world is at stake, or following a deep dive into the human psyche. It’s also a light story which can be consumed within a half hour or so, if you’ve got some time to kill. I used it as both, since I read it twice.
Delightfully entertaining, I give The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet 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 here.
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Book Review: Snowman Shivers & Prospero’s Ghost
Posted: October 27, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Dark Humor, Fiction, Ghost Stories, Humor, Short Fiction, Stories | Tags: Book Review, Dark Humor, Free Books, Kimberly Footit, Mark Leslie, Prospero's Ghost, Short Fiction, Snowman Shivers, Writing to be Read 4 CommentsAbout Snowman Shivers
You might never build another snowman again!
If you ever cast an uncomfortable glance over your shoulder when passing the silent snowy sentinels that stand looking at you as you pass on the icy sidewalk, if you’ve ever questioned what might really happen if the old silk hat placed on Frosty the Snowman’s head was truly magic, then these two dark humor snowman tales by Mark Leslie are for you.
Amazon Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Snowman-Shivers-Humor-Tales-Snowmen-ebook/dp/B006KF67GK/
My Review
Did you ever wonder what really happens when snowmen really come to life. Snowman Shivers, by Mark Leslie offers two darkly humorous that may send shivers up your spine, or at least evoke a few chuckles, and I guaruntee you will never think about snowmen in the same way.
About Prospero’s Ghost
Decades after his death, renowned Shakespearean scholar Dr. Marshall Emerson returns from the grave to seek vengeance on those who dared disturb his fitful sleep.
Emerson, whose specialty was the bard’s The Tempest and was nicknamed “Professor Prospero” could never be spotted walking the grounds of McMaster University without the precious 1861 folio edition of Shakespeare’s works clutched in his hands.
When McMaster University library and bookstore staff begin producing replica versions of his original text on a newly acquired Espresso Book Machine, Emerson’s ghost returns, intent to put a stop to this “desecration” of his beloved text.
Amazon Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Prosperos-Ghost-Cautionary-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B008BC28NQ/
My Review
I said it before, and I will say it again. I’m just a sucker for a good ghost story. Prospero’s Ghost, by Kimberly Footit & Mark Leslie is delightful short story of haunting porportions. It seems a love of literature A tale of a haunted campus library that can be read in one sitting, this story is for ghost lovers everywhere.
Get Them Free
You can find both of these books in the “FREE Reads” on Mark Leslie’s Books2Read author page here: https://books2read.com/markleslie. (You can find them both on Amazon, too, but Prospero’s Ghost is .99 cents, instead of free.)
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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 here.
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Dark Origins – A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe based on the Great Plague of London, 1665 #DarkOrigins #readingcommunity #history
Posted: October 25, 2023 Filed under: Books, Dark Origins, Fiction, Historical Fiction | Tags: A Journal of the Plague Year, BookReview, Daniel Defoe, Dark Origins, Robbie Cheadle, Writing to be Read 28 Comments
Overview
A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe is a most interesting book particularly in light of the recent Covid-19 pandemic that swept the world.
It is written in the first-person as a first hand account of the protagonist’s, identified as H.F. and described as an unmarried saddler, experiences during the great plague that afflicted London in 1665. The story is fiction but it contains detailed statistics of the death bills as the plague started to take hold and over the months of its duration, charts, data and extracts from government documents which make it read like the non-fictional personal diary of someone who was recording the facts and figures of the time.
When the plague first comes to the city, it is contained to certain parishes and is staved off by the colder winter weather, but when late spring and summer arrive, the numbers of the infected and the dead increase significantly. The protagonist is aware that the rich are leaving the city, but he is very religious and believes that God wants him to stay.
He describes how the poor are tricked into purchasing preventative medicines and charms by quack doctors, fortune tellers, and other tricksters. It is interesting that he picks this thread up again later in the book and states that all of these ‘pretenders’ succumb to the plague.
H.F. describes in detail the horror of the plague. How infected people go mad and run naked through the streets until they drop down dead. He describes how the authorities implement a system of the shutting up of houses in terms of which when any member of a household was identified as having being infected, the entire household were locked up in the house and a watchman placed outside the door so they could not escape. The protagonist is not in favour of this system as it results in all the inhabitants of the household becoming infected and dying of the plague. It also results in a lot of desperate bids to escape shut up houses that resulted in the plague spreading further. Interestingly enough, a similar attempt to keep people in their homes during the Covid-19 pandemic also didn’t achieve the expected success and resulted in a huge amount of resistance by people.
H.F. depicts a governing structure in the city that is sympathetic to the situation of the poor and ensures that people have access to bread at a reasonable price throughout the duration of the plague. He goes into a lot of detail about the price of bread versus the weight of the loaves before the plague. The city is kept free of bodies which are collected at night and taken to mass graves.
The protagonist also goes into a lot of detail about the effect of the plague on the people of the city. The grief experienced by survivors who have lost their entire families and who follow their dead loved ones and throw themselves into the mass graves and other ‘infected’ people who effectively kill themselves because of the pain the disease is inflicting on them.
The narrator tells a lengthily story about three brothers who leave the city to escape the plague and meet up with a small band of other people also leaving. The difficulties experienced by Londoners who left the city and attempted to live in the countryside while the plague raged are detailed. The suspicion and lack of welcome by the rural villages and town who do not wish to accept any Londoners into their areas for fear of their carrying the plague, and the lack of shelter, food, and other amenities. The three brothers and their band manage to make a success of it with some help from a local wealthy landowner. They actually outlive a lot of the villagers when the plague does spread out of London and into the surrounding countryside.
Reading this book after the Covid-19 pandemic was fascinating. The parallels between this event more than 350 years ago in London and the experiences and reactions of people during the time of the pandemic are have a dreadful similarity. People turn to religion and to quack remedies, people resist the attempts by authorities to contain the disease by findings ways to escape from their homes, people suffer depression and loss.
This book is certainly not for everyone as it is filled with facts and figures, but I found it very interesting and appreciated the historical information shared.
The Great Plague of 1665 – 1666
The plague that broke out in London in 1665 was the worst outbreak to effect England since the black death of 1348. It is believed at approximately 15% of the population of London died. The recorded deaths were 68,596 but it is believed at least 100,000 people died. The population of the city in 1665 was 460,000.
The plague was carried by fleas on rats and they were attracted to the poorer parts of the city where rubbish and waste filled the streets.
There were three types of plague:
- Bubonic plague that caused swellings (buboes) in the lymph nodes found in the armpits, groin and neck. These sufferers experienced headaches, vomiting and fever. Sufferers had a 30% chance of dying within two weeks.
- Pneumonic plague which attacked the lungs and spread to other people through coughing and sneezing; and
- Septicaemic plague which occurred when the bacteria entered the blood. The chances of survival of this type of plague were very slim.
The treatments and methods of prevention were privative. Patients were bled with leeches. The air was cleansed using smoke and heat as people thought bad air caused the distemper. Children were encouraged to smoke to ward off bad air. Some people sniffed a sponge soaked in vinegar.
When the winter arrived, the plague started to decrease. Scientists believe this was due to people developing a stronger immunity to the disease rather than the great fire of London on 2 September 1666, making any notable impact through the destruction of houses within the walls of the city and on the banks of the River Thames. Many of the plague deaths had occurred in the poorest parishes outside the city walls
On The Plague Year: London, 1665
By DM Lovic
In London Town, the children played, the kittens purred, the flowers bloomed,
The adults laughed, the horses neighed, for no one knew they all were doomed.
Yes, all within the world was right when Death sneaked into town that night.
Beneath a haunted summer moon, upon a flute that whistled flat,
He played a slow, hypnotic tune that summoned every flea and rat
Who came from cellar, slum and glade to march the Devil’s plague parade.
Searching streets from side to side, the weakest souls with sword he struck,
Then left a token on their hide to signify the loss of luck.
For no one touched would e’er be saved, ‘twas six mere hours from spot to grave.
The wealthy fled to distant hills, doors were bolted, shutters locked,
But none could stop the morbid chills when death stood on the stoop and knocked.
Inside, they wept and fought with fate but, patiently, he’d smile and wait.
Sickness turned into despair, howls of terror, dreadful shrieks,
They echoed through the London air for weeks and weeks and weeks.
But panicked cries and wailing tears were only music to his ears.
One ghastly year that madness reigned and when Death fin’ly had withdrawn,
The price was tallied and explained: one hundred thousand souls were gone.
And London Town, in stark reverse, returned to life without the curse.
On city streets, the children played, the kittens purred, the flowers bloomed,
The adults laughed, the horses neighed, for every soul knew he was doomed.
From: The Poetry Nook
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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Treasuring Poetry – Meet the poet, Merril D Smith, and a book review #poetry #poetrycommunity #bookreview
Posted: October 18, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Interview, Poetry, Review, Treasuring Poetry | Tags: Book Review, Merril D. Smith, Poet Interview, Poetry, River Ghosts, Robbie Cheadle, Treasuring Poetry, Writing to be Read 65 Comments
Today, I am delighted to welcome talented poet, Merril D Smith as my October Treasuring Poetry guest. Merril has recently launched River Ghosts, a beautiful book of poetry which I have reviewed below.
Tell me a bit about your poetry collection, River Ghosts. What inspired the poetry in this book? Does it have a particular theme?
I had submitted a chapbook to Nightingale & Sparrow Press, which was longlisted, but ultimately not chosen for publication. The editor gave me some positive feedback, and I decided I would submit a full-length manuscript the following year. Of course, I did not expect a pandemic, nor that my mom would die from it in April 2020 during the first wave and lockdown. By that time, she was in a nursing home, and we were not allowed to be with her. I compiled River Ghosts in the months after her death with some already written poems—some published—and some new poems.
I walk by the Delaware River nearly every morning. Sometimes I go to a nearby park, which is also a historic battle site. The battle took place during the American Revolution, and there is an eighteenth-century house there. Recently, they’ve found more remains of soldiers—Hessians who fought for the British. If ghosts exist, I think they are at rivers, which carry so much history, and because of the battle and soldiers killed, I imagine them here.
So, the collection’s title comes from my musings about rivers and ghosts, including the ghosts of memory. However, I don’t think River Ghosts is all about sadness and grief by any means! I also want to mention that my older child, Jay Smith, designed the cover art, and the book is dedicated to my mother’s memory.
Do you do a lot of editing of your poetry or does the poem manifest itself fully formed?
That really depends. I nearly always do some editing, even for poems written for prompts. Sometimes, I go back to poems though, and I revise them. Then again, I’ve had some poems published that I pretty much wrote and sent off.
What do you find to be the most effective way of sharing your poetry with fellow poetry lovers?
I don’t know about effective. I suppose more people read my poetry on my blog, especially in response to a prompt, than anywhere else. I’ve also shared poems on Twitter /X for Top Tweet Tuesday (run by Black Bough Poetry), and I’ve read at some online open mics.
Do you think poetry is still a relevant form of expressing ideas in our modern world? If yes, why?
I think it’s relevant. I think I’ve read there’s been an upsurge in poetry, both reading and writing. Perhaps that’s because of social media and Covid lockdowns. I think most people enjoy poetry, especially if it’s read. For example, so many people were energized by Amanda Gorman’s reading of her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” at the inauguration of President Joe Biden in 2021. She is the youngest poet to have read a poem at a US presidential inauguration, and she is also an activist.
Which of your own poems is your favorite and why?
I don’t have a favorite anything—book, movie, song, or poem– it depends on my mood. But I will share one of my favorites from River Ghosts. “Moon Landing” was originally published by Black Bough Poetry.
Moon Landing
On that warm July night,
my father watched moonstruck
as Neil Armstrong took his giant leap.
I remained firmly earthbound,
watching our new puppies in the TV screen light,
their small black and white bodies tumbling,
stepping hesitantly into their futures.
Now—ensorcelled by moon-glow—
I plummet back, landing my time-rocket
on the rocky surface of memory.
Which poem by any other poet that you’ve read, do you relate to the most and why?
Again, I can’t say there is any poem that I relate to the most. I like many different types of poetry.
I think this is the poem I wish I had written. You will see in a way it’s connected to the poem of mine that I shared. “My God, It’s Full of Stars” is by Tracy K. Smith, who was US Poet Laureate, and who won a Pulitzer Prize for her collection Life on Mars.
My God, It’s Full of Stars by Tracy K. Smith
We like to think of it as parallel to what we know,
Only bigger. One man against the authorities.
Or one man against a city of zombies. One man
Who is not, in fact, a man, sent to understand
The caravan of men now chasing him like red ants
Let loose down the pants of America. Man on the run.
Man with a ship to catch, a payload to drop,
This message going out to all of space. . . . Though
Maybe it’s more like life below the sea: silent,
Buoyant, bizarrely benign. Relics
Of an outmoded design. Some like to imagine
A cosmic mother watching through a spray of stars,
Mouthing yes, yes as we toddle toward the light,
Biting her lip if we teeter at some ledge. Longing
To sweep us to her breast, she hopes for the best
While the father storms through adjacent rooms
Ranting with the force of Kingdom Come,
Not caring anymore what might snap us in its jaw.
Sometimes, what I see is a library in a rural community.
All the tall shelves in the big open room. And the pencils
In a cup at Circulation, gnawed on by the entire population.
The books have lived here all along, belonging
For weeks at a time to one or another in the brief sequence
Of family names, speaking (at night mostly) to a face,
A pair of eyes. The most remarkable lies.
2.
Charlton Heston is waiting to be let in. He asked once politely.
A second time with force from the diaphragm. The third time,
He did it like Moses: arms raised high, face an apocryphal white.
Shirt crisp, suit trim, he stoops a little coming in,
Then grows tall. He scans the room. He stands until I gesture,
Then he sits. Birds commence their evening chatter. Someone fires
Charcoals out below. He’ll take a whiskey if I have it. Water if I don’t.
I ask him to start from the beginning, but he goes only halfway back.
That was the future once, he says. Before the world went upside down.
Hero, survivor, God’s right hand man, I know he sees the blank
Surface of the moon where I see a language built from brick and bone.
He sits straight in his seat, takes a long, slow high-thespian breath,
Then lets it go. For all I know, I was the last true man on this earth. And:
May I smoke? The voices outside soften. Planes jet past heading off or back.
Someone cries that she does not want to go to bed. Footsteps overhead.
A fountain in the neighbor’s yard babbles to itself, and the night air
Lifts the sound indoors. It was another time, he says, picking up again.
We were pioneers. Will you fight to stay alive here, riding the earth
Toward God-knows-where? I think of Atlantis buried under ice, gone
One day from sight, the shore from which it rose now glacial and stark.
Our eyes adjust to the dark.
Continue reading here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/55519/my-god-its-full-of-stars
Here is the last part of the poem with a reading by Tracy K. Smith:
My review of River Ghosts
River Ghosts is the perfect name for this beautiful collection, which gives the reader glimpses into the poet’s life in the present, shadowed by memories, and coloured by traditions and behaviours passed down by her parents, and the ancestors that came before them. It is, in essence, an insight into the factors that make the poet who she is, and that have shaped her thoughts, ideas, and actions.
I found the ideas of loss contained in this book, interwoven with the concepts of long-lasting memories and loved ones living on through us, their offspring, compelling and delightful. For me, it made the overwhelming thought of the losses that must come, more bearable. Love, and the family traditions and behaviours we continue to honour, and pass down to our own children and grandchildren, bind us strongly to those who came before and to those who will come after. I love that idea.
A few examples of beautiful stanzas and/or lines:
“a tiny glove in the street,
the small hand grows colder
now unclasped from a larger one.”
From Observe, And Again
Above and about, dreams soar –
I pluck one from a thousand –
of red petals crushed beneath rocks
after a storm, like blood drops growing, glowing”
From Almost, and Never
“Once some brilliant star breathed time
in the after-wake of explosion and danced across a universe
exploring eternity”
From And If Always Lives
This poetry collection is a wonderful investment of time and mental energy.
River Ghosts Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WZ8F9XJ
About Merril D. Smith
Merril D. Smith is a poet living in southern New Jersey. Her work has been published in poetry journals and anthologies, including Black Bough Poetry, Acropolis, Anti-Heroin Chic, The Storms, Fevers of the Mind, Humana Obscura, and Nightingale and Sparrow. She holds a Ph.D. in American history from Temple University in Philadelphia and is the author/editor of numerous books on gender, sexuality, and history. Her full-length poetry collection, River Ghosts (Nightingale & Sparrow Press) was Black Bough Poetry’s December 2022 Book of the Month.
Twitter: @merril_mds
Instagram: mdsmithnj
Blog: merrildsmith.org
US Amazon Link for River Ghosts: https://www.amazon.com/River-Ghosts-Merril-D-Smith/dp/B09WZ8F9XJ
UK Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/River-Ghosts-Merril-Smith-ebook/dp/B09XKLDG6Q
Writer’s Corner: The Value of Going Wide & Books2Read Links
Posted: November 6, 2023 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Book Sales, Commentary, Indie Publishing, Publishing, Self-Publishing, Writer's Corner | Tags: Books2Read, Publishing Wide, Writer's Corner, Writing to be Read | 14 CommentsWhy Publish Wide?
We’ve all heard of Amazon. They are the single largest book distributors out there, but they aren’t just a book distributor, but they require exclusivity and they make authors jump through hoops for them to give us a second glance. Now, I admit, I have a problem with going exclusive with Amazon KU, although I know there are may authors out there who do quite well. But Amazon also has a habit of cancelling author accounts for percieved infractions to their Terms of Service. So, just stop and think for a moment what would happen if Amazon were to decide that something you do violates their TOS and cancels your account. You can appeal the decision, and you might even win, but in the meantime, your books are not available anywhere and you’re loosing money, or at least the potential for money.
Most of us have heard of Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Apple Books, and Rakutan Kobo. These are the larger book distributors, and books are what they do, so authors can get a little loving care when dealing with these guys, but with the exception of Smashwords, you may have to be an author with a bigger name to get noticed. But here’s the thing. Publishing on each of these platforms is possible, (with the exception of KU, which requires exclusivity, but Amazon will let you publish without being in KU), but it would be very time-consuming. Any time that I spend publishing, is time that I’m not writing, so for me, publishing once to D2D and letting them take care of the rest is appealing.
Some distributors are only available in certain countries outside the U.S. Others are subscription services, or like Overdrive, sell only to libraries. My books are available on all of them and I only have to hit publish twice: once for the digital format and once for the print book. To me extending my reach in this way just makes good sense.
Why Use Books2Read Links?
I work with a lot of authors doing WordCrafter anthologies, and I ask them all to use Books2Read links in their promotions. I’ve had several people feeling the need for an Amazon link, because that is what they’ve become accustomed to. I had to explain that the Amazon link shows up under the Books2Read link, along with links for Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Rakutan Kobo, Scribd, Smashwords, Baker & Taylor, Overdrive, Tolino, Bibliotheca, Odilo, Borrow Box, Palace Marketplace, Gardners, Vivlio, and others. Google Play is the only one I know of that D2D does not work with. If you haven’t heard of some of the above distributors, don’t be surprised. I hadn’t either until I started publishing through Draft2Digital.
Every book I publish through D2D gets a Books2Read link, so with one click readers can find links for all the distributors carrying my book and select their favorite distributor in order to make their purchase. This makes my books available on all devices, not just Kindle. Above is a screenshot of my Books2Read landing page for The Rock Star & The Outlaw. You can see the distributors where my books are available. There may be others where print is available, but print links must be added manually, so I’ve only added the two largest ones. I’ll add others down the road when I find time. There are enough distributor choices here to reach readers on any device in many different countries.
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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; Book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. 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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