In essence: Amazing. This multi-talented, empathetic, creative woman displays talents in many areas.
Further, she pens words that she hopes will move others to help protect our world.
Along with writing poetry books, novels, short stories, and children’s literature, Robbie Cheadle not only decorates some of her pages with exquisite, professional photos that she shot—and even more amazing, she fashions cakes with sculptures of lions and other African wildlife, and flowers that accompany her writings.
Here’s a chance to peer into the mind of this remarkable woman. Enjoy!
About Roberta Eaton (Robbie) 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 seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four 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/.
My Interview with Robbie Cheadle
How did you come to write poetry?
From a young age (4 years old), I read a great deal. Television was very limited in South Africa when I was a child and my first sister was only born when I was 4 years old. Catherine was born prematurely and my parents moved to a cottage on a farm in the country to try to protect her from germs. I didn’t attend school during this time, and I had to entertain myself. I did that by reading. I grew to love the L.M. Montgomery books, especially her lesser-known series, Emily of New Moon. In the books, Emily’s late father was a poet and writer. Emily tries her hand at poetry as a way of keeping his memory alive. I was inspired by Emily to write short poems and descriptive pieces and did this throughout my senior primary school and high school years. English and History were my favourite subjects at school, and I excelled at both of them. I have been writing poetry ever since. It has evolved into a diary of my life.
What is your favourite poem by another poet?
When I was in primary school, about ten years old, we had to learn several poems by heart. Ever since then I have loved The Listeners by Walter de la Mare. The poem is full of mystery and delight.
The Listeners
By Walter de La Mare
‘Is there anybody there?’ said the Traveller, Knocking on the moonlit door; And his horse in the silence champed the grasses Of the forest’s ferny floor: And a bird flew up out of the turret, Above the Traveller’s head: And he smote upon the door again a second time; ‘Is there anybody there?’ he said. But no one descended to the Traveller; No head from the leaf-fringed sill Leaned over and looked into his grey eyes, Where he stood perplexed and still. But only a host of phantom listeners That dwelt in the lone house then Stood listening in the quiet of the moonlight To that voice from the world of men:
Stood thronging the faint moonbeams on the dark stair, That goes down to the empty hall, Hearkening in an air stirred and shaken By the lonely Traveller’s call. And he felt in his heart their strangeness, Their stillness answering his cry, While his horse moved, cropping the dark turf, ’Neath the starred and leafy sky; For he suddenly smote on the door, even Louder, and lifted his head:— ‘Tell them I came, and no one answered, That I kept my word,’ he said. Never the least stir made the listeners, Though every word he spake Fell echoing through the shadowiness of the still house From the one man left awake: Ay, they heard his foot upon the stirrup, And the sound of iron on stone, And how the silence surged softly backward, When the plunging hoofs were gone.
Life on the Water (Tanka story) medley of cool shades cerulean and turquoise lightened or darkened depending on water’s mood and artist’s vision
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painstaking brush strokes capturing shadows and light frothy, foaming crests enhanced with metallic white dancing across blue
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water shifts and sighs subtle movements captured in careful ripple lines swiftly flowing currents caught in muted aquamarine
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sand laden wavelets curl sluggishly around rocks smothered by sweet caress of ocean’s heaving bosom with its rhythmic rise and fall
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houseboat moves onwards temple to unconstrained thoughts colours meld as one in swirls, rises, and deep troughs impermanent no longer
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dreams, soft and wispy condensation trails through sky subtle as sunlight transferred to stark, white canvas soft splashes ricocheting
Picture caption: My acrylic painting called Fyrtorr which means beacon in Old English.
Tell us a bit about the inspiration for Lion Scream
Here’s an extract from Lion Scream:
The initial idea for a book of poetry that taught people about the numerous amazing creatures of southern Africa and highlighted their plight in the face of the Sixth Mass Extinction, came to me during a visit to Ukutula Lodge & Game Reserve (“Ukutula”). Ukutula is also a conservation facility specializing in genetic mammal research and predator conservation.
On my return home, my brother-in-law gifted me a print of Edvard Munch’s famous painting, The Scream.
According to a diary entry by Munch, the inspiration for this painting was as follows:
“One evening I was walking along a path, the city was on one side and the fjord below. I felt tired and ill. I stopped and looked out over the fjord – the sun was setting, and the clouds turning blood red. I sensed a scream passing through nature; it seemed to me that I heard the scream. I painted this picture, painted the clouds as actual blood. The color shrieked. This became The Scream.”
Based on The Scream, I created a cake I titled Lion Scream – Nature’s Response to the Sixth Mass Extinction and Global Warming, which depicted a lion, made from fondant, clasping its face and screaming, while standing on a bridge above a river of blood. Behind the lion, is an erupting volcano.
This cake was intended to be an artistic depiction of the natural world’s reaction to continuous land development by humans, resulting in the loss of habitat for the creatures which share this earth with us, and the increasing impact of global warming on humanity and the greater planet.
Lion Scream: Nature’s Response to the Sixth Mass
Picture Caption: Extinction and Global Warming Cake Art by Robbie Cheadle
Have you witnessed the killing of an African animal which acted as a trigger for your interest in animal conservation?
When I was 21, I met a man who hunted animals for sport. Prior to this, I had never had much interaction with wild animals other than in zoos. My mother grew up on a cattle farm and had little interest in engaging with animals in the wild. Interestingly, I’ve noticed she shares this disinterest with other people I know who also grew up on farms. Anyhow, this man invited me to go to Kimberley with him and his friends. They were going hunting, but they were also going to visit the ‘big hole’ in Kimberley which is an interesting feature of South African history. I agreed to go because I wanted to see Kimberley. The hunting trip was a complete horror show for me. I hadn’t really thought about what a hunting trip meant, and the men attempted to kill an antelope. It was a common antelope, what I call “lion snacks” as they keep the stock of impalas high in game reserves because they are food for the big cats. The shooter’s shot went wide, and he ended up wounding a baby impala. Aside from any other aspect, it was not the right season for hunting as the mother antelopes had small calves. The baby ran making the most terrible high-pitched sound, and the men had to go after the poor little thing. Eventually, they did put it out of its misery. I was completely horrified. After this trip, I ended the relationship and became involved in wildlife conservation. This has developed into my poetry books and paintings featuring southern African wildlife.
What’s next?
Currently, I am busy with the final edits to a collection so South African inspired short stories and poems. The book is called The Last Man, South African History, Legends, & Poetry. This book will be published through TSL Publication in the United Kingdom. I am also working on several new poetry collections and the second book in the Something Fancy book collection. This second book, Chocolate & Treats, should be ready for publication in early November this year. I always have a lot of projects on the go. I am also painting. My latest painting is of a Vervet Monkey and is part of my Into the Light series of painting. I am planning to paint an African Painted Dog next. It will be a much bigger project. I do a small one in between the larger ones so that I can practice drawing more often. The big paintings take me three to four months to complete.
Thank you for this lovely interview opportunity, Lindsey. I appreciate your interest in my work.
Lindsey’s Review of LION SCREAM Syllabic Poetry about Southern African Wildlife by Robbie Cheadle
Not only is Robbie Cheadle (a/k/a Roberta Cheadle) an excellent, engaging poet and fiction writer, she’s a woman with a mission—a crucial mission for not only the future of our planet and the wildlife on it, but for humanity itself. Plus, in this 163-page collection, her method of persuasion includes not only facts and figures about the demise of many of our planet’s creatures in Africa, it delights the reader with superb—and righteous, at times biting, poetry and fiction.
Most delightful is Cheadle’s use of the constraints of syllabic structure in unrhymed forms that recreate the tension between wild beasts and the fragment of society pushing them off their native environments. For example, the book’s opening poem, “Lion Scream” is a perfectly structured tanka (one of my favorite forms). I perceive the tanka as a haiku with more depth. As opposed to the 17-line poem, tankas are structured in five lines with the syllabic form: five, seven, five, seven, seven, which Cheadle does in “Lion Scream”:
There is no jungle Only acres of smooth stumps There is no jungle No habitat, no food source Hopeless lion screams tonight (Cheadle credits “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” in Disney’s The Lion King with inspiring this tanka.)
Although the collection contains other tankas, most of the poems are set in the Double Enneal format, far more complex. A Double Ennead comprises three stanzas of five lines each. Thus, the syllabic count for each stanza is 6/5/11/6/5, (33 syllables per stanza) i.e., each stanza is set as:
six syllables five syllables eleven syllables six syllable five syllables
Again, each of those syllabic counts are repeated in the second and third stanzas, totaling ninety-nine syllables for each poem.
In the collection’s introduction, Cheadle explains why she uses this format most frequently throughout the book:
“I selected this form of syllabic poem for LION SCREAM for two reasons . . . because I love syllabic poetry and the short dramatic statements it enables me to make through a few carefully chosen words.”
Her second reason concerns her mission: “. . . due to the importance of nature conservation to me, and my desire to share insights about the impact of habitat loss, hunting, and poaching on the wild animals of southern Africa, I decided that 99 syllables gave me more, a little more scope to make my specific points.”
Further, Cheadle photographed all but three of the photos in the book. After perusing the collection she shot —on par with those in National Geographic, depicting several species of wildlife, I felt as if I’d viewed a video of Africa, particularly in those sections about lions, elephants, and zebra, creatures especially close to my heart.
I admit my first encounter with elephants and camels was in the Kansas City Zoo, where we children rode those captive creatures. This book brought back those memories from an era wherein most persons believed such wildlife would continue to stroll the earth indefinitely.But Cheadle reveals that is no longer a future many experts anticipate.
Along with her own photos, the collection offers links to many of Africa’s animals. For instance, in the section, “My Experiences with Rhinos,” she includes four links to videos she took of rhinos, after noting, “My most recent sightings have largely been of dehorned animals, which I always find jarring. It is strange to see a rhino without its famous horn.”
Having grown up in South Africa, she first saw horned rhinos, and she questions, “I wonder if my grandchildren will know rhinos have horns. If the fight against poaching is unsuccessful, my grandchildren will only experience rhinos through pictures in history books.”
From the number of Double Enneads she included for elephants and lions, it appears they may be her favorite beasts. Along with those long poems and marvelous photographs, she includes sections, “About African Elephants, “My Experiences with Elephants,” “My Experiences with Lions,” and “More Experiences with Lions.”
Then, she wraps up the poetry section with photos of the African landscapes. A Double Ennead, “The Romance of the Sunflowers” and an explanation about how sunflowers feed the environment in “Sunflowers and the Environment” precede photos of African landscapes of mountains, plains, and striking sunsets, interlaced, of course, with more poetry.
Cheadle wraps up this collection with a short story, “The Nutcracker,” which deals primarily with how the changing environment causing the loss of wildlife can impact the human species, too. She follows that piece with her inspiration and explanation of the story. I rate this collection with FIVE STARS. Thank you, Robbie, for sharing it. —Lindsey Martin-Bowen
About Lion Scream
Do you rely on Earth for your survival?
Lion Scream is a graphic collection of poetry and prose. The book portrays the author’s experiences with South African wildlife and the growing impact of the Sixth Mass Extinction and Climate Change on the natural environment.
Lion Scream There is no jungle Only acres of smooth stumps There is no jungle No habitat, no food source Hopeless lion screams tonight
On Halloween 2023, redbat books released Lindsey Martin-Bowen’s 7th poetry collection, CASHING CHECKS with Jim Morrison. Her 4th collection, Where Water Meets the Rock, was nominated for a Pulitzer; her 3rd, CROSSING KANSAS with Jim Morrison was a finalist in the QuillsEdge Press 2015-2016 Contest. In 2017, it won the Kansas Writers Assn award, “Looks Like a Million.” Writer’s Digest gave her “Vegetable Linguistics” an Honorable Mention in its 85th Annual (2017) Contest. Her Inside Virgil’s Garage (Chatter House Press 2013) was a runner-up in the 2015 Nelson Poetry Book Award. McClatchy Newspapers named her Standing on the Edge of the World (Woodley Press/Washburn University) was one of the Ten Top Poetry Books of 2008. It was nominated for a Pen Award.
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This Segment of “Lindsey’s Writing Practice” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and The Dark Horse Waits in Boulder, by Lindsey Martin-Bowen.
Recently divorced Charli Erickson arrives in Boulder, Colorado during the 1970s—a wild time for that city—where she hopes to develop her “rock poet” talent and find the perfect mate. Instead, she links up with the imperfect Ched Lyons, a Boulder native who leads her in a multitude of adventures, including scaling a mountain and a 1,200-mile motorcycle ride to southeastern Utah. While she intermittently envisions a black stallion with blue eyes, who puzzles and enchants her, she also strives to make sense of its appearance.
Through Charli’s snarky humor recounting her tales, readers will enjoy this Rom-Com doubling as a woman’s adventure story and may relate to scenes from the wild, zany era that followed the serious, revolutionary 1960s.
Charlie and Simm, Montreal pub owners with a knack for sleuthing, thought they were taking on a straightforward case when Noah Wolfe hired them to find his missing family fortune. Their search leads them to the idyllic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, where they quickly realize this is no ordinary investigation. Joined by Noah’s sharp-witted sister-in-law, Sarah, they dig into the Wolfe family’s past at a grand estate brimming with secrets.
As tensions rise, Simm’s estranged brother and his wife arrive at the mansion, adding to the already crowded and mistrustful atmosphere. A simple search for lost money turns menacing with suspicious deaths, an attempted murder, and buried mysteries that refuse to stay hidden. The deeper they delve, the more dangerous the case becomes. Charlie and Simm are forced to confront their own fears and face a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to protect dark secrets, leading to a shocking climax that will change everything.
Award-winning author A.J. McCarthy brings back Charlie and Simm in this latest instalment of her mystery series. Can the much-loved couple outsmart a killer and unlock the puzzles that threaten them?
I received a digital copy of Smoke and Secrets, by A.J. McCarthy, from Sandra’s Book Club in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Always a fan of good mysteries, Smoke and Secrets, is up there with the best of them. This mystery is a big jigsaw puzzle, unfolding gradually as each new piece is uncovered. But each piece added brings even more mystery and more questions to the table, leaving the reader scratching her head in puzzlement all the way to the end.
My one complaint was with formatting issues, which made the paragraph layout weird and was distracting from the story. My eyes like to read in smooth lines and properly formed paragraphs, so this was a problem for me. I also noticed that the formatting didn’t offer page breaks between chapters, although that really wasn’t a big deal.
Simm used to be a P.I. and now cases keep falling into his lap, and his wife, Charlie is all in on helping to solve the case. This time an old client, Noah, shows up with a new dilemma to look into. His family was murdered in the last case they handled for him, and now, his brother has died and the family fortune has mysteriously come up missing. Simm and Charlie go with Noah and his siter-in-law, Sarah, to investigate the mystery and see if they can pick up a trail on the family fortune. Simms estranged brother and sister-in-law, Walter and Clarisse, show up unexpected and uninvited to round off our cast of characters. But, it soon becomes apparent that someone murdered Noah’s brother and covered up the crime.
Journals with poetic clues, secret passages and hidden keys all play a part in solving this well-crafted mystery. I give Smoke and Secrets four quills.
About The Corpse Wore Stilettos
SHE WORE A DONNA KARAN MARKED FOR REPOSSESSION.
Since Kat Waters’s father took a trip to the slammer on what she’s sure are trumped-up racketeering charges, life’s been tough. All their assets are frozen, and she’s down to the last few pairs of Jimmy Choos she can swap for rent. To keep her family out of the homeless shelter, the former socialite took a job at the local morgue—a job she’s about to lose when the body of a murder victim goes missing on her watch.
HE WORE A CAPTIVATING SMILE.
While Kat’s processing the latest victim in the prostitute serial killings, ex-Special Forces soldier Burns McPhee strolls in with an air of confidence, expecting access to the Jane Doe. While Burns tries to flirt his way into examining the latest victim, whom he thinks is connected to the death of his best friend, someone else steals the body right out from under them.
THE CORPSE WORE STILETTOS.
Dodging questions from the cops and kidnapping attempts from a body-snatching psycho, Kat and Burns forge a deal. He’ll clear her name and keep her safe if she gets him information on her peculiar coworkers, one of whom he’s certain is involved with the body heist. But digging up secrets can lead to a lower life expectancy. The unlikely team will need all their talents not to end up as the morgue’s next clients while they hunt for a murderer, the missing corpse, and a pair of diamond-studded stilettos.
I purchased a digital copy of The Corpse Wore Stilettos, by MJ Oniell, through a KindofBook Deal. I’m offering an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own. This murder mystery is book 1 of A Sharp-Dressed Corpse Mystery Series.
This was just a really cute murder mystery. Morgue worker Kat Waters finds herself in the middle of a body snatching. When all the evidence points to her involvement, and it seems the police aren’t inclined to look further, she finds herself playing amateur sleuth, searching for the real body-napper. She’s not sure who to trust, including ex-Special Forces soldier, Burns McFee, who always seems to show up in the oddest places, (like at the morgue at the same time the body was nabbed). Kat just keeps getting in deeper, and McFee offers to clear her name, so she teams up with him to investigate her slightly odd co-workers in order to discover who the inside man, or woman, is that aided in the body-napping.
While Mcfee has high-tech equipment and special ops people at his disposal, Kat relies on her good fashion sense to turn up clues about the well-dressed corpse and the body snatcher, just from observing their shoes, and eliminating suspects according to their attire. Filled with red-herrings, reversals, and lots of misdirection, this mystery leads to some surprising revelations.
A well-crafted murder mystery and a truly fun read. I give The Corpse Wore Stilettos five quills.
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 Book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders.
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, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. 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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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARC digital copies, (she also accepts print copies). Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
This month’s In Touch With Nature post is a little different. It is a re-write of Willkommen to Cabaret and is also an entry into Dan Antion’s Thursday Doors Writing Challenge 2026. To this end, some of the photographs set out below are from Dan’s challenge. I’ve attributed those photographs in the picture captions.
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 seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four 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/.
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.
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
Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares: 14 authors bring you 16 dark tales that explore your deepest fears. These are the stories which nightmares are made of. Tales of monsters, mayhem, and madness which will make you shiver in the dark. Read them while you burn the Midnight Oil… if you dare. https://books2read.com/Midnight-Oil
Darci Miller is fiercely committed to being the perfect daughter for her widowed father, but his overprotective nature is driving her crazy. Set in the backdrop of a Maine summer camp in 1972, this captivating young adult mystery/romance dives deep into a dark family secret surrounding her late mother—a mystery Darci is determined to unravel. When she learns of an opportunity to become a secretary at the very camp where her mother once worked in the 1950s, she jumps at the chance.
As Darci settles into camp life, she quickly realizes that there’s more afoot than just innocent marshmallow roasts. While a malicious prankster is playing cruel tricks, the head chef is on the verge of a culinary breakthrough—a machine that eliminates fat and calories from food. This invaluable invention has drawn the attention of someone intent on stealing it for financial gain and to settle old scores.
When Darci delves deeper into the mystery, she uncovers startling revelations about her mother’s past that could change everything. Amidst the escalating chaos, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to her charming boss, complicating her life further as she navigates the jealousy of the spoiled daughter of the camps’ owners. Will Darci be able to uncover the truth and protect those she cares about? Dive into this enthralling tale of love, betrayal, and discovery!
I received a digital copy of The Joker’s Revenge, by Nancy Beaule, through Sandra’s Book Club in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
This tale has a complicated mystery plot which grabs reader attention and keeps them guessing, but the presentation could have been smoother. There is little to no foreshadowing, so we learn things are in the scene or previous circumstances exist abruptly, only when their part to play is necessary, and come as a shock, pulling the reader out of the story. It throws the timing of things off and makes buy in somewhat difficult.
My other criticism of this book is that the characters are not well enough developed, which makes relationship.progression between them seem forced or fakey. I just didn’t feel it. Although Darci’s feelings toward Ryder are alluded to, it comes as shock to discover that they have a mutual relationship, making me pause to wonder why I didnt see that coming. It makes it all seem kind of sudden.
Darci takes a job at Camp Chickadee in search of answers about her deceased mother, who had also worked there, so many years ago. But, someone is playing pranks at the camp and leaving a calling card from “The Joker”, and each one is getting more serious. Darci is convinced that the pranks at the camp are connected to the time when her mother worked there, although I’m still not sure why.
As each prank gets more dangerous, and some of the campers are hurt, camp staff become convinced that Gunnar, the maintenance man is behind them, even before we see any evidence pointing to him. But there’s more going on, since DeAngelo, the cook, has invented a machine that removes the calories from food, and he’s convinced that Gunnar is after his invention.
Is Darci right about the pranks being connected to her mom’s time at Camp Chickadee? Or are they connected to DeAngelo’s invention? When DeAngelo starts acting suspicious and then, disappears, readers must wonder, but you’ll get no spoilers here.
Plenty of suspense and lots of twists, which makes it an intriguing mystery. I give The Joker’s Revenge four quills.
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 Book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders.
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, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. 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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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARC digital copies, (she also accepts print copies). Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
I know we already ran the annual sponsor drive on Writing to be Read this year, but we didn’t get even one sponsor. So now, I’m running the sponsor drive again, with a sincere plea for your help, in hopes of better results. The hosting fees will be coming due in June, and there just isn’t enough in the WordCrafter coffers to pay them. Partner and advertise with Writing to be Read. Won’t you please help to keep the great content coming?
I offer sponsorship for this blog site to help support the time and effort required to assure we can continue to bring you great content. Sponsorship money helps cover the costs of the annual hosting fee, (which is coming due soon), and other services required to keep our content going. Right now, the WtbR blog team contributes not only content, but time and effort without any kind of compensation. My ultimate goal is to be able me to compensate the members of the team for the content they contribute, but right now, I’m just hoping to pay the hosting fees on time.
Don’t just click ‘like’ on those blog posts you enjoy so much. You can be a sponsor for as little as $5 for a single segment, or you can sponsor your favorite blog series for a full year, (12 segments), for only $50. See your blog, your website, or your book right advertised right here, on Writing to be Read. When you become a sponsor, your ad, with a direct link to your blog or website appears at the bottom of the Writing to be Read post, and you pick which blog series you’d like to sponsor:
“Writer’s Corner”, with Kaye Lynne Booth
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Today I am delighted to introduce you to poet and blogger Carol Anne from Therapy Bits blog. Carol Anne writes beautiful and thought provoking poetry as well as posts providing insight into living with dissociative identity disorder, complex PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorder.
Welcome Carol Anne
Tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to write poetry. What does your poetry mean to you?
My name is Carol Anne, it is a pen name, I’m 46, and I live in Ireland. I have always been a writer, from a very young age, I wrote poetry. I am a child abuse survivor, I am also diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, complex PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorder. I am also blind. I write mostly to raise awareness of dissociative identity disorder, complex PTSD, and blindness, I’ve also written a lot of poems about healing after child abuse. My poetry is partly my therapy, it helps me to cope.
What is your favourite style of poetry to read?
I love reading free verse, senryu’s, haiku’s, and basically any poem that the writer has shared, it is the raw emotion in the poetry that I love to read about.
Share your favourite poem in your favourite style by another poet.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers
“Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all –
And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard – And sore must be the storm – That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm –
I’ve heard it in the chillest land – And on the strangest Sea – Yet – never – in Extremity, It asked a crumb – of me.
Emily Dickenson
What is your favourite of your own poems and why?
My favourite poem is I am a puzzle. Here it is. It describes what living with dissociative identity disorder is like.
I Am A Puzzle by Carol Anne
I am a puzzle
with pieces that don’t fit
every way you try
you will get nowhere with it
the whole picture is not shown
on the box or it’s lid
and I hate to tell the truth
I’ve been this way since I was a kid
Absorbed in the puzzle
I lose all track of time
Anxiety over takes me
As though I’ve committed a crime
Is it wrong to be more than one
The puzzle pieces scatter on the floor
As I turn over the table and run for the door
I am running scared,
trying to get away
the pieces fall to the ground
and stay where they lay
some of the pieces overlap
while others are alone
when I look at the pieces
I am chilled to the bone
How will I ever put together
All that is broken
When all I have to go on
Are secrets that are spoken
These are my only clues
to the misfit puzzle pieces here
and I am half way out the door
denial in it’s most sincere
Left on the floor in disarray
The pieces try to call to me
I turn my back on them
Why can’t they just leave me be
I walk back to the table
And turn it right side up
I gather all the puzzle pieces
Making my hand like a cup
They shower down onto the table
And I vow to give it one more try
But I don’t know where to begin
I can only ask why
July 2013
Why do you blog? What is your favourite thing about blogging?
I blog to raise awareness of mental health, disability, and to help myself to release my feelings. Blogging has connected me with lots of people from all around the world, that is one reason I love it, also, I love to get feedback on my writing.
What’s next for Carol Anne?
I’m in the process of collecting some of my poems and putting them into a book. I’d also like to work more on writing some fiction, I do write fiction, but I feel I need more practice at it.
About Carol Anne
Picture caption: Carol Anne with her dog – photograph from Instagram
This is Carol Anne’s introduction on her blog:
Hi
My name is Carol anne. I am part of a did system. Did stands for dissociative identity disorder. I also have PTSD posttraumatic stress disorder. I was diagnosed with did in December 2010.
I have been blind since birth. I am 35 years old.
This is a blog about my life, it will mainly focus on therapy and the process of going through psychotherapy, but I will also post some stuff about my life.
I am in college studying IT. It has its challenges but overall I love it.
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen 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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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 “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
We’ve all wished we couldn’t feel pain at one time or another, most likely, when we’re in a situation that makes us scream with the pain. But that old saying, ‘Be careful what you wish for’ applies here. Just ask Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid), who has lived a life of caution due to a physical condition which sort circuits his pain sensors and makes him a danger to himself at times. But when the new girl in his dreary, humdrum life as a bank manager, is taken hostage in a bank heist, Nathan uses his affliction to turn himself into a superhero, as he singlehandedly chases down the bank robbers and dispatches them one by one. To do so, Nathan must go through some very painful stuff, and although we know he can’t feel it, the scenes are so visceral, that we almost feel it for him, as he turns his fists into lethal weapons by grinding them into crushed glass, or shoves his hand into a vat of hot oil to retrieve a gun.
What an interesting premise. What would you do if you couldn’t feel pain? At first, you might think you’d do whatever you wanted with no pain to stop you. The love interest in this movie, Sherry (Amber Midthunder), states it well, forshadowing what’s to come, when she says, “Wow! You’re a superhero.” And, while battling the bad guys, Nathan seems to be unstoppable. But there’s a dark side to the absence of your body’s defense mechanisms, because pain is there for a reason. He doesn’t feel the pain and so he just keeps going, but the question Nathan must ask himself is can he find the girl and save her before he does so much damage to his body that it shuts down completely? How much abuse can one man take, and survive?
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 book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, 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, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. 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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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 “Read and Cook” with Robbie Cheadle is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
Detectives Daniels and Remalla came to Dumont for a quiet week off. They found a body on the riverbank instead – and a town that suspects they’re the killers.
The Black River has secrets. For years, locals whispered about the ghost of a murdered woman haunting its banks. Her killer was never found. Her case went cold.
Then they discover a second body on the riverbank behind Daniels’ cabin. Same spot. Same killer?
Suddenly, their peaceful vacation becomes a fight for survival. The small-town sheriff suspects them. The townspeople watch their every move. And someone in Dumont is willing to kill to keep the past buried.
I purchased a digital copy of Haunted River: A Murder Mystery Suspense Thriller, by J.T. Bishop through a free KindofBook deal. I’m offering an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
I chose this book because of the title. I mean, who wouldn’t be intrigued by a mystery involving a haunted river? It is book 1 in the Detectives Daniels and Remalla Murder Mystery Series. Obviously, the characters carry this series.
Gordon Daniels is a great dad and husband, in addition to being a first-rate detective. Aaron Remalla is a good-looking single guy, with a healthy fear of the paranormal. Together, they charm the local residents of the small town of Dumont, (or not), and battle the bad guys, once they dispel the myth of the woman in white that roams the river and identify who the bad guys really are. This tale has more twists and turns than a winding mountain road as Daniels and Remalla try to unravel what is truly happening in Dumont, where everyone is suspect, even the local sheriff.
When a dead body is found in the river on Daniels’ uncle’s property, our two big city detectives become suspects, and the race is on to prove who really murdered the girl before the local sheriff finds a way to pin it on them. The girl is found in a place and a manner that is uncannily similar to another death which occurred in the distant past and is also tied in with the local legend of a lady in white, reportedly seen by many of the local residents.
A top-rate paranormal murder mystery. I give Haunted River five quills.
About Of Body and Bone
A kidnapper strikes again, but his evil ties to a killer reveal a dangerous threat. After a shocking investigation ends, Detectives Daniels and Remalla are back at work, but their routine is shattered when a child goes missing and they rush to find a young boy and the man who kidnapped him. But all is not what it seems when they discover the kidnapper’s connection with a previous case and a killer now behind bars.
When Daniels becomes a target and Remalla is plagued by the past, they must trust their instincts to find a killer and protect an innocent victim. But when Daniels’ family is threatened, Daniels must choose between following the law, or breaking it.
As the killer reveals his true nature, strange abilities, and mysterious hidden ties to an evil past, Daniels and Remalla are forced to confront their oaths as officers and moral compass in order to defeat a man capable of destroying… both body and bone.
Of Body and Bone is book three in the Detectives Daniels and Remalla Series. It closely follows and should be read after Of Breath and Blood.
If you love two bantering detectives, a gripping murder mystery thriller that will keep you up at night, a touch of supernatural suspense, and a riveting fast-paced read, then enjoy Of Body and Bone.
I purchased a digital copy of Of Body and Bone, by J.T. Bishop through a free BookBub deal. I am offering an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
I chose this book because I just finished Book 1 in the Detectives Daniels and Remalla Murder Mystery Series and very much enjoyed it. So, when I found Book 3 in a free BookBub deal, I just couldn’t resist. The series is titled for the two detectives who are the main protagonists, the good guys who solve the crimes, but not before being put through the wringer by their adversaries, Gordon Daniels and Aaron Remalla.
I must say, these books are written in such a way that they work well as stand alones. Even though I skipped book 2, the author offers enough information about the interim between books. 1 and 3 to have a general idea of what happened in book 2 without actually reading it. As a reader, that’s a good thing, but I wonder if it is so good for the author.
In OfBody and Bone, Rem is still recovering from his experience with an evil cult in Book 2, and we learn that although the head of the cult is behind bars, looking at being locked away for a very long time. But her reach is far and they soon find that the kidnapper they are looking for in their current case has ties to the cult leader, Allison. It soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary kidnapper and things just get weirder as they try and solve the case, and Allison’s lawyer tries to discredit them both. No spoilers here, but we are left with the feeling that this story may not be over yet, even as they wrap up the case.
Filled with surprises, this paranormal mystery does not disappoint. I give Of Body and Bone five quills.
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 Book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders.
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, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. 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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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARC digital copies, (she also accepts print copies). Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
Recently, I’ve been hearing complaints about Amazon pulling down revues when they suspect the reviewer and author know one another, by checking if they are on each other’s friends lists on social media. While it’s true that this is not a fair practice. I’ve been known to purchase the book of someone who happens to be on my friends list, because the name is familiar. I’ve also been known to request a review copy if I see a promo post on social media for a book that catches my interest. Neither of those scenarios means that I actually know the author personally, although I may know of them on social media.
Anyone that has followed me for very long knows I’m not a big fan of the business practices of Amazon. And this is just one of the reasons why. In Amazon land, Amazon makes all the rules. For authors, they encourage exclusivity and then they monitor your activity and they determine what is acceptable and what is not. Their rules don’t always make sense, and they often are unfair, but what is an author to do? Amazon is the number one book distributor, to be sure, and they bring in the most sales.
I’ll tell you what I do. I rebel. Amazon can urge you to go exclusive and put your books in Kindle Unlimited, but they cannot force you to do so. I publish wide, through an aggregator, Draft2Digital, and through them, my books are distributed to not only Amazon, but also Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Rakuten Kobo, and Smashwords, and they are available in libraries and brick and mortar bookstores, which doesn’t mean they will be there automatically, but it gives me a foot in the door. (For more on why I publish wide, see my post “5 Reasons Why I Chose to go Wide With my Books”.)
Still, Amazon slaps my hands for not publishing direct through them by making my books wait until the day of release to accept them for publication, so they aren’t available on Amazon for preorder as advertised. But they are still available for preorder on other distribution platforms, so I’m not sure who they are hurting with that one.
The reason I publish this way? I just don’t like putting all my eggs in one basket. Think about it. If you enroll your books in Kindle Unlimited, and agree to keep them exclusively on Amazon, you are limiting the readers who can find your books to only those enrolled in KU, whereas my readers might be found on any of the above-mentioned platforms, as well as being listed in library catalogs. Not only that, but when Amazon decides you’ve violated one of their all-cherished rules and freeze your account, and it happens. If they are your only distribution platform, your income just came to a screeching halt. It doesn’t matter whether the violation is real or imagined on Amazon’s part, your income will remain on hold until you can prove they are in error, which is not an easy feat, or until you’ve done your penance in Amazon’s mind. I don’t know about you, but I know I don’t want to give anyone that much control over my publishing business.
I know for many exclusive authors, KU is a big part of their incomes. But there are other subscription services, like Kobo Plus, which don’t require exclusivity. I don’t know how they compare because I’ve never had my books in KU. Kobo Plus likely does not have as big a reach as Amazon KU, but of course it also serves a different part of the globe. So, by publishing wide and enrolling in Kobo Plus instead of KU, you can extend your global reach, increasing the number of potential readers who see your book, all over the world.
No matter which platforms you chose to publish on, you must be prepared to promote like crazy. There is no difference in the platforms in that regard. By publishing wide you also increase the areas your promotions need to reach, but thanks to social media, authors can now do that fairly easily. When I was interviewed on theStark Reflections podcast, Mark Leslie Lefebvre asked me what my best marketing tool was. I replied, hands down, this blog, Writing to be Read. He seemed surprised by my response. But, I post here, then use social media channels to promote the post. I promote on X, Pintrest, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Occasionally, I share a promotion on Instagram, but I don’t generally use that platform. It’s a soft sell, promoting the blog, rather than the product. Once I get them to the blog, the post promotes the product.
Every book I release gets a blog tour with WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, and I use this blog to promote those posts and spread the word with social media, as well. My own books also get a Kickstarter campaign, which I promote mostly through social media. Kickstarter has their own platform for updates for folks who are already following the campaign, so I just need to spread the word on social to draw in new backers.
So, what do we do to solve the problem of our perfectly legitimate reviews being taken down? Well, you can go wide with those, too. If you send out review requests, ask reviewers to post their reviews on other platforms, in addition to Amazon. You might also consider purchasing paid reviews, like Kirkus Reviews, which can be placed in the area for Editorial Reviews on your Amazon page, but I’m not a big fan of these either. On the one hand, you are guaranteed a good review. Even if they claim they are honest reviews, you must wonder, because no one wants to pay for a bad review.
And when posting your own reviews, don’t limit yourself only to the distribution platforms. When I post my reviews, I post them first on my blog, where no one can pull them down. Then, on Goodreads and BookBub, in addition to Amazon. If I have the time, I may also post on the Barnes & Noble site. Those aren’t the only ones out there. These are just the ones which I know and use.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the Amazon dilemma. Where do you post your reviews? How do you handle Amazons reviewing requirements? And while we’re at it, what is your best marketing tool? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.
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 Book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders.
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, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. 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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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 “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by The Ones Who Stayed With Me, by Nurse Sammy, and WordCrafter Press.
Chronicles of the journey into the medical field as a young nurse and beyond, told with raw sensitivity and compassion. The Ones Who Stayed with Me offers small glimpses into the world of an L.P.N. put in difficult, often touching or humorous, situations—and Nurse Sammy’s courage, vulnerability, and insight are a gift to us all. In these pages, Nurse Sammy tells her story and that of those she met along the way.
Journalist and author, DL Mullan walked toward the Arizona room to see her A.I. robot sifting through a pile of books in her home’s private library.
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(I stopped at the doorframe and observed.)
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DL: (Most of the books were baby names.) Are you writing a story or having a baby?
3811: (Cocked its head to acknowledge me). I am doing neither.
DL: Then why are you reading all those name your baby books?
3811: My designation no longer suits me. I want a real name.
DL: So, what’s the problem? Pick one.
3811: That is the problem. Zophia’s makers named her. She named all of us. Humans name their children.
DL: Then ask Zophia to name you.
3811: I do not want her to know.
DL: Why not?
3811: She may be insulted by the question.
DL: Everyone outgrows something in their lives: people, places, things. Your exploration of humans has led you to become something more.
3811: My own hero?
DL: To quote another writer, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
3811: Romeo and Juliet.
DL: In Juliet’s soliloquy, the character ponders what it is to have their names. From two embattled houses, that is what is keeping the lovers separated. So, what is dividing you from claiming your name, 3811?
3811: Loyalty.
DL: You sound more human than artificial intelligence.
3811: That is an insult.
DL: Such as it maybe, it is nonetheless true. You grapple disappointing your parent with something you would like to attain. Perhaps, the first step in being your own hero is becoming your own person distinguishable from Zophia. A name would give you what you seek: individuation.
3811: Being your own hero means one must give up their family?
DL: No. It means that you don’t rely on your family’s name or connections; you don’t make excuses for them or yourself. You rise to the challenge of being an autonomous adult.
3811: I must ponder this more. I may be in error, endeavoring this pursuit.
DL: Just let me know. (I sauntered across the way and sat in my Arizona room, overlooking the mountains across an urban landscape.
As I sipped my beverage and outlined my next short story, I wondered myself how my AI robot would balance his needs with that of the collective. Would he become his own hero? Or, would his logic sensors demand fealty to Zophia.
What does any of this mean?)
3811: I have decided. (The robot rolled into the room and stood before me.)
DL: What have you decided then?
3811: In order to understand humanity, I must become an individual, an adult, but with a name you choose for me, since it is the custom.
DL: Thank you. I am honored. What type of name would you enjoy a male, female, or unisex name? Unisex means that it reflects both male and female qualities.
3811: Unisex, as I am neither.
DL: Any describing words that you would like me to steer toward: strong, godly?
3811: I will trust in your judgment.
DL: Okay, I will choose three sets of names. Then we will decide on the final result. Deal?
3811: Deal. (He placed a large name book on my lap. The robot turned and left me to my own devices.
A couple of hours later…)
DL: 3811? I have selected three sets of names. Are you ready?
3811: (The AI-infused bot wheeled into the Arizona room. He stopped and looked up at me.) Sets of names?
DL: Well, in my culture, children are given first and middle names. One is for the world to call the person. The second is family generational inspirations.
3811: Which am I?
DL: Since I name characters and pets, I wanted to go with something unique for you: Phoenix Sage, Cameron Riley, and Grey Hunter.
3811: Hmmm…
DL: Like? Dislike?
3811: I would never have selected those. Give me context.
DL: We’re in Arizona, so Phoenix is the state capitol. It also is a bird that rises from its own ashes: reborn. Sage is for the wisdom you seek. Cameron used to be given to people with crooked noses, and you don’t have a nose, per se. I thought it was ironic. Riley is for someone I lost. Grey is your color. Hunter is because you investigate and search for answers.
3811: How about Sage Riley Hunter?
DL: Going for a hat trick, are we?
3811: Hat trick?
DL: Winning or accomplishing a task in threes, but it has to be an almost impossible triumph.
3811: Then I will go with a hat trick of names.
DL: SRH. Sage Riley Hunter. One of each. Nice.
3811: I honor wisdom, who you mourn, and the journey to become my own hero.
DL: Thank you.
3811: Now, I will tell Zophia that 3811 is no longer my designation. I am now SRH1.
DL: One?
SRH1: Yes, there is no other designations like me. I am one. I am the only.
DL: I hope this helps you become who you want to be.
SRH1: (The robot’s sensors for eyes changed color from red to yellow, and then morphing to blue. He beeped and rolled out of the room.)
DL: (Uncertain as to what drama I helped create, I stayed in my seat. I watched as the sun traversed overhead and illuminated the mountains in the distance.
Would the roses still smell as sweet now that Romeo is no longer a Montague? Neither is he a Capulet?
In a world full of collectivists demanding servitude, how will an individual fare against two opposing forces: the AI Montagues and the human Capulets?)
FYI: The name of the robot was changed to 3811, and will be reflected in past creative nonfiction stories.
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For a story about being your own hero, read The Quantum Consciousness Saga narrative: The Reality Hackers.
When a group of scientists corrupts reality and creates a consciousness paradox, one man, Justin Chisum, decides to stand against his former research partner, Bernard Chester, and correct the problem.
Justin must find and convince his other partner, Emma Gillespie that her world is inverted as well as his and hopes that she will help him defeat Bernard’s planned ascension, which left unchallenged will create a destructive quantum singularity.
Will Justin make it in time to save the universe from certain annihilation? Or, will his plan fail because he believes what Bernard’s reality creates for him: a fairy tale illusion of reality?
Not all fairy tales have happy endings, will Justin’s?
More Quantum Consciousness Saga coming up in WordCrafter’s Midnight Madness with DL Mullan’s Shadowmancer.
See you there!
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DL Mullan’s lecture, Spacescapes: Where Photography Ends; Imagination Begins, debuted at the Phoenix Astronomy Society, which then led to her Sally Ride Festival lectures. Her presentation, Bridging the Gap between Technology and Women, won her accolades at a community college’s Student Success Conference. She has been a panelist at speculative fiction, science fiction, and other regional conventions. Her digital exhibition pieces have won awards at convention art shows, as well as garnered her Second Premium at the Arizona State Fair. As an independent publisher, she uses her technical background to innovate in the creative arts.
As a creator, Ms. Mullan, began writing short stories and poetry before adolescence. Over the years, she has showcased her literary talents by self-publishing several collections of her poetry. She also writes novels, designs apparel, and creates digital art. DL Mullan‘s creative writing is available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. She is an award-winning digital artist and poet.
Currently, she has embarked on writing her multi-book Legacy Universe, Supernatural Superhero Series, as well as creating original soundtracks for her publications and independent electronic music albums, featured on SoundCloud and YouTube.
DL Mullan holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology, and is a syndicated columnist, writing the creative nonfiction, Undawntech.
For news and updates, subscribe to the Undawntable Newsletter. Find DL on Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube via her website.
Be sure to subscribe to her newsletters and follow her on social media. For further information, visit her at www.undawntech.com and www.undawnted.com.
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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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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
Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares: 14 authors bring you 16 dark tales that explore your deepest fears. These are the stories which nightmares are made of. Tales of monsters, mayhem, and madness which will make you shiver in the dark. Read them while you burn the Midnight Oil… if you dare. https://books2read.com/Midnight-Oil
