Colleen’s prompt words this week for Tanka Tuesday are Craft and Rise – (I used soar instead of rise.)
I thought I’d apply Colleen’s two prompt words to the act of writing itself. Without a doubt, all my blogging/writer friends will know just how consuming and frustrating writing can be! Perfection is desirable but so difficult to achieve! To succeed in getting the perfect words on the page is a bit like trying to capture the ebb and flow of the oceans. Sometimes you hit moments of perfection but mostly you’re fighting the tide of your own demons, the depth of your imagination, and how far your final words may take you.
Sounds familiar?
So with that in mind, this is my Tanka for this week…
Phew, it took me ages to write my Tanka this week! My words were buried in the sand at the bottom of the ocean but finally, I managed to coax them up to the surface.
I do hope my Tanka inspires you. Perhaps one day that masterpiece might just reach your shore!
A blogger who likes to: Skyrocket your Blog Traffic! Hence, the Canva Social Media layout I’ve chosen. Let’s take that colourful air balloon to the blogging stars with our expert Janice…. believe me the fire in her belly will get us there.
Who is Janice Wald? In order to find the answer to that mysterious question what better place to investigate than Janice’s About Me Page…..
I write about blogging in order to help bloggers by giving step-by-step directions for content creation.
By following the advice in these posts, you will be able to increase your content’s visibility. Let me help you increase your traffic as I have done for so many others.
Whether you are a business blogger, a lifestyle blogger, a parent blogger, or a reader looking for advice, there are tips that will help you at this site.
At Mostly Blogging I use my skills as a teacher to help you succeed.
I do a great deal of reading about blogging, and I take blogging classes. Additionally, I attend webinars and conferences. I will pass on the advice that I learn to my readers.
By following my blog, you will save time as well as receive information since I will pass on the knowledge I acquire to you. These tips are proven by research and easy-to-implement.
Exciting news – Janice has just released An Insiders Guide To Building A Successful Blog.
Colleen’s prompt words this week are Charm and Touch.
In the first Tanka I decided to use bewitching instead of charm and in the second Tanka, I chose kiss instead of touch. These Tankas are loosely based on Ryder, the main antagonist, in my current WIP: The Curse of Time, Book 1 – The Bloodstone, which is currently being edited by the lovely Colleen Chesboro who organises this fun Tanka Challenge. Thank you Colleen for all your hard work you are a star!
I hope you liked my Tankas! Quite tricky to write…. Don’t believe all you read, Ryder may or may not be a devil. I hope you read the book, ( when it comes out,) and then you’ll find out the truth.
I discovered blogger Samantha Murdoch in a particularly unconventional way.
I was looking for a cat to do a bit of modelling for my black cat character in The Curse of Time, and I put out a call for help on Facebook. I received a few replies, not that many, but then I suppose it did seem a bit of an odd request. LOL !!! Then a ever so helpful blogging friend of mine, Gary Jefferies who blogs at Fiction is Food put me in touch with Samantha: https://samanthamurdochblog.wordpress.com
Not only did Samantha have a black cat but she has two! Plus several other cats too, so if you are a cat lover, (like I am,) she’s definitely a blogger to follow. Then, to my delight I discovered that she wrote about crystals. How perfect is that? I love crystals too! My manuscript, (which I intend to publish this year) : The Curse of Time – Book 1 – The Bloodstone has several themes: light, represented by crystals, darkness, suggested by shadows, and a nasty old curse.. etc.
Getting back to the black cat discussion …. The only slight problem with our stunning cat models Lily and Tooty is their gender. They are both females! Whereas, the cat character in my book is male… This I can’t change… Never mind… that isn’t a big problem!
Of the two cats, Lily looks just like what I imagine my character Shadow looks like – very panther like! Let me introduce you to Lily…. isn’t she a beautiful cat?
This is Lily with a very artistic shadow! She’s a natural model, look how she stays so still for the camera.
And Lily with her eyes closed, looking very chilled! Love how the light falls on her fur giving it a white glow.
This is my favourite of Lily looking very regal! Look at those eyes, and that glossy fur!
This is Tooty – Don’t they look similar?
Here’s Tooty on the move, her shadow is following…
One way and then another…
Finally, Tooty staying still… looking quite thoughtful. What an interesting background.. Great photo! Mesmerising…
Photographs courtesy of Alex Marlowe (Samantha’s son.)
Thank you so much to Samantha and Alex for allowing me to use these images of Lily and Tooty on my social media. I really do appreciate it, and a big thank you to Gary for introducing me to Samantha.
Please do pop over to Samantha’s blog to appreciate all her lovely cats, and crystals. And visit Gary’s blog too – Gary is such a helpful and friendly blogger, who likes to write, and also blogs about kindness: Fiction Is Food Kindness Challenge Sign Up
You do get a sense of Samantha’s love for cats, and crystals in the following links:
Hope you enjoyed my Blogger Spotlight. I shall be continuing to do Author and Blogger Spotlights fairly regularly.
I will be sharing the wonderful photos of Lily and Tooty on twitter, Facebook, and my Instagram account later in the week. So keep a look out for them.
Before I go let me just say – I do find black cats very fascinating…
Black cats rule!
Many thanks to Samantha, Alex, and Gary for all being so kind, and to Lily and Tooty for being so fabulous.
After being laid off from his job at a prestigious consulting firm, Dean decides to embark on a journey across East Africa with his younger brother. Unknowingly, they travel into bandit territory where a medical emergency forces them to choose between their safety and their health.
Inspired by true events, The Watermelon King follows the journey of two brothers as they backpack across one of East Africa’s most inhospitable regions. As they endure endless days of difficult travel, a series of short stories written by their father begins to uncover their inherent desire for adventure and their connection to the past. Along the way they begin to understand the beauty and frustration of life in Africa.
Many thanks to Daniel Royse for a copy of The Watermelon King in exchange for an honest review.
Why this novel appealed to me.
My father worked abroad auditing in many off the world’s off the beaten track destinations. He travelled extensively to the Far East, The Middle East, Pacific Region, Africa, Papua New Guinea, etc,…… and this story reminded me of his adventurous spirit in many ways.
The Title:
First off before I even start to review I’d like to comment on the title. It’s awesome, isn’t it? Just love how – The Watermelon King – sets the tone for this delicious novel!
My review:
The Watermelon King is humorous, thirst quenching, and full of little pips, (trials and tribulations.) The hard shell that holds it together is undoubtedly the subsidiary story about the brothers’ father that sits in between the backpacking tale – what a salesman, and when he got ill, what a fighter!
I’d highly recommend The Watermelon King to those who love to travel. This novel will particularly appeal to backpackers who enjoy exploring off the beaten track destinations, and for those with a sense of adventure which matches their ability to find humour in all sorts of circumstances !! This isn’t for the package holiday makers….. who like plush comforts, and five-star hotels. Or for those who prefer to sit on the beach, oil themselves, and turn over. This is about the ‘real Africa,’ that most travellers never get to see. The ‘real Africa,’ may not be comfortable, the food may be dire, the buses non-existent but nevertheless there is a charm that transcends all that, making the experience an unforgettable smile which is etched on the heart of those who experience it.
I loved The Watermelon King. I thought I would! It did not disappoint. I read it on the way to work, (whilst travelling on the bus!) and it really made me smile.
My recommendation:
Highly recommended. 4.5 stars.
I’d love to hear your views on The Watermelon King. Don’t forget to share your travel and/or backpacking adventures in the comments below.
Bye for now, let me climb on my hammock in the sun, ( I wish,) and read for a while…
A warm welcome to my Spotlight guest Daniel Royse, author of the fabulously titled: The Watermelon King.
I just love that title, don’t you? It certainly caught my attention. Perhaps it’s because I love watermelons, perhaps it’s the quirkiness of it. Who knows… I discovered Daniel quite by chance on Goodreads and I am so glad I did. If I hadn’t I would never have read The Watermelon King, or found out about Daniel’s travelling exploits. Can you imagine? What a loss.
Marje @ Kyrosmagica just loves the magic of travel. There is nothing as satisfying as being able to explore, and experience new cultures. But, all is well with the world, I’ve read The Watermelon King and it took me far, far away to swelteringly hot East Africa! Books truly are amazing. Don’t you just love them? I’m delighted to say that The Watermelon King is on my highly recommended thirst quenching list… review up next, but for now let’s focus on my Author Spotlight Guest today at Kyrosmagica….
Daniel Royse.
AUTHOR BIO:
Daniel Royse is the founder and editor in chief of the online travel publication, This Boundless World. He has written numerous articles on travel, business and politics. The Watermelon King is his first full-length novel.
Daniel is an obsessive writer and explorer who has backpacked to over 50 countries, spanning five continents. To the disbelief of many, he still enjoys long, hot bus rides through chaotic places.
SYNOPSIS:
After being laid off from his job at a prestigious consulting firm, Dean decides to embark on a journey across East Africa with his younger brother. Unknowingly, they travel into bandit territory where a medical emergency forces them to choose between their safety and their health.
Inspired by true events, The Watermelon King follows the journey of two brothers as they backpack across one of East Africa’s most inhospitable regions. As they endure endless days of difficult travel, a series of short stories written by their father begins to uncover their inherent desire for adventure and their connection to the past. Along the way they begin to understand the beauty and frustration of life in Africa.
Excited? You should be… nip out and get yourself a copy, and perhaps a slice of watermelon too. Enjoy.
If you would like to be featured on my author/blogger spotlight sometime soon, get in touch. I am happy to shout out about indie authors, debut authors, world famous authors, obsessive travel bloggers, bungee jumpers, dare devils, artists, crafty folk, photographers, fashionistas, humourists, etc, etc, as long as you are fabulous, talented and inspiring. No pressure, LOL!!!
Contact me on marjma2014@gmail.com for your chance to be one of my next guests.All genres considered.. I read widely from YA, to horror!
My Tanka for Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday Challenge this week has been inspired by a shared video I saw on a friend’s Facebook page, showing how the sea can be a bit rough and choppy one minute, and so dangerous the next.
This video shared on the Redcar RNLI Facebook Page really shows how powerful and scary the sea can be… An ordinary day can quickly turn into a very frightening day !
What’s even more apparent is this could happen to anyone. It really is terrifying, isn’t it?
The sea can pick you off your feet and carry you away in its pocket of ruthless waves.
I love the sea but have always been respectful of its power too. The sea is not to be trifled with, we truly are at its mercy.
Fourteen-year-old Abigale Forester, recently orphaned and a ward of the State of Illinois moves from Chicago to Florida to live with her aunt, her last living relative. Magnolia Forester becomes her legal guardian, and together they claim an ancient inheritance; land that belonged to Abby’s mother’s family for generations.
Holding onto the only piece of her mother Abby has left, a calcite pendant and her mother’s most sacred possession, she discovers the truth of her legacy. The pendant is more significant than she could possibly imagine. Forged from a giant mystical heart-shaped stone found on the very swamp land Abby now owns, it holds the power of her ancestors.
But with that power comes greater responsibility, one that pits her against Rafe Cobb, a greedy land developer, who will stop at nothing to own Abby’s swamp land.
As Abby learns to be part of a family again and explores her love of horses with friends, Savanna, Blake, and Cash, the swamp slowly gives up some of its secrets. She is summoned by a primeval nymph, who teaches Abby that her true destiny is to protect the nymphs from evil in an ever-changing modern world.
Can Abby save the swamp and the Naiad Nymph Clan from certain destruction before it is too late?
My Review:
First of all, thank you to Colleen Chesebro for my ARC copy of The Heart Stone Chronicles – The Swamp Fairy in exchange for an honest review.
What’s not to love? I knew I would love The Swamp Fairy and I did. For me, it has two magical ingredients: a crystal pendant, ( I just love crystals!!!) and fairies! My only regret is that when I turned the last page of The Swamp Fairy I was left feeling bereft. I wanted more!!! Thank goodness Colleen will satisfy this sense of loss with the second book in this series…
I’d recommend The Swamp Fairy to young ‘tween’ girls who love the magical realm of fairies, and the power and mystery of crystals exemplified in Abigale’s pendant , a precious piece of the sacred calcite heart stone.
Gutsy young heroine Abigale Forester will do anything to save the swamp fairies and the Pink Sundew plants. Right from the start, it’s obvious that she’s no pushover, even though she has had to deal with more pain and loss than the average fourteen-year-old. After her mother Kathryn’s death and her drug addict father’s disappearance she is sent away to stay with her distant aunt Magnolia. It’s not just the weather that changes. Chicago girl Abigale’s new destination is Blackberry Ridge, Florida. She has to get to know her aunt, acquaint herself with a new school, meet new friends, Savanna Brook, Blake Barrett, and Cash Book, (Savanna’s brother.) But all that’s nothing compared with having to cope with the nasty jibes of the mean Kramer brothers, and it doesn’t end there. A greedy, ruthless land developer, Rafe Cobb is determined to get hold of the swamp land bequeathed to her by her deceased mother. Abigale refuses to buckle under Rafe Cobb’s threats even when she realises that he will go to the most desperate and deadly ends to get what he wants.
Abigale has a special relationship with the fairies, (the Naiad Nymph Clan,) a unique bond with horses, (especially Sand Dollar,) and the many other animals in the story. She can hear what they are saying, and can speak to them too!
This is such an enthralling, sweet story, with excitement a-plenty. There are beautiful descriptions of the swamp fairies, dragonflies, and hummingbirds. Plus the added bonus of beautifully crafted haiku poems at the start of each chapter.
Highly recommended.
My rating:
5 stars
Here’s where you can find your copy:
My Amazon Associate UK Link:
DISCLAIMER: “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”
My opinions are my own and any reviews on this site have not been swayed or altered in any way by monetary compensation, or by the offer of a free book in exchange for a review.
Diana Wallace Peach with information about her new 4 book fantasy series The Rose Shield. Please reblog, tweet and share as Diana is looking for beta readers.
What better way to start a New Year than to glance back in time? To take your own personal tardis and whizz back and reflect on all that you have achieved in the last year or so.
Perhaps you are still chasing a dream like I am?
The dream of being a published author, or poet, or renowned artist, or photographer. Whatever your dream might be there is bound to be a moment in the past that you’d like to share with your followers? Maybe an inspirational post?
Or there might be an article that you wrote a long time ago that meant a lot to you, and you’d now like to bring it to the forefront of your followers attention again.
Whatever the reason do feel welcome to join in with my new monthly bloggers link up. It’s new, it’s fresh, it’s exciting!! LOL!!!
After a long struggle it does appear that 2017 will be my year to publish. I am feeling much more confident about this after all the ongoing help I am receiving from the marvellous blogging community. So with that in mind I’d like to share with you a post that I originally published in June 15th 2014. This post highlighted the extraordinary beauty of a crystal grotto that I visited in Juniper Artland. This grotto was one of my early sources of inspiration for my YA manuscript about a mysterious Crystal Cottage, which I have since entitled The Curse of Time. It is my intention that The Curse of Time will be at least a two books series, perhaps a three! With book one featuring The Bloodstone, and book two The Golden Healer.
So let me introduce you to my photos of the Grotto….
Aren’t the crystals magnificent? I was totally enthralled by these gleaming beauties. It inspired me to write a story about a hidden, magical, but vulnerable place . In time the story grew and grew to encompass several themes: light, darkness, shadows, myths, time, deception, et cetera, et cetera, and oh a curse, or two.
So next time you visit a beautiful place just stop for a moment and allow yourself to fall in love with it. You might just find yourself on a wondrous journey.
If you’d like to join in with my bloggers link up, please draw attention to your old posts by writing a short blog post as I have done and then add your links to the comment field of this post. If you wish you may use the photo at the top of this post as your blog post header.
Also if you wish you can link your posts to a popular hastag #Throwback Thursday#THT or if you’re posting on a Friday #FBF #FlashbackFriday. These are great link ups for old photos, or memorabilia…
