Beautiful poem both in form and content from Sally Chronin 8n response to Colleen Chesebro poetry challenge.
Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 120, “Cold & Storm,” #SynonymsOnly
Colleen’s prompt words this week are cold and storm.
I have the perfect passage to share from my current, unedited WIP – Book Two – The Curse of Time, Golden Healer plus a Shadorma.
There is a very helpful post from Colleen on how to write Shadorma’s: https://colleenchesebro.com/how-to-write-a-shadorma-poem/
Glacial,
He stands clutching lies,
A tempest,
Shadow man,
My power inflames brightly,
Longing to soar free.
I had a strange feeling that something wasn’t quite right, I couldn’t begin to explain it but I sensed it. The sky hid behind a dark unapproachable veil of deceit. All the clouds had lost their cheerful fluffiness flattening like a pack of shuffled playing cards. A storm battered the sky as loud claps of thunder and heavy raindrops fell.
Half an hour after the storm, Ryder arrived, drenched through.
On the way to mine, he’d obviously been caught in a thunderstorm. I reckon the sky had clouded over about the time he had ventured out and within seconds a very heavy downpour had started. Not satisfied with rain alone loud claps of thunder had followed. The lightning could have hit him but must have opted to barely miss him by inches. When he arrived his clothes were soaked through and his carefully maintained hair was flattened against his head by the force of the rain. Water dripped from his hair and clothing into a growing puddle on the floor to form a strange shadow, a dark jigsaw shape at his feet, which appeared to move with his body. I stepped back retreating from the threat of whatever this might be.
His usually arresting eyes were reduced to dark stagnant, pools.
He carried a bouquet of sad, tortured lilies. He handed them to me as a peace-offering. Their white flower heads were dripping and sodden.
The wet cuckoo from the play, that’s what I thought Ryder looked like! Could this be a warning, and if it was, would Ryder pay any attention? Somehow I doubted that he would.
‘These are in a bad shape,’ I said, a reluctant response escaping my lips. I longed to slam the door in his face but instead I held the thunder in my heart for later.
I let him in.
‘I’m not feeling too hot myself,’ he replied, that tiny detail was true.
I noticed Shadow watching him with interest, as if he was stalking a drowned shadow bird with weakened defences. Shadow’s whiskers pressed inwards, compressing in thought. He steeled himself, ready to pounce. Ryder saw the challenge, glared at him and uttered this inhuman, strangled noise. Shadow notched up the battle vibe with a ear-piercing hiss.
‘Stop that caterwauling,’ I yelled.
They heard my angry yell and backed off, but both of them were still blazing with an equally matched fury.
Jade heard the rumpus and appeared in a flash, eager to fuss over Ryder.
‘Are you okay?’
On cue he shivered. Shadow stood there trembling.
She asked for a towel and wrapped him in it as if she hoped to cocoon him from the elements. Shadow’s expression suggested that he would have liked the same treatment. Ignoring Shadow’s trembling she asked me for some clothes for Ryder to change into. Ryder disappeared into the bathroom to get changed. Shortly afterwards he came out looking like a new improved version of his usual charismatic self. Ugh, how irritating, somehow he managed to be even more handsome than usual, even though he was wearing unflattering, ill-fitting old clothes. It must have been the sleek, wet look of his hair.
This wasn’t good. Jade slipped her arm through his and they wandered off to snuggle up on the sofa. Before long he was warmed by her attentions and sprang back to life. He gave me a challenging look. I returned it. In no time at all they were locked in a lingering kiss. I didn’t know where to look. I wondered if he tasted like fag ash. Not because he smoked – no he didn’t need to. From my experience he tasted sour with no effort.
© M J Mallon
To enter Colleen’s weekly poetry challenge here’s the link:
Hope you enjoyed!
Bye for now,
Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
#SCBWI Author Event – Cambridge Meet Your Local Children’s Authors #Library #Authors #Illustrators #YA #MG #PB
I am thrilled to say that I am one of several SCBWI MG and YA authors and picture book illustrators at this very special event in the central library in Cambridge.
Doesn’t it sound just amazing?
If you happen to be in Cambridge on the 9th of February do pop over to the central library and say hello!
If you’re interested in finding out more about SCBWI, (a fantastic group for writers and illustrators.) Here’s a link: https://www.scbwi.org/
Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
Author Spotlight: C S Boyack – Voyage of The Lanternfish
A huge welcome to my guest – huge supporter of fellow authors C S Boyack.
Here’s Craig with his pint at hand! I’m amused by the Get Frosted card to the right of the photo… An author’s eye can’t help but notice these intriging details.
It’s wonderful to welcome Craig to my blog – I have been a guest featured on Lisa Burton Radio at his lovely blog home two times. He has an awesome blog which features the lovely robot interviewer Lisa. He is an imaginative and entertaining supporter of indie writers.
His latest book Voyage of The Lanternfish sounds very intriguing. So Craig, sup up that drink and spill the beans on your latest book.
Thanks for the invite, Marje. You’re always welcome back at my site too. I’m here today to talk about my newest book, Voyage of the Lanternfish.
Lanternfish is a pirate fantasy. It differs from classic fantasy, because gunpowder is involved. There are pistols, muskets, and cannon to go along with the magic and monsters.
Monsters are going to be the topic here today. No fantasy worth its salt should exist without monsters, and Voyage of the Lanternfish is no exception. This one is full of sea monsters and land monsters too.
One of the things I tried to avoid is a whole-bunch of what’s been done before. There is no Kraken or giant squid in this story.
There is a gigantic jellyfish, though. We’re talking big enough to get the ship stuck for weeks. This is a serious problem when you only have so much fresh water and limited food items onboard.
This thing is known as a whale trawler, and combs the surface of the ocean, letting its poisonous tentacles drag up whatever it can find; usually whales.
So far so good, but what happens when you get stuck ahead of a storm front? The storm produces a water spout and deadly tentacles are pulled from the sea and flung across your decks. Now you’re starting to get the picture.
There is a dragon here too, but he’s a small one. Think of a dragon that’s modeled after a hermit crab. He commandeers a shell, a big conch shell, and carries it with him. His breath turns animals to salt, and the tide washes them away. Someone pointed out that it’s almost biblical, and I like that.
You’ll also come across the moving reef. This one is a fish, but he’s a whopper. You know how some whales wind up growing barnacles on their skin? Take that concept and ramp it up to ten. This guy is so big he grows an entire coral reef on his back. I’m not going to share too much about him, but he isn’t entirely peaceful in the story.
One of the land creatures is called Old Hogar by the locals. He is terrorizing a coastal village. My pirates come across him, but he does not appear on the page. The tale is relayed by the root monsters. (Note: The root monsters get their own blog post.) This comes at a time in the book where readers have been trained to understand their stories. I kind of like how it turned out.
There are other monsters who don’t appear on the page. One of them is like a gigantic two legged crocodile. You might think of her as a dinosaur, and you wouldn’t be too far off. She even has a bit of a sad backstory.
Another one who is just alluded to is the dragon turtle. You might be wondering why I would even include these, but they play into the world building. This is a vast world. It’s been here since before my pirates, and will be here afterward. There are dangerous places in this world, even if the pirates aren’t exploring them all.
There are lesser creatures here too. In Asia there are cormorant fishermen. These people leash up a cormorant, tie a string around his throat to restrict his ability to swallow, and let the bird go fishing. They take his fish away for themselves. Now eventually they have to let the birds eat too. After all, they are how the fisherman makes his living and must be taken care of.
I used this idea, only I turned the cormorants into reptiles. They’re like large iguanas, only they have heads like pelicans.
There are tiny glow in the dark bats, and birds who look like a cluster of bananas when they roost. I even added something like an anteater, only he combs the beaches looking for snails.
If you’re into monsters and expansive worlds, you might want to give Voyage of the Lanternfish a try.
***
Blurb:
An honorable man is mistaken for his disreputable father. Now he’s pushed into a political scheme to start a war that will spread across multiple kingdoms. James Cuttler’s fiancé is being held captive to ensure he goes through with the plan.
He soon decides his skills are at sea and procures a ship to wage war upon those who disrupted his simple life. He can’t do it alone, so he recruits a band of cutthroats to help him. But first, they need guns and munitions to outfit the ship properly. Deception and trickery will only get them so far. Eventually, they’re going to have to engage the enemy.
James’ goals aren’t necessarily the same as his crew. It’s a delicate balancing act to collect enough loot to keep his crew happy, while guiding them back to rescue the girl.
Voyage of the Lanternfish is filled with adventure, magic, and monsters. Lots of monsters. Hoist the colors and come along for the ride.
Purchase Link: http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B07MP8V633
Bio:
I was born in a town called Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I’m not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times, and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction.
I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century, and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet.
I like to write about things that have something unusual. My works are in the realm of science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy. The goal is to entertain you for a few hours. I hope you enjoy the ride.
Craig can be found at:
Blog My Novels Twitter Goodreads Facebook Pinterest BookBub
I’m a huge fan of the unusual so Craig’s latest novel has definitely piqued my interest.
It’s been fun finding out more about Craig and his writing.
And… I am still curious about that Get Frosted card. Is it the name of your local drinking haunt? Hope you visit again real soon Craig, but before you do, make sure you tell me about that card. Or I am bound to make something up!
By the way I’m always on the look out for new authors to invite to an Author Spotlight or Q and A my blog. So do get in touch if you’d like to tell me all about your writing life… The drinks are on me!
Bye for now,
Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
I’m a contributing author in the Plaisted Publishing House Ghostly Writes Anthology 2018 with my story Ghostly Goodbye.
Ghostly Goodbye by M J Mallon
Available on Amazon, Apple, Nook, Kobo, Scribd, 24S, Playster, Indigo, Angus & Robertson, Mondadori Store:
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
COLLEEN’S 2019 WEEKLY #TANKA TUESDAY #POETRY CHALLENGE NO. 119 “MYSTERY & ATTRACT,” #SYNONYMSONLY
Here’s a short, unedited passage from the second book in the series The Curse of Time – Golden Healer which I’m currently working on. It fits in well with Colleen’s two synonyms this week – mystery and attract.
For mystery I’m using enigma and for attract I’d decided upon beguiling. Enjoy!
Too Tasty To Ignore!
A pleasing parcel,
Wrapped in black jeans, tight tee-shirt,
Enigma to solve,
Beguiling but dangerous,
Was I a fool to trust him?
How could I explain this? Had Ryder fooled me? The strange, charismatic young man who appeared to come to my rescue on the river pathway when I’d first met him. Could he be responsible for the Bloodstone’s disappearance? I doubted that he would taint his hands with such an act. Instead, I wondered whether he might have used an accomplice. His recent behaviour painted a new picture of him — one that showed his true identity — a nasty, vindictive portrait.
Had I been foolish to trust him? What kind of person was he? And what secrets lay hidden in his heart?
I pondered how I would react if he came through the front door. For a moment, I imagined him entering. He’d be dressed in his signature black tee-shirt peeled tight across his ripped chest. His buttoned jeans would scream touch me. His black hair and eyebrows would be immaculately trimmed highlighting his eyes that would make you pause and gasp in surprise. Perhaps, I’d stare at his sensual blue eye while his black eye would blaze back at me like a dark alleyway full of dangerous excitement.
His expression would alter as soon as he approached. He’d raise an eyebrow as if he registered a sudden change in the environment.
He’d say something innocuous like. ‘Have your mum and dad been decorating? It’s very bright. The sad old place looks like it has had a new lease of life. Even the mirrors look different. Like they’re missing something.’
© M J Mallon
After all that you might need a piece of cake… to wash down the sour taste of what Ryder may become… Ahh villains are so fun to write!
Here’s an extra bit of poetry just for fun. A lovely cake from Harriet’s tea rooms in Cambridge. It was almost too good to eat. It reminded me of Ryder, he is so mesmerisingly handsome that he makes your mouth water. Enjoy!
Shall I start eating?
This cheeky dessert mouthful,
Or just admire it?
Fork poised in the air trembling.
Such decisions, decisions!
Hope you enjoyed. I certainly did.
Do join in Colleen’s poetry challenge.
Here’s the link:
Bye for now,
Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
I’m a contributing author in the Plaisted Publishing House Ghostly Writes Anthology 2018 with my story Ghostly Goodbye.
Available on Amazon, Apple, Nook, Kobo, Scribd, 24S, Playster, Indigo, Angus & Robertson, Mondadori Store:
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
#BlogBattle: Flower – Mr Sagitarrius
This is my entry for Rachael Ritchey’s #BlogBattle – Flower https://blogbattlers.wordpress.com/2019/01/01/flower/
This is inspired by my frequent visits to the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge. It truly is a magical place.
Mr Sagittarius
I know I am dying so I have come to bid all my loves and especially my dearest orchid a final farewell. I pray I will surrender my soul to a place that will be as sweet as this hot house garden. I have a bequest in my pocket. It includes a generous sum of money for a park bench in honour of this magnificent garden. I will ask for a few simple words to be engraved on my bench when I pass to the garden of death.
It will say:
Mr Sagitarrius Died This Day in This Snow Drop Garden.
Forgive me – I am ninety two,
I forgot all but two of my loves’ names,
My first and my last.
But I remember my orchid.
Love is a garden.
It is divine.
Everyday my old limbs pay a visit to the Botanic Garden in Cambridge. I hate routine, but my aching joints oblige when my lonely soul is in need of feminine company. It is winter and in this season of chills, chilblains, snow and ice my favourite haunt is the glasshouses. There my ancient heart is warmed and I reminisce about… LOVE.
My eyes begin a familiar journey. First alighting on one of many beauties, my first love! The bird of paradise flower which I stumbled across in Papua New Guinea when I was an innocent. I was an adventurer, then. But, once awakened by the attentions of Ruth I became a Casanova! I fell in love, or perhaps in lust with Ruth – a dark-skinned beauty. I still remember the curve of her youthful skin and the way she used to gyrate her hips to entice me to join her in bed.
I linger in silent contemplation remembering Ruth and our amorous nights. Oh, what regrets followed the sudden demise of our fiery liaison. The never-ending jealousies were a sign of my Sagittarius failings, and my dare I say it?
Inability to commit.
Here I go again. Even at my advanced age my old knees fight the urge to rest and move on… longing to see… my next conquest.
There she is! Oh sigh. What a divine creature. Twirling on tiptoe, my ballerina flower. Yes, how you could dance, pirouetting on pointe. I remember you in Swan Lake. How perfect you were, your tutu twirling around as your hair remained still. Such a picture of perfection characterised by that tight bun. How I relished swiftly untwirling your hair and removing all of your clothing the very same night. And dare I say it? There was an encore! But even you could not keep my attention for long. Not when there was such a fire in my belly.
There she is! Wicked creature, I blame this red glory for breaking us up.
She rose up to demand my attention like a pompon ablaze, sharp-witted with spikes of outrageous character. Oh, how this strange flower reminds me of her. She had bright red hair, and such a quirky personality. I was hooked and yet, I regret, her true name escapes me, so I nickname you Calliandra. My mind is not as sharp as it used to be. Please forgive me, my beautiful red bonnet.
If by any chance we ever meet again I would rest my head on your shoulder. I’d begin by stroking your hair to get close to you. I’d caress you until intoxicated by your scent I would trace tiny trails of tender kisses down your perfect body. Sigh, the memory of this is almost too much for me. I feel quite giddy. Let me rest for a moment in a quiet corner. Or, I fear that some well-meaning but overzealous first aider will attach that defibrillator to me! Please don’t bother. It’s not needed.
I should have known you wouldn’t let me rest you selfish wench!
Narcissus, my daffodil.
You command attention and I obey. Your beauty is cunning and without compare and yet I sense there is something lacking.
You are too selfish.
You cannot love.
My orchid….
I should have visited you first. Please forgive me dearest sweetheart. You were the most exquisite of them all. My last, my first true love, an oriental flower, slender, graceful, full of charm, but, oh so fragile. I should have known. Oh, how I miss you. Now I am a ghost and lost without you. I settled for you, forgetting all others. Now I, this ghost of regret, understands the true nature of love. And now you pay me back for my thoughtlessness – your cruel ghost avoids me.
How could you be so wicked?
Perhaps you never died.
True beauty never does.
©M J Mallon
Hope you liked my story. I really enjoyed doing this one!
Bye for now,
Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/