About Kyrosmagica: Books, Writing, Photography, Magic Haiku and Inspiration.

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Hi. Welcome to my blog, Kyrosmagica.

All About Me.

What can I tell you? Well before we start I’d like to suggest that you might want to pull up a comfy chair, sit back and enjoy my blog, Kyrosmagica, which is all about the magic of writing, my love of books, crystals,  laughter, and much, much, more!

I’m primarily a YA fantasy author, poet and keen photographer based in Cambridge, UK.  I’m working on various projects at the moment: horror anthologies/ghostly stories and will soon be working on edits on my YA fantasy series – book two in the series The Curse of Time. I recently released my first collaborative anthology/compilation: This Is Lockdown, set during the initial months of COVID19.

Also, I released a poetry collection, Lockdown Innit, Poems about Absurdity on February 26th.

My books:

To keep me occupied, and out of mischief, I’m blogging, and of course, writing book reviews here, and on Goodreads, primarily.

I have a penchant for travel and have relatives in far flung places, Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore, (my birthplace.) I grew up in Bonnie Scotland, in Edinburgh, and now live in Cambridge. I love sunny, hot places, particularly Rome, Venice, Portugal, Barcelona, and I forgot to mention the sun drenched beaches of the Caribbean, how could I? I am lucky to have been blessed with two lovely daughters and a six foot hunk of a husband, who I met at the tender age of eighteen, who I fondly refer to in this blog as my black sheep. Considering how long we’ve been together I could call him my swan, but I think black sheep kind of suits him, a charming black sheep! His title Black Sheep originated from a family joke, which you can read about in my post Mother in Laws and Black Sheep! With my passion for travel, culture, beautiful beaches, good food, books, theatre, writing, art, photography and humour, I hope to keep you entertained.

My blog is award free.  The awards were fun and a great way to connect with other bloggers in the early stages. But now writing has taken over and sadly I no longer have the time to dedicate to awards, so I do hope you won’t mind if I take a splash off my award surf board.

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Here’s a brief guide to the blogging challenges that I would recommend, or have joined in the past:

Rachael Ritchey’s fun writing blog battle: https://blogbattlers.wordpress.com/

Colleen has a weekly poetry challenge: https://colleenchesebro.com/

Ron at Ronovan Writes, poetry challenges: https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/

Trent’s Weekly smile: https://trentsworldblog.wordpress.com/the-weekly-smile-weeklysmile/

Weekend Coffee Share: https://eclecticali.wordpress.com/

I have been known to enjoy a couple of Bookish memes:

The Friday 56 from Fredas Voice: http://www.fredasvoice.com/2015/07/the-friday-56-with-instagram-56_24.html

and Book Beginnings from Rose City Reader: http://www.rosecityreader.com/2015/07/book-beginning-at-hearth-of-crossed.html

As well as this I have enjoyed taking part in some awesome photography challenge check out my photography headers to find out more.

I’ve enjoyed attending several blogger bash events from 1st of August, 2015 in London, and chatting to fellow bloggers in person. What an experience!

Here’s my perspective about the bash in 2015 if you’d like to read all about it:

https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com/2015/08/02/the-bloggers-bash-oh-what-a-day/
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These wonderful quotations sum up my raison d’etre:

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
― Maya Angelou

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
― Maya Angelou

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”
― Maya Angelou

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”
― Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter

Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. ~Anton Chekhov

If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster. ~Isaac Asimov

It is the writer who might catch the imagination of young people, and plant a seed that will flower and come to fruition.- Isaac Asimov

When you are describing,
A shape, or sound, or tint;
Don’t state the matter plainly,
But put it in a hint;
And learn to look at all things,
With a sort of mental squint.
~Lewis Carroll

If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don’t write, because our culture has no use for it. ~Anaïs Nin

If I don’t write to empty my mind, I go mad. ~Lord Byron

A good style should show no signs of effort. What is written should seem a happy accident. ~W. Somerset Maugham, Summing Up, 1938

There are three rules for writing. Unfortunately, no one can agree what they are.- Somerset Maugham

Writing is utter solitude, the descent into the cold abyss of oneself. ~Franz Kafka

Writing is both mask and unveiling. ~E.B. White

First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him!- Ray Bradbury

Begin with an individual, and before you know it you have created a type; begin with a type, and you find you have created – nothing.- F. Scott Fitzgerald

The historian records, but the novelist creates.- E. M. Forster

It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.- Ernest Hemingway

Half my life is an act of revision.- John Irving

I try to create sympathy for my characters, then turn the monsters loose.- Stephen King

William Faulkner’s observation: “Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.”

After all of those inspiring and imaginative quotes what can I possibly add?

I’m loving every minute of this creative journey, please join me.

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COME FLY WITH ME

Photo credit –  Silhouette and Dove  http://pixabay.com

226 thoughts on “About Kyrosmagica: Books, Writing, Photography, Magic Haiku and Inspiration.”

  1. What a background, a hodgepodge of beautiful places to explore and claim ownership to. I look forward to reading your reviews and posts, and wish you luck in your writing endeavors. Cheers!

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    1. Thanks for your lovely comment. Great to connect. Yes I have been very lucky to visit many places. i adore travelling and meeting people of different cultures. Good luck to you too!

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  2. Thank you very much for stopping by HGD and deciding to follow. I hope that I can continue to provide interesting content and wish you all the success with your writing.

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  7. Thank you so much for stopping by and follow Madame :)….. Yeah Maya Angelou is one such person who inspired me so much…Very nice to meet you here Madame :)……

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      1. know it’s difficult, but slow with the reblogs if you are building an author’s brand in prep for your book. People want to discover you and you want to hook them into tagging along until published. Short is fine. Reviews are fine (readers will start looking to you for info and suggestions) Teasers are fine. Pictures of locations similar to your book’s story? Don’t worry about publishing in rapid fire fashion constantly, just write and intrigue people.
        You’ve got a great start!

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  16. Hi- Thank you for following my photography blog, Jane’s Lens. I hope you are inspired. I am enjoying your writing and wish you success in creating your YA novels.

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  23. Hello! Thank you for following my blog. (Though it’s a bit nerve wrecking to think that a soon to be published authour is actually reading me!) I’m sorry it’s taken so long to get back. I thought you might like to know that I now blog from a different site, ofmiceandmanatees.wordpress.com (I loooooved Of Mice and Men). I also loved your quotes! I’ve got one about writing I was thinking you might like:
    “Metaphors are dangerous. Metaphors are not to be trifled with. A single metaphor can give birth to love.” – Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being

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    1. Hi Carla. Thanks so much for your message and your quote. I loved it. I would be thrilled to add it to my list if you don’t mind. The “soon to be published author,” is still waiting! My first novel is with publishers at the moment, submerged under an unforgiving slush pile. I’m a terrible procrastinator and making decisions is torture. Writing was so easy compared to this. There are too many pathways to traverse: sending off unsolicited manuscripts, approaching an agent, self-publishing? Which way do I go? I just wish I had a magic wand! It’s a long and silent process, “soon” was somewhat over ambitious! The reality is eventually! So, this “soon” to be published author is thrilled you are following her! Thanks, so much. Marje 🙂

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    2. Thank you so much. How kind of you to say. I try to stay young, and enjoy life to the full. Apparently my great grandfather was walking miles when he was ninety and still had a twinkle in his eye, so hope that I have inherited his genes!

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  26. Hi Marjorie,
    I’ve been to Singapore once a few years ago, beautiful place, very clean and spacious. After the crowded streets of Bangkok I felt like I had too much space!
    I love the quotes you posted and was pleased to find one by my favorite author, Stephen King.
    Lord Byron’s quote is the best I think. He sums it up rather nicely.

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    1. Hi Delia. Thanks for your comment. Yes, I’d love to go back to Singapore I day. Shame it is so far away. I loved it when I returned there with my children, several years ago now when they were both much younger. They would love to go back too! Glad you liked the quotes. 🙂

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  27. Great introduction. You’re right we do have a lot in common. I loved your quotes especially the ones from Maya Angelou. Thank you for visiting and following my blog. I look forward to your book reviews and posts about travel. 😀

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  28. Glad to stop by and know all about you 🙂 Look forward to see some exceptional insights in future. Also, I would love to know more about the author interviews. Have a blessed Easter.

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    1. Ah thank you. How kind. I have just started doing author interviews. I am scheduled to be doing another one after Easter with a fellow writer that I have met through my local writer’s group. If you would like more details about author interviews please email me: marjma@aol.com, stating clearly in the subject line Author Interview: Euphonos Books. Thanks. Have a Happy, Joyful Easter. 🙂

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    1. Hi Caitlin. Nice to chat. Thanks for following my blog. Love your Easter cupcakes by the way. I made some yummy blueberry muffins the other day. Great idea to put up on your blog, only thing is makes me hungry! Yum. Must bake more often. Have a lovely Sunday. 🙂

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    2. Hi Caitlin. Glad you stopped by. Thanks for following. Loved your Easter cupcakes, must bake more often. Made some pretty tasty blueberry muffins recently. Hungry now! Have a lovely Sunday. 🙂

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  31. Post your article very useful and beneficial, many useful quotations that I can take from your website as well as with many people
    and how do you think about my website? 🙂

    Thank you

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    Reply

  32. Great to connect too:-) I love your about, so warm and bubbly. What great a traveller and yeah to warm places. I live just half an hour from Cambridge and love visiting there. Studied in St. Andrews so Edinburgh was a favourite place for weekends. You have beautiful quotes from some wonderful authors.

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    1. Hi Annika. Thanks for your lovely comment, how kind. Yes, Cambridge is a lovely city, I enjoy living here. Interested to hear that you studied at St Andrews, and have visited Edinburgh. Sounds like we have a bit of a connection! Good to know. 🙂

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    2. Thank you Alicia. Appreciate your nominating me for this award. I will try to put up an acceptance at some point but I’m a bit snowed under at the moment, so it might not be for a while. Thanks so much for thinking about me. Happy reading to you too! 🙂

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      Reply
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