Author: Marje @ Kyrosmagica

Hi. Welcome to my blog: M J Mallon - Kyrosmagica Publishing. A blog about magic, books, writing, laughter, and much more! I'm a YA fantasy author, poet and reviewer. My first YA fantasy novel The Curse of Time - Book 1 - Bloodstone is set in Cambridge and Book 2 - Golden Healer is now out too. As well as this, I have contributed to several anthologies, created my own with some amazing international writers, bloggers and creatives during the pandemic: This Is Lockdown and written two poetry collections: Lockdown Innit Poems About Absurdity & Mr. Sagittarius Poetry and Prose. I write book reviews on my blog and on Goodreads, book bub and on my bookstagram. I have a penchant for travel and have relatives in far flung places, Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore, (my birthplace.) I grew up in 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 husband who I fondly refer to in this blog as my black sheep. Family joke! With my passion for travel, culture, beautiful beaches, good food, books, theatre, writing, and humour, I hope to keep you entertained. I'm loving every minute of this creative journey, please join me.

Revive Old Posts Bloggers Link Up

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Today I’d like to step back in time and look at my very first post on this blog:

Writer’s Journey How Did It All Happen?

What magical ingredients made me become a blogger/writer? I think if I was doing a  sum it would be a strange black cat, plus a book: (Dorian Gray,) add some thoughts about art and lots and lots of reading. No minus equations allowed, creativity always involves a stack of pluses and no negativity!

Recently my eldest daughter asked me for some old photos of her when she was little for a project she is currently doing for University. So I opened my large oriental camphor wood chest and we had a lovely time searching through many photos. I came across a really cute photo of my cat Chester when he was a tiny, adorable kitten, and I was a mere slip of a girl. I realised that my very first post on this blog is missing a very important ingredient. What could that be? An easy answer – some delightful old photos of my much-loved cat Chester. He was such a magnificent fellow, and I loved him very much, so let me share them with you….

Me with Chester, looking all energetic!!!

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Here he is exploring interesting little hiding places:

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And he had an inquisitive nature:

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This is how magnificent he was when he grew up! This photo doesn’t quite do him justice, he really was a handsome fellow, with striking markings and a character to match.

 

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If you’d like to join in with my bloggers monthly 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. All link up posts will go up on the second Thursday of the month, and join in whenever you want. No pressure!

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…

More about that here: Lifewire – Throwback Thursday

Shake out your old posts and give them a new lease of life.

Bye for now from less energetic grown up me!!!

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Tanka Tuesday: Angel and Devil

 

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This week for Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday we have two very tempting prompt words – angel and devil. This is so me!!! I love to explore the light and dark side of life.

The following Tanka is inspired by my current WIP – The Curse of Time – Book 1 – The Bloodstone. 

#Tanka Tuesday, #micropoetry, #poetry, #5lines

 

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Do join in the Tanka fun – here’s the link to find out more: Colleen Chesebro Tanka Tuesday

Bye for now,

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Author/Blogger Spotlight: Second Wind Leisure – Terri Webster Schrandt

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Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to Terri Webster Schrandt, author, blogger, leisure expert. This lady knows all there is to know about spending our precious leisure time wisely, and to add to her accomplishments she has recently released an e-book entitled – Better Blogging With Photography.

Being a huge fan of photography I couldn’t agree more, there’s nothing quite like an appealing photograph to catch the readers eye. Without it a blog post can be easily overlooked.

Why oh why didn’t I think of writing a book on this subject? Ah, I really need to get a grip….Terri you stole this possibility from my grasp, how could you? LOL !!! It must be all that time you spend pursuing a diverse range of leisure activities – ‘windsurfing, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), camping, reading, writing, teaching, walking the dogs, traveling,’ that’s quite a list Terri. Means you must be super fit, and mentally agile. Perhaps  I need to take up a few more exercise/sporting activities other than just tai chi….

Never mind, I must focus, or I’ll get distracted. Marje aka Kyrosmagica does tend to get a bit flighty at times….

So, who is our blogging friend Terri?

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Terri’s Bio, Author Central

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Terri is a non-fiction writer and retired recreation and parks practitioner living in Northern California. As a university lecturer teaching leisure education in the recreation and parks major, Terri takes leisure very seriously because it involves one-third of our lives…really!

Obtaining a Master’s Degree at age 50, Terri wrote her thesis on the Four Generations in the Workplace, sparking her love of writing at midlife. In addition to writing and blogging, she offers consultation services and conducts and presents workshops for a variety of organizations.

Second Wind Leisure Perspectives is her blog about living a leisure lifestyle.

Her active lifestyle involves windsurfing, stand-up paddling, camping, reading, writing, walking the dogs, traveling, and…

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Short Book description:

Better Blogging with Photography: Maximize Your Blog Using Your Own Images

 

There is truth to the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. As a blogger, are you weary of constantly hunting for images to illustrate the subject of your blog posts?

 

Perhaps you are a new blogger struggling to get more readers. Or a seasoned blogger continually seeking inspiration for quality blog posts.

 

This guidebook is designed to help you utilize your own images on your blog or website.

 

While free image sites abound, there are limitations to using so-called “free” images. Gone are the days when bloggers can innocently copy and paste an image from the web and paste it into their blog post. After reading this short guidebook, you will want to grab your smart phone or inexpensive digital camera and start taking photos!

Amazon Buying Link – Better Blogging With Photography

Terri Webster Schrandt – Goodreads

 

 

Her early years…

 

I’m told that at age 4, I began reading. Somewhere there is an old, grainy polaroid of me laying on the floor holding an oversized book upside down in my two-year old hands. Books meant something to me even then. 

In my 50s, I found my second act, which consists of living my life around leisure, instead of the other way around. At age 49 I discovered the new love of my life who introduced me to windsurfing and stand-up paddling. At age 50 I obtained my master’s degree. At age 51, I became an adjunct university lecturer. At age 55, I retired from 30+ years as a recreation and leisure practitioner. At age 56 I self-published my first eBook.
As a leisure educator, I blog about my experiences. It is my passion to educate people about leisure… one blog at a time. I love photography and recently bought a “real” camera. Beautiful images are worth a thousand words, or maybe no words at all if the image is powerful enough.

Terri just posted a wonderful article about the hazards of uploading photos that might appear to be free but aren’t. With this in mind she is offering free images to her followers.

Do follow this link to find out more:

https://secondwindleisure.com/2017/02/02/how-to-get-hundreds-of-free-photos-for-your-blog


 

Do you know how to add sound to your book?

Do you know how to add sound to your book? Find out how via author Jean M. Cogdell – Jeans Writing.

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Again! I learned something new today!

I had no idea a soundtrack could be added to an ebook. Who knew? Probably all of y’all, I’m usually the last to hear about all of this new-fangled techie stuff. But this is so way cool. 

Will I use it? Not sure.

Why? Because when I pick up a book I like to shut out the world around me. I don’t enjoy listening to music or multi-tasking when I read. I prefer a quiet room or my porch on a warm sunny day.  

Now my grandkids are different. The teenagers in our family enjoy reading with music blaring through headphones attached to their ears. To me, that’s a distraction.

However, I can remember a time when I did homework listening to the radio so maybe it’s not so different. Music comforts us, romance and relaxation.

And music is important to storytelling. Without music, movies…

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Colleen’s Weekly #Tanka #Poetry Challenge #19 – “Craft & Rise”

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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…

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#Tanka Tuesday, #micropoetry, #poetry, #5lines

Colleen Chesebro’s Tanka Tuesday – Join in the fun!

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!

Keep on writing!

Bye for now.

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Blogger Spotlight – Author Janice Wald

Today I’d like to introduce you to Janice Wald.

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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…..

Janice’s impressive biography:

I’m Janice Wald, the author of AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL BLOG, available on Amazon.com. I can also be found on Goodreads.

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.

For example, my posts How to Make 1,406 People Look At Your Site in 1 Day and How to Quickly Get 3,000 New Blog Followers are typical posts you will find on my blog.

My blog is included in

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.

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Here’s the link to Janice’s ebook on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M4QOD41
The link to her blog’s landing page:
http://www.mostlyblogging.com/enjoy-my-guest-post-heres-what-to-do-next/
Plus a link to Janice’s About page:
http://www.mostlyblogging.com/about/

As well as this there’s much to discover about her journey to becoming an ebook author:
And lots and lots of blogging Tips:

Janice can be found in a heck load of social media hang outs:

Blog URL: http://mostlyblogging.com/

Also she can be found on: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16067827.Janice_Wald

I will be interviewing Janice soon about her recently released book An Insiders Guide To Building A Successful Blog, so do keep a look out for that.

Bye for now,

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Colleen’s Weekly #Tanka #Poetry Challenge #18 – “Charm & Touch”

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#Tanka Tuesday, #micropoetry, #poetry, #5lines

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!

 

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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.

If you’d like to join in with Colleen’s challenge here’s the link: Colleen Chesebro’s Tanka Challenge: Charm and Touch

Don’t forget to Stay Tuned to Kyrosmagica. There will be more blog posts soon…

Bye for now,

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Blogger Spotlight: Samantha Murdoch

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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?

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This is Lily with a very artistic shadow! She’s a natural model, look how she stays so still for the camera.

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And Lily with her eyes closed, looking very chilled! Love how the light falls on her fur giving it a white glow.

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This is my favourite of Lily  looking very regal! Look at those eyes, and that glossy fur!

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This is Tooty – Don’t they look similar?

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Here’s Tooty on the move, her shadow is following…

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One way and then another…

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Finally, Tooty staying still… looking quite thoughtful.  What an interesting background.. Great photo! Mesmerising…

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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:

Samantha Murdoch: Danburite and Darling Cats

And her feelings about spiders….

Samantha Murdoch: Moonstone and Meanderings, Spiders Part 4

And some wonderful poetry too!

Samantha Murdoch: Wanderer

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.

Bye for now,

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My Kyrosmagica Review of The WaterMelon King by Daniel Royse

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Goodreads 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.

 

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…

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Author Spotlight: Daniel Royse

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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.

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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.

 

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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.
LINKS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barnes and Noble: Barnes and Noble

 
 

 

LINKS TO PREVIOUS WORK:  Daniel Royse’s travel website:

 

 

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!

 

Check out my A – Z reviews:

 

Happy reading, happy travelling.

 

Bye for now,

 

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