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.

There Is Far Too Much Emphasis Placed On Planning

Great advice from Jack Eason about keeping planning to a minimum to let your creativity flow. #writerstips #writing

Have We Had Help?

I know I’ve spoken about planning in the past. But like a lot of seriously overused writing crutches, it bears talking about yet again.

So many new and not so new writers insist on planning every single detail in their current work in progress almost to the point of being totally paranoid about it. It’s as if they need an Idiot’s How To Guide to be able to write. It has to be said that following this inflexible method leaves nothing to be desired. Neither does it make you think before you write. Nor does it allow you to make use of your imagination, not to mention being adventurous and therefore spontaneous. Give me research and spontaneity over planning any day.

It’s fine if you are just another hack with no imagination whatsover, ghost writing for a living. But I ask you, where’s the fun in that? Where is the…

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Carrot Ranch June 20 Flash Fiction Challenge #FlashFiction

June 20, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about having to wait. Who is waiting and what for? Think about how the wait impacts the character or the story. Go where the prompt leads!

Respond by June 25, 2019. Use the comment section below to share, read, and be social. You may leave a link, pingback, or story in the comments. If you want to be published in the weekly collection, please use the form. Rules & Guidelines.

The idea for this piece of flash came about from job shares. Imagine if the person who you were job sharing with was a murderer… What a thought!

My flash:

Only two more hours, she joked as she left. I smiled. I knew I would say the same to her after two days’ time. The weekend is teasing me, waiting with a glass of wine. At two minutes past five I open her drawer to eat the snack she left me. It kills me to admit it but it tastes good. She’d said it was foul but lied. One more bite.

Shame that death arrived before the weekend. She didn’t need to poison me—we were both on the same prolonged career path.

https://carrotranch.com/2019/06/21/june-20-flash-fiction-challenge/

Cheerio for now!

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media Links

Authors Website: https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.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. 132 #SYNONYMSONLY

I’m looking for a Christmas venue for our staff party which is proving to be more difficult than I first anticipated. A colleague at work suggested I considered The Cock pub. Anyway, to cut a long story short I called The Cock and checked the size of the venue. We require a big capacity – over fifty guests – and I was informed that the venue was too small. Dead pan, I reported this back to my colleagues with the words: ‘the cock is too small!’

Cue much laughing… Oh my!

Thereafter, not content with the way things were going I googled other possible pubs and discovered a feisty possibility called The Wrestling Cocks. This wasn’t big enough but I was impressed by their passionate pride to their pub! They pointed us in the direction of another venue – the name escapes me – but sadly this didn’t meet my exalted expectations either…

So after much soul searching and a protracted period of titillating I’m now considering a more simple approach. Perhaps a venue with a numeral in the name such as The Three Buttes, or The Eight Ding-Dongs...

ALL PUBS NAMES IN ITALICS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THEIR PRIVACY!

The pressure’s growing

To find a perfect venue

A decision soon

Be it big, or small in size

Carry on… up the pub dears!

Synonyms: For influence (I used pressure) and perception: (feeling)

To join in Colleen’s poetry challenge:

https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/06/18/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-132-synonymsonly/

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

#BookReview The Start of Something Wonderful @JaneLambert22 #TuesdayBookBlog #booklover

Fantastic review of Jane Lambert’s The Start of Something Wonderful from Lucy at blonde write more. #Midlifecrisis #romance #uplifting

Book Review of Devil In The Wind by Frank Prem #Poetry #BlackSaturday #Wildfires

Goodreads Synopsis:
Devil In The Wind is an account of catastrophic fire and its immediate aftermath.

In this 21st century, the whole world seems to be on fire. America burns. Europe burns. Greece is reeling after its own tragedy of fire.

And Australia burns, as it has always done, but now so much more fiercely.

In February 2009, wildfires burnt through entire communities, taking 173 lives and injuring hundreds, while destroying thousands of houses and other buildings. Up to 400 fires destroyed 450,000 hectares of forest, native fauna and habitat, livestock and farmland.

In the aftermath of the fires, the voices of people who had lived through the experience — victims, rescuers, and observers — spoke and were heard.

Devil In The Wind is Frank Prem’s poetic testament to the personal, and very human, accounts of those who themselves experienced and survived Black Saturday.
My review:

I discovered my love of poetry as a teenager and this love continues to this day.

Devil in The Wind is very different from any poetry book that I have ever read before. I’ve never encountered stream of consciousness poems before, or poetry that chronicles such a devastating experience in such a thoughtful, honest, human and visual way.

Poetry delivers raw emotions in a way that prose sometimes struggles to do.

My favourite poems are:

Evidence to the Commission of Enquiry

Like A Duck on The Lake

Portraits in Green And Gold

The look of salvation

First bus to Marysville

The strength of a Trukie

Ever again

Don decides

Frank Prem’s links:

https://frankprem.com/

https://frankprem.wordpress.com/

Thank you to the author for a copy – this in no way affects my review.

My recommendation: 5 stars. Definitely read this, it is a fantastic collection.

Have you read Devil in The Wind?

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/

The Bloggers Bash 2019 – Highlights and Photos #bloggersbash @BloggersBash

I can count on one hand how many bashes I have attended – five in total. Each have been different but one aspect is undeniable – I have put on a little weight since the first one.

I blame Ritu’s wonderful cakes!

Do check out Ritu’s new author blog:

https://ritubhathal.com

It was lovely reconnecting with old friends and making new ones too.

Unfortunately, as with all bashes there is always that moment when you realise that you haven’t had a chance to speak to everyone. So apologies to those I missed and to those I only chatted to briefly.

I took very few photos. Getting lazy…

But here are some, below myself, with Willow and Ritu.

Congratulations to Ritu for winning best book blog and to Sam Smith at Loving The Fifty Something Blog for winning the writing competition this year. I really enjoyed chatting to Sam and wish her every success and happiness with her writing and inspirational lifestyle.

Highlights

I particularly enjoyed listening to guest author Gemma Todd talking about her writing journey.

From working class girl with no books in the house, or readers in her family, to librarian and Headline author! That shows determination, tenacity and a love of the written word! Gemma flitted across the stage in an exuberant but down-to-earth way making me smile. She shared some touching anecdotes about her father and her genuine authenticity shone through.

The journey of a writer. Interesting and emotional talk by @GemTodd #BloggersBash pic.twitter.com/P9uZF22BEv

— Shelley Wilson (@ShelleyWilson72) June 15, 2019

I’ve followed Gemma on Twitter and will be finding out more about her book series which sounds fab. You can find out more about Gemma on her author website is via this link: https://gxtodd.com

Other highlights of the day were the flatlay session with Suzanne Elliot. Great tips from Suzanne followed by Sacha helping me with my creation.

Sacha Black’s invaluable advice was simple: less is more – don’t clutter your #flatlay photography. Add items to identify your unique style.

In Sacha’s case she includes a skull in her #flatlay. In my case, I could consider adding an item in red (like the colouring on my book cover.)

This is my work in progress flatlay… red item to be added at a later date. Perhaps a red bloodstone!

And The Panellists

Discussion was very interesting too. We heard from three knowledgeable bloggers/writers.

Listening to @esthernewton201 @ShelleyWilson72 and @FulltotheBrum during the panel discussion at the #BloggersBash pic.twitter.com/oucKOMJo6n

— Suzie81blog (@suzie81blog) June 15, 19

Great summation of the bash by my lovely friend Ritu: https://butismileanyway.com/2019/06/17/chai-and-a-chat-37-chaiandachat-bloggersbash-special-bloggersbash/

The perspective of a new blogger who hadn’t been before – Marian:

https://justmuddlingthroughlife.co.uk/2019/06/16/annual-bloggers-bash-2019/

More about the Bloggers Bash and Flatlay workshop from Eloise:

https://eloisedesousa.wordpress.com/2019/06/15/bloggers-bash-flatlay-workshop/

https://eloisedesousa.wordpress.com/2019/06/15/bloggers-bash-2019/

From the Bloggers Bash Website:

https://annualbloggersbash.com/2019/06/15/winners-of-the-2019-annual-bloggers-bash-awards-and-blog-post-competition-bloggersbash/

And Willow’s wonderful account full of photos: https://willowdot21.wordpress.com/2019/06/16/the-annual-bloggers-bash-june-15-2019/

Sherri’s fab post on the bash: https://sherrimatthewsblog.com/2019/06/18/five-years-and-another-fab-bloggers-bash-2019/

Bye for now.

If you haven’t been to the bash yet I hope you might consider coming!

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Scrummy Food, Tulips and Cocktails #Food #Montreal #Canada #Holiday #Tulips

One of the things I discovered as we were sitting in the taxi on route to catch our bus to Heathrow was I’d forgotten my coat! So, I ended up borrowing my eldest daughter’s jacket when I could – this furry brown one was my favourite!

Here I am at Venice, Montreal, wearing her jacket and my woolly hat! And here she is when she grabbed it back on a later day outside Bevo Bar and Pizzeria!410 Rue Saint Vincent, Montreal QC H2Y 3A5

As you can see we stopped for a cocktail – the first of many!!! We went there on another evening to sample their fantastic pizzas. Yum…

I did buy myself a new jacket… think tulips and jazzy coat. I’m in the slideshow below. The tulips were stunning at the Botanical Gardens, Montreal. Talk about a field of colour…

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Getting back to cocktails. See the green one below? That was my favourite! We were on a rooftop bar, and it was the bizz!

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The food… Boy, was it tasty – my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Here are a few of the amazing dishes we tried… Look at this plate of beautiful food at Arthurs Nosh Bar… 4621 Notre-Dame O Rue, Montreal QC H4C 1S5 Not only does it look like a work of art it tasted like one too! It was well worth the wait. We had to queue to get in but this looked and tasted fantastic. A definite favourite!

And these two meals were from the same pub which was very near our AirBnB, Pub Bishop and Bagg 52 Rue Saint Viateur O, Montreal QC H2T 2K8 the food was amazing. See those potatoes they were cooked to perfection. Yum… And there vegetarian option was fantastic too. All very hearty but tasty food.

Then, we tried a vegetarian/vegan place called Lov. I chose the vegan burger and it was fab. 464 McGill Rue, Montral QC H2Y 2H2

https://www.lov.com/
At Taiyo we ordered from a tablet on our table and after a while we couldn’t quite remember just how much we ordered! Needless to say we ate everything but had less room for the amazing banana fritters. 1709 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal H2X 3K4.

Montreal is definitely a foodie’s paradise. This is just a sample of some of the amazing restaurants we went to and the cocktails… what can I say? Whilst on holiday, it’s imperative to let your hair down!

Time for a diet… and detox. Lol.

Do check out my other Montreal posts:

https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2019/06/06/notre-dame-basilica-montreal-canada-travel-holiday/

https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2019/05/26/grafitti-murals-montreal-canada/

And check out this post on Canadian travel:

https://noatech.travel.blog/2019/06/09/16-top-rated-tourist-attractions-in-canada/

Have you been to Montreal?

Do comment, I’d love to here from you.

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 131 #SynonymsOnly

It’s nice to welcome Colleen back after her break finding and settling in to her new home in Arizona. I’ve missed writing poetry but I’ve been super busy getting feedback back from my early readers and beta readers on my WIP: The Curse of Time Book 2 Golden Healer.

The synonyms I’ve chosen for beginning are dawn, and for consume – exhausted.

The tulips are from my recent trip to Montreal, Canada – Botanic Gardens. I had a wonderful time there on holiday with my two daughters.

Fields of Bright Tulips

With every dawn

Inspiration finds a way

To bloom in choice words

Until exhausted I dream

Fields of bright tulips

Hope you enjoyed my tanka poem.

Bye for now, happy creating!

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

16 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Canada

Whilst I am missing Canada thought I’d share this from Noatech Travel Blog. Looks like I must go back one day. There is so much to see in Canada.

Noatech Pvt Ltd

The second largest country in the world, Canada has no shortage of beautiful landscapes and unique sites for travelers to explore. From coast to coast to coast, the country is home to vibrant and culturally rich cities, along with incredible natural wonders.

In Western Canada, the Rocky Mountains and cities of Vancouver, Victoria, and Calgary dominate most itineraries. In Central Canada, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, are some of the most popular destinations. For those who venture out to Canada’s Maritime Provinces in the east, the beauty of Gros Morne National Park, along with the cities of Halifax and St. John’s, provide their own unique character.

Off the beaten path, but equally impressive, is Canada’s North, where great rivers flow out to the Arctic Ocean, creating some incredible territory for canoeists, and where polar bears can be seen in the wild. Travelers can explore the remote beauty…

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Book Review of Ripples From The Edge Of Life by Roland Chesters #Aids #HIV

Synopsis:

If, out of the blue, you were given just two weeks to live, how would you feel? What would you do? How would you prepare for the end? Who would you tell – and how?

This was the terrible position Roland Chesters found himself in in the late summer of 2006. He knew he was seriously ill – but had no idea he had both HIV and AIDS.

Luckily, Roland did not die. Expert medical help and his own determination not to give in saw him through. His life, though, had changed forever…

‘Ripples From the Edge of Life’ is Roland’s account of a life-changing diagnosis and its impact on him and those closest to him. More than a memoir, Roland’s story is not unique; ripples spread outwards, and this empowering collection gives voice to fourteen others who have survived similar traumatic diagnoses.

This book contains wisdom, hope, humour and inspiration in equal measure. It is an essential read for anyone living with a life-changing condition, and for those who support them.

My review

Roland Chesters didn’t expect to be diagnosed with HIV.

Why would he, when he had a monogamous relationship with his partner Richard, and only had one previous partner? This personal account documents the shock and aftermath of his diagnosis. It takes the reader on a journey through his treatment, his subsequent difficulties at work and the impact of learning to live with such a shattering, life-changing illness.

Undoubtedly, Roland reached some terrible low points, but his fighting spirit to overcome is inspiring. How amazing his partner was – I think this is one of the major points conveyed – that having a loving, supportive partner, family and friends is so important.

I have enormous admiration for Roland and all the other contributors who have shared such personal experiences to help others with such openness and candour.

The latter part of the book includes the diverse experiences of men and women living with HIV. I was truly moved by all of these accounts.

My recommendation: Definitely read – 5 stars – An educational and enlightening read on the challenges of those diagnosed with HIV which facilitates discussion on the topic of life changing hidden illnesses and AIDS/HIV.

Note: Thank you to the author for a paperback copy which I was pleased to give an honest review for.

Roland Chesters links: https://luminate.uk.com/who-i-am/

Have you read Ripples From The Edge of Life? Do comment below.

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

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