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.

Blog Tour and Review: If You Love Me I’m Yours – Lizzie Chantree #RRBC #ABRSC

I’m thrilled to be part of Lizzie Chantree’s blog tour for her latest novel: If You Love Me I’m Yours.

Thank you to Lizzie Chantree for an ARC copy of If you Love Me, I’m Yours.

Please note: Receiving a copy via the author in no way influences my review.

Goodreads Synopsis

‘If you love me, I’m yours…’

Maud didn’t mind being boring, not really. She had a sensible job, clothes, and love life… if you counted an overbearing ex who had thanked her, rolled over and was snoring before she even realised he’d begun! She could tolerate not fulfilling her dreams, if her parents would pay her one compliment about the only thing she was passionate about in life: her art.

Dot should have fit in with her flamboyant and slightly eccentric family of talented artists, but somehow, she was an anomaly who couldn’t paint. She tried hard to be part of their world by becoming an art agent extraordinaire, but she dreamed of finding her own voice.

Dot’s brother Nate, a smoulderingly sexy and famous artist, was adored by everyone. His creative talent left them in awe of his ability to capture such passion on canvas. Women worshipped him, and even Dot’s friend Maud flushed and bumped into things when he walked into a room, but a tragic event in his past had left him emotionally and physically scarred, and reluctant to face the world again.

Someone was leaving exquisite little paintings on park benches, with a tag saying, ‘If you love me, I’m yours’. The art was so fresh and cutting-edge, that it generated a media frenzy and a scramble to discover where the mystery artist could be hiding. The revelation of who the prodigious artist was interlinked Maud, Dot and Nate’s lives forever, but their worlds came crashing down.

Were bonds of friendship, love and loyalty strong enough to withstand fame, success and scandal?

My review:

I was delighted with the prospect of reading another novel from Lizzie Chantree as I really enjoyed Ninja School Mum.

Here is a link to my review for Ninja School Mum: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/abrsc-review-of-ninja-school-mum/

What I didn’t expect was that this latest book If You Love Me I’m Yours is now my favourite!

What did I like about it?

Lovely engaging characters, I especially loved the main protagonist Maud and her relationship with Daisy and new friend Dot. And Nate is too cute and his brother Elliot is too! Oh, I could go on and on… Basically I loved all the characters and the characterisation was one of the strongest aspects of this novel.

It was nice to read a light-hearted chick lit romance for a change. And I really enjoyed the fantastic conclusion. Loved the ending!

I engaged with the art aspect to it – how Maud didn’t have much confidence about her creative talents – but then left her art everywhere for people to enjoy. This was charming and touching too. I’m not an artist myself but do enjoy funky, eccentric characters and If you Love Me I’m Yours really delivered on this.

It’s an uplifting, sweet romance – a great option for a holiday read and with summer upon us…

What I wanted more of!

I loved the sexy scenes between Maud and Nate but I wanted more! I’m greedy that way. This was quite a slow burn with Maud and Nate’s uncertainties and fears, holding back the ‘love action’ which had me desperate for more! I could understand why they were both reluctant but even so. Lol.

Overall a charming, engaging novel which will bring you lots of smiles! Definitely a recommendation.

Author Bio:

Award-winning inventor and author, Lizzie Chantree, started her own business at the age of 18 and became one of Fair Play London and The Patent Office’s British Female Inventors of the Year in 2000. She discovered her love of writing fiction when her children were little and now runs networking hours on social media, where creative businesses, writers, photographers and designers can offer advice and support to each other. She lives with her family on the coast in Essex. Visit her website at www.lizziechantree.com or follow her on Twitter @Lizzie_Chantree https://twitter.com/Lizzie_Chantree.

Social media links:

Website: https://lizziechantree.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizzie_Chantree
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizzie.chantree.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizzie_chantree/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7391757.Lizzie_Chantree

Universal book buy link: viewbook.at/IfYouLoveMe-ImYours

My rating 4.5 stars.

To read all of my reviews (I review lots!!!):

https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/a-m-of-)my-book-reviews/

https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2016/11/27/my-kyrosmagica-reviews-n-z/

Please note:
I’d love you to leave a comment. Please read my Full GDPR Privacy and Compliance for further details: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2018/05/20/privacy-and-gdpr-compliance/

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media:

Authors Website: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Tumblr: http://mjmallonauthor.tumblr.com/

#RWISA TARGET THE TALENT (#TTT) WRITING CONTEST! – #RRBC

An opportunity for RRBC members to enter a writing competition to get a special invitation to RWISA. (Rave Writers’ Int’l Society of Authors,) and a chance to be included in the 2018 RWISA Anthology. More details via #RWISA TARGET THE TALENT (#TTT) WRITING CONTEST! – #RRBC

10 Yoga With Adriene practices I’d recommend

A lovely post from Jenny In Neverland about 10 Yoga Practices with Adriene. Including a beginner’s option. Tempted? I am.

Jenny in Neverland

If I have a chance to talk about Yoga, I will. People I know who don’t care about Yoga are probably sick to death of me talking about it but hey, guess what? I’m not going to stop. In fact, I’m one click away from booking myself into a Yoga retreat in November so that’ll give me another excuse to talk about it even more! Wheyy! Anyway, Yoga is a big part of my life. I practice it every single day (unless I really can’t like being ill or on holiday) and over the last year or so, it really has changed my life.

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Interview with Author Marcia Meara!

It’s never to late to follow a dream it is never too late to write. Lovely, inspiring interview of Marcia Meara via Janice Spina at Jems Books.

JEMSBOOKS

Marcia Meara

MARCIA MEARA

Please welcome author Marcia Meara to Jemsbooks Blog Author Interview Segment.

Thank you, Marcia, for coming today.

Lovely to be here today, Janice! Thanks so much for having me.

I’ll step aside so you can begin, Marcia. I look forward to learning more about you.

Please tell us something about yourself.

I’m Marcia (pronounced Marsha) and I live in central Florida. I’m an ardent lover of wildlife and have spent decades birding and canoeing in the many creeks and streams of my home state, far preferring Florida’s quiet, shady swamps to its hot, sunny beaches.

I’m particularly fond of reptiles, especially snakes, and I enjoy sharing the things I’ve learned over the years. I do two or three Meet the Author slide presentations per month at various local venues, speaking as often about our fabulous wildlife and wetlands as I do about books and writing.

Gardening has…

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Why you need to be part of the Writing Community

Read post from Ari Meghlen on the importance of a writing community to encourage, share ideas and help each other. Together we are stronger.

Author Ari Meghlen Official Website

Writing is often considered a lonely profession, and while it’s true that it’s a solitary task, it does not have to be lonesome. Even a socially-awkward, highly-anxiety-ridden person like myself, can make connections within the writing community.

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New Release! Scott Hutchison “Tribute Portrait”

A beautiful tribute from my artist friend Carolina Russo. Scott Hutchison of indie rock band Frightened Rabbit. Portion of proceeds will be donated by Carolina to Scottish Association For Mental Health. Please share widely.

Carolina Russo |Sa'Reyah

Scott Hutchison Tribute – Watercolor Painting ©CarolinaRusso

Hello everyone,

Today post is to Officially Release my new watercolor painting!

My painting it is a Tribute Portrait dedicated to Scottish music artist “Scott Hutchison” this is a very emotional painting created In Loving Memory of Scott (20/11/81 – 10/5/18) R.I.P
Scott Hutchison was a wonderful music artist founding and primary songwriter of indie rock band Frightened Rabbit

This painting is my humble contribution to honor Scott soul and to raise awareness on Mental Health and suicide prevention. Scott Hutchison left our world last May 10, 2018 at age of 36. Struggling with the demons of depression. He never hid his suffering, but translated his feelings using his alienation in words creating songs that touched the heart of many around the world. He always reassured fans who reached to him about their problems that “there’s always hope”.

Scott-Hutchison – Photo by Paul Stevenson/Flickrhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode

❤❤❤
I…

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#ABRSC #Review Fairies, Myths, & Magic: A Summer Celebration – Colleen Chesebro

Thank you to Colleen Chesebro for an ARC of her latest book: Fairies, Myths & Magic: A Summer Celebration. Receiving a free copy in no way influences my review. All opinions are my own.

Amazon Synopsis:

Step into a world where fairies, dragons, and other magical beings converge in a collection of poetry and short stories inspired by the celebration of Litha, the Summer Solstice.

Meet Drac, a dragon cursed by hSELRES_9d361293-d8cd-4ac7-b3cd-945e6c8febfeis own poisonous deeds, and two pixies who help an old man remember a lost love. You’llSELRES_9d361293-d8cd-4ac7-b3cd-945e6c8febfe meet a pair of fairies with a sense of humor, and a young girl who fulfills her destiny after being struck by lightning. Learn what happens when a modern witch’s spell goes terribly wrong. Meet the Sisters of the Fey, a group of Slavic Witches who sign a pact with the Rusalki Fey to preserve their magic for the good of all.

Atmospheric and haunting, the prose and poetry, will rewrite the mythologies of the past bringing them into the future.

My review:

A charming collection of short stories and poetry which I read through in delight, enthralled by it all. It would particularly appeal to those who love the allure of fairies, myths, fairy-tales and magic.

It begins with a short introduction to Lithia – the Midsummer Solstice – the longest day of the year which begins on June 21st.

There is a section on the different kinds of fairies: brownies, elves, pixies, sprites, dryads, leprechauns, and the author’s own amazing experience seeing her first fairy!

All the stories and poems are fantastic.

Below are my personal favourite stories and poems in the collection:

‘Just What the Doctor Ordered.’ – a couple of pixies get up to some cheeky mischief!

‘The Fairies Spider’s Lair.’ – evocative poem.

‘The Sisters of The Fey: The Beginning, A Short Story.’

‘A Fairy Love Spell’ – this is what happens if you play with magic – so funny!

‘Believe’ – A short story with the bees!

‘Waiting For A Summer Love’ – a poem.

‘The Healer – A Short story’ – with a dragon, and a blood witch. Fantastic.

‘A Litha Celebration – a poem.’

‘A Fish Tale – Short Story’ – so charming.

‘Halloween Magic’ – anyone who has had their fill of laundry will love this story. It is so funny!

‘The Leaving. A Story of Supernatural Magic.’ Definite favourite.

Colleen M. Chesebro is an American Novelist writing YA fantasy and magical realism, cross-genre fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. She loves all things magical which may mean that she could be experiencing her second childhood—or not. That part of her life hasn’t been fully decided yet.
A few years ago, a mystical experience led her to renew her passion for writing and storytelling. These days she resides in the fantasy realm of the Fairy Whisperer where she writes the magical poetry and stories that the fairy nymphs whisper to her in her dreams.
Colleen won the Little and Laugh Flash Fiction Contest sponsored by the CarrotRanch Literary Community.com in November 2017 for her piece, called “The Bus Stop.” Her debut novel, The Heart Stone Chronicles: The Swamp Fairy won gold in the 2017 AuthorsDB.com cover contest.
Colleen lives in Colorado with her husband, Ron. When she is not writing, Colleen enjoys spending time with her husband and friends. She also loves gardening, reading, and crocheting old-fashioned doilies into works of art. You can learn more about Colleen at www.colleenchesebro.com.

My rating: 5 stars

Here is the Country Tagged Universal Book Link: Smarturl.it.FairiesMythsMagic”>http://smarturl.it/FairiesMythsMagic”>Smarturl.it.FairiesMythsMagic

https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/embed?linkCode=kpe&ref_=k4w_oembed_6aeeF165kpjuoF&asin=B07DTSBH4T&tag=kpembed-20&amazonDeviceType=A2CLFWBIMVSE9N&from=Bookcard&preview=inline

You can find Colleen in all the usual places. Drop by anytime.

colleenchesebro.com Author Blog

Amazon Author Page

Facebook

Twitter

Sisters of the Fey Group Blog

Pinterest

Google+

Instagram

LinkedIn

I’ve written loads of reviews. Please follow to links to read more of my reviews:

https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/a-m-of-my-book-reviews/

https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2016/11/27/my-kyrosmagica-reviews-n-z/

I’d love you to leave a comment.

Please read my Full GDPR Privacy and Compliance details: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2018/05/20/privacy-and-gdpr-compliance/

Buy Paperback Book link: http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media:
Authors Website: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Facebook #ABRSC – Authors/Bloggers Support Group. Come and join us in our Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Tumblr: http://mjmallonauthor.tumblr.com/

5 Ways Yoga Benefits Your Mental Health

A lovely article about how yoga benefits your mental health via Mihran Kalaydjian

Mihran Kalaydjian Real Talk

Full-HD-1080p-Yoga-Girls-Wallpapers

“Yoga is a psychology—the whole practice helps us work with the nature of the mind, the nature of being a human, how emotions live in our bodies, how they affect our behavior and our minds,” says Turner, who reveals that yoga helped her recognize and cope with her own low self-esteem. “This course is reclaiming the deeper roots of the practice, not just asana—the mental and emotional benefits

Below are 5 ways that yoga can benefit your mental health and well-being and even improve your relationships, according to Turner.

5 Ways Yoga Benefits Your Mental Health

1. It moves you from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic nervous system, or from flight-or-flight to rest-and-digest. You typically have less anxiety and enter a more relaxed state. As soon as you start breathing deeply, you slow down out of fight-or-flight and calm your nervous system.

2. It helps you build your…

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#Book #Release Fairies, Myths, & Magic ~ A Summer Celebration – Colleen Chesebro

Congratulations to my dear friend Colleen Chesebro on the publication of her first book of poetry and short stories. Today I am delighted to be sharing her specially written post about her book release:

HAPPY SUMMER SOLSTICE!

I’ve planned this day out in my mind for over a year… Today, as a tribute to the Summer Solstice, my first book of poetry and short stories has become a reality. Fairies, Myths, & Magic ~ A Summer Celebration is now available on Amazon.

From June 21st through June 27th, this book will be featured at the introductory price of $.99! Grab your copy today!

Here is the Country Tagged Universal Book Link: http://smarturl.it/FairiesMythsMagic “>Smarturl.it.FairiesMythsMagic

Blurb:

Step into a world where fairies, dragons, and other magical beings converge in a collection of poetry and short stories inspired by the celebration of Litha, the Summer Solstice.

Meet Drac, a dragon cursed by his own poisonous deeds, and two pixies who help an old man remember a lost love. You’ll meet a pair of fairies with a sense of humor, and a young girl who fulfills her destiny after being struck by lightning. Learn what happens when a modern witch’s spell goes terribly wrong. Meet the Sisters of the Fey, a group of Slavic Witches who sign a pact with the Rusalki Fey to preserve their magic for the good of all.

Atmospheric and haunting, the prose and poetry, will rewrite the mythologies of the past bringing them into the future.

What’s Litha ~ the Summer Solstice?

Litha is the celebration of the Summer Solstice—June in the Northern Hemisphere, and December in the Southern Hemisphere. Here in North America, the Litha Sabbat honors the longest day of the year with the most hours of sunlight.

Pagans celebrated Litha by observing and honoring the power of the sun. The sun’s influence reminded the people that the summer months represented fertility, ensuring the survival of the species.

During midsummer, magnificent fruit burst forth from the flowers, shrubs, and trees, providing ample food for all. Summer was also the most favorable time for the birthing and survival of animals, birds, and insects. This also included humans where the most births occurred during the months of July through October, which still continues today.

For the ancients, nothing represented the power of the sun more than fire. On the Solstice Eve, huge bonfires were erected on hilltops celebrating the link between the earth and heavens. Festivities lasted for days before and after the main event.

Yet, the primitive people recognized the need for balance between fire and water. Some celebrations included setting a wheel on fire, then rolling it downhill into a body of water, signaling the power of the sun at it’s mightiest, and also the day the sun’s power begins to diminish.

For me, a Summer Solstice celebration was the perfect day to share my collection of poetry and short stories inspired by the magic of the ancient pagans. I hope you’ll enjoy this collection. ❤

A few years ago, a mystical experience led her to renew her passion for writing and storytelling. These days she resides in the fantasy realm of the Fairy Whisperer where she writes the magical poetry and stories that the fairy nymphs whisper to her in her dreams.

Colleen won the Little and Laugh Flash Fiction Contest sponsored by the CarrotRanch Literary Community.com in November 2017 for her piece, called “The Bus Stop.” Her debut novel, The Heart Stone Chronicles: The Swamp Fairy won gold in the 2017 AuthorsDB.com cover contest.

Colleen lives in Colorado with her husband, Ron. When she is not writing, Colleen enjoys spending time with her husband and friends. She also loves gardening, reading, and crocheting old-fashioned doilies into works of art. You can learn more about Colleen at www.colleenchesebro.com.

You can find Colleen in all the usual places. Drop by anytime.

colleenchesebro.com Author Blog

Amazon Author Page

Facebook

Twitter

Sisters of the Fey Group Blog

Pinterest

Google+

Instagram

LinkedIn

Wishing Colleen much success in her book launch.

Sally works as a Senior Ambassador for Tropic #Vegan #CrueltyFree #Natural #Skincare

Hi Sally, it’s a great pleasure to welcome you to my blog today.

Sally and I are ‘old,’ Edinburgh school friends! Hey, not so old! We’re in the prime of our lives… I swear that we ladies come into our prime at this age… Our kids are grown up, we start spreading our wings and being more adventurous!

It’s quite remarkable how we have reconnected via Facebook after so many years apart.

I thought it would be interesting to interview Sally about her role as a Senior Ambassador for Tropic.

Tell me a little about your role at Tropic, Sally.

I am a Senior Ambassador (we start as Ambassador and the next stage is Senior, so I am very much at the start of the Tropic journey!)

When did you decide to join?

I joined in February of 2017.

Do you see it as a hobby or a full-time vocation?

At the moment I am doing it as a hobby as I love the products so much and believe in the ethics of Susie Ma’s brand.

What is it about Susie Ma’s brand that particularly attracted you to Tropic?

Susie was brought up to always use natural ingredients on the skin and inside the body and not to take medicines. (Her grandma was a biochemist). All her products are Vegan and Cruelty Free certified and freshly made – that is what drew me to the company in the first place. The main bread and butter is skincare, but we do body care; sun-care; hair care; makeup and tan products.

Tell me about the Glambassador Events.

I have been to three of their Glambassador Events where they recognise Ambassador achievements and show us new products for the coming seasons (this happens twice per year – March and September) – a glamorous event where we all dress up and entertainment is laid on plus dinner.

Are there other events too?

I have also been to Susie’s Road Show, which she does every January; up and down the country. She does a talk to tell people about why she promotes ‘greener beauty’; the chemicals in the beauty industry and why she is so passionate about her ” PURE. HONEST. EFFECTIVE” range of skincare and makeup.

Sally’s VIP Tropic Skincare & Make Up – Facebook Page

https://www.tropicskincare.co.uk/shop/sallystagg

Do you have a product you would like me to advertise on my blog? I have 54,180 hits, over 1,500 followers, 3,300+ followers on twitter. I may be able to help if your product is a good fit with my blog, (I particularly welcome Vegan, natural products and products/services that will be popular with a teenage audience as I write YA!) and I can promote your company at a very reasonable price. Or, perhaps you might like me to sample a product? Get in touch via the comment button below.

Have you tried Tropic? Do comment below if you have. Would love to hear your thoughts on these natural skincare products.

I’d love you to leave a comment.

Please read my Full GDPR Privacy and Compliance details: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2018/05/20/privacy-and-gdpr-compliance/