Please note – The following books are FREE 7th to 9th December as my KDP period didn’t end until 5th Dec!
The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet , FREE 7th to 9th.)
Mr Sagittarius Poetry & Prose, FREE (7th to 9th.)
Do What You Love, FREE 7th to 9th.)
These are FREE Too!
Lockdown Innit Poems About Absurdity, FREE
This Is Lockdown. FREE.
Here are some review quotes from each of my books on offer, or FREE to download in the sale.
My YA Fantasy: YA Fantasy Bloodstone Book 1 in The Curse of Time series ‘Bloodstone is anything but a simple narration, but a captivating and imaginative young adult fantasy that seamlessly blends elements of magic, secrets, and coming-of-age in a dysfunctional family.’ Author & Poet Dan Costinas
My poetry & anthologies:
Shh Purely Poetry ‘I really enjoy this author – her books always make me smile and this one is no exception. There is something for everyone here in this quirky and evocative collection of poems!’ Author Chantelle Atkins
The Hedge Witch & The Magical Poet ‘This beautiful collection of poetry & flash fiction draws the reader back to nature & leaves you feeling satisfied, breathless & strangely calm.’ Author Amanda Griffith Jones.
Mr Sagittarius Poetry & Prose ‘ This is an exquisite collection of poetry, prose and photos reflecting upon the joy, comfort and peace that is to be found in the natural world and in a beautiful garden. Author S C Skillman
Do What You Love ‘ A small and perfectly formed collection about finding your way in life. Do What You Love is simply lovely.’ Linda’s Book Bag.
This Is Lockdown ‘ This Is Lockdown is a compilation unlike any other, documenting the thoughts and feelings of the main author, M J Mallon, and many other contributors, with regards to the Pandemic Lockdown of 2020, that affected the whole world’ Author Ritu Bhathal
Lockdown Innit Poems of Absurdity ‘I loved the poems, they captured the spirit of the times, the vagaries of human behaviour, the poignant signsof a society in change.’ Author Richard Dee
My YA fantasy Bloodstone, Book 1 The Curse of Time: (mental health rep, female protagonist, coming of age, dark elements, curse, crystal wielding magic, mystery, ya, fantasy.)
My story this year is another dog tale, (as was last years!) inspired by a little fellow I saw in Tavira, Portugal.
Dafydd The Dog
I walked down the hill, and an unfamiliar dog rushed ahead. It scampered back towards me, greeting me with a huge smile and a friendly “woof.” It was a small white terrier with black markings.
“Hello! Where are you off to, little doggie?”
With its tail wagging, the dog gazed at me, its head cocked endearingly. Down the hill, we passed by guard dogs barking, in showy villas with their large cacti, tropical flowers and wrought-iron gates.
Reaching the major road, my companion ran off, heading left towards the garden centre. Darting across the road, avoiding vehicles as if he didn’t have a care. Car horns tooted while drivers waved angrily.
Watching the dog’s progress with trepidation, I stopped in my tracks. Praying it would make it wherever it was going safely. Having lost sight of the dog, I carried on with my plans. Nevertheless, the little dog remained on my mind all day long. When I returned home later in the afternoon, I was astonished to see the little fellow heading down the hill towards me with a young couple.
“Hi, Bom Dia. Lovely day. I’d seen this little dog before. Is he yours?”
“No, I wish he were. He’s cute, but he doesn’t belong to us. We’ve never seen him, even though many dogs live in this neighbourhood. He trotted behind us down the hill. Such a friendly fellow.” The man bent to pat him.
Image via Pexels, Cottonbro studio.
To our surprise, the dog dashed off before we saw any identification, a chip or a collar.
“Oh dear, I wonder where he’s going! I hope no one’s lost him!” I continued to gaze in his direction.
“If he’s lost, don’t worry too much. He seems happy, well fed and not neglected,” the man’s girlfriend said.
“True. The other day he rushed up behind me, jumping onto my legs. Gave me quite a surprise. The cheeky rascal!” We all laughed. I said goodbye.
Hoping to catch up and see where the dog went, I watched his progress with bated breath, following him from a distance. As before, he darted across the major road, causing a great commotion. Several vehicles swerved, and angry shouts erupted. His devil-may-care attitude hinted at a grand adventure. No one was going to stop him!
I observed his crazy antics, sniffing and pausing, until he reached the garden centre, while continuing to follow him at a safe distance. Various people greeted the dog. They gave him a pat and something to eat, and he stopped by a bowl of water to drink from. Soon after, he left the garden centre, making his way to an area of woodland as if this daily jaunt was a frequent escapade. Becoming more animated, he chased his tail around, barking several times as if to get my undivided attention.
Of course, I obliged.
Following him, we made our way towards a mound of earth. Continuing to bark, he dug. How curious! The mound, which appeared uneven and disturbed, suggested he’d done this before. To my surprise, he no longer barked. The task at hand consumed his undivided attention. Since I could no longer contain my curiosity, I moved closer. I saw he’d unearthed an object, which was now gripped in his teeth. Leaning forward, I tried to grab it, but he growled.
“Come on! You brought me here to find this, and now you won’t let me see it?” With my voice rising, I showed my frustration.
As he released his grip, he whimpered, his brown eyes locked on mine. It was a muddy dog collar. Mysteriously, there was no name or address. Whoever finds this, the collar stated, must be the dog’s rightful owner. Name him and take him home. For a long time, he’s been searching for you.
Beside the collar was another note. Please accept him as your writing muse. I know you miss your old muse, Shadow, the mysterious black cat. With the help of your new muse, you should be able to find the missing element that you’ve been looking for.
Regards, Kit, fellow author and previous owner of the dog.
P.S. Authors sometimes get into an almighty pickle. We need new muses to ease our writer’s block. P.S. Here I go again! I love writing notes. If you dig deeper, much deeper, you’ll find further clues. Good luck.
Returning to the garden centre, I purchased a trowel. We did as the note suggested. At the same spot, we found a letter embellished with a Welsh dragon motif and another note that read: You’re on the right track. One of your new characters – the dragon timepiece creature – is looking for a new master. Let me see… In the dragon’s case, he’s looking for a kinder master. One who’ll set his spirit free.
Don’t forget to name them and your dog something fancy!
I looked down at my little dog. “What shall I call you?” With a wag of his tail, he let me decide. “You’re daft and eccentric, but in a good way. So, given my recent visit to Wales, I’m going to call you, Dafydd.”
Dafydd showed his approval by barking and chasing his tail.
I’d already named the dragon (he isn’t Welsh. He has an oriental connection and a pearl on his tongue!) So, I’ll call him Zhezhou.
“This story’s kicking off, Dafydd,” I enthused.
Dafydd jumped onto my leg, barking in agreement.
“Come on, let’s dig deeper and see if we can find yet another clue!” A little further in, we found one that read: There’ll be a talking dog with a monocle in your story. Name him too. “What shall I call the talking dog, Dafydd?” Dafydd stood on his hind legs, making himself seem bigger. “I’ve got it! I’ll call him Moredog. He’ll be the King of Darkness’s dog who walks upright and talks too! Let’s go home, Dafydd. We’ve got a new story to write in my fantasy series, The Curse of Time. You’ll help me write it, won’t you?” Dafydd, stating the obvious, barked unequivocally a resounding, “Yes.”
Thank you for reading today’s story. The next story will be available to read sometime on the 4th December, titled “Midwinter Wish“. This link will be active tomorrow when the post goes live.
If you missed yesterday’s you can go and read it here.
I hope you enjoyed! Dafydd The Dog was a little tale for fun, some names may be changed when the new book comes out. Currently, working on it, around 40k, making progress!
In the meantime, if you’d like to read YA Fantasy (older people enjoy it too!,) my book 1, Bloodstone, and book 2, Golden Healer :
Universal book Link Bloodstone, book 1, The Curse of Time:
Thank you so much AJ for inviting me to your Sunday Spotlight at AJ’s Book Nook.
1. What are your pet peeves?
• Rude, intolerant and thoughtless people. When I’m in Portugal I attend a tai chi and qigong class in a beautiful park area. On a few occasions, some noisy people sat on the benches, (they don’t participate,) but make as much rumpus as possible while we are trying to be zen!
• People who are aways on their phones. I am a bit addicted but sometimes people don’t even talk to each other anymore. It’s good to unplug sometimes.
• Litter droppers. Pick up your rubbish! Don’t discard it on that beautiful beach.
• How difficult it seems to be to find a saved draft post on Facebook! What a headache that is. Anyone else find this hard?
• Supermarket shopping! I love food but find the constant restocking a pain. Especially if you have to carry bags to your flat/house. Luckily, hubby always helps if he’s around. I’m a dreamer so not so good at doing practical things quickly!
Readers What are your pet peeves?
2. How much time do you spend writing in an average week? It depends on lots of factors, home life, whether I’m busy doing marketing/promotional posts. I am at the moment. It varies a lot!
At the moment, my writing focus is the 3rd book in my YA fantasy The Curse of Time series. I’m working on chapters and development of the storyline, with the help of early readers’ comments on Scribophile: https://www.scribophile.com/authors/m-j-mallon/works which I’ve found helpful. Fellow Next Chapter author Viv Sang also uses Scribophile too. If there are any other authors using Scribophile please let me know.
In The Shadow Dragon Pearl, (provisional title, still to be decided,) book 3, in The Curse of Time series, there are some exciting new characters:
The Dragon Zhezhou, who is based on the dragon chronophage, (there are three magical clock creatures in this series: The grasshopper, the midsummer fly and the dragon, all of which were invented by Dr John C Taylor, OBE, who I had the pleasure of meeting in Cambridge.)
The above images of the grasshopper, dragon and fly chronophage courtesy of Dr. John C. Taylor, OBE. Do find out more about these wonderful feats of inventive engineering beauty at: https://www.johnctaylor.com/
Other new characters are:
Ryder’s chauvinistic father The King of the Shadowlands. His talking dog! The coffin fairies. A talking squirrel and some creepy stone girls, the latter inspired by my visit to Juniper Artland in Edinburgh.
The third book is set partly in the Shadowlands, and in Arthur’s Seat, in Edinburgh! The Scottish girl in me couldn’t resist that!
I included some mysterious detail about Arthur Seat’s coffin fairies, (the discovery of several miniature coffins with dolls inside,) to the storyline. This headline from the following article will no doubt intrigue you:
In 1836, three Scottish boys discovered a strange cache of miniature coffins concealed on a hillside above Edinburgh. Who put them there—and why?
All very fascinating and lends itself to fantasy well.
I’m making good progress with the third book but still have a lot of work to do. My moods shift and my writing mojo varies. Sometimes I’m in the mood for writing poetry, other times short, or long fiction. At the moment my focus is my long fiction.
Occasionally, I write cute advent stories for my blog. Like this one I wrote about Chalkie The Dog in Tavira Portugal last Christmas. https://mjmallon.com/category/advent-story/
3. What is your perfect style of house & why?
I used to have a large family house in Cambridge, UK. Nowadays we travel a lot so we have a small flat in Edinburgh, (where my mum, dad, and brother, live.) When we’re abroad, we find somewhere (mainly Portugal.) We downsized massively and got rid of so much clutter. It’s a painful process but liberating too!
We put loads of our possessions in storage but had to donate, give away or get rid of so much stuff. My eldest daughter got most of my furniture as she had an unfurnished flat. In the end, we hardly kept anything. So, if you’re contemplating the same, rethink just how much you need to put into expensive storage
I’d prefer a house with enough space for hubby & I and my two daughters to visit. And a small garden. At the moment, we’re here for a spell in a villa in Portugal, which has that, (some beautiful roses & a fruit tree,) and a lovely pool too.
The fruit is called Nêspera/Loquat, some detail from Destination Eat Drink:
“The small, orange skinned, pear shaped fruit are delicious picked straight off the tree. I peel the skin, cut them in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. They’re juicy, slightly sweet and slightly tart. People often say it tastes a little like a peach or apricot. I say it tastes a bit like an acidic pear. Perhaps this is why the it’s called Nêspera, since the Portuguese word for Pear is Pera.”
I love them!
The pace of life here in Portugal is different from city life in Edinburgh/Cambridge. I enjoy my cultural fix/writing activities/poetry open mics when I am back in Edinburgh. Though there is one poetry/music event in the autumn in Tavira which I’ve been lucky to participate in, too.
4. How do you decide on the cover images for your books?
I publish my novels with Next Chapter and leave the finer nuances to them. The cover images are stunning.
For my self published poetry books it varies. I prefer to create them using images I’ve taken. I enjoy creating covers & graphics. Sometimes I pay for images on canva. As I did with my poetry collection – Shh Purely Poetry.
One of my favourites, The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet was created and formatted for me by poet, author and cover designer, the lovely Colleen Chesebro. https://colleenchesebro.org/about-2/
5. Which continents have you visited & do you have a favourite?
Currently, Europe as it’s not too far to travel to and has lots to offer. Favourite places to visit: Portugal & Spain. Recently we took a short trip away to Jerez La Frontera, Cadiz & Seville. We visited the zoological botanical gardens in Jerez and enjoyed a day sightseeing in Cadiz. We walk everywhere! I also love Majorca and the balearic islands.
Other than that I love Edinburgh. So much to do there, culturally, lots of poetry events to go to, or participate in. A fantastic city for authors.
Thank you to AJ for inviting me to takeover her Facebook page: AJ’s Book Nook. THE AUTHOR Takeover is now over, giveaway revealed. But do join the group. One of my favourites on FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1629584244023081
It’s been a busy year of writing, reviewing and editing. I’m currently working on various projects for 2025 including a YA Fantasy book, tentatively called The Shadow Dragon Pearl. I am working through the 1st phase of critiques of early chapters mainly on Scribophile and thereafter will be looking for ARC readers when the story is complete.
In 2024 I released Shh Purely Poetry, a different type of poetry book for me. It was nominated in Indie Visible’s Charity Awards, (Indie Visible is a fantastic group run by Hayley Anderton on Instagram,) under the category Best Poetry/Anthology Collection. The awards raised £300 for Brain Tumour Research. I also participated in the Halloween Hauntfest which was great fun, so much so, that I will be participating in at least 4 events next year, perhaps 5 to help introduce new readers to my books.
Blurb
A compilation of sensual, love and relationship poems. Quirky, unusual and evocative.
Shh, Purely Poetry is a collection of poetic pieces about love, sensuality and relationships with sections entitled: love as fuel, (food and coffee love,) the summer and winter of love, strangers in love, quirky aspects and nature as sensuality.
For Ari Meghan’s Christmas Advent I wrote a lovely story about a surprise. It’s all about a little dog called Chalkie and Tai Chi in the Portuguese sun. If you haven’t read it yet here is the link:
It’s been a year of contributing to some brilliant anthologies which I’ve really enjoyed being a part of. Here’s the detail, the most recent of which is Sunflower Tanka.
Sunflower Tanka
Sunflower Tanka, edited by Robbie Cheadle & Colleen M. Chesebro, is an annual anthology of contemporary tanka, tanka prose, & experimental tanka from a broad mix of new and established poetic voices from across the world.
Our theme, “Into the Light,” draws inspiration from the way a young sunflower bud constantly turns to face the sun. Poets delved into the realms of death, love, and the natural world, capturing their human experiences in the timeless form of syllabic poetry.
Contributors to the first edition of the Sunflower Tanka: Suzanne Brace, Yvette Calleiro, Kay Castenada, Luanne Castle, Robbie Cheadle, Colleen M. Chesebro, E.A. Colquitt, Melissa Davilio, Destiny, Tamiko Dooley, Lisa Fox, Cindy Georgakas, Chris Hall, Franci Hoffman, Marsha Ingrao, Jude Itakali, JulesPaige, Kenneth, MJ Mallon, Brenda Marie, Selma Martin, Michelle Ayon Navajas, Lisa Nelson, D. Wallace Peach, Freya Pickard, Dawn Pisturino, Gwen M. Plano, Jennifer Russo, Aishwarya Saby, Reena Saxena, Merril D. Smith, Nicole Smith, Ivor Steven, Ben Tonkin, Trilce Marsh Vazquez, Cheryl Wood.
I’ve ordered a physical copy and look forward to reading in the New Year!
I won 1st prize with my story The Seagull Man in Wordcrafter Press’s Midnight Garden.
17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare.
Contributing authors include Paul Kane, Ell Rodman, DL Mullan, Joseph Carrabis, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Denise Aparo, Jon Shannon, Zack Ellafy, Danaeka Scrimshaw, Robb T. White, Abe Margel, Julie Jones, Molly Ertel, Peter McKay, Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Martz, and M.J. Mallon
In 2024 I’m delighted to have contributed poems to these anthologies:
Charity Poetry Anthologies: (The 365 Day Poetry Challenge via Melissa Davilio)
The Endeavor: Making Waves is Volume IV in The 365 Poetry Prompt Challenge Compendium, consisting of 134 poems written in response to 61 prompts (Prompt Days 184 – 244) in the year-long challenge, composed by 28 International poets. It explores various poetic techniques, genres, and forms while delving into a plethora of complex human thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Within these pages you will also find a mutual love for nature and the beauty of the world upon which we live.
Order from Lulu.com if possiblebut also available via Amazon.
I am on the blog review tour for Santa Pig and Patrick White by Suzanne Stephenson, DLM Book Tours, via Donna Morfett.
Santa Pig Blurb
Being a talking pig is not easy, particularly if you belong to a lawyer. Patrick the pig not only finds himself involved with the Parish Council but also finds himself on trial.
Will he be able to save the local Christmas festivities?
This is a comedy of pigs, law and Christmas which, like seasonal punch, should be enjoyed for warm seasonal cheer, or sometimes just enjoyed for a bit of laughter at humans’ expense.
“A very entertaining book, full of humour that had me chuckling along with the wisdom of a very clever pig.” – Review by D for The World According to Patrick White.
Emmie is a part-time lawyer and a part-time farmer who finds she is in possession of a talking pig.
Odd? Yes. But this is only a part of the piggy story.
“Patrick White” as he calls himself questions our rules, our religions and our politics. He is curious and clever and he often finds human behaviour incomprehensible.
Patrick White ends up in court as an expert witness about porcine behaviour. After all, the world needs to know his side of the story. When he meets a royal dignitary, the piggy tail takes another twist.
A fun and amusing read about a very clever talking pig. I enjoyed it and the lovely illustrations in the book. Patrick White likes beer, tv and listening to the radio. And he has a great enthusiasm for lady pigs. But he is much more than just a breeding pig. He is such an intelligent fellow! When news spreads about his capabilities all sorts of incredible things happen, read this sweet book to find out more.
Santa Pig
This continues the story of the talking pig, Patrick White. Introduces a new pig character, who isn’t much good for reproduction, who is clever like Patrick. Patrick is lonely and longs for intellectual company, so he befriends the sow. Much more happens. Cleverly done. A fun and amusing read with simple but appealing illustrations. A recommended read for older children and adults too to brighten your Christmas!
Author Bio
Living in the English countryside I already had a couple of careers before I became an author. Having been a Family Lawyer and Family Mediator I became a District Judge in the year 2000 and officially retired from judging in early 2021.Sitting on complex family cases did not leave me much time for my interests of writing and sketching but when I had free-time I tried to visit interesting places .I hope my ancestors helped provide some inspiration as well. My father was a Holocaust survivor and my maternal grandfather a gynaecologist and composer. The people and countryside of Eastern England also are embedded in my psyche .
Thank you so much to Diana Peach for including my latest poetry book, Shh Purely Poetry with her July book reviews.
Follow the link below to read her reading suggestions! Including myself and fellow authors as follows:
And The Grave Awaits by Roberta Eaton Cheadle, The Repulse Chronicles Book 7 by Chris James, Petals of Haiku edited by Gabriela Marie Milton, (an anthology of poetry,) Karma Doesn’t Kill by Yvette M. Calleiro.
Congratulations to Denise on the launch of Sounds In The Silence. It is on my kindle and can’t wait to get to it soon!
A dual timeline where murder has consequences forty years later for the living—and the deceased.
Maria and Logan Davis stumbled upon the perfect old house by a secluded lake—a prime candidate for their dream inn. They knew a renovation was involved but didn’t expect a persistent ghost that pleaded to be found. Determined, Maria delved into the mystery, only to uncover a haunting love story and murder from the Roaring Twenties. Yet, the young couple’s curiosity shifts to fear when they realize someone is taking a dangerous interest in their barn. With time ticking away, they must unravel the secrets of their home’s past before it’s too late.
M J Mallon YA Author and Poet 