Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 137 #SynonymsOnly

Word prompts: Kind and shift. For kind, I used breed and shift: transform.

The idea for this Tanka came from a passage in my WIP: The Curse of Time Book 2 Golden Healer when Esme (the mirror girl,) tells Amelina (my main protagonist,) about her experience with the shadow men.

Could it be a dream or is it real?

I am currently working through my edits after my beta reading comments with a view to publishing this in the autumn.

Here’s a short extract:

A black furrow of shadows lined his forehead. He beseeched me with his eyes, but when he saw my resolve a maniacal laugh erupted from his demented mouth. This laugh galloped from his lips in the form of a diaphanous spirit which became a pack of wild neighing horses – all black, glossy stallions. They galloped towards me. They didn’t stop, they kept on coming. Their hoofs trampled upon me pounding all of those black shadows away. They should have crushed me but I didn’t die. Instead, their hoofs stamped and stamped, breaking bones, crushing my organs and tissues until the bleeding stopped. The pain was unbelievable. I longed for death. But the horses whinnied, as if laughing. Their laughter ran through my body, fixing my broken bones, easing my pain, making me whole again. They tossed me up in the air, and I landed on top of the lead stallion’s back. He leapt into the blackness, carrying me off with him.

Black Diaphanous Horses

Such a breed they are

Like no other you will see

Transformed from shadows

Wicked horses galloping

Are they real or devil’s dream?

If you’d like to join in the challenge here’s the link:

https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/07/23/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-137-synonymsonly/

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/

An interview with author Richard Dee

Awesome interview at Joy Lennock’s blog of the talented author Richard Dee.

Joy Lennick

Richard Dee Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing a writer who you may, or may not, be familiar with; but one, I’m sure you will return to, once you have enjoyed a taste of his excellent, entertaining books and writing style.

Hi Richard, it’s a pleasure to have you here today as my guest. Get comfy and take a deep breath as you’re now under the microscope so to speak! We’re all keen to learn more about you, so fire away.

What’s your earliest memory and your favourite one?

I remember living in Brixham when I was very young. Our house was at the base of what seemed to be a huge cliff, trains ran over the back. The station has long gone, the house was for sale when we were on holiday one year, we almost looked around; in the end, I couldn’t face it. My favourite memory is harder…

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Colleen’s 2019 #Book #Reviews – “Living in a Shadow” by Author, Deborah A. Bowman, @Bowmanauthor

Colleen Chesebro’s review of Living in A Shadow by Deborah Bowman

Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 136 #PhotoPrompt

Who’s blue bike is that?

Oh wait, I see your shadow

Two bikes and two chairs

Two fruit scones, butter and jam

Two old friends sit by the light

To enter Colleen’s weekly poetry challenge follow the link:

https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/07/16/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-136-photoprompt/

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media Links

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

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

Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives – #Potluck -#Book Review My Kyrosmagica Review of Nicholas Rossis’s Runaway Smile by M.J. Mallon

Thank you to Sally for sharing my second #potluck post. My book review of Nicolas Rossis’s Runaway Smile.

How To Write A Review

Dan Alatorre with some great tips about writing book reviews.

DAN ALATORRE

img_2351-19 your humble host

We author types love it when people leave reviews on our books. I tell everybody: Love it or hate it, please leave a review on Amazon!

BUT!

It never occurred to me that a lot of readers don’t know what to write in a review.

So here’s a brief tutorial! (You may show your appreciation.)

1. Any review is better than no review.

Even a few words help. You can say “I loved it” or “This wasn’t for me” – something that brief still helps a lot. (More on that in a sec.)

2. Be honest, even if you didn’t like it.

Wait, do you want bad reviews?

I wish every review of my books was five stars and went on and on about how amazing I am, but the fact is – not every book is for every reader.

Good reviews help but so…

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Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 135

This Tanka was inspired by the beautiful Golden Willow Tree in the botanical gardens in Cambridge which I visit frequently on my lunch hours from work.

I wanted to reach for one of its tempting branches but to do so would to risk falling in the water!

So charming you are

Sweet golden willow bending

Longing for water

Not I, deep depths frighten me

I long to touch you… alas…

Pleasing temptation

Your branches beckon nearer

No danger greater

I dangle closer

To make an uncomely splash

To enter Colleen’s challenge follow the link:

https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/07/09/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-135-synonymsonly/

Colleen asks us to email our poem and the following information to tankatuesdaypoetry@gmail.com the “Title of your poem,” #Form used, by “Your Name,” and the https:// address of your post where you published the post on your blog.

To read my thoughts on the beauty and wonder of these magical trees head over to the Sisters of The Fey Blog: https://sistersofthefey.com/2019/07/11/the-magic-of-trees-the-weeping-willow/

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’

“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)

Social Media Links

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

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

3 years in publishing, 10 lessons I’ve learned

Excellent post from Louise Jensen @ Fabricating Fiction

fabricating fiction

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This week marks three years since my debut, The Sister, was published. There was no gentle easing into the publishing industry because, and I am eternally grateful – my first novel soon rose to No. 1 in various countries, spending almost the entire summer in the top spot in the UK. It quickly sold over half a million copies and was snapped up for translation by twenty-five territories, nominated for the Goodreads best debut award, and became the sixth biggest selling book on Amazon in 2016. As lovely as all this was – and it was – there was no time to sit back and enjoy it, the pressure was on to finish writing my second book, The Gift.

Fast forward to now, over a million sales later, and publication of my fifth thriller, The Family is imminent and yet I still feel as though I’m finding my…

View original post 582 more words

Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives – #Potluck – #Shortstory: The Old Man of Snow and The Snow Snake by M. J. Mallon

Thanks to Sally and this second #potluck post my short story shared on her blog. Resharing in case you missed it first time round.

COLLEEN’S 2019 WEEKLY #TANKA TUESDAY #POETRY CHALLENGE NO. 134 #SYNONYMSONLY

It’s poet’s choice of words this week.

I’m going to have a go at a Shadorma as per the detail on Colleen’s blog:

The Shadorma is a poetic form consisting of a six-line stanza (or sestet). Each stanza has a syllable count of three syllables in the first line, five syllables in the second line, three syllables in the third and fourth lines, seven syllables in the fifth line, and five syllables in the sixth line (3/5/3/3/7/5) for a total of 26 syllables.

When writing a Shadorma I would concentrate on a specific subject. The brevity of syllables is perfect for that kind of structure.

A poem may consist of one stanza or an unlimited number of stanzas (a series of shadormas).

“The Shadorma is a Spanish poetic form made up of a stanza of six lines (sestet) with no set rhyme scheme. It is a syllabic poem with a meter of 3/5/3/3/7/5.

It can have many stanzas, as long as each follows the meter. Little is known about this poetic style’s origins and history but it is used by many modern poets today. This variation of the haiku, which is evident by its syllable pattern, can be seen in use in many writing venues.”

Poetry Forms: Shadorma

Star Beta Readers

Editing

Struggles highs and lows

I’ll get there

I promise

Thanks for all the help, dearest

Star beta readers

I’m in the process of editing the second book in the series The Curse of Time – Book 2 Golden Healer.

I’ve had some amazing help from my blogging friends/authors: Ritu, Willow, Richard Dee, Adele Marie Park, Dorinda.

and to Joy, and Rachael too who have given me some very helpful feedback too.

Please check out these very special angels:

https://butismileanyway.com/

https://richarddeescifi.co.uk/

https://willowdot21.wordpress.com/

https://firefly465.wordpress.com/

https://rachaelritchey.com/

https://dorindaduclos.com/

https://joylennick.wordpress.com/

It’s taking me longer than I originally anticipated to complete this final draft but soon it will be ready for one of my final beta readers – my daughter!

Here’s the link to the prompt from Colleen:

https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/07/02/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-134-synonymsonly-2/

Colleen was a huge help with book one and I really appreciate all she has done for me. Here’s her opinion of my first book:

The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone:

“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Social Media Links

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

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

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BUT!

It never occurred to me that a lot of readers don’t know what to write in a review.

So here’s a brief tutorial! (You may show your appreciation.)

1. Any review is better than no review.

2. Be honest, even if you didn’t like it.

Wait, do you want bad reviews?

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

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