Delighted with the boost of this 5+ star review from blue tick influencer, N. N. LIGHT.
A sensual poetry collection sure to entice your mind, body and soul. In this exquisite collection, the author writes emotive poems with the themes of love, romance, and relationships. Each poem is expressive, sensual, and the reader gets to experience falling in love.
The imagery reflected in this collection is remarkable. Each word has been carefully chosen by a wordsmith to evoke a feeling, an experience, or what it feels like to fall in love. The author is a gifted poet.
If you’re a romantic or a fan of poetry, you’re in for a treat with this poetry collection. Brilliant from start to finish, these poems will have you falling in love.
Thank you so much to D. L. Finn for featuring me on her blog today with a wonderful 5 star review for my new release. Do pop over to her blog to celebrate my launch!
A loving collection of poetry that delicately weaves in relationships at many stages. Many are sensual, full of texture and images, and some offer unique takes on human interaction. Here are a few beautiful passages: “The Sweetness/The longing/Each kiss deeper/different and the same/Like I belonged to more than him/Like I belonged to the poetry.”—Dining on Poetry, “…beautiful calligraphy to highlight/tiny ink splodges to add character/tear drops to remind me of sad days.”—Love Hidden In the Margin, and “She is fair and I am dark/Slight and I am robust/We fill our together/completing our silhouettes.”—Silhouettes. “Shh, Purely Poetry” is meant to be savored more than once by lovers of sensuous and thoughtful poems.
Delighted to announce the launch day for my new poetry collection, Shh Purely Poetry.
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.
Inspired in part by daily prompt poems written for the 365poetrypromptchallenge, observations of places, people and my travels.
Early Reviews
I have been delighted by some of the wonderful comments I have received via early reviews… here are some…
Thank you so much to wonderful author and poet D L Finnfor reading and reviewing.And for being my first review and my first 5 star review!
Thank you so much to Amy B Garratt Author and Poetfor reading and reviewing and creating this lovely graphic for me. Amy is a fantastic poet you will find on Instagram.
Thank you to a new reader Reggie for the above quote via Book Sirens!
E E’s name came to my mind while reading M J’s poems; I felt a similar sweetness, honesty, pleasant rebelliousness and force in their writing. The major concerns are about readership: is it the same numeric audience today like one hundred years ago? And who’s still reading poetry in 2024? We witness the fact that it is more and more difficult for the modern society to cultivate reading habits and a culture of written (and published) words, when it lacks a reading culture. Thus, I ask myself: how brave must an author be to write poetry in the 21st century?
Mrs Mallon proved (again) her bravery in the first line of the poetic flank on the publishing battlefield. I have come to believe that almost ninety percent of the art of versification is about courage, and that the courage to spend time with yourself and write poetry is much more than daring of letting lines go; it’s about allowing the life experiences to inevitably unfold and evoke powerful pictures in the reader’s mind. And yes, poems don’t exist on their own, but are co-created by observers; like beauty in the eyes of the beholder. No question or doubt about it.
“I can still feel her lips on mine Salty like the caramel snack That she turned down for peanuts. My hands caress her breasts They sit up pert. Asking – no begging to be touched.” ~ fragment from ‘Valentine’s In Chocolates’ Review Quote – Dan Quijote Book Sirens. Thank you so much for Dan for his considered and utterly wonderful 5 star review!
Thank you so much to Richard Dee for featuring me on his blog. Below is a snippet of his wonderful review. Touched to read that I am amongst his favourite poets! Please pop over to his awesome blog to read the full review: https://richarddeescifi.co.uk/book-review-purely-poetry/
Love in the romantic sense is a heady complex combination of physical and emotional attraction to another, sometimes bordering on the obsessive that completely takes over to the point of shutting out everything around you. Senses are heightened bringing a new perspective to the most mundane of activities, sights and sounds.
The author captures the depth of this sensual awakening and also the changes it brings to our lives in her poetry. The poems start slowly taking the reader through courtship into full blown relationships highlighting the highs and the lows along the way. The path of true love is not always smooth and as well as passion, one needs forgiveness and compassion.Review Quote Sally Cronin.
FOUR FRIENDS. A SECRET THAT WILL HAUNT THEM FOR LIFE
GOODBYE prog rock, flairs and mullets. Hello punk, ripped jeans and Mohicans. Yes, it’s the late 1970s but for pals Fred, Trish, Greg and Ricky, some things about growing up never change as they plunge into a whirlwind of outrageous antics. Together with their gang in a Scottish new town, they laugh, cry, booze, battle and obsess about sex as they discover the power of friendship and, for Fred and Trish, true love. But the bond is ripped apart when a drunken prank goes tragically wrong. Twenty-five years on, all roads lead home as teenage demons – and passions – are resurrected amidst ugly threats and shocking revelations that turn old beliefs on their heads. The lives the four have led couldn’t be more different but as showdowns loom, they all face the same question… Will confronting the dark secrets of the past redeem them or destroy them?
This is book 2 in the Shelter Gang series. I loved book one The Fenian, wrote a review, the review quote: “Pure dead brilliant, a delightful read,” which was included in Stopping To Rain’s front pages!
So… what do I think of book two?
What a title, what a book! Stopping To Rain is about the pauses in life, the what ifs, what could have beens, and perhaps what will be’s for the 1970’s kids of the Scottish new town of Cumbride.
Whilst reading I was drawn to the depth of the characters, so real, with individual personas. The wonderful detail in the descriptive scenes which really locate you immersively in the story. The humour and Scottish banter which had me chortling along at times. The playlist popular music titles of the time mentioned at the beginning of each chapter.
Given that I grew up in Scotland, I related to this so much. Every minute of this wonderful book took me back in time. The characters are so vividly drawn and the plot line flows with humourous laugh out loud moments. What’s not to love?
From despicable Ricky the sex mad new kid to Greg on his money making trails, (which are largely successful but when they are not… oh dear… he does get himself in trouble,) and Patti wee patti I loved her! I think we all remember a wee Patti from school. Who may be small, unattractive but can surprise us with her hidden depths. Then there’s a pecking order of fanciablility from Gloria that everyone fancies. And Trish.
Of the characters, it was Trish who my heart went out to the most. And Fred too, who feels the weight of his past making him commit to a lifelong penance for his one wrongdoing.
Not all the shelter gang are alike, some are only out for themselves, like money making Greg. But, with Ricky, the sex mad teen there is a glimmer of transformation as he grows older and finds his unexpected soul mate! And Sandra, Trish’s friend… what a godsend that lass is! No one is going to mess with her!
Fast forward twenty five years…
There is a sense of retribution, hope, change and forgiveness after the disturbing abuse revelations in Stopping To Rain.
A real belter of a story. Heartfelt. Highly recommended. Just like The Fenian which I loved too.
5 🌟 stars highly recommended.
About the author
As Mike Kernan learned from his years in newspapers, the best tales are always the human interest ones. He believes there are no more fascinating subjects than folk and, as a result, his stories are rich in character and bursting with the courageous, bizarre, dramatic, heroic, tragic, poignant and downright daft stuff that people get up to and talk about.
That shines through in his latest novel, Stopping To Rain, as well as in his previous books, The Fenian, and non-fiction Fishing In The Sun.
Mike might be a late starter as an author but he has been writing for a living since he was 17, as an award-winning journalist on a range of publications from local papers to national dailies.
Since taking early retirement in 2017, he has been making up for lost time by completing the books that have been in his head and in various scattered notes for years.
Stopping To Rain is the sequel to The Fenian and is a coming of age story packed with drama, romance, tears and laughter. The action switches between Scotland of the 1970s and the turn of the millennium. It tells how the past never really leaves us as the dark secrets of youth come back to bite a group of pals later in life.
Non-fiction book Fishing In The Sun is a collection of quirky, thought-provoking, funny and always entertaining stories on Mike’s other great passion, angling, which he writes about in a national newspaper column.
Mike, who lectured in journalism after taking early retirement from newspapers, has three grown-up children and lives on the west coast of Scotland with wife Margaret. Oh, and he’s also enjoying the role he reckons he was born for – as “Big Man” to grandson and best pal Jimmy.
Thank you so much to Sally Cronin for featuring me on her wonderful blog today. A new release, ✨️ different (never written sensual poetry before,) but early reviews have been good.
Hope it will appeal!
Shh, Purely Poetry – pop over to Sally’s blog to find out more!
A collection of poetic pieces about love, sensuality and relationships with various sections including: love as fuel, (food and coffee love,) the summer and winter of love, lost love/discovering love, forgiveness, strangers in love, quirky aspects and nature as sensuality.Inspired in part by daily prompt poems written for #the365poetrypromptchallenge, observations of places and people on my travels.
Alternatively, I’d be delighted if you’d like to support me by downloading a copy.
Currently on kindle preorder, releases June 2nd, paperback thereafter.
One of the poems in the collection is a collaboration between myself and the lovely originator of the amazing #the365poetrypromptchallenge, Melissa Davillio.
I’m delighted to announce that I have a new book on preorder, Shh, Purely Poetry.
It’s different from my usual poetic pieces here’s the …
Blurb
A collection of poetic pieces about love, sensuality and relationships with various sections including: love as fuel, (food and coffee love,) the summer and winter of love, lost love/discovering love, forgiveness, strangers in love, quirky aspects and nature as sensuality. Inspired in part by daily prompt poems written for the 365poetrypromptchallenge, observations of places and people on my travels. My latest poetry collection Shh, Purely Poetry in kindle is now available to preorder !
This is to be published, (as is all my poetry,) under my publishing imprint Kyrosmagica Publishing. I’m keeping my rights, my way! That way I can get these darlings in UK libraries, choose or create my own cover, etc, etc.
Release date June 2nd. Will also be available in paperback.
Cover created by myself with images in Canva, line drawing of girl by Victoria Rusyn.
This week’s challenge is a photo prompt. from photographer, Terri Webster Schrandt, from secondwindleisure.com to share her photos with us for inspiration. Terri runs a weekly photo challenge called Sunday Stills. Check it out HERE.
Terri says: “This is a filtered version of a rose I photographed at the International Rose Test Garden in Portland.”
I imagined an artist painting a life portrait of his love.
Here are my Etheree poems:
Love Unchained❤️
Love Unchained Heartstrings play Captured verses Loose petals scatter My brush strokes velveteen On your desirable skin! My breath hitches with excitement Your hair loosens, and your smile escapes, You laugh so hard that each rose tumbles free…
A bouquet of a dozen blooms arrive As lipstick red as each dewy kiss My rapt caresses make you smile With trembling hands I begin To paint your dear beauty With red rose petals I’m cherishing Such naked Sweetest Love
Do What You Love Fragility of Your Flame Poems, Photography & Flash Fiction is a personal poetry collection celebrating how the fates may have a part in all that we do.
With special poems and short reflective moments inspired by family, flowers and nature, love, scrumptious morsels, places I’ve visited, lived and intend to live in, the friendships and hopes I have for the future.
The overarching theme is to live a life well lived… And to do what you love.
float along with me create clouds of sweetest joy to do what you love hold fate’s hand as we venture near and far on life’s journey
I am thrilled to say that three of my poetry collections, (Mr. Sagittarius, The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet and Lockdown Innit,) have been requested by prestigious libraries in the UK: The British Library, The Bodleian Library Oxford University, the Cambridge University Library, National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales and Trinity College Dublin for Legal Deposit.
Poetry also features in my highly acclaimed YA Fantasy series. Each chapter begins with a short poem. The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone and Book 2 Golden Healer are published by Next Chapter Publishing.
Thank you so much to Linda Hill for this wonderful chat and review about my new book: Do What You Love. Do pop over to her blog to share in with some dim sum, cake and chit chat!
A small and perfectly formed collection about finding your way in life.
Do What You Love is simply lovely. Marjorie Mallon bases her collection on an iterative image of and conversation with the Fates as well as the concept of doing what a person loves and she affords the reader a personal insight into her life and family as she does so. I really recommend reading her author introduction in advance of the rest of the book because it sets the scene so beautifully.
Given that this is a very personal book, I was concerned that it would be too specific to the author. Not a bit of it. There’s a wide range in Do What You Love that encompasses poetry, prose and photography so that there really is something for every reader. I particularly enjoyed the variety of writing style. The first entry, Fragility Of Your Flame, feels very traditional in style, reminiscent of traditional fables and this is continued throughout the collection, giving balance to the shorter entries as the author imagines conversations with the Fates that enable her to reflect on her life and family.
There’s such a range of emotion in Do What You Love. Parents will experience the pain of letting go of their children even whilst they might be immensely proud of them. Marjorie Mallon illustrates love, joy, sadness, pride, the impact of nature on an individual and so much more. Her sense of place and history comes through with just a tweak of her pen and she so celebrates a childlike sense of awe and joy that she helps readers connect (or indeed reconnect) with their own happiness. I especially enjoyed the entries about trees because the author reignited my love of nature.
Do What You Love is a highly personal collection to Marjorie Mallon, but at the same time as giving readers a glimpse into who she is and where she has come from, she gently guides readers to contemplate their own lives, to live more positively and to appreciate each moment. This is such a wonderful message. and a much needed one in today’s world.
M J Mallon YA Author and Poet 