Shh, Purely Poetry #newbook #preorder #poetry #love #relationships #sensual

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 !

Kindle Buying Links

Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D12C3329/

Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D12C3329/

Amazon Canada:
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0D12C3329/

Amazon Spain:

(English Edition) https://amzn.eu/d/biJvDBl

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.

ARC’s are available via this google sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Kl0kATAedSY8CCKouoc7MT2H2pnrLFa5zwHFcXa3lz4/

I’d be delighted if you would download a copy via Amazon, link below.

Book Review. Do what you Love, by Marjorie Mallon. #bookreview #newrelease #dowhatyoulove #booktwt #writingcommunity #readingcommunity via @RichardDockett1

Thank you so much to Richard for his review of my latest poetry, prose and photography book Do What You Love.

Richard is a talented author – I’ve read many of his books and I can attest to that! So, I value his opinion very much.

Do pop over to read this lovely 5 star review at source … and to check out his  awesome blog.

Source: Book Review. Do what you Love, by Marjorie Mallon.

REVIEW

This is a wonderful, uplifting collection of poems, short fiction pieces and pictures.

The three fates of Greek myth and their imagined interaction with the author is a great way to hold this selection of musings together.  

The overriding message is joy, hope and love. And the celebration of a life well lived.

There are some beautiful descriptions, from the Hibiscus flower to the loss of a sock, the memories of life and the poems span the globe.

I particularly liked the set of poems about the trees and the reminiscences of times spent by the sea.

Recommended for anyone who likes to be taken on a journey through the eyes of another.

Highly recommended.

Media Kit: Do What You Love Fragility of Your Flame #poems #photography #flashfiction #new #book #release #writingcommunity #poetrycommunity #mediakit #paperback

Blurb

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

Release Date: 25th November 2022


Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/mqXJq8

Thank you to the kindness of the writing community, to fellow authors, and bloggers who kindly featured me and/or reviewed around the time of the release.

Reviews and features:

Linda Hill, Linda’s Book Bag 5 stars

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.

Debby Gies (D G Kaye) – 5 stars

MJ Mallon has written a heartfelt book with memories, prose, and poetry, incorporated with stories of life, love, family, and nature. In some of her stories, she is in conversation with the fates: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, the three Moirai representing the cycle of life – birth, life and death, past, present and future. We will read shared conversations about meeting her husband, her homeland of Scotland, stories about children that grow up and leave the nest, and nostalgic stories of growing up with her parents. There are many beautiful images MJ intersperes amid her stories.

Stories from the heart is what I would classify this book – poignant moments that left indelible imprints on the author and will touch the reader, a reminiscing through life and new adventures. This book is a wonderful slice of life celebrated and spoken by the author through beautiful written words.

Favorite Quote: Long lasting marriages must be friends…”

D L Finn 5 stars

“Do What You Love” is a beautiful collection of words and photos that invite the reader into Ms. Mallon’s life. It is connected uniquely through the three sisters of fate: past, present, and future, and their insights. Whether it’s a trip abroad or down memory lane, it found a way to tug at my heart or engage me in her experiences. It is a wonderful way to share reality and engage others with flowing words and mythical beings. A quick but satisfying read that I can easily recommend to any poetry, prose, or memoir fan.

Robbie Cheadle 5 stars

This is a beautiful and personal account through poetry, prose and photographs, of the emotional highs and lows of the poet’s life. The poet is accompanied on her walk down memory lane by the three sisters of fate, the Morai: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos with whom she engages in conversation about the particular moments in time highlighted by the poems.

While the poems are personal, their themes are universal which makes them relatable to the reader and facilitates emotional engagement with the particular set of circumstances detailed in the various syllabic poems. The poems are accompanied by beautiful photographs, many of which are nature orientated. I particularly liked the Botanical Gardens Cambridge UK.

One of my favourite poems in the collection is My Daughters. Perhaps this one appeals so much to me because my own sons are standing on the cusp of adulthood and will soon be flying the nest. This is a short extract:

“Now the drama’s nearly over. I tremble.
Expecting the next crisis to come
rippling around the lake.
The waters swaying. It’s stiller now.
They’re wiser.”

This is a book that is best savoured slowly over a glass of wine. 

Chantelle Atkins 4 stars

As other reviewers have said, this is an overwhelmingly sweet and positive collection that will not fail to make you smile during these tough times. A well written and thought provoking collection of poetry, flash fiction and photography, this is an inviting read and can be read quickly in one sitting. I loved the conversations with the Fates, as the author reflects on stages of her life. There was a lot I could relate to in this book, and as with her other works, I appreciate the author’s love and appreciation of nature. A wonderful, heart-warming collection

Balroop Singh 5 stars

‘Do What You Love’ is a little memoir that captures beautiful moments of life, giving an insight into the author’s experiences, hopes and adventures. A delightful concoction of poetry, photography and flash fiction, imagination and reality merge here to share the stories of her life in a succinct manner.

With the symbol of hibiscus flower, Marje introduces herself as a giggling and carefree child whose mentor is Lachesis – the goddess of future. How creative! It is her innovative style of writing that would capture your heart, as all three “sisters of fate” – Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos remain close to her and offer her friendly advice at each step of life.

With a pang in her heart and tears of pride in her eyes, the empty nester also shares the story of her successful daughters and is reassured by Atropos that they have to take their own path. So relatable! It is fascinating to watch the poet conversing with “sisters of fate” and the moments we cherish come alive through her poems.

Willow Willers Review

Marjorie sent me her wonderful new book to read. When I say wonderful I mean it is a book full of wonder. Marjorie takes us on a journey through her life from when she was a small child up to now where she is on verge of yet another life adventure.

In this little book of delights Marjorie introduces us to the three sisters of fate who basically are in charge of spinning out life, measuring the length of life and the ending of life. I won’t tell you anymore about them Marjorie will introduce them to you and then you can eavesdrop on their conversation and their jokes.

I really enjoyed this very personal book by Marjorie, her past, present and her future, her family and her friends . The magic she finds in the every day, her love of insects, creatures and trees her love of life. Don’t be put off by the word personal, this book is so welcoming. I strongly recommend it to you all.

EARLY REVIEWS:

Book and Brew With Ritu Bhathal  5 stars

Oh what a lovely book, filled with poetic gems and beautiful prose!
I enjoy reading MJ Mallon’s poetic fiction, where she ties poetry with prose, and have read several of her previous books written similarly.
Do What You Love is almost autobiographical in a sense that she has taken her memories and written them in poetic form, and the fictional, almost fantastical element is where she meets the three sisters of fate through her journey of reminiscences, and they talk about her different memories.
It’s not linear, but no conversation ever is, is it? Memories jump from the more recent to the older ones as they come tumbling into your mind.
I felt a keen connection to the poems about her daughters, and the autumn trees. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons.
A lovely book with a personal touch. 

 see review

Oct 31, 2022 S.C. Skillman  5 stars

Goodreads Shelves: inspirational

I’ve read this author’s work before: young adult novels, poetry and flash fiction, and I love her imaginative handling of the magical, the phantasmagorical and surreal. This short book is no exception to the quality of MJ Mallon’s output. I found her exploration of her past life captivating.

We may consider that the inclusion of often very personal material in a compilation of this sort would make it difficult for the outside reader to find a way in. This is not true at all of MJ Mallon’s poetry and prose: in many places, I related so much to what she writes, especially about a daughter ‘flying the nest’ to a faraway country. I particularly loved the device MJ Mallon uses to draw all this together: she presents it as a conversation with Atropos, one of the three Fates in Greek mythology: the Morai.

Atropos presides over the past. I thought this worked extremely well as a central metaphor. It had me googling the three Fates, and reading all about them: Clotho, who spins the threads of life, guardian of the present; Lachesis, who measures the length of life with her measuring rod, and is guardian of the future: and Atropos, who is the guardian of fate and destiny, and who chooses the manner of death by snipping the threads of an individual’s life.

MJ Mallon has had a fascinating and varied life experience: born in Singapore, she spent her childhood in Hong Kong and her teens in Edinburgh. She now lives in Cambridge. Every culture she has lived in, I believe, has influenced her imagination, her interests and her approach as a writer. In this book, we find a compilation of words and images which draw us in: poignant, sensitive, delicate, playful, as she opens up for us her past and present relationships, the places she has loved and spent time in, and her thoughts and feelings about it all.

A highly recommended book for you.

see review

Sally Cronin 5 stars

This is a delightful poetic and reflective collection of poetry, photography and flash fiction. In the company of three sisters of fate, the Morai: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, the author travels back in time to showcase meaningful moments of love, family, adventure and places close to her heart.

The three mythical sisters allow for interaction and exploration behind the meaning of events, meetings and connections to nature. This makes the collection very intimate and also heart-warming as the reader is reminded of their own special moments in life.

As with other collections by Marjorie Mallon nature is a key element to the narrative with flowers and trees in particular receiving their moment in the spotlight.

Family is also given the prominence it deserves, with parents and childhood memories celebrated. The love and pride for the achievements of daughters are touched by the sorrow of an inevitable parting of ways, despite the knowledge that both have inherited strength and talent that will enable them to thrive.

This is a gentle recollection of exotic places, nature, family, memories and excitement for new adventures in the sun of Portugal. The reader is left with a sense of hope and a reminder of their own lives and moments they treasure. Recommended.

Richard Dee, Welcome To The Worlds of Richard Dee 5 stars

This is a wonderful, uplifting collection of poems, short fiction pieces and pictures.

The three fates of Greek myth and their imagined interaction with the author is a great way to hold this selection of musings together.  

The overriding message is joy, hope and love. And the celebration of a life well lived.

There are some beautiful descriptions, from the Hibiscus flower to the loss of a sock, the memories of life and the poems span the globe.

I particularly liked the set of poems about the trees and the reminiscences of times spent by the sea.

Recommended for anyone who likes to be taken on a journey through the eyes of another.

Highly recommended.

Colleen Chesebro 5 stars

This is a delightful poetic and reflective collection of poetry, photography and flash fiction. In the company of three sisters of fate, the Morai: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, the author travels back in time to showcase meaningful moments of love, family, adventure and places close to her heart.

The three mythical sisters allow for interaction and exploration behind the meaning of events, meetings and connections to nature. This makes the collection very intimate and also heart-warming as the reader is reminded of their own special moments in life.

As with other collections by Marjorie Mallon nature is a key element to the narrative with flowers and trees in particular receiving their moment in the spotlight.

Family is also given the prominence it deserves, with parents and childhood memories celebrated. The love and pride for the achievements of daughters are touched by the sorrow of an inevitable parting of ways, despite the knowledge that both have inherited strength and talent that will enable them to thrive.

This is a gentle recollection of exotic places, nature, family, memories and excitement for new adventures in the sun of Portugal. The reader is left with a sense of hope and a reminder of their own lives and moments they treasure. Recommended.

Adele Marie Park 5 Stars

M J Mallon’s new release is a wonderful mix of poetry, photography and flash fiction which leads us on a journey of discovery with the author.

The three fates advise and help our author through all phases of her life. Offering advice, sympathy and love these otherworldly beings are as much a part of the journey as they guide the young Marjorie and advise the older one.

Through each epoch of her life, we stand beside them, witnessing every decision and happiness with the author.

The mix of poetry, flash fiction and photography is something M J Mallon does very well. She combines them as part of the journey and the adventure she leads us on. She is a very skilled author and this newest release is a joy to traverse. 

Buy Links Do What You Love:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BKLC9DYY/

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/What-You-love-Fragility-Photography-ebook/dp/B0BKLC9DYY/

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/What-You-love-Fragility-Photography-ebook/dp/B0BKLC9DYY/

Features:

Interview at Mary Schwartz blog

And Do What You Love is also available in paperback with full colour photography.

I am thrilled to say that two of my poetry collections, (Mr. Sagittarius Poetry and Prose 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.

Add the book to your TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63114445-do-what-you-love

The cover of the paperback and kindle have been designed by Colleen Chesebro who has a new service for authors which I can highly recommend. Colleen also designed the interior and cover of The Hedge Witch And The Musical Poet. Link to her portfolio:

https://colleenmchesebro.com/portfolio-2/

Other poetry/flash fiction collections:

Kyrosmagica Publishing

The Hedge Witch And The Musical Poet

https://books2read.com/u/mv1OeV

Mr. Sagittarius Poetry and Prose

http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius

Anthology – This Is Lockdown, (poetry, diaries and flash fiction – kindle)

http://mybook.to/Thisislockdown

Poetry during Lockdown – Lockdown Innit

http://mybook.to/Lockdowninnit

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.

https://www.nextchapter.pub/books/bloodstone

https://www.nextchapter.pub/books/golden-healer

https://www.nextchapter.pub/authors/mj-mallon

The Poison Ember Serpentstone Book 2 @AMObstWriter #new #book #preorder #ARC #review

Blurb

Faced with a task that could turn them into monsters, Sarnd and Jessa must decide whether to run away or save the world.

Six years ago, twins Sarnd and Jessa thought they’d rid their world of the malevolent Serpentstone. Since then they’ve worked hard to set their shocking past behind them.

But the Serpentstone has returned, and they’re asked to carry it to an abandoned mine where it will be sealed deep underground. The Stone appears to be much weaker than it was, but they learned the hard way never to trust it.

The Stone starts to regain its terrifying power, and while Sarnd is desperate to complete their mission so he can go back to his new life, Jessa has other ideas.

As their mission becomes a race against time, can the twins learn to trust each other again and avoid becoming the creatures they fear the most?


Buy the thrilling sequel to The Hungry Fire and enter a world of chaotic magic, treacherous allies and underdog heroes!

Release date: 23rd July, available to preorder now.

Review

Thank you to the author for an advanced reader’s copy which I read and review freely and without bias.

This is book 2 in the Serpentstone series. I managed to read book 2 without any problems. But ideally, it would be best to read the 1st book in the series: The Hungry Fire (Serpentstone Book 1) which is available at special offer price via this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08TCFWY8B

SARND: “I’m a monster, created by my so-called parents as a weapon using the corrupted power of the Serpentstone.”

The Poison Ember is a story of magic, power, fighting, sparring, revenge, adventure and secrets. “Known to the Academy as the Orufasu, the Stone was the greatest concentration of magical power ever discovered.”

“The Stone was so mighty, and had the power to strip away all that she thought she was, turning her and Sarnd into projections of its own violent and callous will. How could they be deluded enough to think they could come near it and survive?

And now, here he was, carrying a bag that held the greatest concentration of magic ever found. Against his will, he was caught up in a new adventure—one likely to end in tragedy rather than triumph.”

It’s a tale in which you suspend belief and take a magical journey into a land created wholly by the author’s imagination. Amusing in parts, I appreciated the revelations about the stone, the sibling banter, and uncertainties of trust played out between Sarnd and his twin sister Jessa. 

The latter chapters of the story became more exciting as the adventure continued.

Overall, this is a well written, high fantasy adventure tale. Please note: a fair amount of dialogue and the story is delivered with quite a few characters to get to grips with, which is (not uncommon with high fantasy books, but usually there is one central character who is the main focus.) In this story, there are three main protagonists – the twins, Sarnd and Jessa, and of course the stone, who also becomes a character in many ways.

My rating: an enjoyable 4 stars. Recommended for high fantasy, epic fantasy, adventure, sword and sorcery fans. 

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Author Bio:

An Australian living in the United Kingdom, A.M. Obst has always loved to daydream and make up things about places that don’t exist. An avid reader of fantasy novels, he has also been spotted holding books from other genres, including science fiction, crime, thrillers, horror, romance and historical adventures.

Follow my reviews…

Featured and latest reviews: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

And on my blog:

https://linktr.ee/mjmallonauthor

#NewRelease Golden Healer by @Marjorie_Mallon #YA #Fantasy – Shelley Wilson Author

Thank you so much to fellow YA author Shelley Wilson for her blog post celebrating the release of Golden Healer.

Do pop over to her blog… to read it at source and to find out more about Shelley.

Source: #NewRelease Golden Healer by @Marjorie_Mallon #YA #Fantasy – Shelley Wilson Author

100 Ways to Write A Book @AlexBPearl #writingcommunity #release #book #writingskills

I’m pleased to be able to tell you that Alex Pearl’s ‘100 ways to Write a Book’, in which my piece is featured (along with 105 others) has now just gone live as a paperback on Amazon.

Alex Pearl will be publishing it in other formats so keep an eye out for that.

All author proceeds are being donated to PEN International.

Synopsis

These author interviews initiated by Alex Pearl during the Covid epidemic started as a small lockdown project. But before long, Alex’s requests for author interviews on social media elicited an overwhelming response, and the project soon took on on a life of its own.

Within these pages, authors from a wide spectrum of backgrounds wax lyrical about their backgrounds, motivations, and working methods. Among this throng, self-published newbies rub shoulders with award-winning bestsellers from all corners of the globe, including the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Israel and Sri Lanka.

They provide a fascinating insight into this mysterious process of creating imagined worlds on the page.

Huge thanks go to the 100 authors who very kindly gave their time to participate in this project, as well as their consent for their words to be reproduced here in print. They are in no particular order:

Paul Waters, Jessica Norrie, David F. Ross, Drema Drudge, Chris Chalmers, Mark Farrer, Sue Clark, Hannah Tovey, Belinda Hunt, Glynn Holloway, Mark Eklid, Julian Dutton, Christopher Bowden, Alan Gibbons, Lily Mackenzie,
Ian Critchley, Jadi Campbell, Tom Atkins, Jane Risdon, Charles Harris, L. C. Tyler, Fran Hill, Malcolm Knott, Nikki Dudley, Jacqui Castle, Ron Impey, C. J. Booth, Ashok Ferrey, Jennifer Irwin, Beth Duke, Vicki Olsen, Pete Langman, Pauline Morgan, Jonathan Peace, Sandy Manning, Shelley Wilson, P. J. Roscoe,
Anthony Neil Smith, A. A. Chaudhuri, Jon Richter, Carolyn Hughes, Trish Moran, Madeline Dewhurst, Jeff Pollak, Louise Fein, A. B. Kyazze, Jack Byrne, M. A. Hunter, Tessa Harris, M. J. Mallon, P. R. Black, Nina Soden, Bill Arnott, E. Chris Ambrose, Paul Kane, Sam Blake, Douglas Skelton, Louise Mumford, Philip Henry, Hazel Prior, Lauren Emily Whalen, Laura E. Goodin, Simon Van der Velde, Dr. Manuel Matas, Jane Bettany, Regina Puckett, S. G. M.Ashcroft, Michele Kwasniewski, Judy Stanigar, Robert Craven, John Darling, Pramudith D. Rupasinghe, Richard Dee, Sophy Layzell, Lorna Dounaeva, Diana Stevan, Bradley Harper, Paul Gitsham, Sion Scott-Wilson, John Dean, Liz Martinson, C. J.Carver, Tony J. Forder, Sharron L. Miller, Patrick Osborne, Peter Turnham,
Jude Lennon, Anna Holmes, Chris Calder, Jane Buckley, Rachel Brimble, Gail Aldwin, Anne Coates, Ian Riddle, Christina Hamlett, James Morgan-Jones, Alison Huntingford, Gila Green, Helen Pryke, Emilya Naymark, Marcia Clayton, James L’Etoile, Edward Trayer, Mark Leichliter, Lindsay J. Sedgwick, David Liscio, Kate Reynolds

Buying Links:

AMAZON.CO.UK

AMAZON.COM

If you could share and get the word out. Many thanks…

Word Weaving: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse: #1 New Release in Japanese Poetry & Haiku – Colleen M. Chesebro @ColleenChesebro

Congratulations to Colleen Chesebro on her new release Word Weaving – its doing so well!!!

So pleased to be a contributing poet with so many amazing community members being a part of it.

My review:

Word Weaving #1: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse by Colleen M. Chesebro

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’m thrilled to be a participating author in this lovely collection of poetry compiled by Colleen Chesebro and edited by Jules Paige. My review relates to the other authors in the journal.

It begins with an introduction by Jules Paige in which she discusses the choice of theme in this particular collection.

There are haiku, senryu, tanka, tanka prose and many more forms, all of which are fabulous with so many favourites…

dancing in moonlight
in the autumn of our years
still chasing blue skies

Pat Raffington.

the empress rises
summer and winter curtsy
nature holds its breath
while the symphony begins
fireflies dance in the moonlight

Gwen M. Piano

Other highlights include D. L. Finn’s Moon’s Magic which I loved – about a lone black cat on the edge of the world, under the harvest moon and her “Harvest Moon,” Butterly Cinquain.

The collection concluded with a Best of Issue Poetry with favourites chosen by Jules and Colleen. The chosen poems were by D. L. Finn, Merril D. Smith and Ken Gierke. All excellent.

D. Wallace Peach’s “Moon-spun” tanka prose idyll – so magical and enchanting and her “Revolutions” Butterfly Cinquain.

Merril D. Smith’s Crapsey cinquain entitled “October Night,” her shadorma sequence “Harvest Moon,” and her abhanga “Through the Leaves.”

A new poet to me Sujata Khanna wrote a lovely double inverted etheree entitled “A Viaduct.”

And I particularly enjoyed Bill Engleson’s nonet, “Her Winged Way,” and his diatelle “Above Campbell Bay on a Hot August Night.”

Loved Colleen Chesebro’s Luna’s Soft Glow.

Shadorma took me to a “Moon Dance” with Ruth Klein’s contribution.

There was a “Meeting of Minds,” with a Badger’s hexastich written by Susmita Ramani and her “Autumn Half-Dream” “Prom-ises.”

A Triple Abhanga by Annette Rochelle Aben was lovely too.

I could go on and on. Do read this wonderful collection you won’t be disappointed.



View all my reviews

Find out more about this from Colleen….

Source: Word Weaving: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse: #1 New Release in Japanese Poetry & Haiku – Colleen M. Chesebro

MJ’s Book Reviews: Life is like a Mosaic: Random fragments in harmony #poetry #newrelease @sgc58

“Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words.” Arthur Brisbane 1911.

An image offers an opportunity to see endless possibilities depending on the viewer’s perspective. Where some might see beauty and joy, others imagine sadness and loss of hope.

In this collection, images and syllabic poetry are brought together to tell a story based on the author’s perspective. The poetry explores our human experiences such as love, happiness, hope, aging, friendship, new beginnings, dreams and loss.

The world around us is an amazing playground and source of all our essential needs as well as sensory experiences that bring wonder into our lives. What lies beyond the horizon? What surprises will we discover as a garden bursts into bloom? Where do the night creatures live?

At the end of the collection there are some longer poems celebrating memories of the author’s life of travel, teenage exploits and love of food!

My review

Life is like a Mosaic: Random fragments in harmony by Sally Cronin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What strikes me about Sally Cronin’s books is the quiet unassuming way in which they appear without too much fanfare. Sally is a wonderful supporter of the indie writing community, so I am glad to be able to give her a little fanfare too by writing a review for her latest book Life is Like A Mosiac: Random Fragments in Harmony. Great title, I’m sure you will agree!

I loved the dedication within with all the names of the people within her writing circles, so lovely.

I’m a big fan of poetry in all its forms, so this book of eclectic poems from Sally Cronin really appealed to me. There are a wide variety, some wise, some amusing, some thoughtful, some just darn well cute. They are all beautiful presented with accompanying photographs taken from various sources.

Favourites include: Farewell to Colourful Friends, Spices, Dreams, Happiness, Mother Nature, Immortality, Hope, Loose Lips, First Steps, The Circle of Life, Finding Clarity, Creatures of The Night, A Toast to Life, Beneath The Redwoods, Persecution in The Garden, Advancing Years, The Crocodile, Silver Lining to Isolation, The Wise Woman’s Apprentice.

Some are illustrated with personal photographs taken from the authors Childhood Memories in Ceylon, and on Summer Holidays, and as she gets a bit older she becomes Rebellious in Frome!

This poetry collection is accessible, unpretentious, (which I love,) and enjoyable. It will make you smile, reflect and bring back your own memories of when you were young, mischievous and perhaps a little difficult too!

In my case, it brought back memories of when I lived abroad in Childhood Memories – Sally’s poetry spoke to me taking me back in time.

Highly recommended – 5 stars

Many thanks to the author for an ARC copy for review which I happily give with no bias.

View all my reviews

My previous reviews for Sally Cronin:

Details about Sally Cronin:

Delighted to promote authors for FREE please see for details: Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore

And the new: Smorgasbord Children’s Reading Room

Sally’s books are available on Amazon, the Moyhill site and  Smashwords. 

Amazon: Amazon US

Amazon UK: Amazon UK

More reviews can be found on GoodreadsGoodreads

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The Mad Life of A Writer – Bloodstone (The Curse of Time Book 1) #newrelease republishing #YA #fantasy #holiday #woes #covid #stresses

An author’s life can get somewhat manic at times. Recently, I travelled up to Edinburgh to see my family. I was so looking forward to a break, a chance to unwind, spend time with mum, dad, my brother, friends and my MIL.

Here I am with mum and dad in the beautiful botanical gardens in Edinburgh.

Whilst on holiday the inevitable happened, I had this feeling it would. My publisher Next Chapter asked me to check all the files for publishing! And to do this within five days.

This wouldn’t have been too bad if there was one file but there were 9 in total including clear print, (which I have no clue what this is for?) epub, mobi, large print, hardback, and a range of different sizes too.

All very impressive, beautifully formatted and edited but a little voice cried out but… I’m meant to be on holiday… this will take me forever!

Forget it sucker. Writers don’t ever get holidays.

Next up, what next? My eldest daughter Natasha has been ill for a couple of days and it turns out she and her friends have covid. What? So, crank up my worry notch ten thousand paces. I couldn’t see her for 10 days – most of my holiday. She was alone in her flat in Glasgow and was running out of food. Crank up the worry notch even more. Luckily, the kind guys on reception took her online order up to her flat and left it for her by her door.

Apparently the first four days of her covid experience involved nasty coughing, temperature, vomiting and other nasties. Thank goodness she is well now.

After the fellows at Track and Trace gave her the all clear I popped over to Glasgow to see her and stayed in her student flat. That was an eye opener – I didn’t sleep for two nights. There was a fantastic reggae party going on somewhere – I wish I’d been invited – I loved reggae as a youngster! And the sea gulls were joining in too, squawking merrily. The upstairs flat were doing some kind of odd manoeuvres in the middle of the night. Natasha slept through it all – obviously used to it – exhausted post covid with ear plugs in.

Nevertheless, Natasha and I still managed to have a couple of days fun in Glasgow.

We went to Hanoi Bike Shop, a tasty Vietnamese restaurant where we tried the surprise menu with extra spice! We didn’t know what was coming but it was great and fun to try new things.

We went for a walk afterwards…

Natasha’s moving to Edinburgh (she’s starting her teaching job in August – whoop, whoop so proud to have a Secondary English teacher in the family, and delighted that my youngest daughter Georgina has been awarded her degree a 2.1 in Fashion with Business Management.)

I offered to help take some of Natasha’s endless coats and books through. My suitcase handle decided not to work all the way from her flat to the station. We missed the train by a few minutes, (no way was she able to run as she was still a bit weak after covid,) so we waited for the next one. As soon as we sat down the suitcase handle decided to pop up! I asked some advice from the train staff about the validity of my ticket and he called me pal – this is Glaswegian style for mate, like hen (which is a common colloquialism in parts of Scotland,) this brought back memories of my student days in Glasgow!

Now, here’s the thing, we are told to keep apart, mask up, etc, etc. But the train was packed! There were two young girls on board who thought showing off their perfectly applied make up counted as more imperative than wearing a mask. And there was a guy too – unmasked, but no make up – I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt perhaps he had an exemption?

So, long story short I’m back home now. Back at work. What else can happen? Oh, a small matter of losing 22 reviews on Amazon…

Republishing my debut has had its problems. Sneaky metadata and a title change has caused Amazon to treat this new edition like an all new spanking new book but without the benefit of a new book’s promotion.

And this message from BookBub: The new edition of Bloodstone (The Curse Of Time Book 1) has now been added to your profile. I want to share that previously published works are not eligible for New Releases for Less or New Release Alerts. I’m sorry about this.

Laughing hysterically! Not to worry, I’ve got this.

I like a challenge.

So, please… I’d love some help with reviews…. and you can call me whatever you want…. hen, chick, pal, whatever.

Bloodstone is available for free on kindle unlimited… and on Amazon outlets. Here’s the link:

MyBook link: http://mybook.to/bstmm
Amazon Preview Link: https://amzn.eu/iwyO8p3

UK link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloodstone-Curse-Time-Book-1-ebook/dp/B097QZBKNY/

US Link:

Thank you to all those who are helping out with the review shenanigans. The reviews are starting to come in… And to future reviewers thank you too. Where would we be without you?

Any reviewers who would like a copy please get in touch at marjma2014@gmail.com

The impromptu blog tour will be starting in a few days time. More about that soon. If you would like to join in with hosting me on the tour let me know in the comments.

Thank you so much for these recent promotions and author interviews:

In conversation with Alex Pearl: https://booksbyalexpearl.weebly.com/m-j-mallon.html

Julie at a Little Book Problem https://alittlebookproblem.co.uk/2021/06/30/desert-island-books-with-marjorie-mallon/

It’s just as well I have a sense of humour… and am determined to make this work.