The sale continues, hurry! Grab yourself a bargain!
Thanks to fellow poet Amy Garratt for recommending my poetry book, Shh Purely Poetry along with @ally_author A generation of sunflowers both of which are on .99p offer:
Thank you to Aline P. MORA for mentioning my books amongst fellow fantasy authors:
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.)
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.
Shh Purely Poetry: (sensual, relationship, love poetry) available internationally via Amazon.
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.
Book Review
Sunflower Tanka (Anthology)
This is a beautiful collection of tanka, tanka prose, garland tanka, tanka puente and rensaku, (if you are unfamiliar, Robbie Cheadle’s The Buffalo, & Jacaranda Blue, and Kay Castenada’s three rensaku, are all fantastic.)
Sunflower Tanka is lovingly edited by Colleen Chesebro and Robbie Cheadle with the theme ‘into the light.’ I loved all the different interpretations, how meaningful and different they all were.
I am honoured to have three off my tanka poems included.
This review relates to all of the other lovely poems
They are all favourites but here are some of my choices to highlight:
Lisa Fox with her tanka prose about creating sourdough from scratch and eating the finished product with peanut butter really made me smile.
Chris Hall, her tanka poems about the seasons, spring, early summer, late summer, autumn and winter are sublime.
Luanne Castle’s Lesson (Tanka prose,) about her care of her baby grandson. And a hummingbird, sharing, ‘our duties of protection.’
Brenda Marie with her wonderful soul inspired Tanka.
Melissa Davilio’s lovely tanka about a rainbow uplifting her downcast mood.
Reena Saxena’s amusing double tanka about the brevity of haiku extended by ‘two more lines of wisdom.’
I enjoyed Lisa Smith Nelson’s tanka, (Sweater Weather,) tanka puente, and tanka prose, Driving Blind.)
Colleen Chesebro’s tankas celebrating moonlight, an owl and nocturnal insects.
Moving tanka prose from Marsha Ingrao about her cancer treatment which ends on a hopeful note. And from D. Wallace Peach (My Mother’s Death,) a touchingly written personal tanka prose. Merril D. Smith’s April 2020 tanka prose during covid about loss, sadness, light and love remembered. And from Robbie Cheadle a truly relatable poem about growing older through the generations, (Family Gathering.)
Selma Martin’s visual tanka begins by taking you on an eagle’s wing. How poetry can really move you!
Sunflower Tanka’s international flavour made it even more interesting for me with poets from the US, UK, Japan, Philippines, Uganda, Mexico, South Africa, Scotland/Portugal, Australia, Italy and India.
Keen poetry enthusiasts will be delighted to be gifted this anthology. What a pleasure to dip into the pages whenever you fill the need to bask into the light!
Robbie Cheadle is a gifted artist, the gorgeous cover and interior formatted by Colleen Chesebro depicts Robbie’s favourite flower, the Sunflower.
She’s an avid supporter of her writing community on her blog on by organizing and sponsoring a weekly syllabic poetry challenge, called #TankaTuesday, where participants experiment with traditional and current forms of Japanese and American syllabic poetry.
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’m in the HALLOWEEN HAUNTFEST Indie Visible Sale.
Here are my titles on free kindle offer:
My ya fantasy book Bloodstone is one of many of brilliant books featured in the Halloween Hauntfest organised by Indie Visible events, on Instagram, Hayley Anderton.
Lots of books on sale, some of which are free, or .99, 25th to 28th October! So check Indie Visible’s Website!
More about the Halloween Hauntfest via my Instagram. @mjmallonauthor
Bloodstone, Book 1 in the Curse of Time series
Blurb
I didn’t think my life could get weirder, but I was wrong…
Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who is imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house. When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden path where she encounters Ryder: a charismatic, perplexing stranger. With the help of a magical paint set and some crystal wizard stones, can Amelina discover the truth about her family? A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal.
TRIGGER WARNING: this book contains mention of self-harm, mental health issues and alludes to the potential dangers of sexual attraction, which may trigger younger/sensitive readers.
INSPIRED BY: The World Famous Corpus Christi Chronophage Clock, created by Dr. John C Taylor, OBE, and artist Anya Gallaccio’s Crystal Grotto, in Juniper Artland, Scotland. ‘A smartly plotted YA fantasy adventure with a strong cast of characters.
A RED RIBBON WINNER and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
My poetry books are on sale during the Halloween Hauntfest 25th to 28th October.
The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet and Mr Sagittarius Poetry & Prose. Both of which will be on free kindle offer for the duration of the event.
Blurb – The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet
The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet is a collection of poetry and flash fiction celebrating the beautiful vulnerability of the forest kingdom.
It begins with the poetic tale of the kind-hearted Hedge Witch, Fern, who discovers an injured stranger in desperate need of her woodland spells and magic.
The sweet pairing learn from each other and through Fern’s guidance, Devin embraces the power of magic to leave behind his troubled past to become The Musical Poet.
Also, I am offering the following kindle poetry books for free during the event too:
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 A beautiful collection of sensual poetry based on love and relationships of all kinds. As many of these pieces come from word prompts, it’s interesting to see these different voices/narratives come to life. There are some observers, some voyeurs, some sapphic, some with varying innuendos, some in mourning for lost love and some enthralled in a new beginning. I enjoyed the use of rhyming schemes in poems such as ‘Gotta stick together ladies’, the alliteration in ‘Blooms of Blossoming Bliss’ and repetition in ‘War Talk’. The imagery throughout is wonderfully conveyed and makes each poem vividly its own tale. A unique and thoughtful collection that easily connects to a reader, and I would thoroughly recommend! (I also enjoyed the ‘Blackpool Funny Girls Drag Show’ as I attended the afterparty of The Book Party and the conga was brilliant!!!) Review Quote Amy B Garratt.
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. Review Quote D. L. Finn
A beautiful and loving collection of poetry that discusses love and relationships of all kinds. It’s fun, sensual, full of imagery and very unique. This collection of poems contains many pieces that are derived from word prompts, so it was really interesting to explore all the different narratives that were weaved throughout. I believe this is a collection of poetry that is super sweet and meant to be savoured (see what i did there? 😉) My personal favourite from this collection was “The Universe is Ours” Review Quote Book Sirens
M J’s compelling poems celebrate the colour of sensuality, the power of love, the sweetness of desire, and the four seasons of romantic relationships. Vivid imagery and evocative language capture the essence of sensuality, while awakening the senses and igniting the imagination – the partner’s body is often explored like a treasure map, with descriptions of carnal beauty and the pleasure of touch, celebrating the irresistible pulchritude of the human body and the joy of physical connection:
“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 Book Sirens
Do What You Love : (author type poetic memoir)
Do What You Love 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
ARC reviews:
★★★★★ 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. Ritu – But I Smile Anyway.
★★★★★ 5 stars 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. Review by Sheila Robinson
The latest collection from Amy B Garratt is beautifully written. Topics are diverse and include: motherhood, the gardener (her mother,) romance, the community of performance poets, (rabbiting on,) writers: One, ‘We are the ones,’ birthdays and favourite things, conquering demons, nature, forests, and the seasons including Christmas, and New Year with a loved one.
Amy B Garratt’s personal poems about pain: Glass, Blooms, and the difficulties loving oneself: Past, along with love poems such as the poem : One,’ … ‘intertwining our love strings,’ were amongst my favourites.
There is some lovely imagery in the heartwrenching poem Glass. And I absolutely loved Paper Chain, which begins: ‘I am a paper chain person.’
An absolute pleasure to read.
5 stars from me.
Vignettes & Versesby Claire O’Connor
An unusual somewhat quirky collection of short stories/micro fiction and poetry.
I enjoyed this short read. Especially, the personal connection I had from the poem, ‘My Balcony,’ which I found relatable. The pleasures of life written so succinctly from the vantage point of being somewhat removed but close to it all.
Other favourites include: Tea and Apathy, Homage To The Stag, The Hag of Beara, Elephant Woman and the poignant Flour Sacks To Petticoats.
Nice to discover a new short fiction/poet author to me via indie visible services.
Rating: 4 stars
Love Bytes & Gossip
Love Bytes & Gossip by Tristen Willis
(Insurance of the heart novella book 2)
An office second chance romance (after Hannah’s breakup,) develops between Hannah and the new IT guy Jeremy! It seems that Jeremy has more to him and Hannah becomes more interested to find out more. An enjoyable sweet short read only 104 pages which also includes some gossipy style office toilet humour.
Rating: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Indie Visible is an indie promotional service organised by Hayley on Instagram. Highly recommend.
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.
Alastair Birch’s poetry collection, Reflecting On Moments In Time is a great way to get to know the author. It’s an entertaining, amusing collection of rhyming style quirky poetry with a mix of funny, and more serious poems.
There are also alternative nursery rhyme poems, and many relatable topics such as family, getting fit, running, becoming older, friends, being a parent, being tolerant of others diversity, writing, modern life, big bellies and a sweet tooth! Other topics include anxiety and the blues, autism, and down’s syndrome. One of my favourite poems is about snoring… it’s called I have a little dragon. It will be sure to make you smile!
My rating 5 stars
I am also looking forward to reading his epic historical thriller The Girl from Berchtesgaden, co written with fellow author Kim Rigby.
Author Bio
Alistair Birch is a thriller writer and occasional poet. In June 2024 came the release of a co-authored epic historical thriller, The Girl from Berchtesgaden.
He has plans to re-release two action thrillers and one psychological in the future.
Outside of storytelling, his poems range from rather silly to tackling deeper mental health challenges.
He frequently runs around his home town and occasionally steps up to do the odd half or full marathon but this is all for fun and friendship rather than being super speedy.
M J Mallon YA Author and Poet 