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Here’s my entry for Colleen’s weekly poetry challenge.
It’s been ages since I’ve been able to take part due to long working hours, etc, but seeing as it is nearly Halloween I couldn’t resist! For Haunt I chose lair, and for spell I decided upon trick.
Hope you enjoyed my Tanka….
THIS IS THE PRE-ORDER LINK…WE ARE HOPING THE BOOK WILL BE FREE VIA AMAZON WITH IN A WEEK OF PUBLICATION.
MEANWHILE IT WILL BE FREE ON THE 31ST OCTOBER ON NOOK, KOBO, APPLE, TOLINO etc.
Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Pembroke College with the SCBWI group – writers and illustrators. We had a fantastic time.
A statue – Figure in a Shelter – by Henry Moore caught my eye and I wrote a short piece of flash fiction using it as inspiration. So today I thought I’d share with you the photos and flash fiction plus a Tanka too.
For Green I used greenery and devilry for magic.
This ended up very Dr Who like!
Behold a statue,
What devilry can this be?
A woman captured,
Fooled by the lush greenery,
Buckled, damaged by a child.
A statue dominated the landscape of green, lush perfection. Two halves beckoned to her to approach. She hesitated, unsure. Captured within she imagined that a triangle of light fell on the woman within enveloping her hunched over body. But she couldn’t see her expression. She didn’t smile, frown or speak. It was as if a terrible freak of nature had broken the woman’s heart and left her mute.
One side of the statue curled inwards pointing an accusing, gnarled finger. It resembled a walnut cracked – its hard exterior broken and lost without its other significant half.
The missing part curved into a perfect mould with no sharp edges or broken pieces. Its womb-like space quivered dancing away from her – out of reach.
She sighed.
She felt a hand grip her fingertips. A child’s hand, small, urgent. The voice of this hand spoke to her. ‘Come on!’
It was her four-year-old niece urging her to move away from the statue to come and play.
This small person reminded her that she was needed. Wanted. She felt a tug and another and another.
She gazed at her niece’s playful grey eyes and saw the truth. Tiny freckles speckled across her face like displaced rays of sunshine.
‘This is for you,’ she said.
It was a sunflower. Such a beautiful gift, but wilted.
The woman cried.
‘Why are you crying, Aunty?’ asked the little girl.
The statue murmured. The two halves moved inwards to caress the woman.
The girl vanished.
And so did the woman.
© M J Mallon 2018
My lovely SCBWI friends and I enjoying the sunshine and sharing our work:
To enter Colleen’s challenge please follow the link below:
Buy Paperback Book link: http://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:
Authors Website: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
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Thank you to Colleen Chesebro for an ARC of her latest book: Fairies, Myths & Magic: A Summer Celebration. Receiving a free copy in no way influences my review. All opinions are my own.
Amazon Synopsis:
Step into a world where fairies, dragons, and other magical beings converge in a collection of poetry and short stories inspired by the celebration of Litha, the Summer Solstice.
Meet Drac, a dragon cursed by his own poisonous deeds, and two pixies who help an old man remember a lost love. You’ll meet a pair of fairies with a sense of humor, and a young girl who fulfills her destiny after being struck by lightning. Learn what happens when a modern witch’s spell goes terribly wrong. Meet the Sisters of the Fey, a group of Slavic Witches who sign a pact with the Rusalki Fey to preserve their magic for the good of all.
Atmospheric and haunting, the prose and poetry, will rewrite the mythologies of the past bringing them into the future.
My review:
A charming collection of short stories and poetry which I read through in delight, enthralled by it all. It would particularly appeal to those who love the allure of fairies, myths, fairy-tales and magic.
It begins with a short introduction to Lithia – the Midsummer Solstice – the longest day of the year which begins on June 21st.
There is a section on the different kinds of fairies: brownies, elves, pixies, sprites, dryads, leprechauns, and the author’s own amazing experience seeing her first fairy!
All the stories and poems are fantastic.
Below are my personal favourite stories and poems in the collection:
‘Just What the Doctor Ordered.’ – a couple of pixies get up to some cheeky mischief!
‘The Fairies Spider’s Lair.’ – evocative poem.
‘The Sisters of The Fey: The Beginning, A Short Story.’
‘A Fairy Love Spell’ – this is what happens if you play with magic – so funny!
‘Believe’ – A short story with the bees!
‘Waiting For A Summer Love’ – a poem.
‘The Healer – A Short story’ – with a dragon, and a blood witch. Fantastic.
‘A Litha Celebration – a poem.’
‘A Fish Tale – Short Story’ – so charming.
‘Halloween Magic’ – anyone who has had their fill of laundry will love this story. It is so funny!
‘The Leaving. A Story of Supernatural Magic.’ Definite favourite.
Colleen M. Chesebro is an American Novelist writing YA fantasy and magical realism, cross-genre fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. She loves all things magical which may mean that she could be experiencing her second childhood—or not. That part of her life hasn’t been fully decided yet.
A few years ago, a mystical experience led her to renew her passion for writing and storytelling. These days she resides in the fantasy realm of the Fairy Whisperer where she writes the magical poetry and stories that the fairy nymphs whisper to her in her dreams.
Colleen won the Little and Laugh Flash Fiction Contest sponsored by the CarrotRanch Literary Community.com in November 2017 for her piece, called “The Bus Stop.” Her debut novel, The Heart Stone Chronicles: The Swamp Fairy won gold in the 2017 AuthorsDB.com cover contest.
Colleen lives in Colorado with her husband, Ron. When she is not writing, Colleen enjoys spending time with her husband and friends. She also loves gardening, reading, and crocheting old-fashioned doilies into works of art. You can learn more about Colleen at www.colleenchesebro.com.
My rating: 5 stars
Here is the Country Tagged Universal Book Link: Smarturl.it.FairiesMythsMagic”>http://smarturl.it/FairiesMythsMagic”>Smarturl.it.FairiesMythsMagic
You can find Colleen in all the usual places. Drop by anytime.
colleenchesebro.com Author Blog
Sisters of the Fey Group Blog
I’ve written loads of reviews. Please follow to links to read more of my reviews:
https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/a-m-of-my-book-reviews/
https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2016/11/27/my-kyrosmagica-reviews-n-z/
I’d love you to leave a comment.
Please read my Full GDPR Privacy and Compliance details: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2018/05/20/privacy-and-gdpr-compliance/
Buy Paperback Book link: http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime
Social Media:
Authors Website: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Facebook #ABRSC – Authors/Bloggers Support Group. Come and join us in our Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
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Here is the Country Tagged Universal Book Link: http://smarturl.it/FairiesMythsMagic“>Smarturl.it.FairiesMythsMagic
Step into a world where fairies, dragons, and other magical beings converge in a collection of poetry and short stories inspired by the celebration of Litha, the Summer Solstice.
Meet Drac, a dragon cursed by his own poisonous deeds, and two pixies who help an old man remember a lost love. You’ll meet a pair of fairies with a sense of humor, and a young girl who fulfills her destiny after being struck by lightning. Learn what happens when a modern witch’s spell goes terribly wrong. Meet the Sisters of the Fey, a group of Slavic Witches who sign a pact with the Rusalki Fey to preserve their magic for the good of all.
Atmospheric and haunting, the prose and poetry, will rewrite the mythologies of the past bringing them into the future.
Litha is the celebration of the Summer Solstice—June in the Northern Hemisphere, and December in the Southern Hemisphere. Here in North America, the Litha Sabbat honors the longest day of the year with the most hours of sunlight.
Pagans celebrated Litha by observing and honoring the power of the sun. The sun’s influence reminded the people that the summer months represented fertility, ensuring the survival of the species.
During midsummer, magnificent fruit burst forth from the flowers, shrubs, and trees, providing ample food for all. Summer was also the most favorable time for the birthing and survival of animals, birds, and insects. This also included humans where the most births occurred during the months of July through October, which still continues today.
For the ancients, nothing represented the power of the sun more than fire. On the Solstice Eve, huge bonfires were erected on hilltops celebrating the link between the earth and heavens. Festivities lasted for days before and after the main event.
Yet, the primitive people recognized the need for balance between fire and water. Some celebrations included setting a wheel on fire, then rolling it downhill into a body of water, signaling the power of the sun at it’s mightiest, and also the day the sun’s power begins to diminish.
For me, a Summer Solstice celebration was the perfect day to share my collection of poetry and short stories inspired by the magic of the ancient pagans. I hope you’ll enjoy this collection. ❤
Colleen M. Chesebro is an American Novelist writing YA fantasy and magical realism, cross-genre fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. She loves all things magical which may mean that she could be experiencing her second childhood—or not. That part of her life hasn’t been fully decided yet.
A few years ago, a mystical experience led her to renew her passion for writing and storytelling. These days she resides in the fantasy realm of the Fairy Whisperer where she writes the magical poetry and stories that the fairy nymphs whisper to her in her dreams.
Colleen won the Little and Laugh Flash Fiction Contest sponsored by the CarrotRanch Literary Community.com in November 2017 for her piece, called “The Bus Stop.” Her debut novel, The Heart Stone Chronicles: The Swamp Fairy won gold in the 2017 AuthorsDB.com cover contest.
Colleen lives in Colorado with her husband, Ron. When she is not writing, Colleen enjoys spending time with her husband and friends. She also loves gardening, reading, and crocheting old-fashioned doilies into works of art. You can learn more about Colleen at www.colleenchesebro.com.
You can find Colleen in all the usual places. Drop by anytime.
colleenchesebro.com Author Blog
Sisters of the Fey Group Blog
Wishing Colleen much success in her book launch.
I’ve been so busy of late trying to find a new job – I was meant to be starting a new contract just after the bloggers bash in London – but found my proposed terms of the new employment unacceptable which is a story in itself! When I read through the company pack it seemed that perhaps they might have a rat problem, asbestos on site and random drug testing – so that didn’t appeal! Lol. I decided not to accept that role. So, it’s been time-consuming trying to find another job.
In the meantime I’ve been taking my mind off the horrendous hassle of job hunting by writing book reviews, creating a mobi/epub copy of Book One for reviewers (SO REVIEWERS IF YOU’D LIKE A COPY DON’T BE SHY!) and working on Book Two in the Curse of Time series – The Golden Healer – which is currently standing at a rough draft of about 50,000 words.
Lots still to do in The Curse of Time Series. I’m starting to think about the potential for a powerful dragon – a volcanic stirrer of passions in Book Three!
It is my intention that Book Three will feature the Dragon Chronopage designed by Dr John C Taylor OBE who I had the pleasure of meeting in September 2017 with Tina Fotherby.
Images via Dr Taylor, courtesy of his publicity lady Tina Fotherby at Famous Publicity: http://www.famouspublicity.com/
So, my Tanka is dedicated to the dragon, the grasshopper and the fly which are all Chronopages created by Dr John C Taylor, OBE.
The dragon gave thanks,
To the kleptomaniac,
Grasshopper who danced,
Now came dragon’s pearly chance,
To spark volcanic passions.
For praise I used the synonym gave thanks, and for excite I chose spark.
To join in the poetry fun please follow the link to Colleen’s blog: https://colleenchesebro.com/2018/06/12/colleens-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-88-praise-excite-synonymsonly/
Hope you enjoyed the Tanka. Much love Marje xx
I’d love you to leave a comment.
Please read my Full GDPR Privacy and Compliance details: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/2018/05/20/privacy-and-gdpr-compliance/
Buy Book link: http://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:
Authors Website: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Founder of Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group #ABRSC:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
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Amazon Synopsis:
This is a magical journey through a year in the life of a poet, presented in the format of haiku. Be entertained,and enlightened as you enjoy the worlds of reality and imagination are combined artfully. Dreamers will love this book. Writers will enjoy this book. Readers will enjoy this book. Even those who think they could never appreciate poetry, will enjoy this book. Come and be enchanted by the verbal imagery of A Haiku Perspective 2018.
Thank you to the author for a copy received in exchange for an honest review.
My review:
This is an enchanting book of poetry. So many wonderful haiku! I love short form poetry and Annette Rochelle Aben’s book covers a multitude of poetic topics in a warm and inviting way.
The first poem Strings is a poignant haiku love story. I read this particular poem several times and seemed to take more from it on each reading. I read it down and then from the bottom up! The family dynamic in this poem changes when a new baby is welcomed and Annette Rochelle Aben captures this to perfection in this thought-provoking poem. The message within will no doubt resonate with many. Love can be the most exquisite emotion. But, there are many loves. Can the love of a child be so consuming that your partner, wife, or husband feels neglected? I loved how this was expressed in a musical way.
Thereafter, the haiku flow in short bursts of inspiring magic. There are no images to break up the poems. This is pure poetry. And it works.
This is such an amusing, warm-hearted compilation of poetry.
My recommendation: Definitely read! You will be uplifted, you’ll smile and perhaps you might cry. Poetry takes our hearts on a journey. This poetry collection succeeds in transporting you to this special place and this feeling lingers long after you have finished reading.
My rating: 4.5 stars.
Annette Rochelle Aben’s Blog: https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/
Link to buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Haiku-Perspective-2018-Annette-Rochelle-ebook/dp/B07BRBDF19/
To read a selection all my A – Z reviews please follow these links:
https://mjmallon.com/2015/09/28/a-m-of-my-book-reviews/
https://mjmallon.com/2016/11/27/my-kyrosmagica-reviews-n-z/
Have you read Annette Rochelle’s poetry? Do let me know if you have. I love comments. 🙂 x
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Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
Social Media:
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
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I love visiting the art gallery on Belford Road in Edinburgh, and this tanka is dedicated to this sculpture I saw there in the gardens.
An enchanting face,
Sculpture that sees, smiles and lives,
Art’s favourite place,
Closed nostrils don’t breathe the grass,
Air spells curiosity.
I used hypnotise for enchant, and sculpture for shape.
Here’s the link to Colleen’s weekly challenge:
Hope you enjoyed my Tanka.
Happy writing!
Buy My Book on Amazon : myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
Authors Website: https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
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I received a lovely gift from my dear blogging friend, Samantha Murdoch
It was a lovely letter, a bunch of crystals (amethyst, rose quartz, red jasper, obsidian, carnelian, jade and of course a Bloodstone, as Sam said in her letter, ‘ the piece as featured on the spine of your novel,’ plus two cute cat napkins! Such a wonderful gift.
So, of course what better way to thank her than to write a Tanka!
For gather I shall use collect, and kind for soft.
Couldn’t ask for a better friend, Samantha is such a diamond. 🙂
To join in with Colleen’s weekly Tanka Tuesday do follow the link:
Bye for now, a very happy Saturday to you.
Much love, feeling very blessed to have such lovely friends.
Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
Authors Website: https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
My Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
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This tanka is inspired by the two main characters in my novel – The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone, Amelina the main protagonist and the mysterious, unfathomable Ryder….
For time I used tempo and for charm bewitched.
A heartbeat’s tempo,
Bewitched am I, misled too,
Shadows invade me,
I struggle to break your spell,
I daren’t guess who you are.
To enter the challenge follow the link:
Hope you enjoyed my tanka. Happy Easter Sunday folks.
Exciting News: Tomorrow is a very special day. It is the intended release date for my paperback so I’d love it if you pop over to my blog to celebrate with me.
Bye for now,
Kindle Buy Book Link: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
Social Media:
Authors Website: https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Our Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
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My Tanka for Colleen’s weekly poetry challenge using the synonyms delight for Joy and passion for fury.
I find dreams fascinating. Often we wish we could continue our dream when the alarm rings to wake us up. But, if the dream becomes a nightmare we are only to keen for it to end! Would this dream be a nightmare I wonder…
Here’s the link to join in with Colleen’s weekly poetry challenge:
Hope you liked my Tanka!
Bye for now. Happy dreaming!
Social Media:
Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
Authors Website: https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Join our Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
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