Thank you to Alex Pearl for inviting me to write a poem for this charity anthology of cricket writing. Here’s me with my copy.
Book overview
“In this beautifully curated anthology, authors and writers who might never normally do so are given free rein to train their gaze on this most full-bodied of sporting muses. What results is a reminder that truly nothing in life cannot be improved with a generous dollop of cricket.”Daniel Norcross
This eclectic collection of short stories, reminiscences, essays, and poems will appeal to anyone with a soft spot for the noblest of summer games. Besides being entertained and amused by this compilation, the reader will discover some interesting and little-known cricketing facts such as Adolf Hitler’s view of the game.
Alongside a Foreword penned by Daniel Norcross, contributors to this attractive addition to the rich canon of cricket writing include:● John Corcut ● Bud Craig ● Judith Cutler ● Jessica Davis ● Geoffrey Dean ● Robert Deighton ● Isabelle Duncan ● Laura E. Goodin ● Pete Langman ● Ben Macintyre ● M. J. Mallon ● Jonathan Margolis ● Sean O’Leary ● Ann Parker ● Alex Pearl ● David Pearl ● Hugh Salmon ● Paul Stewart ● Sarah Traynor ● David Whittle ● Peter Wise ● David Alan Woods
All authors’ royalties are being donated to Surrey County Cricket Club’s charity foundation.
It was a tricky one as I don’t know much about cricket.
So I wrote a cheeky poem entitled Faking it! Jock Strap Blues which seemed to go down well 🤔
Review of the anthology (my poem gets a wee mention!)
Delighted to be playing a part in this new anthology of cricket writing devised by Alex Pearl. It’s in aid of Surrey County Cricket Club Charity Foundation.
My uncle was a whizz at Cricket but sadly that sporty gene missed me.
I must admit I was a little bit stumped what to write when Alex approached me. So, I wrote a cheeky poem.
“In this beautifully curated anthology, authors and writers who might never normally do so are given free rein to train their gaze on this most full-bodied of sporting muses.
What results is a reminder that truly nothing in life cannot be improved with a generous dollop of cricket.”Daniel Norcross.
This eclectic collection of short stories, reminiscences, essays, and poems will appeal to anyone with a soft spot for the noblest of summer games.
Besides being entertained and amused by this compilation, the reader will discover some interesting and little-known cricketing facts such as Adolf Hitler’s view of the game.
Alongside a Foreword penned by Daniel Norcross, contributors to this attractive addition to the rich canon of cricket writing include:
● John Corcut ● Bud Craig ● Judith Cutler ● Jessica Davis ● Geoffrey Dean ● Robert Deighton ● Isabelle Duncan● Laura E. Goodin ● Pete Langman ● Ben Macintyre● M. J. Mallon ● Jonathan Margolis ● Sean O’Leary ● Ann Parker ● Alex Pearl ● David Pearl ● Hugh Salmon ● Paul Stewart ● Sarah Traynor ● David Whittle ● Peter Wise● David Alan Woods
All authors’ royalties are being donated to Surrey County Cricket Club’s charity foundation.
Do get your copy.
Purchase Link:
Other anthologies of Alex Pearl I’ve contributed to:
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.
Miss Winn is the latest collection of short stories by Rosemary Mairs.
I really enjoyed Rosemary Mairs’s previous short story collection, A Recycled Marriage, so was keen to read this too. Miss Winn is a solid collection of excellent short stories about a range of characters and topics such as: con men, murderers, traffic wardens, lonely old women, carers, an adopted boy finding his real mother, and tales of luck running out, as in the ‘Pinter Genes.’ You definitely don’t want to come across the old hag in ‘Waiting.’ Some of my favourites: Rev Ricky, The Portrait, Memory Tap, Flick The Slick, (con man,) Bobby Dazzler (adopted boy finding his mum,) No one will know, (mushroom allergy! This I found interesting as my daughter has this allergy! And I know how dangerous this can be!)
Miss Winn (about a conniving fraudstar and lonely old women, great twist!)
Just One – peanut allergy. Perfect Day – wedding – jealousy. Bad boy Blade, Waiting – wicked hag.
Pinter Genes – luck running out.
Buster – gold diggers!
In her sleep, about a traffic warden!
My favourite of all was ‘Buster,’ and Miss Winn as they both include really great twists in their tales!
Giveaway A chance to win a free digital copy of Midnight Roost at every stop. Just leave a comment to show your support for the tour, the anthology, and all of the fantastic authors.
Welcome Sonia Pipkin
Inspiration for “Once Upon a Time” I wrote this short story while I was attending Western Colorado University, during a short forms course. I love the idea of combining a fairytale with unexpected horror and that was my inspiration.
About Author Sonia Pipkin Sonia Pipkin graduated from Western Colorado University with an M.F.A. in creative writing with a concentration in genre fiction. She lives in Colorado where she is a freelance writer and is currently attending Colorado State University working toward an M.A. TESOL certificate. Her current project is a linked short story anthology that focuses on women injustice. Instagram: @writersoniav Facebook: Sonia Valladares
Roberta Eaton Cheadle is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors, including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough. Roberta has short stories and poems in several anthologies and has two published novels: * Through the Nethergate, a historical supernatural fantasy; and * A Ghost and His Gold, a historical paranormal novel set in South Africa. Roberta has eleven children’s books published under the name Robbie Cheadle. Roberta was educated at the University of South Africa, where she achieved a Bachelor of Accounting Science in 1996 and an Honours Bachelor of Accounting Science in 1997. She was admitted as a member of The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2000. Roberta has worked in corporate finance from 2001 until the present date and has written seven publications relating to investing in Africa. She has won several awards over her 20-year career in the category of Transactional Support Services. Roberta Eaton Cheadle is a contributor to every short fiction anthology WordCrafter Press has ever put out, as well as co-editor for the Poetry Treasures anthology series. Roberta contributed the winning story, “The Bite”, in the 2022 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest and Visions anthology, as well as being a contributor to all WordCrafter Press anthologies and co-editor for the Poetry Treasures anthology series.
About Midnight Roost
20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon, and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare.
Kaye Lynne Booth, Chris Barili, Christa Planko, DL Mullan, C.R. Johansson, Joseph Carrabis, Keith J. Hoskins, Mario Acevedo, M.J. Mallon, Michaele Jordan, Patty L Fletcher, Paul Kane, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Rebecca M. Senese, Zack Ellafy, Sonia Pipkin, Denise Aparo, Robert Kostanczuk, Isabel Grey & Julie Jones.
Midnight Roost can be downloaded via most distributors through Books2Read:
Many thanks to Sally Cronin for featuring myself, Colleen and Robbie in this post. Here is some of the detail from her blog:
This year in the second part of the Summer Book Fair, I (Sally,) will be sharing my recommended books from the last 12 months and sharing either my review or one of their top reviews.The first author today is M.J. Mallon and her collection that I can highly recommend Do What You love: Fragility Of Your Flame Poems, Photography and Flash Fiction
About the collection 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.One of the reviews for the collection Sheila 5.0 out of 5 stars Prose, poetry and images: poignant, sensitive, playful: a lovely collection Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧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.Read the reviews and buy the collection: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US – Amazon Ca
The next book that I recommended last year is by Colleen M. Chesebro and her collection Fairies, Myths & MagicII. A Winter Celebration
About the bookIn this second book in the Fairies, Myths, & Magic series, step into a world where dark fairies and other magical beings converge in a collection of poetry and short stories inspired by winter and the celebration of the winter solstice.From autumn’s scary fairies to the forgotten female characters of Yule, prepare to embrace the magical winter solstice myths from around the world. Meet Frau Holle in the Wild Hunt, Befana—the Christmas Witch of Italy, and the Japanese goddess Ameratasu who controls the springtime. Prepare to embrace the Scottish trows, the Irish Goddess of Winter—the Cailleach Béara, and Snegurochka—the Snow Girl.Learn how to make Yuletide rituals part of your celebration by embracing the symbols of Yule by decorating with evergreens and crystals.
One of the reviews for the collection Jacqui Murray VINE VOICE 5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinary introduction to mystical topics Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸75 pieces on a myriad of topics, all themed to fairies, pagan mysteries, and the winter solstice. I know little about those so for me, this was a literary banquet to be relished. I picked this book up because I was impressed with the posts on Colleen’s blog, then read it cover to cover because her wordsmithing is entrancing. If you like me haven’t spent much time thinking about the meaning of fairies and magic, rest assured you will enjoy this book. The entries cover so many topics and emotions, so many mischievous beings, there is going to be something for everyone.One of the reviewers called this an “extraordinary handbook as well as a captivating read.” I would have to agree. Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
The final book today is by Robbie Cheadle’s. A stunning syllabic poetry collection in celebration of Africa’s wildlife. Lion Scream: Syllabic Poetry About Southern African Wildlife
About the collection
Do you rely on Earth for your survival?Lion Scream is a graphic collection of poetry and prose. The book portrays the author’s experiences with South African wildlife and the growing impact of the Sixth Mass Extinction and Climate Change on the natural environment.
Lion Scream There is no jungle Only acres of smooth stumps There is no jungle No habitat, no food source Hopeless lion screams tonight
A review for the collection Lauren Scott 5.0 out of 5 stars An beautiful, effective poetry collection conveying a vital message. Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸While I turned the pages of Robbie Cheadle’s new book, I became enlightened. I absorbed the information she includes about South African wildlife and the vital message that flows seamlessly from beginning to end. Lion Scream is a unique and touching collection of poetry that takes the reader on a journey to learn about the wildlife in South Africa from Robbie’s personal experiences in the bush, but not to omit “their plight in the face of the Sixth Mass Extinction.” Her passion for wildlife is surely felt throughout the pages.A wide variety of animals are highlighted in this collection with stunning, color photos. Animals range from lions, tigers, cheetahs, hippos, and elephants to the Hadeda bird that I had never heard of before. Robbie profoundly expresses how the habitats of these incredible animals have been lost due to global warming, and how the animals’ safety has been compromised due to the evil actions of humans, all because of greed. Robbie’s emotions are palpable through her powerful and sometimes distressing poems. The book takes a detour in the end with a short story that touches on mental health, but the story ties into the initial issue of global warming and the lost habitats.Robbie’s poem entitled, “Lion Scream” may be short, but its message is concise and effective:There is no jungle/Only acres of smooth stumps/There is no jungle/No habitat, no food source/Hopeless lion screams tonight And below is a verse from the heartbreaking poem “Rhino Dilemma” –Savage men move quickly/Hack out valued horn/Animal left bleeding; awakes to sure death/Tears of pain and anguish/Slide from fading eyes. Years ago, I read two non-fiction books about elephants, and I instantly fell in love with them. So, reading Robbie’s poems about these amazing animals and the poaching horrors they endure is beyond heart wrenching. But a few poems are playful, painting a delightful picture:Now it’s time for some fun/Trunk draws in water/Up it comes, spraying a fountain overhead/Cool drops sprinkle downward/She trumpets with joy. A few of Robbie’s poems made me smile, but most tugged at my heart because of the serious issues of extinction, human actions that result in the animals’ suffering, and climate change. Anyone who wishes to become educated on these issues or who wishes to foster a solution where humans and animals can contentedly coexist should read Lion Scream. Highly recommended. Head over to buy the book: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US
Loneliness, alienation, revenge, first love, violence, dreams, fractured families and broken communities. A twisted plot to exact revenge on a school bully, a teenage alcoholic who dreams of being a singer, a young girl’s developing obsession with a boy from the wrong side of town, a lonely boy’s attempt to collect strangers as friends, and a chilling glimpse into a future where owning seeds and growing food is banned. A unique collection of dark and edgy short stories and character snapshots, all connected in some way to the novels by Chantelle Atkins.
My review
Bird People and other stories is a collection of short stories inspired by characters, novels and future projects of Chantelle Atkins. If you like dark tales this is for you.
This type of collection is a great way to introduce readers to an author’s writing style. I enjoyed and can recommend this short, and at times disturbing but satisfying read.
My favourite stories in the collection are: • Bird People which features Bill Robinson and his thoughts about flying away, growing wings, escaping from the terrors of climate change, and having “no need for speech then. Just song. Just music. “ • The Collection about a person following and collecting strangers. There is a great twist at the end. • And another Bill Robinson tale: Night Prowler, about a murder, a night prowler and unspoken decisions. • The disturbing He Is A Storm. • Teenage tale of awkward attraction and love of music in The Boy With The Headphones. • She is… a shocking tale of teenage mean girls and shocking extremes with what a twist! Ohh! • We Met in Blood. Boredom, and teenage kicks in extremes. (Trigger: self harm) Taking characters from Chantelle Atkins The Mess of Me, (which I loved.) • Tales From Provence 5 about nature replenishing itself and its vengence towards humans for wrongs done.
Thank you so much to the author Chantelle Atkins for my paperback copy which I won. I thoroughly enjoyed. Every story was memorable. I read this twice! Fast becoming a fan of Chantelle Atkin’s writing.
Variety is the Spice of Life is a collection of poetry and short stories about relationships with others, including pets and animals inhabiting the world around us. The connection with others brings love and friendship, excitement and sometimes surprises, danger, mystery and sometimes the unexpected.
The poetry explores human nature, the fears, desires, expectations and achievements. Nature offers a wonderful opportunity to observe animals both domesticated and wild. Even in a back garden you can observe a wide variety of creatures and the daily challenges to survive a harsh environment.
The short stories introduces you to a healer whose gift comes with danger, a neighbour determined to protect a friend, a woman on the run, an old couple whose love has endured, an elderly retired teacher who faces a life changing accident, a secret that has been carried for over 70 years and a village who must unite as they face devastating news.
This is a beautiful collection of poetry, flash fiction and short stories about life, love, getting older, experiencing as well as cherishing the world and all its magnificent inhabitants: birds, cats, bees, and much more! It certainly lives up to its lovely title: Variety is The Spice of Life and its fantastic cover.
The collection starts with three lovely poems, two to take us with the author on a journey and one to celebrate friendship, love and family: Pilgrimage, Expedition, and Kinship.
There are many relatable pieces including these favourite flash and poetry combos: Bear Witness and Face In The Mirror. Loved the last line: “I’ve morphed into my mother.”
Ha, this is me too! Not that I’m complaining. My mother is a wonderful human being, so if I have morphed into her I have nothing to worry about.
The Waltz is so cute, and my other favourite poems in the collection are: The Moonlight Concerto, Dress Rehearsal, Dolphins Origins ( sad and poignant ) Strawberries ( the words are written so well that you can taste them – the strawberries I mean… not the words!)
Flash and poetry favourites include:
Useful… to be so, with a smile, is a wonderfully good thing to be!
The Robin’s Size Doesn’t Matter and Starlings, Neighbourhood Cats, all were delightful as were all the other garden gems.
The collection ends with a bunch of fantastic short stories.
The Neighbourhood Watch, is one for cat lovers, with a marmalade cat. In The Green Hill we are treated to a poignant long lasting love story. Sadly, there are more serious tales with mentioned abuse in On The Run. There is a touching family tale in The Secret, and a positive and light-hearted tale about getting older in The Home Help, and more besides!
Something for everyone in this lovely collection!
Highly recommended. 5 stars from me. Thoroughly enjoyed.
There are names that have been passed down through thousands of years which have powerful and deep-rooted meaning to their bearers. Other names have been adopted from other languages, cultures and from the big screen. They all have one thing in common. They are with us from birth until the grave and they are how we are known to everyone that we meet.
There are classical names such as Adam, David and Sarah that will grace millions of babies in the future. There are also names that parents have invented or borrowed from places or events in their lives which may last just one lifetime or may become the classic names of tomorrow.
Whatever the name there is always a story behind it. In What’s in a Name? – Volume One, twenty men and women face danger, love, loss, romance, fear, revenge and rebirth as they move through their lives.
Anne changes her name because of associations with her childhood, Brian carries the mark of ancient man, Jane discovers that her life is about to take a very different direction, and what is Isobel’s secret?
I really enjoyed this short story collection. it’s different from others taking a person’s name as the starting point for creating a story. There is a wide range of variety in this collection but all share one thing in common: these are about life, love and humanity. The range of topics in the stories will appeal to all from amusing, sad, emotional to happy stories. There is even a story about a nun, Celia, leaving her calling which remained with me a long time after reading. The twists at the end of the stories were entertaining too, especially loved the one in ‘George!’ and ‘Isobel.’
Another favourite of mine was ‘Clive,’ about a boy taking a walk in the tropics and walking into a whole lot of trouble – the little ‘un meets a cobra! But, the moment when the boy and cobra look into each others’ eyes is just priceless. Loved it. Cobras are not that uncommon a sight in the tropics, my mum’s step mum came face-to-face with one too! And, in ‘Eric,’ you’ll smile at the tale of a widower who learns to live again through his cat, Doris. in ‘Grace,’ the moving yarn of a young girl in an orphanage ticked all the boxes for me. And the tale of the drunk driver and ‘Hannah,’ was fantastic.
Highly recommended to short story enthusiasts and to all who enjoy well written tales.
Sally Cronin is the author of fifteen books including her memoir Size Matters: Especially when you weigh 330lb first published in 2001. This has been followed by another fourteen books both fiction and non-fiction including multi-genre collections of short stories and poetry.
Her latest release, Life is Like a Mosaic: Random fragments in harmony is a collection of 50 + images and poems on life, nature, love and a touch of humour.
As an author she understands how important it is to have support in marketing books and offers a number of FREE promotional opportunities in the Café and Bookstore on her blog and across her social media.
Her podcast shares book reviews and short stories Soundcloud Sally Cronin
After leading a nomadic existence exploring the world, she now lives with her husband on the coast of Southern Ireland enjoying the seasonal fluctuations in the temperature of the rain.
M J Mallon YA Author and Poet 