Robbie Cheadle's Blog, page 3

Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday, d’Verse: Music play on, W3 and Smurfs #poetry #photography

Tanka Tuesday and d’Verse

Merril’s challenge for d’Verse related to music. It is a complex challenge which you can read about in detail here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/07/29/poetics-2/

My poem ended up being perfect for the Tanka Tuesday metaphor challenge which you can join in here: https://tankatuesday.com/2025/07/29/tank-tuesday-poetry-challenge-23-7-29-25-metaphors/

Soul Music (shadorma)

creation

music for my soul

notes rising

in colour

harmoniously blending

symphony of paint

W3

Dennis’ prompt is a donsy of gnomes. You can read more about the challenge here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2025/07/30/w3-prompt-170-weave-written-weekly/

This is the accompanying picture:

Not Blue (shadorma duo)

“Papa Smurf

come and look at this

I’ve never

seen anything

like this donsy of small men

all with hats and beards?

***

“Amazing

but please stay away

they are to

different

they are not our lovely blue

and their hats are red.”

During my visit to Belgium we saw a lot of Smurfs. Smurfs come from Belgium and there is a new movie coming out.

When I saw the gnome picture, Smurfs popped into my head and I wondered how the Smurfs would react to the arrival in their village of a donsy of gnomes.

Here are a few pictures of Smurf promotional artwork in Bruxelles:

Picture caption: Sustainable Development: Smurf our blue planet

Picture caption: Sustainable Development: No poverty

Picture caption: Gender equalityPicture caption: Life below waterPicture caption: Quality educationPicture caption: Advertisement for the Smurf room at the HiltonPicture caption: Sustainable Development: Affordable and clean energy

Robbie’s Inspiration – Reblog: Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge Metaphors

I am host of Tanka Tuesday this week and I am looking for poems that make use of a metaphor. Simple or extended, any metaphor is great.

Tank Tuesday Poetry Challenge #23, 7/29/25: Metaphors

Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday and other poems #poetry #aloes #photography

Selma’s challenge is to write a syllabic poem for a photograph provided by  Paul’s Wonderful World of Color. You can join in Tanka Tuesday here: https://tankatuesday.com/2025/07/22/tankatuesday-poetry-challenge-no-22-july-22nd-photographs/

Friends (tanka)

sensitivity

combined with intelligence

well above normal

often rambles hand in hand

with its friend insanity

Other poems

I have been loving our winter aloes. They create such a gorgeous and colourful display. Here are two American cinquains about different aloes. I’ve also included my photographs of our aloe tree.

Red arrows

petals

shockingly red

amid winter’s carnage

nature’s life blood staining vibrant

arrows

Faking it

orange

flowers stretch up

towards weak winter sun

artificial fire brings smile to

cold lips

My photographs of our winter aloe flowers

Robbie’s Inspiration – WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour Day 2 #fiction #readingcommunity

Picture caption: WordCrafter Blog Tour Banner for Shadow Blade

Welcome to the second day of the WordCrafter Shadow Blade Book Blog Tour. We want to thank Robbie Cheadle at Robbie’s Inspiration for hosting this stop and helping to support the re-release of this wonderful fantasy adventure. First released through WordFire Press, WordCrafter Press is proud to release this second edition with a free original prequel book from the same Denari Lai series, Baiting the Hook, never before published, in the back matter when you buy the book.

Give Away

If you follow the tour and leave a comment at each stop to let us know you were there or share your thoughts about the book, you can win a free copy of Shadow Blade. We’re giving away three digital copies of the book, and one lucky winner will receive a print copy of the book signed by author Chris Barili. Each stop you comment on earns you an entry into the random drawing, and the winners will be announced on Writing to be Read in the “WordCrafter News” post on July 27.

Tour Schedule

July 20-25, 2025

Monday, July 21: Writing to be Read- Book Trailer

Tuesday, July 22: Robbie’s Inspiration – Guest post

Wednesday July 23: Undawnted – Interview with Chris Barili

Thursday, July 24: Roberta Writes – Reading Excerpt from Baiting the Hook, narrated by Jeff Bowles

Friday, July 25: Writing to be Read – Live appearance by Chris Barili

Guest Post by Author Chris Barili

I apologize for making you read my response like some high school English assignment, but right now, my speaking voice has been…well, let’s just say that once upon a time, public speaking was my favorite thing. And I was good at it.

Then along came a thing called Parkinson’s Disease, a  wrecking ball that smashes holes in your neuromuscular system. It attacks everything. And it has hit my ability to speak publicly with a particular cruelty, robbing me of a skill I enjoyed using. So bear with me through a typed answer, since my hands are working marginally better than my vocal chords right now.

As to the question, “what inspired Shadow Blade?”

Nothing.

I know, that’s not the answer anybody—especially young, aspiring authors who are looking for a bottomless well of creativity and talent as the answer to their writing issues. They sit, waiting for the muse to use her wand to magically tap story ideas into your brain.

Saying you’re not writing because you’re waiting for the muse to inspire you isn’t writing and most definitely doesn’t make anyone a writer. Think I’m wrong? Some pretty established writers seem to agree with me.

Pauline Bloom: “The amateur dreams while he sits and waits for inspiration to do the work for him.”

Connie Willis: “Inspiration comes from doing it, not the other way around.”

Stephen King: “There is a muse, but he’s not going to come fluttering down into your writing room and scatter creative fairy-dust all over …He’s a basement guy.  You have to descend to his level, and once you get down there…You have to do all the grunt labor…”

So I am not alone in my assertion that inspiration is a lie. A romanticized way of making writers look special, but most of all, to avoid the hard work of writing.

I believe inspiration is a mystical word for a process that keeps your mind fertile and open to story ideas. A process that involves a lot of work, but no fairies, I’m sorry to say.

Shadow Blade was not inspired, it was created. Dreamed up. Thought out. Fixed and broken again and cleaned up every time.

Does that make it boring, the fact that I made it with hard work, not magical idea fairies?

This was not my normal process for creating a story, but it is how Shadow Blade itself came to life.

I was in my MFA studies at the time, taking a class about researching for fiction—great course if you can get it—when I found myself developing a story idea. But I am ahead of myself.

Slow down Chris. You have six minutes. Or so.

Our first assignment was an in-class one to take a word popular in our chosen genre, and doe ten minutes of intensive research into it, and to see what creativity produce  with a little effort.

I am published in every genre except military thrillers, so I could have picked just about anything, but I do write primarily fantasy, and around that time, the word “assassin” appeared on several book covers and video games.So my curiosity got the better of me and I chose assassin as the word I was researching.

The first was boring and useless: A person who kills important people.”

Well no kidding.

Fortunately, the second definition said an assassin was a member of an elite, religiously devout, and highly effective killers who controlled parts of northern Persia during the crusades.

Now we’re getting somewhere!

They were originally called “hash-hashin” as an insult, since people thought they acted like they were high or drunk when they did their killings. Their leader—The Old Man of the Mountain—equipped the assassins with the finest steel, and laid down a moral code for them ,as well. They were to minimize harm to innocents or children, to act like good, devout muslims in public, help those in need, and so on. 

About the BookPicture caption: Cover of Shadow Blade featuring an ornamental blade in a picture frame

Ashai Larish is an assassin from the brutal Denari Lai order. Religious zealots, Denari Lai are kept loyal through an addiction to the same magic that makes them unstoppable. They have become the primary weapon for the nation of Nishi’iti, and in a hundred years, they have never failed.

Until now. Ashai must kill Pushtani King Abadas Damar and his daughter/heir, Makari. He infiltrates the king’s inner circle, putting him in the perfect place to strike, with only Captain Bauti of the Royal Guard at all suspicious of Ashai’s intent.

Except Ashai has fallen for Makari and cannot complete the hit. When a second Denari Lai kills the King, Ashai finds himself fighting for Makari’s life instead of taking it. To make matters worse, the order cuts him off from his magic, leaving him weakened and in withdrawal.

Meanwhile, far north in the Pushtani mines that border Nishi’iti, a slave named Pachat learns that his love, a hand slave to Makari, died at the hands of a Denari Lai assassin. His grief ignites a slave rebellion, and Pachat becomes the unwilling leader of the revolt. Urged on by Nishi’iti guerrillas, the rebellion sweeps across the borderlands, threatening to erupt into all-out war. Yet all Pachat wants is to avenge his beloved’s death by killing the assassin, so he walks away from the rebellion to seek when it needs him most.

As Pachat makes off for the capital of Dar Tallus, Ashai is forced to rely on that city’s organized crime gang to hide from the second assassin, and from Bauti’s guards. Despite his best efforts to hide it, Makari discovers Ashai’s true identity, and suddenly, he finds himself without her love, without his faith, and without the Denari Lai. At rock bottom, he doubts he can do anything but cause more damage.

Can Ashai kill the second assassin and win back Makari’s love? Will Pachat gain the revenge he so lustily seeks?

 About the AuthorPicture caption: Author picture of Chris Barili

Currently oppressed by his day job, Chris has set sights on retiring after 42 years in the Intelligence Community and writing full-time. Chris Barili writes all kinds of stories, and has published fantasy, science fiction, horror, western, paranormal romance, and most recently crime, with a noir story in the inaugural print edition of Toe Six Magazine. He is author of the self-published, weird western Hell’s Butcher series, and also writes under the pen names B.T. Clearwater (Supernatural romance) and T.C. Barlow (western). Chris is a retired intelligence officer, having served over 45 years between active duty, contractor, and government employee roles. He lives in Colorado with his wife.

Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!

Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday, W3, and CFFC #poetry #photography #Bruge

Tanka Tuesday

This week’s prompt is hosted by Melissa from Mom With a Blog. The challenge is to write a series of shadorma for one of the picture choices. You can join in here: https://tankatuesday.com/2025/07/15/tankatuesday-poetry-challenge-no-21-shadorma-7-15-2025/

Alma Thomas, Aquatic Gardens, 1973, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art MuseumSunflowers on blue

rays of sun

distilled as petals

infused with

earthy scents

beautiful yet practical

perfect for weddings

***

Sunflwoers

on backgrounds of blue

reminders

of movement

and change as life ebbs and flows

continuously

***

wedding day

fresh and beauty filled

time’s passage

wear’s edges

evolution essential

to vows survival

Cindy Georgakas recently wrote a very good post about marriage which you can read here: https://uniquelyfitblog.com/2025/07/18/celebrating-46-years-of-wedded-bliss-or-go-fish-on-fri-yayyy/

W3

Ben’s prompt is to write a poem including vintage mechanical marvels. You can read other poets contributions here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2025/07/16/w3-prompt-168-weave-written-weekly/

Cogs and Gears

The only wheels, cogs, and gears I know

are the ones turning inside my head

and they’ve always worked backwards

thus, explaining my processes I dread

At work, the most efficient outcome

appears, a completed puzzle in my mind

I dismantle the pieces, one by one

to determine what’s going on inside

Other painters start with backgrounds

always working from dark to light

I start with the most interesting piece

the background a boredom fight

Poems come to me fully formed

I just pluck the words out of my head

and my best ideas most certainly

don’t come while I’m dreaming in bed

Perhaps, I should take up horology

start tinkering with time keeping devices

the benefits of time moving backwards

I don’t need to think about twice

CFFC – Alongside

Dan’s prompt this week is Alongside and you can join in here: https://nofacilities.com/2025/07/21/alongside-cffc/

My pictures are all from my short time in Bruges, Belgium.

Picture caption: The canal in Bruges

Picture caption: statue in the market square in Bruges

Picture caption: boat on the canal with the bridge in the background in BrugesPicture caption: Entrance into Bruge. You can see Michael and TC to the left of the picturePicture caption: This is the Women’s Quarter in Bruge

These are are few of my YouTube videos of Bruge:

Robbie’s Inspiration: Book Blog Tour for The Secret Dragon by Esther Moonstomp #childrensfiction #TheSecretDragon

Today, I have a treat for you. A visit from talented author and writing coach, Esther Chilton. Esther is releasing her first children’s book and it looks amazing.

Welcome Esther.

Picture caption: Cover of The Secret Dragon featuring a young girl with a tiny green dragon

Thank you, Robbie, for being part of my blog tour. My first children’s book, The Secret Dragon, is coming out very soon. It’s been a labour of love for some time now and it’s the first in the Saffy’s Secret Quest series. The book is for 5-7 year olds and the publication date is 28th July, but you can pre-order it now. Here’s a little bit about it:

The blurb

When Saffy discovers a dragon statue at the bottom of her garden, her boring summer holiday becomes full of excitement.

The statue is a real dragon called Lily. She’s from the magical world of Mandoreum, a place that’s in danger and in need of Saffy’s help.

There are clues to solve, a wicked witch to battle and secrets to be kept at all costs. Will Saffy be able to save Mandoreum before it’s too late?

Extract

“I don’t like the picture any more,” Saffy whispered. “It’s gone all dark and the flowers are shrivelling up and dying. The grass is changing from green to brown and all the trees are toppling over. The castle walls are cracking and Fairy Godfather Freddie is trying to get away. But he’s being pulled backwards.”

Saffy stopped. She could see a huge, dark figure looming. “You’re trying to save Fairy Godfather Freddie, but you can’t reach him. Now his wand is flying out of his hands!”

The figure snatched up the wand and raised it high into the air.

“That’s Narla. She cast a terrible, terrible spell ridding Mandoreum and all who live there of their magic and beauty.

Narla has declared herself ruler of Mandoreum,” Lily said sadly.

About Esther Chilton aka MoonstompPicture caption: Author photograph

Esther has been a freelance writer for over twenty years, regularly writing articles and short stories for magazines and newspapers such as Writers’ Forum, Writing Magazine, The Guardian, Best of British, The Cat, This England, Yours and The People’s Friend.  

Winner of several competitions, including those run by Writing Magazine and The Global Short Story Contest, she has also had the privilege of judging writing competitions and relished being given the role of head judge of the Writers’ Forum monthly short story competition.

Esther loves writing but equally enjoys helping others, which she achieves in her role as a tutor for The Writers Bureau. She also runs their monthly writing club, Let’s Write.

She has had two how-to books on writing published as well as two collections of short stories. Her first children’s book is coming out in July, where she writes under the name of Esther Moonstomp.

Blog: https://estherchilton.co.uk

Buying links:

UK: Paperback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Dragon-Saffys-Quest/dp/1836283881

Ebook: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FCMZ6LMW

US: https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Dragon-Saffys-Quest-Book-ebook/dp/B0FCMZ6LMW

Robbie’s Inspiration – Reblog: Treasuring Poetry, meet poet and editor of Chewers by Masticadores, Nolcha Fox

This month’s Treasuring Poetry post celebrates the poetic achievements of Nolcha Fox.

Thanks for hosting, Kaye Lynne Booth.

Treasuring Poetry – Welcome Nolcha Fox, poet and editor of Chewers by Masticadores and reviews #treasuringpoetry #poetry #bookreviews

Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday and W3: Magritte’s paintings and Flanders #poetry

Tanka Tuesday

This week’s Tanka Tuesday is to write a syllabic poem using the concept of synesthesia. You can join in here: https://tankatuesday.com/2025/07/08/tankatuesday-poetry-challenge-no-20-synesthesia-7-8-25/

I wrote a kouta (my first one). You can learn about this form here: https://tankatuesday.com/tanka-tuesday-poetry-cheat-sheet-for-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenges-2/#kouta

My poem below, Scent of a Woman, was inspired by two paintings by Rene Magritte at the Royal Museum of Fine Art in Brussels. The two paintings are featured below the poem.

scent of a woman

Torso a strong lavender

legs either bluebell

or rich earthy sunflower

***

arms reminiscent of herbs

and the grassy scent of leaves

or the heavy pungent smell

of dark pink roses

***

lastly, the head

orange marigold

symbol of beauty and warmth

rich fragrance of ripe apples

bitter herbs and leaves

Rene Magritte’s painting ‘La Danse’ (The Dance), featuring an upright woman whose body parts are different, bright colours, with a parrot on her hand.

Rene Magritte’s painting ‘La Moisson’ (The Harvest), featuring a woman whose body parts are different, bright colours, reclining on a window seat with fields ready for harvesting as a background.

This was an amazing art museum and I have a lot more to share about it.

W3 – Gravescape

Marion’s prompt is to write about a scape. Having just visited Flanders, I chose to write about a gravescape. You can join in here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2025/07/09/w3-prompt-167-weave-written-weekly/

I wrote an American cinquain.

Gravescape
Overwhelming
Resting place of thousands
Known and unknown, poor and wealthy
All young

A small selection of the tombstones at Tyne Cot Cemetery in Flanders.

Below are two of my Youtube videos of the Tyne Cot Cemetery in Flanders. This was a very hard day for me. I had to sleep between each stop as it was emotionally overwhelming for me.

Robbie’s Inspiration – Reblog, Playing with Food Masticadores USA

My thanks to Barbara Leonhard for sharing my poem on Masticadores USA.

“Playing with Food” by Robbie Cheadle

Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and traditional Belgian food #fiction #bookreview #belgianfood

My review of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee Pachinko is an amazing family saga set in Korea, Japan and America from when Japan took control of Korea in 1910…

Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and traditional Belgian food #fiction #bookreview #belgianfood