Robbie Cheadle's Blog, page 34
July 19, 2023
Treasuring Poetry – Meet poets, bloggers, and writers, Emily Gmitter and Zoe the Fabulous Feline, and a review #TreasuringPoetry #Poetrycommunity #review
This month for Treasuring Poetry, I am interviewing a wonderful writing duo, Emily Gmitter and Zoe the Fabulous Feline. They have prepared a wonderful commentary about poetry and I have reviewed their lovely book. Thank you for hosting, Kaye Lynne Booth.
Today, I am delighted to welcome Emily Gmitter and her amazing writing cat, Zoe, to Treasuring Poetry. This is the first time I’ve interviewed such an interesting duo for this series and it has been a fabulous experience.
Welcome Emily and ZoeI’d like to thank Robbie for inviting me and my co-author, Zoe the Fabulous Feline, to be guests on her lovely Treasuring Poetry blog. We’re happy to be here with her and all of you wonderful poets! Zoe says “hello” too—she’s waving her paw at the screen.
Is writing poetry easier for you compared to prose or do you do a lot of editing and revision of your poems?While my initial writing efforts focused on poetry, and specifically, syllabic poetry, now I more often write short stories. However, poems or snippets of rhyme frequently find their way into my stories. My brain seems wired for rhyme, so…
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July 17, 2023
Robbie’s Inspiration – Book reviews: Two short books by K Morris and Teagan Geneviene & Dan Antion
What Amazon SaysA humorous collection of verses ranging from the slightly risqué to the quite frankly ridiculous.
My reviewThis collection of poems comprises humorous limericks. The poet has a sharp eye for the failings of mankind and has woven his observations into these clever poems.
An excellent example of one such exposing poem is Henrietta’s Erotic Letter:
When a naughty young lady named Henrietta
Sent the bishop an extremely erotic letter,
His wife called her loose
And his daughter turned puce.
And the bishop he treasured that letter …
This book is ideal for readers who enjoy a good laugh about mankind’s hypocrisy.
Purchase My Friend’s Robot Girlfriend and Other Humorous Verses by K MorrisThe Inyan Beacon by Teagan Riordain Geneviene and Dan Antion
What Amazon saysPart science fiction, part spaghetti Western, part speculative fiction, The Inyan Beacon is a short story set in the distant future. Earth’s moon, now called Maka, after a failed terraforming attempt, is the site of a lone stone tower. Tatanka (Tank) Cody, descendant of Buffalo Bill Cody, and his synth companion, Compass are determined to get inside the tower. Although they might not find what Tank is so sure will be there.
My reviewThis short story is an entertaining blend of two writing talents. Tank and his blue skinned artificial friend, Compass, are looking for something at the Inyan Beacon. Before they get to the stone tower, the pair must deal with antagonism towards Compass and other hostilities. Will there be anything to find at Inyan Beacon to make all their trouble worthwhile?
Compass is a wonderful character with a cool head and natural charm. She deals with the distain aimed at her skillfully and without agitation. She keeps Tank on the straight and narrow and also has a lovely sense of humour.
This book is a fabulous quick read for people who enjoy fantasy with a Western flair.
Purchase The Inyan Beacon by Teagan Riordain Geneviene and Dan AntionJuly 12, 2023
Growing Bookworms – Reasons why reading is good for your child or teenager’s mental health
We arrived home from our wonderful holiday early this afternoon. There was a lot to do as Terence and I both start back at work tomorrow. I finally have some time to share this month’s Treasuring poetry post which focuses on the mental health benefits for children and teens of reading. Thanks for hosting, Kaye Lynne Booth.
From March 2020 mental health increased world-wide and those affected include children and teenagers. Post-pandemic, mental health issues continue to…
Growing Bookworms – Reasons why reading is good for your child or teenager’s mental health
July 3, 2023
Friday Free For All – Better late than never #Pillow #Health #BookReviews @bakeandwrite @kneverday
Thank you to talented author, Jan K. Sikes, for featuring Lion Scream together with two other lovely books, and sharing her wonderful reviews. Jan is the author of some excellent novels and short stories, and her blog shares all sorts of interest card readings, book reviews and other articles of interest.
I will be off line from tomorrow as my family is taking a short vacation. I’ll see you when we get back on 12 July.
Happy Friday and the last day of June. Wow, this year is flying by! And it’s hotter than Hades here in Texas. But we expect it and won’t get a break …
Friday Free For All – Better late than never #Pillow #Health #BookReviews @bakeandwrite @kneverday
June 29, 2023
Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday, Open and Close #hippos #TankaTuesday #Poetry
Colleen’s challenge this week is to write a syllabic poem including derivations of the words “open” and “close”. You can join in here: https://wordcraftpoetry.com/2023/06/27/tankatuesday-weekly-poetry-challenge-no-326-6-27-23/
River HorseYawning mouth
One eighty degrees
Exposing
Mighty tusks
Aimed at intimidating
Hungry predators
Picture credit: Hippo with its mouth open from Unsplash
***
River horse
Large mouth tightly sealed
Sharpening
It’s canines
Which rub against each other
Honed, daunting weapons
Picture credit: Hippo with its mouth closed by Catherine Merlin – Unsplash
If you are interested, this is my recital of Brothers from my poetry book, Lion Scream:
Picture credit: My photograph of the brothers which inspired this poem.
June 25, 2023
Robbie’s Inspiration – Book review: The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle: Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger
“A wonderful tribute to the author’s beloved Bronco. The stories are heartwarming as well as informative—a true glimpse into life with a Leonberger. The adorable illustrations are icing on the cake.” —D’Nae Wilson, President, Leonberger Health Foundation International
“A lovely tribute to Bronco, with lots of resources for general Leonberger information.” —Julie Schaffert, Leonberger Club of America breeder since 1992
If you’re thinking of getting a Leonberger, or if you’ve already owned one and know how rewarding the experience can be, you’ll want to read the story of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, called Bronco, who came into the lives of the Wikman family of Dallas, Texas, in 2007. Bronco, a recipient of the Leonberger Health Foundation International’s Grey Muzzle Award, lived an unusually long life for a Leonberger—almost thirteen years. His human family is convinced that what helped him exceed his breed’s normal life expectancy was his brave and loving heart.
Here you’ll read about some of Bronco’s amazing feats: the night he scared away a prowler; the day he performed a hamster search and rescue; the time he stumped the Geek Squad; and the late night he snuck into the kitchen and ate a two-pound bag of dog treats, a box of pastries, a loaf of bread, a grilled chicken, and a Key lime pie, all in one sitting. You’ll also read about his unflappable calm during a north Texas tornado and his stoicism as he endured health challenges in his later years.
In addition to entertaining stories, these pages contain a wealth of practical guidance, including
a history of the Leonberger breed;advice for the care of very large dogs;breed-specific health and genetic information;training and feeding tips;suggestions for finding a breeder;the official breed standard; andan extensive resource guide.Bronco’s fearlessness, tolerance, and affectionate nature warmed the hearts of everyone who met him, and his sometimes uncanny adventures with his human and canine companions will bring a smile to the face of every dog lover.
The author is donating the proceeds from the sale of this book to the Leonberger Health Foundation International
Thomas Wikman is a retired automation, robotics, and software engineer and inveterate dog lover who emigrated from Sweden to the United States, where he and his wife raised three children. Their cherished Leonberger, Bronco, crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2020. The Wikmans live in Dallas, Texas, with their two dogs—a pug and a miniature Australian shepherd.
My reviewIt was a privilege to read this lovely book about Bronco the Leonberger. The author’s love for Bronco and his other dogs shines through in every word, and reading about the dogs relationships with the author, his family members, and each other was a treat for someone like me who also loves animals.
Bronco is a dog with a great deal of character and following his adventures from his arrival at the Wikman family home as a puppy up until his death at the age of thirteen was a lot of fun. I giggled at the antics of Bronco and the other dogs and cried when they were ill or in pain.
The author is a remarkable man for caring for his aging dogs in such a respectful and wonderful way. I found those sections of the book very heart warming. The author also has a good sense of humour and this shows through in both his writing and in the hand drawn pictures included in this book. There are also a number of photographs of Bronco and his doggy brothers and sisters.
The last 40% of the book was devoted to sharing information about Leonbergers, their history, and how they should be cared for. I had never heard of Leonbergers before reading this book so that section was very educational and interesting.
I would recommend this book to everyone who has ever loved an animal. It is a wonderful and uplifting journey.
Picture caption: picture of Bronco at 3 months from Thomas Wikman’s blog: https://leonbergerlife.com/2023/06/16/a-leonbergers-last-car-ride/
Picture caption: Bronco at 12 1/2 years old from Thomas Wikman’s blog here: https://leonbergerlife.com/2023/06/16/a-leonbergers-last-car-ride/Purchase links
June 21, 2023
Treasuring Poetry – Meet poet and author, D.L. Finn and a book review #TreasuringPoetry #bookreview #poetry
Today, I am delighted to introduce poet and author, D.L. Finn, as my June Treasuring Poetry guest. Denise has shared some lovely reflections on poetry and I’ve shared two reviews of her poetry book and her latest collection of short stories. Thanks for hosting, Kaye Lynne Booth.
My June Treasuring Poetry guest is the talented poet and author, D.L. Finn. Welcome Denise.
Why do you write poetry?I write poetry for many reasons but the most important one is that I can describe what I’m seeing or feeling in ways I am unable to when I speak. Poetry also expresses or records the world as I see it or want it to be. I can use poetry to convey the pure awe of nature, share my thoughts, or vent frustrations. Writing poetry is not only a wonderful vehicle to communicate my emotions but I like that my perspective can be interpreted differently by the readers.
Do you think poetry is still a relevant form of expressing ideas in our modern world? If yes, why?I do think poetry is still relevant. It is a beautiful art form that allows us to glimpse the world in new ways…
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June 19, 2023
Robbie’s Inspiration – Day 2 of the WordCrafter “Small Wonders” Book Blog Tour
Today, I am delighted to welcome poet and author, Kaye Lynne Booth, to Robbie’s Inspiration to chat about her new poetry book, Small Wonders, Reflective Poems.
Fun with poetryI’m not an artist. I never have been. I lack the skill to make the paint do my bidding on the canvas and I am unable to transform the pictures in my mind into something that is shareable with others. When I try to draw or paint… well, you might be able to figure out what it is I am trying to portray, if you really look at it, but observers shouldn’t have to work that hard to make sense of what they are seeing.
But with poetry…
With poetry, I can paint a picture with words. This is probably why Haiku poetry is so appealing to me. I fell in love with Haiku when we studied it in the fourth grade. I can remember being amazed and thinking how beautiful this form of writing was. Yes, with poetry, I am able to let others see the visions which I see in my mind.
I love language, and I love to play with words. In my stories, I relish the chance to find just the right word to convey the intended message, I like alliteration, to the utter dismay of one of my university professors, and I love to play with rhyme. I love Dr. Suess, and Shell Silverstein, and many of my poems have a bit of a sing-song quality to them.
When I was in graduate school, (the first time), and wanted to add another concentration to my degree, I picked screenwriting, but I thought hard about doing the poetry emphasis instead. I looked at the people in the poetry concentration at Western State, and I admit, I was intimidated by them. They were so serious. They had their own venue, and it seemed, a different agenda from the rest of us at the (then) annual Writing the Rockies Conference. While the other concentrations had a good line up of presenters and panelist, the poetry people had their own ‘Poetry Symposium’, and they even wrote and put on operas, and they talked about the critics as if they were gods.
I couldn’t compete with those folks, and I didn’t belong among them. To take my poetry so seriously would have ruined it for me. It’s not that I’ve never written a serious poem. I have. Many of them. But, I like to have fun with poetry, I like to play with words and sounds and rhythms. I’ve dabbled in many different forms, including syllabic poetry, visual shape poems, and poetry that plays with sound through rhyming and alliteration. I like to pair poetry with visual images. I enjoy creating poetry, and to get so serious about it, would be to take all the fun out of it, for me.
That is why the first section of Small Wonders is titled, ‘Fun with Poetry’, and it is filled with light, often silly poems that were just plain fun to write.
And one of the poetry forms that I think is the most fun to write are limericks. We all know what a limerick is and have probably heard more than a few. Limericks are often a little on the ‘dirty minded’ side of things. A most popular one begins “There once was a girl from Nantucket…” You know the one. Uh-huh. Below is a limerick of mine, which isn’t terribly ‘dirty’, but it is kind of funny and it was a lot of fun to write.
Luella’s Fella – A LimerickLuella’s FellaThere once was a girl named Luella
Who had her eye on a mighty nice fella
But her hygiene was bad
A single whiff made him sad,
He just could not stand her smella.”
She was determined to win him over
So in the bath, she poured crimson and clover
Then she jumped in the tub
And with soap she did scrub
Thinking soon he would be her lover.
With shampoo she did take such great care
To wash out all the spiders from her hair
They had made a nest from her locks
And mice had eaten her frock
She had not a new one to spare.
She donned the best dress she could find
With her beau always in mind
Once she was clean
She did primp and preen
Even powdering up her behind.
But alas, he found another
Luella thought she’d surely smother
There were tears in her eyes
As they said their good-byes
But she settled for his younger brother.
TankasTankas are a form of syllabic poetry akin to the Haiku. Like the Haiku, these poems are usually not titled and they follow a pre-determined syllabic pattern: 31 syllables in 5-7-5-7-7 form. “Tankas should be able to be read either backwards or forward, with the first three lines or the last three lines forming cohesive thought. The middle line, or pivot should work well to make sense of either the two lines prior, or the two lines following.” (Colleen M. Chesebro. WordCraft Prose & Poetry: The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry. 2021. p.65) Unlike Haiku, they are not descriptive of nature, but of every day experiences.
I’d like to share with you today a Tanka poem from the Small Wonders collection.
Poetry Reading – A Tanka PoemBlurb
The world is filled with amazing things, if we will just stop a moment and take notice. In this vast universe, we are but tiny individuals, filled with awe and amazement. From reflections on first love, to reflections on growing old. The poems within these pages express a lifetime of unique reflections in Small Wonders.
Small Wonders, Reflective Poems is available here: https://books2read.com/u/b6WZ6E
GiveawayThree free digital copies of Small Wonders are up for grabs. Follow the tour and make a comment at each stop, so I know you were there and you’re automatically entered.
One entry per stop.
Winners selected in a random drawing.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
Find Kaye Lynne BoothJoin Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press‘ Readers Group and sample her works with a free copy of my short story collection Last Call and Other Short Fiction.
https://mailchi.mp/64aa2261e702/klb-wc-newsletter
Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!
Robbie’s Inspiration – Cookbook Confidential Cookbook Club – Robbie Cheadle reviews Nothing Fancy
Thank you to Bernadette for sharing this month’s series of recipes for the Cookbook Confidential Cookbook Club. The club chose Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman and I elected to make skillet chicken with white beans and caramelized lemon.
Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman
I looked for this book on Amazon and it is only available as a hard cover or spiral-bound book. I only buy ebooks now as I just don’t have space for any more physical books, and it suits me better to have my cookbooks on my ipad which is nice and handy for me. For this reason, I have not bought this book, however, if it was available as an ebook, I would buy it as I really like the recipes I found on Alison Roman’s website.
There was a lot of choice of recipes available on the website and I looked for a chicken recipe. My husband and younger son both have health issues and so we are trying to reduce our red meat intake. There were a few chicken recipes that caught my eye and that I will probably make in the future including a classic chicken pot pie, spicy fried chicken, two chicken soup recipes, and two chicken salad recipes. The one I tested out for this post was skillet chicken with white beans and caramelized lemon. This dish was a great hit with my family, even my father who is quite critical about food.
Skillet chicken with white beans and caramelized lemon
Continue reading here: https://newclassicrecipe.com/2023/06/13/cookbook-confidential-cookbook-club-robbie-cheadle-reviews-nothing-fancy/
June 15, 2023
Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday, a poem on MasticadoresUSA and two reviews of Lion Scream #TankaTuesday #reviews #poetry
Picture caption: Leopard in a tree charcoal drawing by Robbie CheadleCan I capture life?
Reimage it in pencil
A paper moment
Breath instilled using colour
And a passion for wildlife
The photographic inspiration for this poem came from photographer Terri Webster Schrandt, from secondwindleisure.com who shared this photograph:
You can join in Tanka Tuesday here: https://wordcraftpoetry.com/2023/06/13/tankatuesday-weekly-poetry-challenge-no-324-6-13-2023/
The Void of Unreciprocated Energy by Robbie Cheadle
My poem, The Void of Unreciprocated Energy, was published on MasticadoresUSA. You can read it here: https://masticadoresusa.wordpress.com/2023/06/10/the-void-of-unreciprocated-energy-by-robbie-cheadle/
Lion Scream – Reviews
I have been gifted two lovely reviews of my latest poetry book, Lion Scream.
Thank you to poet and author, Luanne Castle. You can read her review here: https://writersite.org/2023/06/08/one-of-the-most-important-books-you-will-read/
Luanne is an exceptional writer who writes extraordinary poems and prose about topical issues.
Thank you to poet and author, Harmony Kent. Harmony is also a talented writer who has some wonderful novels, short story collections and poetry books.
You can read Harmony’s review here: https://harmonykent.co.uk/bookreview-lion-scream-syllabic-poetry-about-southern-african-wildlife-by-robbie-cheadle-poetry-southafrica-poaching-robertaeaton17/
