Chelsea DeVries's Blog, page 8

#NationalPoetryMonth: Medicine That Burns by Molly S. Hillery is a dark liquor of life’s hard to swallow truths

Hillery is no product of trauma. She is a beautiful rose, rising high above what tried to bury her, end her, and silence her, one poem at a time. She is the voice of those who know the struggle of suffering at the cold, dirty hands of trauma, mental illness, or society’s unmeetable expectations following the divorce and/or infidelity.

“Medicine That Burns” serves you a shot of the dark liquor of life, and helps you come to terms with “not being fine” in a world that glorifies perfection, illusive love stories, but doesn’t want to fall in love with the breaking process of all of us who are broken.

Whether you’ve had you had to mask your pain or survive by masking, Hillery’s poetry will have you drunk on the truth of what it means to live even if the pain still cripples your veins.

You can get a copy of The Medicine That Burns by Molly S. Hillery here and make sure to follow her on IG and wish her a happy book birthday!

Did you enjoy this review? Need one for your own book? Book one below.

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#NationalPoetryMonth: Bare Roots by Molly S. Hillery Will Help You Grow With The Changes In Your Life

Poetry for me is an eye-opening experience. You step into the soles of the shoes of another but ironically enough because the human experience is mirrored through triumphs and pain, you will find some of ‘you’ in the pages of Bare Roots.

No matter whether you’ve gone through similar traumatic experiences as Hillery:

sexual assault and rapeanorexia, addictions, and self-harmdepression and suicidal thoughtssuicide attemptsor overall just feeling like a burden to the people you love.

My favorite piece in this collection was a piece called What They Don’t Tell You In College which poignantly pens the struggle between feeding on the lies they sell you about growing up and adulthood and the reality as painful as it may be, as it is.

Bare Roots will act as new soil and help you water the roots of the trauma so you can start anew, flourish and thrive.

Did you enjoy this review? Have a book coming out and need it to SHINE?

The Smart Cookie Philes offers paid review for only $40.

Hillery’s newest poetry collection will be out this Monday April 19 and it is entitled The Medicine That Burns. Look for my review coming this Monday right here. Pre-order it now and get your copy of Bare Roots here.

#FromTheTube: New Youtube Series

Today I launched the first episode of Snap, Crackle Pop: Book Versus Movie Discussion

where I read books based on movies and then watch the movie and give my feedback.

I feel like it will be beneficial to the book community as I always aim to read the book before watching the movie or tv show that they make based on books but it also allows for me to save people the time if I felt the movie didn’t honor the book in the way it deserved.

Here is the first episode. Enjoy (with or without popcorn) and please consider liking the video on Youtube to help it reach more bookish movie lovers.

#BookishMuses: Sayda Hope’s World of Undead will pull you in

When someone says, “It’s a vampire book,” what’s the first image that comes to mind? For me, it’s the angst and sparkle of the skin on Edward Cullen’s torso in the movie Twilight. I was always Team Jacob myself but vampires picked up a cultural trend and popularity in the 2010 decade.

This vampire book is unlike Twilight in many ways but the key ingredient is that it is set in the Victorian era when vampires were seen as angsty romantic suitors but instead as monsters, and people ran in fear of them. In this particular book, the vampires are an army of fierce soldiers commanded to protect the local church from the “untoten.”

For me, this book is a cross between Dracula, 1917, and the Vampire Diaries minus the teenage angst but just as dark. Dare I say it this book will stab you in the heart.

Check out more from Sayda Hope at the links below.

#MusicalMuses: Inspired by True Events by Tori Kelly Album Review

This content takes a lot of time and hard work to put together but is done completely for no compensation. Support the efforts of The Smart Cookie Philes videos and review posts by buying me a coffee.

#WomensHistoryMonth Celebrate Independent Female Writers

Being a female to me has always been such a blessing. I have always honored my femininity and relished in surpassing obstacles left and right in order to show myself and the world that a women of both strength and power is one who doesn’t back down from a challenge, one who looks to break records and defy stereotypes, and always is there to lend a helping hand to any and all, but especially to fellow women.

Releasing my poetry book was a very trying experience for me. Not traumatic as that would have been ironic as my collection is about my traumatic experience working in a toxic workplace, falling in love, and getting my heartbroken, also while discussing my asexuality, my perserverance despite mental illness and struggling with suicidal ideation multiple times in my life, and being unaware that I actually was suffering with symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome since birth.

It took me a bit to wrap my head around this diagnosis following my book release but honestly I didn’t get the fanfare I thought I would have with my release but I think it just takes time and resilience.

Yet, as March is Women’s History Month, I decided I wanted to ride and die alongside 11 other writers that I’ve befriended over years, months, and even weeks before and since releasing my own poetry collection.

Without further ado, let’s celebrate these 12 powerful women and their incredible feats in literature and poetry.

Das Herz by Sayda Hope

My review for this book is forthcoming but this book is a great mix between Dracula, 1917, and the Vampire Diaries. It’s only 170 pages so it took me a few hours to read, and the battle scenes will have you on the edge of your seat. Sayda Hope’s series Das Herz is a part of a forthcoming series. Read this first installment today so you are ready for the next book’s release.

2. Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

I already reviewed this book, I raved about this book, if you can’t tell this book really resonated with me.

There is so much power in this story, the main character is a female, the poetic prose is lyrical, and it was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award.

I personally got excited for Tiffany the other day while in Books a Million browsing and seeing her book on the store shelves was very cool for me.

This female writer also waited 20 years to see this book published and in print as it’s inspired by the true story of her mother Betty’s upbringing.

3. When My Mind Winds Up by Jennifer Ervig

This book opened doors for me I always believed I would never walk through. It opened up my personal discovery of my mental health which then led me to find out I had Asperger’s so I basically feel very attached to this book but if you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety or any other mental health issue, this book has practical entries like a devotional that allow you to read it and apply the tips each and every day. It’s something I plan to re-read often throughout the rest of my life.

4. Grandfather’s Will by Rebecca Lange

This book has yet to be released but the summary looks enticing if you are looking for a Danielle Steel novel with a whodunnit spin. The author, currently resides in Germany, has written several other books that are historical fiction or Christian fiction. Definitely set your alarm for April 3, 2021 and get a copy when it releases exclusively on Amazon.

5. I Found My Heart by Stacie Ann Green-Taylor

My review of this book will be available in April but as soon as I found this poet was releasing a poetry collection, I rushed to support her because it’s what you do, and her words were filled with absolute brevity and truth. Plus, I am aiming to support more black voices as well because once again, it’s what you do.

6. Sticks and Stones by Chelsea DeVries

Did you really think I would share about fellow female writers without including myself. This book is broken up into two sections: Sticks and Stones. It is a themed around the overall metaphor that you can and should turn your pain into poetry, whether that pain was from undiagnosed Asperger’s, being bullied and ostracized, bullies in the workplace, falling in love with the wrong person, or falling in love with a twin flame who ran away, and broke your heart.

It is written with the intention to help all those who hurt find healing and strength that resonates no matter what obstacles or giants we face.

So far: It’s been an Amazon India best-seller, nominated for Book of the Year, and turning readers who don’t read poetry into fans.

For me personally, it is the beauty in the ashes of a terribly dark time and I have no shame in sharing it as well as what may come from it being out in the world in book form. I just pray it reaches those who feel stuck or as if they have no way out in time, and reminds them their story, your story, our story is far from over.

7. The Evolution of a Girl by L.E. Bowman

I didn’t know of this poet when I published my collection but as someone who is also a fan of poetry, I found this poet recently and found her words to be relatable, timely, and cookie-cut for Instagram-sharability. She’s also from Florida and I’m honored to be among her company as a fellow female poet.

8. All the Things I Should’ve Told You: Poems about Love, Grief, and Resilience by Shayla Raquel

Talk about fierce. This poet announced she was releasing her first poetry collection and I was eager to support it. The other day, March 16, 2021, she did a surprise launch and became #1 best-seller on Amazon. Since her book was released only three days ago, she has remained within the top 5 of all three categories her book fits in on Amazon. That’s definitely what I should have did with my poetry collection but next time, I will be consulting with Shayla to ensure my launch reaches the same heights.

9. To Walk on Moonbeams by Zombear Writes

Following moving Instagram accounts due to toxicity on my old one, I was searching for poets to follow to connect with. This poet is very sweet and has actively engaged with anything I’ve commented on her work or story. And she made me feel like I finally belonged in the community which is why I made a new Instagram in the first place. Originally published by Blurb, this collection about heartbreak and healing will help you find the light in the darkest of nights.

10. Bare Roots by Molly S. Hillery

Talk about somebody who’s just the kindest despite that she’s got a huge audience and has so many cool book reader photos.

This poet wrote and published this collection in 2017 but it is still charting as a best-seller on Amazon this year even. I happened to spot it on there and reached out to congratulate her because that feels entirely huge for anyone who struggles or suffers with any and all forms of mental illness or also dealt with several traumatic events.

The little wins are the moments when you feel like your strength through your trauma or struggles truly has dug roots and bloomed nicely.

11. The Sunflower With Thorns by Kleio Musa

She popped on my IG feed and I was like ok, she’s gorgeous. Then to find out she was a poet too was also inspiring. Then, I learned about her heritage and how she struggles with anxiety and depression. My review of this collection is forthcoming but there isn’t much about Kleio Musa that doesn’t act as a muse for me, as both a female and a writer.

12. Pretending to Be Normal by Liane Holliday Wiley

She doesn’t need this feature nor does it makes sense to me that someone so cool follows me on Instagram but ever since I announced that I found out I have Asperger’s, Liane has been so engaging and supportive. Reading this book for me was very cathartic as some of the same struggles also existed with myself but Liane’s story inspires the reader and proves that disability isn’t an inability just a societal label that seeks to limit the beauty and educating that people with autism and asperger’s bring to this world.

There you have it. Please be sure to add some if not all of these women to your TBR, your next book haul, and to your Instagram feed.

Each and every one of these women inspire me to keep at it, push past the disappointments and hurts, and share my empathy and caring poetic soul with the world.

#IndieAuthorSpotlight: Venture Into the World of the Undead with Sayda Hope

For Immediate Release

March 16, 2021

Chelsea DeVries

Publicist

smartcookiepr26@gmail.com

Venture Into the World of The Undead With Das Herz by Sayda Hope

In Das Herz, the undead are soldiers and they seek the aid of a beautiful woman who makes the heartless Eber Soldat to question whether he and this woman shared a connection before he became the heartless undead man he is.The Das Herz is a forthcoming series. The first installment is called Buch Eins. Sayda Hope offers a story all humans will resonate with and love to escape to.

About the book: Untoten… Undead. Eber Soldat, a soldier named Soldier.A heartless man who was thought a monster of war, until the day he truly became one. Returning from the dead, he and his men, Captain Mikhail Koza, Lieutenant Johan Thayer, and Lieutenant Adolpho Ermanno, embark on the next assignment, guarding Ambrozij Kasimir, the head of the church, a man whose power rivals even that of King Berin’s. Wanting to keep their new existence a secret to protect themselves, Eber seeks the aid of an old ally, Lorelei Zima, a beautiful woman who makes Koza wonder if she had been more to the heartless Commander at one time in their past. Her nature is playful and her abilities deadly, Lorelei proves to be of great help and at times… a little harm.

With each soldier undergoing his own session of rigor mortis, the men learn the lies and truths of the unique untoten of their homelands as they discover their differing strengths and hungers. Reaching their destination, the soldiers expect peace finally as Kasimir arrives in the tattered village of Hieb, yet it steadily becomes clear there is no rest even for the dead as the village is swarmed by untoten. The starving undead burn at the touch of Hallowed ground, giving salvation for Kasimir, but his sanctuary will be his tomb as the days pass and the untoten do not leave, forcing Kasimir to face his own starvation.

With Eber’s new mission of getting the Holy Man out of the village alive, his heartlessness may prove to be a weakness or what saves him.

About the author: My name is Sayda Hope, and I’m just someone with an imperfect life who loves escapism! I rarely write about things which echo my real life as it’s a pretty boring place. Instead, I’d rather take you to worlds no mortal eyes will ever see except within the pages of my books. Places of mystery and danger, on adventures guided by characters you’ll come to love.

Everything from other planets on outer regions of space, filled with people you connect with as though they’re beside you, to reflections of the world we know in the guise of a Victorian era New York City, morphed into something different by court trials and murder mysteries of folkloric creatures in “monster” versions of crime dramas. In the end, I strive to make unique experiences with each one of my stories because I am the one who wants to go on these adventures, to these places, with these people. I only hope that some of you wish to come along with me.

For scheduling and PR inquiries, please contact the author directly at authorsaydahope@gmail.com

You can download her press kit below.

You can purchase Das Herz on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. An audiobook is in the works and you can hear a recent podcast spot with Sayda Hope here.

hope-isaacs-press-kit-1Download

#BookishMuses: Bluett’s Bright Yellow Sunshine is a ‘notes to self’ for the modern age

I see you right now.
Yes, you reading this.

Rain clouds dark and ominous reign your outlook and have fogged up your life.

Yet, if you need a lift, some water for your dry and desolate human soul, read Bright Yellow Sunshine by Cheyenne Bluett.

It is a beautiful collection of poetry written like notes to self and it has shaken me to my core.

There are poems throughout this collection that will light up your darkness, lift your chin, cause you to smile, or maybe even tear up like me.

This is Bluett’s second collection and it is everything you could ever need to read, and that much more.

Like this review? Consider supporting the work of the Smart Cookie Philes with a cup of strong espresso.

#BookishMuses: Combs’ poetry collection Love In Other Realms will carry you through

Melissa M. Combs is no stranger to heartbreak, as her previous works, breath light to that unfortunate truth but with this full poetry collection, the reader finds the other half to the painful truth behind the heartbreak: the heartbreak of being in separation with one’s twin flame.

Twin flames are two halves of the same soul placed in two bodies, created to mirror one another to become one powerful force that when in union, seek to awaken and save the world.
Combs poetry paints a spiritual picture in the works involving divine timing and interdimensional realms.

Love then becomes not something merely fashioned into glass slippers or some fancy idea that can be tossed around.

Love is ethereal, supernatural, and metaphysical, and when we truly experience it at its deepest, we begin to awaken to become expanded and growing into our highest selves.

Combs’ collection is seductively spiritual yet gentle and breathy like witnessing the height, length, and width of an angel’s wings.

If you’ve ever felt the heartbreak of meeting and loving your twin flame, and then having to separate, Combs collection will carry you through the love, the longing, and even the destructive and confusing pain inside you.

If you liked this review and want to support the content of The Smart Cookie Philes, no writer can get by without a cup of coffee.

New Cookies for a Cause design saves cats and dogs from kill shelters 🍪

As most of you know, I love my dogs more than anything. They are my world and basically give my life both meaning and purpose.

Yet, so many dogs and cats are killed in shelters around the USA and I don’t think any furry friend should have to die just because it hasn’t found a home. About 3 or 4 years ago, I came across Best Friends Animal Society. They are a non-profit that advocates entirely for both dogs and cats to be rescued from kill shelters so that they have a chance at a decent and humane life. Every animal has it’s purpose, right?!

In order to help them in their no-kill 2025 initiative, every hoodie and dog bandana will 100% benefit Best Friends Animal Society and their life-saving work for this planet’s most precious and vulnerable creatures.

The Hooman Hoodie is available in a selection of primary colors and runs at $48 with $20 being donated to Best Friends Animal Society.

The dog merchandise has the same “fur-ever friends” design and is available in my new Squad shop but also still benefits Best Friends Animal Society. I will be adding more designs from past squad days in the shop soon but for now get a matching Dog Bandana here. The Dog Bandana is only available in white but is very large to fit any size furbaby. It is priced at $15.97 with 10% of that going to Best Friends Animal Society.

If you or someone you know is an animal advocate, please share this with them.

Until next time, We wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day!