Kaye Lynne Booth's Blog: Writing to be Read, page 42

In Touch With Nature – The vulnerable life of male lions #wildlife #lions

Lions live in groups called prides. Each pride is comprised of related lionesses and one or more adult male lions will also be present with the dominant male being the pride leader. Female lionesses are loyal to their pride and not to their family members, and this often means that they don’t keep related males in their pride.

Male lion cubs are frequent victims of snake bits, hunting hyenas, and male lions that aren’t their father or uncle. One in two male lion cubs will die in their first year of life. The greatest single cause of male lion mortality in the first year of life is infanticide by unrelated male lions.

Picture caption: Lion cubs at Ukutula Lodge & Game Reserve

At approximately three years of age, male lions are pushed out of their pride by their fathers. Alternatively, they may be forced to leave the pride when a new coalition of male lions takes over the pride. For a period of two or three years after leaving their prides, young male lions wander on their own, trying to avoid confrontation with older, stronger male lions. Frequently, single males find other males of a similar age and join them to form a coalition. Coalitions typically comprise of two to four male lions and are often made up of brothers or cousins although some include unrelated males. The main purpose for male lions forming coalitions is to compete with other male lions for mates.

When the males in a coalition reach four to five years of age, they will challenge other male coalitions for access to a pride of lionesses. When a new coalition takes over a pride, the new males seek out and kill the cubs of other males or drive them away. The purpose of the killing of cubs is to accelerate the return of the lionesses to a reproductive state thereby allowing the new males to raise their own cubs. The dominant male or pride leader generally gets first mating rights but lionesses do mate with other pride males. The lesser males usually get their opportunity when several females are in heat at the same time and if the dominant male losses interest while the lionesses are still in heat.

Mature lioness Young male lion Mature male lion

The dominant male is usually the largest, strongest male lion. Dominant males usually only retain that position for a few years and then they are challenged by a younger male or an outside coalition. During their time as pride leader, the male is responsible for defending the females and their cubs from predators such as hyenas.

When a battle for leadership takes place within an existing pride, the battle is usually fierce but not deadly. If an outside coalition challenges the leader, the battle will be to the death.

Brothers, a 99-sylable Double Ennead poem by Robbie Cheadle Picture caption: Two lion brothers resting in the shade

Dry, yellow grass stretches
To the horizon
Just there, under a scrub tree, lie two brothers
Within slumbers embrace
They soak up the sun
***
The colour of ripe wheat
They blend with the bush
Male lions resting peacefully
Enjoying blissful dreams
Concerning fat buck
***
One starts gently stirring
Rolls over and sighs
His underbelly unintimidating
But then he yawns widely
Showing great long teeth

This poem is included in Lion Scream, Syllabic Poetry About Southern African Wildlife

Lion brothers walking on the road:

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Award-winning, bestselling author, 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 two published novels and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta also has thirteen children’s books and two poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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WordCrafter News: March Celebrations

Smashwords 2024 Read an Ebook Week

March 3-9, 2024, all WordCrafter Press ebooks will be on sale at a 50% discount in celebration of the Smashwords 2024 Read an Ebook Week. That will make some of my backlistThe discount will apply only to books purchased on Smashwords during this week, dedicated to encourage the reading and thus, purchasing of ebooks!

There are two ways that you can participate in Read an Ebook Week: by purchasing a discounted ebook on Smashwords and by sharing this post with all of your book channels and groups of hungry readers.

Hello, Readers!

We are fast approaching Read an Ebook Week, a week that encourages readers to pick up the digital device of their choice and download a new book to read.

I’m excited to announce that all WordCrafter Press digital titles will be available at a 50% discount, as part of a promotion on Smashwords to celebrate 2024 Read an Ebook Week! This is a chance to get my book, along with books from many other great authors, at a discount so you can get right to reading.

You will find the promo here starting on March 3, so save the link:
https://www.smashwords.com/ebookweek

If you wouldn’t mind taking part in promoting this celebration of Ebooks and reading, please feel free to share this promo with your friends and family. Share on social media channels wherever there are readers who would love a chance to find their next favorite book and, as the name suggests, read an ebook!

Thank you for your help and support!

Happy reading!

60th Birthday

That’s right. March 3 is my birthday, and I’ll be 60 years old. I’m thinking the Smashwords Read an Ebook Week celebration can just double as my birthday celebration, so if you want to give me a birthday gift, buy an ebook on Smashwords. For the 50% discount, you can find my books in the Smashwords store on my profile page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Kaye_LynneBooth

I’ve always said “You’re as young as you feel”, but lately, I’ve been feeling pretty old. Sure I do things slower and a little more painfully than I used to, but that’s not what I mean. I’m talking about that feeling like time is running out; the biological clock is ticking down.

On the other hand, this milestone could be opening a new chapter in my life, a chance to do something new, and perhaps unexpected. My day job of nine years ended last March, and I’ve been seeking other employment ever since. The job search has taken me down unexpected paths and I’m still not sure what I will end up doing. My writing has also been taking some unexpected paths lately. I can’t help but be curious, and perhaps a little anxious to learn what comes next.

W.I.P

With my books, I have a better idea of what’s to come, and I’m excited, in March, to be working on my writer’s resource book, The D.I.Y. Author, scheduled to come out in June. In the conception and writing of this book, I take on a new persona. This book isn’t how I do what I do. The D.I.Y. Author is who I am. With this book, I am taking that persona public and you can now find me on X (formerly Twitter) @DIY_Author. Look me up. Say “Happy Birthday”, or just say “Hi”. I always enjoy hearing from friends and fans, as well as potential readers.

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Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.

Book Review: Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Novellas 1-3

About the Books

When Georgie and Jack met it was love, and murder, at first sight. Middle-aged and in upper management at a Disneyesque entertainment empire, Georgie knows Marvelous Marley World isn’t always so marvelous. As a police detective, Jack Wheeler knows how to solve crimes. Together Georgie and Jack make a formidable team of crime fighters.

Join Georgie, Jack, and two delightful Siamese cats, Miles and Ella, as they solve the first three mysteries in this award-winning, bestselling series.

Included in the Box Set:
Murder at Catmmando Mountain
Love Notes in the Key of Sea
All Hallows’ Eve Heist

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Georgie-Shaw-Cozy-Mystery-Novellas-ebook/dp/B071GDK9SG/

My Review

I read The Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series: Novellas 1-3, by Anna Celeste Burke: Mystery at Catmmando Mountain, Love Notes in the Key of Sea, and All Hallows’ Eve Heist. These three novelas come packeged together on Amazon, and I recieved a free copy of the set through a newsletter of some sort. It pays to have those newsletters in my email when I’ve wrapped up my reviews for the year and am looking for new stuff to read and review for the coming new year.

The cover above, however, isn’t the cover that caught my eye, and frankly, I don’t know if I would have downloaded the one with the cats. After reading the set, I have to say that all though the cats are a cute edition to this already kind of cutsie series, they do not play an integral part in solving mysteries, so I see the above cover as a ploy to draw in cat lovers, but it is a bit misleading. The digital book I chose to download featured a cover with a dark haired woman with a bob haircut and sunglasses appearing from behind a corner or a wall, (I’m doing this from memory. I don’t currently have the book in front of me), offering a mysterious, yet playful, tone representative of the cozy mysteries inside, and showcasing our amatuer slueth, as should be.

Georgie Shaw is a dynamic character who doesn’t like confrontation, loves cooking and food, owns two cats, and can’t turn away when things don’t add up and there’s a puzzle to solve, and her character is what carries these three cozy tales. For me, Jack and the cats were just sidebars which made the stories move more smoothly. But cover notwithstanding, these cozies are just plain fun to read. They are quirky, to be sure, and maybe even a little bit silly, but there was a smile on my face as I read each one.

It’s difficult to review the plots for mysteries without giving away spoilers, but I’ll give it a shot.

Murder at Catmmando Mountain

When the boss’ daughter is found murdered at the base of Catmmando Mountain, there is a mystery to solve, and Georgie Shaw is just the one to solve it. But 2 + 2 doesn’t add up to 4 in the the wacky world of Marvelous Marley World amusement park, where pets are welcome to enjoy the fun along with their owners. With Detective Jack Wheeler, Georgie works to uncover the clues until they add up to a mystery solved.

Love Notes in the Key of Sea

When she goes back with Jack to the beach where she was attacked and her fiance murdered, a song written especially for Georgie by her first love who died is the first clue that something is amiss in this cozy mystery. I tending to lend moral support to a friend in a similar situation, Georgie hadn’t planned on investigating a crime of the past which stirs up old ghosts.

All Hallow’s Eve Heist

All heck breaks loose at Marvelous Marley World once again, with active shooters in the park, during the big Halloween bash, when everyone is in costume. Georgie Shaw quickly sets to work figuring out who they are, where they are, and what they’ll do next. Once those pieces of the mystery are solved, she and Jack can solve the why and nab the bad guys.

All three of these cozies are a fun ride on the mystery rollercoaster. Light and witty, I give The Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series: Novellas 1-3 five quills.

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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.

Treasuring Poetry – Poet and editor of MasticadoresUSA, Barbara Harris Leonhard, talks about poetry and a review #poetrycommunity #bookreview

A huge welcome to Barbara Harris Leonard, editor of MasticardoresUSA, and talented poet, to Treasuring Poetry.

What is your favourite style of poetry to read i.e. haiku, ballad, epic, freestyle, etc?

I’ve studied different poetic forms but generally read freestyle poetry, especially Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Elizabeth Bishop, and so many more. I also enjoy the more formal classic poetry and other modern poets like Frost, Sandburg, and others. A favorite poet of mine is Emily Dickinson. I’ve written poems in the manner of Dickinson. Overall, however, the majority of poems I have read and written have been free verse.

What is your favourite poem in your favourite style to read?

The first poem that comes to mind is Elizabeth Bishop’s poem “The Fish”. Here it is from poets.org. The description is exquisite, and the story is powerful. She catches a prize fish, admires him, and finds that the fish has been caught five prior times. After examining his wounds—the old hooks and broken fish-lines scabbed over in his mouth—she releases the fish. The imagery throughout the poem is stunning. The old fish is embattled and exhausted, not even resisting the catch. He represents something ancient and universal. He is more than a fish; he is history (“beard of wisdom”) and war as she describes his “weaponlike” lower lip and cutting gills. “The Fish” is a poem written with the skill I strive to have as a poet.

https://poets.org/poem/fish-2

Elizabeth Bishop

1911 –1979

I caught a tremendous fish
and held him beside the boat
half out of water, with my hook
fast in a corner of his mouth.
He didn’t fight.
He hadn’t fought at all.
He hung a grunting weight,
battered and venerable
and homely. Here and there
his brown skin hung in strips
like ancient wallpaper,
and its pattern of darker brown
was like wallpaper:
shapes like full-blown roses
stained and lost through age.
He was speckled with barnacles,
fine rosettes of lime,
and infested
with tiny white sea-lice,
and underneath two or three
rags of green weed hung down.
While his gills were breathing in
the terrible oxygen
—the frightening gills,
fresh and crisp with blood,
that can cut so badly—
I thought of the coarse white flesh
packed in like feathers,
the big bones and the little bones,
the dramatic reds and blacks
of his shiny entrails,
and the pink swim-bladder
like a big peony.
I looked into his eyes
which were far larger than mine
but shallower, and yellowed,
the irises backed and packed
with tarnished tinfoil
seen through the lenses
of old scratched isinglass.
They shifted a little, but not
to return my stare.
—It was more like the tipping
of an object toward the light.
I admired his sullen face,
the mechanism of his jaw,
and then I saw
that from his lower lip
—if you could call it a lip—
grim, wet, and weaponlike,
hung five old pieces of fish-line,
or four and a wire leader
with the swivel still attached,
with all their five big hooks
grown firmly in his mouth.
A green line, frayed at the end
where he broke it, two heavier lines,
and a fine black thread
still crimped from the strain and snap
when it broke and he got away.
Like medals with their ribbons
frayed and wavering,
a five-haired beard of wisdom
trailing from his aching jaw.
I stared and stared
and victory filled up
the little rented boat,
from the pool of bilge
where oil had spread a rainbow
around the rusted engine
to the bailer rusted orange,
the sun-cracked thwarts,
the oarlocks on their strings,
the gunnels—until everything
was rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!
And I let the fish go.

Copyright © 2011 by Elizabeth Bishop. Reprinted from Poems with the permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

What is your favourite style of poetry to write? Why? 

I like free style poetry, mainly narrative and persona poems. Sometimes poetic forms feel restrictive because mastering the form becomes more important than the message of the poem. However, I feel practicing  with forms enables a poet to mature in many ways. As I’m writing free style, I use many poetic devices, such as alliteration, slant rhyme, assonance, meter, and others. With free style, for me, some challenges include where to place the line breaks and group the imagery into stanzas. How the poem is organized can affect the meaning. I like the potential for ambiguity in free verse poems. 

In “The Fish”, the last three lines are ambiguous. What does “rainbow” refer to? Epiphany? Was the fish a Rainbow trout? Maybe both interpretations apply. But the em dash is important. It interrupts the description of the fish to state an insight “—until everything”. The line break allows the reader to recall everything that was just said and speculate on more things. The repetition of “rainbow” three times insists there is insight. Pay attention. Rainbows are multi-colored, much like the fish. Rainbows presents diversity, inclusivity, and friendship. It’s no wonder she freed the fish.

the gunnels—until everything
was rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!
And I let the fish go.

Formal poetry can also have ambiguity and surprise. It’s just that I feel I have more freedom to play with the lines and stanzas in free verse poems.

What is your favourite of your own poems in your favourite style?

In my book Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir, my poems are free style. I have several favorites, but “Marie Kondo Cleans My Purse at Starbucks” received recognition from Spillwords Press. It won Publication of the Month in Jan/Feb 2022. In this poem, I am carrying the grief from Mom’s decline due to Alzheimer’s and her death. I am burdened by the memories. Marie Kondo, who is famous for her books on how to declutter your house, offers to help clean my purse (let go of that which no longer serves me). As this poem is about healing from loss, it is in the last section of my book, “Echo”.

Marie Kondo Cleans My Purse at Starbucks

Konmari sees me at Starbucks, 

my purse spilling over at the counter.

“May I help?”

She gathers me up

like I’m antique lace 

washed too many times.

Before she begins, she whispers,

“Hello, the House,

I am safe. May I enter?”

She pokes through my purse, 

pulling out the deck of cards 

Mom once carried in her own purse. 

A heavy bag of Mom’s pennies 

to redeem for cash.

Her checkbook.

The messy old calendar

that listed her appointments

alongside my own.

The quilt she made me, 

now falling apart. A cookbook

compiled in her own hand.

Konmari extracts other artifacts,

laying them gently on lined up tables.

People gather. My eyes bleed.

The extra-large pair of panties

Mom made me wear to Sunday school.

The wash, still not done.

A half-used bottle of Diethylstilbestrol, 

she was prescribed to prevent spotting 

when I was in vitro.

The tricycle she rode 

around town at age three 

because her mother never watched her.

My cancer scares, scattered 

on the bottom of the purse 

like cookie crumbs.

The scabs inflicted 

by her compression stockings

I failed to wash one last time.

The clump of tissue 

I miscarried, swaddled 

in an inner pocket.

Her hysterectomy scar.

My hysterectomy scar.

Entwined on a spool.

My t-shaped uterus, 

clenching a half-used packet 

of Puffs Plus.

A dogeared photo of Mom.

A mirror reflecting 

who I want to be.

Konmari has me 

hold each item 

one last time, saying,

“Thank you, tiny soul, 

for sharing your life. I am

grateful.”

She teaches me 

how to fold joy 

three times.

How to throw out

what I can 

no longer carry.

One strategy I appreciate about poetry, whether is is formal or free style, is the use of metaphor. In Bishops’s poem “The Fish”, the fish represents our history and ancient wisdom. Like the fish, we have all fought off death physically or spiritually. We are warriors who build muscle and bear wounds from our life battles. The fish holds our stories, and Bishop is masterful as she extends the metaphor to a universal level.

In my poem, I used the purse as a metaphor of my soul. In the book, Mom’s purse appears in several poems because her purse held her memories: her driver’s license (identity), her checkbook (finances), her comb (beauty), photos (family) and so on. Because I had to become Mom’s brain and hold her business along with mine, the purse took on significance as a brain, or a place to hold her life alongside my own. Grief work, for me, was a process of emptying the purse of all the attachments that no longer served me. And who could help declutter better than Marie Kondo? And revealing your wounds can be embarrassing, so why not do that at Starbucks? This choice gives a dream-like quality to the poem. It is surreal to carry your mother’s tricycle in your purse! Imagine all the nightmares of suddenly appearing naked on the first day of school or other important places. All my baggage is laid out on tables for everyone to see as though viewing a dead body. It’s no wonder “my eyes bleed”.

How do you promote your poetry and poetry books?

Connections sell books, so I’ve increased my online presence (Twitter/X, Mastodon, Linked-in, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, etc). I advertise my publications on social media. My position as Editor for MasticadoresUSA enables me to promote writers and get exposure. I also do interviews and readings online as well as readings, author showcases, and open mics in my hometown, Columbia, Missouri, and now other places in Missouri. I’ve gifted books to libraries. This past summer, 2023, Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir was chosen among other books for the summer reading program at our local library. My book sells on Amazon and is distributed everywhere, but I have also put it in independent bookstores in my hometown and in St. Louis, Missouri. I continue to publish poems mainly. I’ve started an account on Medium and am republishing poems there when the copyrights revert back to me. I sponsor Zoom poetry meetups and Zoom poetry critique sessions for the Columbia Writers Guild, a Chapter of the Missouri Writers Guild (https://ccmwg.org/ ) and The Garden of Neuro Institute (https://gardenofneuro.com/). I’ve developed relationships with other poets and have reviewed their books. I publish the reviews on MasticadoresUSA, my blog extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog, and Medium.

Thank you, Barbara, for being a wonderful guest.

My review of Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir by Barbara Harris Leonhard

This collection of poems is a deep dive into the love between a mother and daughter. The collection takes the reader on a journey of the poet’s life and the development of the relationship with her mother. She covers her own life threatening illness and the subsequent incapacity and recovery process, as well as her later discovery of the poet’s inability to carry a child to term due to her mother’s ingestion of Diethylstilbestrol (DES) during her own pregnancy. How ironic that the poet’s mother took this drug to ensure the health of her own pregnancy and it resulted in childlessness for her own daughter. Life is full of bitter irony.

Throughout all the trials and tribulations of her life, the poet’s love for her mother burns like a flame, as does her mother’s love for her. And then came Alzheimer’s, the destroyer. The part of the book and the poet’s internal conflict and wrestle with her own feelings was close to my heart. Dementia and Alzheimer’s change people, turns them into someone you don’t know. Someone who doesn’t know you, someone who endlessly demands, complains, and makes bitter comments. In between, there are moments of normalcy and during those times, love returns in a rush, along with accompanying guilt for the conflicting emotions of the bad times.

This book captures the ebb and flow of human love and emotion exactly. It does not examine it, rather it describes and defines it.

A few stanzas from poems that stood out for me:

“One day says – out of nowhere –
shattering words out of her scattered mind
“You’re still childless? Don’t know why!
I dropped seven!”
From Mom’s DES Baby: The Hardest Pill to Swallow

“Mom, flat and detached
My fear. That she’s gone.
Now for good.”
From Fool’s Gold

“How will she manage
the mysterious passage?
This woman with no memories,

no way to find the path,
recall a friend, her mother,
recognise the welcoming

Angel of Death?”
From Departing from Gate 3

The collection is incredibly revealing and emotional, and exceptional read.

Purchase Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir by Barbara Harris Leonhard from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BH99FS2T

About Barbara Harris Leonhard

I’m a retired Instructor of English as a Second Language. Although I have been writing since I was age 8, after retiring in 2017, I have had more time to devote to writing. My WordPress site is extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog. My work appears in online and print literary magazines, journals, and anthologies, and my poetry has won awards and recognition. My debut poetry collection, Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir (EIF (Experiments in Fiction, 2022), which is about my relationship with my mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, achieved best-seller status on Amazon. Also, on Spillwords, I was voted Author of the Month of October 2021, nominated Author of the Year for 2021, and recognized as a Spillwords Socialite of the Year in 2021. I enjoy bringing writers together and have been sponsoring open mics on Zoom. I live in the Midwest of the United States with my husband, Dierik, and our cat, Jasper. Dierik and I enjoy long drives to the wetlands to count the deer.

You can find out more about poet, Barbara Harris Leonhard, on her blog here: https://extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog/about/

About Robbie Cheadle

Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published fourteen children’s books and two poetry books. Her work also features in several poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

The eleven Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.

Robbie and Michael Cheadle have recently launched a new series of children’s books called Southern African Safari Adventures. The first book, Neema the Misfit Giraffe is now available from Amazon.

Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/

AI Illustrations You Won’t want to miss

I just had to share these wonderful AI illustrations shared by D. Wallace Peach over on the Myths of Mirror blog. Wow! She makes her vision, or at least her characters come to life. Check it out.

The Weaver’s Tale

Writer’s Corner: A Bump on the Road to Writing Success

What went wrong?

I have to admit I was more than a little disappointed when my last Kickstarter campiagn for Sarah didn’t fund. I only run Kickstarters for books that I’m going to publish anyway, and Sarah is no exception, so the book will still go out to distributors, it just won’t have that extra boost the funding from the campaign would have offered. As an avenue for direct selling, I make more than when my books sell through direct sales, so I like to run the Kickstarter campaign first.

For those who did try to back the campaign and were looking forward to reading Sarah, it will be released in May, instead of March. I was behind on my production schedule, and rushing to have the book finished, so as not to delay reward fulfillment. Since I don’t have any rewards to fulfill, I thought I’d slow down the process and leave ample time for editing, so I bumped the release date back to a May release. I’ll send it off with the usual fanfare and book blog tour, so you’ll be sure not to miss it. I do hope you’ll all join us for that.

I’m not letting the failure to fund discourage me from doing other Kickstarters, but instead, I’m evaluating the campaign in an attempt to figure out what went wrong. There are a number of factors to be looked at to determine where the problem might lie. Here are a few.

Duration

In the past, I’ve run 30 day campaigns which were successful. For Sarah, I only ran a 21 day campaign, which Russel Nohelty recommended as the optimal length for a campaign in an interview on The Creative Penn podcast. 30 day campaigns involve a lot of promotion, and I already feel like a pest as I push to get backing for my campaign and sell books, so the thought of doing a shorter campaign felt like a good one. Could an extra week have made a difference? Possibly. I know of at least one backer who didn’t get a chance to check it out before it ended, so maybe, but I was almost $200 short of my goal, so perhaps not.

Rewards

With my first Kickstarter, for Delilah, I offered a higher reward level, in which backers at that level got to name a character in the second book in the series, Sarah. This was limited reward, meaning only two of these rewards were offered, and both were taken. So, I did that again with Sarah, offering two character naming rights in the third book in the series, Marta, and again had both rewards taken, so I’m guessing that it was a sound decision to offer that again.

The Rock Star & The Outlaw campaign offered merchandise, including a poster and a tote bag, which were popular, but also more difficult to deliver. Merchandise is also a bigger expense for the author, which is why I didn’t do anything like that for my last camapign for Sarah. Merchandise reward levels are higher, due to necessity, but the author must consider their cost into the overall funding goal before offering to be sure it is worthwhile. On a small $500 funding goal, there’s not a lot of room for extras without cutting into the profits.

The campaign for Sarah offered rewards of Special Illustrated Editions of both books, which I thought would be a big hit, but they tanked. To my surprise, not one backer pledged at the Special Edition levels. I offered these as exclusive rewards, only available to Kickstarter backers, planning to put them out through distributors at a later date, probably after the third book was out, so I could offer all three as a set, or bundle. Again, I will still publish these through distributors, because the illustrations, done by DL Mullan of Sonoran Dawn Studios, are really, really cool, as are the Special Edition covers, also done by Mullan. But I really want to figure out why these books didn’t draw more interest as rewards, so I’ll be looking at these closer. I even dropped the price on their reward levels, and added an add-on of digital copies, both books for $5, which is a great deal.

Promotions

With my first Kickstarter campaign, for Delilah, I chanced across a promoter who made some ads for me and ran them on their channels for $15. Did they help? I don’t know, but I can tell you that the campaign was successful. However the campaign for The Rock Star & The Outlaw was just as successful, and it had no paid promotions. In fact it even did a little better than the first, so who is to say.

One thing about running a Kickstarter is, you expect your inbox to fill up with messages from people you don’t know, telling you how impressed they are with your campaign, and how they can help you make it a success. It goes with the territory. When it started to look like my campaign was faltering, I checked out some of these cold call messages, thinking maybe I could pay a little for a boost. Unfortunately, the cheapest one I found was $150. For a campaign with a $500 funding goal, that’s a lot. Especially when I’m not sure the one campaign I did paid promos with really benefited all that much from it.

Conclusions

In conclusion, I think I will go back to running my campaigns a full 30 days, as that seems to be a better fit for me and my books. But I will continue with Kickstarter as a part of my marketing plans. I may also take another look at merchandise for rewards for my next campaign, but I don’t think I’ll be looking seriously at using paid promotions, especially not at such inflated prices. I will continue to promote my own campaigns, just as I do my blog and my books.

Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend

My next campaign is scheduled for July for the first three books in the My Backyard Friends series; a project I’ve been working on for many years, but unable to publish for lack of an illustrator. I’ll be launching these three books; Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend, Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home, and Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans with wonderful illustrations by our own Robbie Cheadle. I’m looking forward to finally getting these books out there, so I hope you will all watch for the July campaign, and back the project or share to help promote it. All support is appreciated, even when the campaign doesn’t fund. I always appreciate my supporters.

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; Book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. 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.

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Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.

Book Review: The Atonement Murders

About the Book

Four murders. One shocking motive.

When detectives find the same message—THIS IS YOUR ATONEMENT—at the staged scenes of four seemingly unrelated homicides, FBI Special Agent Victoria Heslin must uncover the connection between them to identify the killer.
The crimes are scattered across the East Coast. The victims are in their late twenties: an All-Star NBA player, an investment banker, a dental hygienist, and a bartender.

Who is punishing them? What have they done? And who might be next?

Victoria delves into the victims’ pasts, traveling from Boston to Charlotte to the North Carolina mountains, unraveling the dark mystery that links the crimes. As the killer’s motive becomes clear, Victoria is in a race to the finish that she must not lose.

Purchase Link:

Audible: https://www.amazon.com/Authors-Libraries-Bookstores-Publishing-Solutions-ebook/dp/B082DJ1GZ6

Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/the-atonement-murders-by-jenifer-ruff

My Review

I listened to the audiobook of The Atonement Muders, book 7 of the Agent Victoria Heslin Thiller series, by Jennifer Ruff and narrated by Kate Hanford. Although I have read several of The Agent Victoria Heslin Thrillers by this author, this was the first one I’ve consumed in audio. I felt Kate Hanford was a good choice of narrator. The narration was smooth, the inflections perfect, and her portrayal of the main character fit neatly with the idea of her which I had formed in my mind from the previous books which I’d read.

In The Atonement Murders, agent Heslin is on the trail of a serial killer, and it’s up to her to discover what the victims have in common and get at least one step ahead of them in order to prevent there being another victim. Four victims; two men, one a famous athelet, and two women, sisters. Victoria Heslin tracks down all leads until she discovers the connection to a summer twelve years earlier, when all four were at the same location with two other youth, but to discover who the killer is, she must uncover what happened that fateful night. The clock is ticking when the last two potential victims both fall off the radar, and she must figure out which one is the killer and prevent another murder.

In The Atonement Murders, Jenifer Ruff does not disappoint. I give it five quills.

Other Books in This Series

You can read my reviews of the other books in this series. All are highly recommended.

The Numbers Killer: https://wp.me/pVw40-3We

Pretty Little Girls & When They Find Us: https://wp.me/pVw40-7FF

The Ones They Buried: https://wp.me/pVw40-86z

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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.

Growing Bookworms – Meet prolific children’s book author, Janice Spina, and a review #GrowingBookworms #readingcommunity #childrensfiction

My featured guest for this month’s Growing Bookworms post is prolific children’s book author, Janice Spina. Janice also writes for adults as J.E. Spina. This is an overview of Janice’s books:

Picture caption: The many lovely books written by Janice (J.E.) Spina.

Welcome Janice!

Tell us a bit about your books and your history of writing for children

I have always love writing poetry since a young child. When I wrote my first book, Louey the Lazy Elephant,I had to put it into rhyme. I find that children love rhyming; it keeps them interested if there is a cadence to the story.

I have 22 children’s books at present. Most of them are in rhyme and all of them carry important life lessons and family values. I first began writing for children but branched out later on into MG/PT/YA and novels for 18+. I have books about animals, dragons, and even short stories in a series of six stories per book for children ages 5-8 called Bedtime Stories for Children Series. Some of my stories in this series are based on experiences while others are purely from my overwrought imagination.

A number of your children’s books feature animals and creatures. Are these stories based on personal experience with these creatures?

Many of my children’s books are dedicated to individuals or based on imaginary animals or real-life pets that I have had in the past such as: Jerry the Crabby Crayfish – a pet blue crayfish, Lamby the Lonely Lamb – dedicated to my granddaughter and her stuffed lamby, Jesse the Precocious Polar Bear – dedicated to a little boy I met while vacationing in Aruba, Sebastian Meets Marvin the Monkey – dedicated to my youngest grandson and his stuffed monkey, Colby the Courageous Cat – dedicated to my daughter’s cat, Jeffrey the Jittery Giraffe – dedicated to a little boy who was nervous about loud noises, Clarence Henry the Hermit Crab – a pet hermit crab we once had, Lucy the Talented Toy Terrier – my first dog, The First Star – dedicated to my two children when they were young. I hope to continue to create stories to delight and entertain children for uyears to come along with my husband’s help creating the beautiful illustrations and covers.

The illustrations in your picture books are lovely. Your husband helps you with your illustrations. How much input do you put into the illustration process?

My husband, John, does do the illustrations and covers for all of my children’s books. He also creates the covers for all the other books I publish. Thank God for him! I would be lost without him.

I had to convince him to do this many years ago beginning in 2013. He told me that he wasn’t an illustrator but would give it a try after I told him how much it would cost to hire someone who was an illustrator. John has a quirky sense of humor. I do give him plenty of input about each illustration and cover, much to his chagrin. We don’t always agree on each one and therefore there are many revisions. But I am always pleased with what he creates as the finished product and give him an ample number of kudos online when I present his work.

What do you like best about writing for children?

I love writing for children. What I like best is to see children reading and enjoying my books or anyone’s books. The joy in their faces when they read or are read to is priceless. Reading is so important at an early age and not only for children but also for adults.

I love to hear from parents that their children loved one of my books and look forward to reading more. That is why I write. Receiving positive feedback in reviews is another way to make authors happy and give them an early Christmas gift.

Children – preschool to grade 3 are like sponges soaking up all kinds of things. My goal is to create entertaining and good, clean stories that are educational and full of important life lessons and family values that will stay with them for a lifetime. I hope my stories will enhance their reading experience, increase their reading levels, help to encourage them to become lovers of reading, and create readers and thinkers of tomorrow.

I also write for middle-graders, preteens, and young adults. This age group is a difficult group to entice into reading. They are always absorbed into the newest technology such as X-Box and video games, etc. I create stories in series for this age-group that have plenty of magic, mystery, suspense, wizards, ghosts, and time travel. It is a tough job but I will continue to do all I can to encourage this age-group to read.

What is your favourite children’s book or series for children?

Of all my 22 young children’s books my favorite is still, Louey the Lazy Elephant. This was the first book John illustrated. I love the crayon drawings that he created and how sweet and innocent he made Louey look. It is one of my most popular books alongside Jerry the Crabby Crayfish.

My favorite MG/PT book is Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Series Books 1-6. I had such fun creating the twins and their twin-telepathy, adventures, magic, mystery, ghosts and even time travel. Kids enjoy this series but so do adults.

I was requested by a few readers to offer a series for girls after Davey and Derek were so popular. That is why I wrote Abby & Holly Series Books 1-6. These books are enjoyed by both girls and boys.

There are more stories in my head waiting to be written down, so stay tune for many more to come for all ages.

Thank you so much, Robbie, for inviting me as a guest. I thoroughly enjoyed answering your questions and sharing a little bit about myself and my books with you and your readers.

Thank you, Janice, for being a delightful guest.

My review of The Case of the Sad Mischievous Ghost (Davey & Derrick Jr. Detectives Book 5) by Janice Spina

This is the fifth book in the Davey and Derek Junior Detective Series. Davey and Derek, who are warlocks under the tutelage of their aunt, a witch, have already solved four mysterious cases and they have gained a reputation as detectives. Abby and her cousin, Holly, seek them out at school. The two girls believe the house they have recently moved into, called the Sheridan House after its previous owner, is haunted by a ghost. They have experienced some strange happenings. Davey and Derek agree to investigate and see if they can discover the source of the strange happenings and visitations.

With some advice from their Aunt Gigi, the pair set out to determine the cause of the girls’ anxiety. They embark on an intriguing adventure including cold spots, ghostly forms, and secret tunnels.

This book was reminiscent for me of the Secret Seven adventures series by Enid Blyton which I read as a young girl. It is full of the same energy and excitement as Enid Blyton’s books, but the Davey and Derek Junior Detective Series incorporates a taste of magic and the supernatural which appeals to modern children. This series also tackles topical issues faced by 21st century youngsters. The language is appropriate for the target audience and will keep young readers engaged and interested.

I enjoyed the subtle demonstrations of respect and family values incorporated throughout this book, which send an excellent message to young readers. An enjoyable book with an interesting storyline.

You can purchase The Case of the Sad Mischievous Ghost (Davey & Derrick Jr. Detectives Book 5) from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Mischievous-Ghost-Davey-Junior-Detectives-ebook/product-reviews/B072QBJ7LC

About Janice Spina

Janice Spina is a multi-award-winning author with 45 books of which there are 22 children’s books,12 MG/PT books and two books in a YA series with four more coming over the next few years, seven novels and a short story collection for 18+ written under J.E. Spina. She is also a copy editor, blogger, book reviewer and supporter of fellow authors. Her husband, John, is her illustrator and cover creator. Watch for more books to come over the next few years.

Jance has received the following awards for her books:

10 Mom’s Choice Awards – Silver Medals, 5 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards – Silver Medal, Bronze Medal, Honorable Mention and Finalist, 21 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards, 1 AUTHORSDB – Cover Contest, 2 Book Excellence Award Finalists, 2 Top Shelf Awards – First Place & Runner up, one Maincrest Media Award

Her logo is Jemsbooks – books for all ages! Her motto is – Reading Gives You Wings to Fly! Come soar with Jemsbooks! Happy reading!

Janice loves to hear from readers and appreciates and happily welcomes reviews.

Find Janice Spina

https://www.Jemsbooks.com

https://www.Jemsbooks.blog

About Robbie Cheadle

Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published fifteen children’s book and two poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

The eleven Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.

Robbie and Michael’s new Southern African Safari Adventures series is aimed at teaching young children about Southern African wildlife in a fun and entertaining way. Each book contains a rhyming verse story about a particular animal, as well as illustrations by Robbie Cheadle, photographs and links to video footage about that animal.

Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/

Writer’s Corner: Why I changed my Twitter(X) handle

Branding is Important

I recently changed my Twitter handle, or X handle, or whatever it is we call it now. I can’t say that I like all the new changes to the platform, but honestly, although I’ve been on Twitter since 2010 as @GodsAngel1, I’ve not used it a lot, so many of the changes may have slipped my notice. Back in 2022, when I graduated, my cohorts pointed out that my Twitter handle was different than all my author social media call names, which either associated me as an author, or as a publisher with WordCrafter Press. I said that I had been @GodsAngel1 for so long that to change, well, no one would be able to find me.

But the thought of changing my Twitter handle never left me, and I knew they were right. @GodsAngel1 was a personal handle used when Twitter first came out, and you were limited to so few characters, that I couldn’t post a tweet with what I wanted to say. It didn’t really fit in with my author and publisher branding. Since 2022, I’ve been using Twitter, now known as X, more, and the idea of changing my handle kept popping into my head when using the platform. I don’t know why I kept dragging my feet on the issue, but I did until recently when a friend of mine wanted to help me out with promotions, and ask me if I could change my handle to something less personal, more professional. I decided that I couldn’t fight it any more, especially when I knew how important consistant branding is, so I gave in and changed it.

Making the Change

First, I had to figure out how to change my Twitter handle, but with some solid guidance from one of my cohorts, I found the proper channel in the app. I erased my previous handle and entered WordCrafterPress, and ws informed it was too long, as was AuthorKayeLynneBooth. So, I tried just putting in WordCrafter, and was informed that name was already in use by someone else. So much for branding.

Then, it occured to me that with the new nonfiction book on the process of becoming an independently published author, and doing it all yourself will add a new deminsion to my branding, and I could use this change to strengthen that connection, as the D.I.Y. Author. That’s what I am, and it’s what the book is about: becoming a D.I.Y. author as inexpensively as possible and still get results. So, you can now reach me on Twitter, or X, using my new handle @DIY_Author.

I hope you’ll look me up, like and follow because I need all the peeps I can get. Or does that have a new name, too? What are followers on X called? And when we post is it still a tweet? I can’t keep up with all the changes, and I’m still learning the ropes, so to speak, so please be patient with me.

Coming in 2024

How to work through the stages of the writing process on your own. The D.I.Y. Author shares the expertise I’ve spent years to acquire in one volume that will save new and aspiring authors both time and money, and inexpensive, but successful strategies for marketing and promotion.

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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; Book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. 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.

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Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.

Exciting News! The Rock Star & The Outlaw in Audiobook

It’s here! If you’ve been waiting for The Rock Star & The Outlaw to come out in audio, it’s finally here!

I’m so excited! The Rock Star & the Outlaw is now available in AI Narrated Audio through Apple Books for only 7.99.

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-rock-star-the-outlaw/id1722934411

The audio book is AI narrated, but don’t let that deter you without giving it a chance. The female voiced narration is actually pretty good. And there’s a button where you can listen to a sample on the book’s page at Apple Books, so you can check it out before you buy. Above is the direct link, but it’s also listed on the book’s Books2Read page with all the other distributors where it’s available, so you can get it in digital or print, if you prefer.

https://books2read.com/RockStarOutlaw

If you don’t have your copy yet, what are you waiting for?

Reviews

Still need convincing? Check out these reviews.

Kyrosmagica: https://mjmallon.com/2023/11/12/review-of-the-rockstar-the-outlaw-godsangel1-bookreview-time-travel-adventure-western-outlaw-rockstar/

Selma: https://selmamartin.com/a-book-review-the-rock-star-and-the-outlaw-by-kaye-lynne-booth/

Roberta Writes: https://roberta-writes.com/2024/01/23/roberta-writes-book-reviews-dont-lose-your-head-by-dave-williams-and-the-rockstar-the-outlaw-by-kaye-lynne-booth-bookreviews-readingcommunity/

Book Trailer

Or you can check out the book trailer here:

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Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.