Kaye Lynne Booth's Blog: Writing to be Read, page 51
October 19, 2023
Robbie’s Inspiration brings us Day 4 of the WordCrafter “Midnight Roost” Book Blog Tour
Day 4 of the WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour we’re over at Robbie’s Inspiration where contributing author Kieth J. Hopkins shared his inspiration for his story, “Teddy”, and we have an excerpt from “Night of Terror”, by contributing author, Julie Jones. Join us and get a chance for a free digital copy of Midnight Roost.
Day 3 of the WordCrafter “Midnight Roost” Book Blog Tour on Patty’s Worlds
For Day 3 of the WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour we’re over at Patty’s Worlds where contributing authors Chris Barili and Paul Kane share the inspirations for their stories, “Shaken” and “The White Lady” respectively.
Midnight Roost Blog Tour Stop – Day 3
October 17, 2023
Treasuring Poetry – Meet the poet, Merril D Smith, and a book review #poetry #poetrycommunity #bookreview
Today, I am delighted to welcome talented poet, Merril D Smith as my October Treasuring Poetry guest. Merril has recently launched River Ghosts, a beautiful book of poetry which I have reviewed below.
Tell me a bit about your poetry collection, River Ghosts. What inspired the poetry in this book? Does it have a particular theme?I had submitted a chapbook to Nightingale & Sparrow Press, which was longlisted, but ultimately not chosen for publication. The editor gave me some positive feedback, and I decided I would submit a full-length manuscript the following year. Of course, I did not expect a pandemic, nor that my mom would die from it in April 2020 during the first wave and lockdown. By that time, she was in a nursing home, and we were not allowed to be with her. I compiled River Ghosts in the months after her death with some already written poems—some published—and some new poems.
I walk by the Delaware River nearly every morning. Sometimes I go to a nearby park, which is also a historic battle site. The battle took place during the American Revolution, and there is an eighteenth-century house there. Recently, they’ve found more remains of soldiers—Hessians who fought for the British. If ghosts exist, I think they are at rivers, which carry so much history, and because of the battle and soldiers killed, I imagine them here.
So, the collection’s title comes from my musings about rivers and ghosts, including the ghosts of memory. However, I don’t think River Ghosts is all about sadness and grief by any means! I also want to mention that my older child, Jay Smith, designed the cover art, and the book is dedicated to my mother’s memory.
Do you do a lot of editing of your poetry or does the poem manifest itself fully formed?That really depends. I nearly always do some editing, even for poems written for prompts. Sometimes, I go back to poems though, and I revise them. Then again, I’ve had some poems published that I pretty much wrote and sent off.
What do you find to be the most effective way of sharing your poetry with fellow poetry lovers?I don’t know about effective. I suppose more people read my poetry on my blog, especially in response to a prompt, than anywhere else. I’ve also shared poems on Twitter /X for Top Tweet Tuesday (run by Black Bough Poetry), and I’ve read at some online open mics.
Do you think poetry is still a relevant form of expressing ideas in our modern world? If yes, why?I think it’s relevant. I think I’ve read there’s been an upsurge in poetry, both reading and writing. Perhaps that’s because of social media and Covid lockdowns. I think most people enjoy poetry, especially if it’s read. For example, so many people were energized by Amanda Gorman’s reading of her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” at the inauguration of President Joe Biden in 2021. She is the youngest poet to have read a poem at a US presidential inauguration, and she is also an activist.
Which of your own poems is your favorite and why?I don’t have a favorite anything—book, movie, song, or poem– it depends on my mood. But I will share one of my favorites from River Ghosts. “Moon Landing” was originally published by Black Bough Poetry.
Moon LandingOn that warm July night,
my father watched moonstruck
as Neil Armstrong took his giant leap.
I remained firmly earthbound,
watching our new puppies in the TV screen light,
their small black and white bodies tumbling,
stepping hesitantly into their futures.
Now—ensorcelled by moon-glow—
I plummet back, landing my time-rocket
on the rocky surface of memory.
Which poem by any other poet that you’ve read, do you relate to the most and why?Again, I can’t say there is any poem that I relate to the most. I like many different types of poetry.
I think this is the poem I wish I had written. You will see in a way it’s connected to the poem of mine that I shared. “My God, It’s Full of Stars” is by Tracy K. Smith, who was US Poet Laureate, and who won a Pulitzer Prize for her collection Life on Mars.
My God, It’s Full of Stars by Tracy K. SmithWe like to think of it as parallel to what we know,
Only bigger. One man against the authorities.
Or one man against a city of zombies. One man
Who is not, in fact, a man, sent to understand
The caravan of men now chasing him like red ants
Let loose down the pants of America. Man on the run.
Man with a ship to catch, a payload to drop,
This message going out to all of space. . . . Though
Maybe it’s more like life below the sea: silent,
Buoyant, bizarrely benign. Relics
Of an outmoded design. Some like to imagine
A cosmic mother watching through a spray of stars,
Mouthing yes, yes as we toddle toward the light,
Biting her lip if we teeter at some ledge. Longing
To sweep us to her breast, she hopes for the best
While the father storms through adjacent rooms
Ranting with the force of Kingdom Come,
Not caring anymore what might snap us in its jaw.
Sometimes, what I see is a library in a rural community.
All the tall shelves in the big open room. And the pencils
In a cup at Circulation, gnawed on by the entire population.
The books have lived here all along, belonging
For weeks at a time to one or another in the brief sequence
Of family names, speaking (at night mostly) to a face,
A pair of eyes. The most remarkable lies.
2.
Charlton Heston is waiting to be let in. He asked once politely.
A second time with force from the diaphragm. The third time,
He did it like Moses: arms raised high, face an apocryphal white.
Shirt crisp, suit trim, he stoops a little coming in,
Then grows tall. He scans the room. He stands until I gesture,
Then he sits. Birds commence their evening chatter. Someone fires
Charcoals out below. He’ll take a whiskey if I have it. Water if I don’t.
I ask him to start from the beginning, but he goes only halfway back.
That was the future once, he says. Before the world went upside down.
Hero, survivor, God’s right hand man, I know he sees the blank
Surface of the moon where I see a language built from brick and bone.
He sits straight in his seat, takes a long, slow high-thespian breath,
Then lets it go. For all I know, I was the last true man on this earth. And:
May I smoke? The voices outside soften. Planes jet past heading off or back.
Someone cries that she does not want to go to bed. Footsteps overhead.
A fountain in the neighbor’s yard babbles to itself, and the night air
Lifts the sound indoors. It was another time, he says, picking up again.
We were pioneers. Will you fight to stay alive here, riding the earth
Toward God-knows-where? I think of Atlantis buried under ice, gone
One day from sight, the shore from which it rose now glacial and stark.
Our eyes adjust to the dark.
Continue reading here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/55519/my-god-its-full-of-stars
Here is the last part of the poem with a reading by Tracy K. Smith:
My review of River Ghosts
River Ghosts is the perfect name for this beautiful collection, which gives the reader glimpses into the poet’s life in the present, shadowed by memories, and coloured by traditions and behaviours passed down by her parents, and the ancestors that came before them. It is, in essence, an insight into the factors that make the poet who she is, and that have shaped her thoughts, ideas, and actions.
I found the ideas of loss contained in this book, interwoven with the concepts of long-lasting memories and loved ones living on through us, their offspring, compelling and delightful. For me, it made the overwhelming thought of the losses that must come, more bearable. Love, and the family traditions and behaviours we continue to honour, and pass down to our own children and grandchildren, bind us strongly to those who came before and to those who will come after. I love that idea.
A few examples of beautiful stanzas and/or lines:
“a tiny glove in the street,
the small hand grows colder
now unclasped from a larger one.”
From Observe, And Again
Above and about, dreams soar –
I pluck one from a thousand –
of red petals crushed beneath rocks
after a storm, like blood drops growing, glowing”
From Almost, and Never
“Once some brilliant star breathed time
in the after-wake of explosion and danced across a universe
exploring eternity”
From And If Always Lives
This poetry collection is a wonderful investment of time and mental energy.
River Ghosts Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WZ8F9XJ
About Merril D. Smith
Merril D. Smith is a poet living in southern New Jersey. Her work has been published in poetry journals and anthologies, including Black Bough Poetry, Acropolis, Anti-Heroin Chic, The Storms, Fevers of the Mind, Humana Obscura, and Nightingale and Sparrow. She holds a Ph.D. in American history from Temple University in Philadelphia and is the author/editor of numerous books on gender, sexuality, and history. Her full-length poetry collection, River Ghosts (Nightingale & Sparrow Press) was Black Bough Poetry’s December 2022 Book of the Month.
Twitter: @merril_mds
Instagram: mdsmithnj
Blog: merrildsmith.org
US Amazon Link for River Ghosts: https://www.amazon.com/River-Ghosts-Merril-D-Smith/dp/B09WZ8F9XJ
UK Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/River-Ghosts-Merril-Smith-ebook/dp/B09XKLDG6Q
Day 2 of the WordCrafter “Midnight Roost” Book Blog Tour is over at Undawnted
Join us over at Undawnted for Day 2 of the WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour with a guest post and an interview with contributing author Christa Planko and a reading from MJ Mallon. Drop by and join in on the fun while learning more about Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories. And if you leave a comment
http://www.undawnted.com/2023/10/wordcrafter-blog-tour-for-midnight.html
October 16, 2023
Welcome to the WordCrafter “Midnight Roost” Book Blog Tour
WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog TourWelcome to the WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour! We’ve got a great tour planned for an outstanding anthology Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories. Below, you will find the tour schedule and information about how you can get chances to win a free digital copy of Midnight Roost. The great thing about this tour is that you will get to meet, not one, but two contributing authors at each stop and learn about their stories.
Today, I’ll tell you a little about this weird and creepy anthology and then we’ll meet the author of the winning story in the 2023 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest, Isabel Grey, and learn more about her story, “Red Door House”. Get ready to dig into a probing interview with Ms. Grey and she also shares a reading of her story.
About Midnight Roost
20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon, and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/318L0l
Book Trailer for Midnight RoostTour ScheduleMonday – October 16 – Opening Day –Isabele Grey (Interview & Reading) & Joseph Carrabis (Reading) – Writing to be Read
Tuesday – October 17 – M J Mallon (Reading) & Christa Planko (Interview & Guest Post)– Undawnted
Wednesday – October 18 – Chris Barili (Guest Post) & Paul Kane (Guest Post) – Patty’s Worlds
Thursday – October 19 – Julie Jones (Reading) & Keith Hoskins (Guest Post) – Robbie’s Inspiration
Friday – October 20 – Michaele Jordan (Reading) & Mario Acevedo (Guest Post) – Writing to be Read
Saturday – October 21 – Patty Fletcher (Guest Post) & DL Mullen (Guest Post & Video) – Roberta Writes
Sunday – October 22 – Sonia Pipkin (Guest Post) & Roberta Eaton Cheadle (Reading) – Kyrosmagica Publishing
Monday – October 23 – Closing Post –Denise Aparo (Reading) & excerpts from other stories – Writing to be Read
GiveawayA chance to win a free digital copy of Midnight Roost at every stop. Just leave a comment to show your support for the tour, the anthology, and all of the fantastic authors.
Meet Author Isabel GreyI’m delighted to bring you this interview with a budding young author, Isabel Grey. Her occult horror story, “Red Door House” was the winning story in the 2023 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest, and I am so pleased to be able to introduce you to her here. She was previously unknown to me, so I learned some cool things about her, too. And I have to say that I am proud to have not one, but two of her stories featured in Midnight Roost. Her other story is “Rabbits Can’t See Pink Firework”, offering a rabbit’s eye view of human nature during a disastrous gender reveal party.
Kaye: I always like to start by learning something about the author’s writing journey, so can you tell us about yours?
Isabel: I was an avid reader from a young age, mostly choosing fiction but eventually finding a love for poetry. I’m currently receiving my second MFA in Poetry after I completed my first in Genre Fiction at Western Colorado University. I’m an emerging writer who primarily focuses on fiction and verse though I do dabble in essays.
Kaye: What’s something most readers would never guess about you?
Isabel: When I tell people I write horror, they always seem surprised. Someone told me I don’t look like a horror writer, though I’m still not entirely sure what she meant by it.
Kaye: What prompted you to enter the 2023 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest?
Isabel: WCU had an advertisement in their newsletter for the contest. I happened to be in my Short Forms course at the same time and had a few pieces I was happy with. I figured, why not?
Kaye: You entered two stories to WordCrafter Press: “Rabbits Can’t See Pink Firework” and “Red Door House”. Only one can win, and I’ll ask you about the one that won, “Red Door House” a little further into the interview. But for now, can you share a little about the story that didn’t win, “Rabbits Can’t See Pink Fireworks”? What inspired you to write that story?
Isabel: I explore gender identity in my writing, “Rabbits” being a prime example. There was a horrible wildfire in California as a result of festivities at a gender reveal party not long before I wrote this, so the story is something of a response to that tragedy. I chose to write from a rabbit’s perspective to speculate the concept of a gender reveal party and gender roles in general.
Kaye: Were you surprised to learn that “Red Door House” won the contest?
Isabel: Yes! This was the first fiction contest I ever entered so it was a delightful surprise to hear the news.
Kaye: Can you share a little bit with our readers about the winning story?
Isabel: “Red Door House” is a supernatural horror about a brother and sister in a small town where a cult is carrying out insidious acts for a sentient house. There is mystery, dark magic, and dreamlike sequences that make the reader question what is going on under the surface of Staiwhile town’s suburban veneer until the final and unnatural third act.
Kaye: What inspired you to write “Red Door House?”
Isabel: “Red Door House” was very loosely inspired by a several-decades-old cold case I fell upon randomly during my studies. Of course, I took many liberties and added fantastical elements to make “Red Door House” its own story.
Kaye: Which author, dead or alive, would you love to have lunch with?
Isabel: There are so many, but for the purpose of this interview, I will say Shirley Jackson. She is my main inspiration for horror, especially when making the mundane macabre. A trope I’m obsessed with is that of the haunted house. Using the house as a symbol of the psyche is something I return to again and again, both in my writing and reading. I would love to talk houses and witchcraft with Jackson, perhaps at a meal to match her famous dinner parties.
Kaye: What is the biggest challenge of being a writer for you so far?
Isabel: Making time for writing. I’m a full-time student with a part-time job, and if it weren’t for the fact that much of my school assignments had to do with my writing, I would have a far more difficult attempt at time management. It’s been reassuring knowing I can juggle so many things, which is always the case in life as a writer, but budgeting the hours I can snatch for my writing is something I’m still working on.
Kaye: Do you also write longer, book length fiction? Which do you find easier? Why?
Isabel: Right now, I’m querying my first novel, a Gothic historical set in 1927 California. I find novel writing easier than writing short stories because there is far more space for suspense and build-up in a longer-length book. With a short story, there is much precision that doesn’t come as naturally to me. Part of the trouble is that I tend to read more novels than short stories, something I’m making a conscious effort to change.
Kaye: What is your favorite genre to write in? Why?
Isabel: Horror, usually in historical settings. In the new movie, A Haunting in Venice, Tina Fey’s character, Ariadne Oliver says “Scary stories make the world less scary.” The world at large has always scared me and a way that I cope with that is by trying to scare it back with my writing.
Kaye: What is the one thing in your writing career that is the most unusual or unique thing you’ve done so far?
Isabel: I bought a roll of several thousand Zoltar cards that served as “research” for a short story. I don’t regret it only because I used them to decoupage a piece of furniture later on.
Kaye: What goals do you set for yourself in your writing?
Isabel: Find representation for my novel and continue working on my second which I started earlier this year. I returned to poetry writing after taking a break while studying fiction. Recently, I’ve published a few poems in smaller presses and would like to continue to have material for a poetry collection.
Kaye: I always like to make interview posts informative. What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
Isabel: The fabulous writer, who was also one of my professors in grad school, Fran Wilde, told me “First drafts are allowed to suck.” While studying fiction, I realized my process for writing worked best by “running through the graveyard at night”, in other words, getting down the story as quickly as possible without tripping up on my technical imagination early in the process. The first draft of anything is scary, and it’s important to allow your creative imagination to flow when you start something new.
Also, never stop reading.
Reading from “Red Door House” by Isabel GreyReading from “Red Door House” by Isabel GreyAbout Isabel Grey
Isabel Grey is a Colorado resident. She is currently receiving her MFA at Western Colorado University in Genre Fiction and Poetry. Her work has been published in Ample Remains, The Gay & Lesbian Review, and The Chamber Magazine. Grey writes fiction, poetry, and essays. You can find her on Instagram- @greyauthor222.
Isabel is a new addition to the WordCrafter Press authors. Her story, “Red Door House” was the winning story in the 2023 WordCrafter Short Fiction contest.
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Meet Author Joseph CarrabisJoseph is a contributor by invitation, which is to say, he was not a contestant in the short fiction contest, but received an invitation to submit from me. He submitted three stories, and I accepted all three because they were outstanding, and I am pleased to have his writing featured in this year’s anthology. So Joseph has contributed three stories featured in Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories, and they are weird and creepy indeed. “Blood Magic”, a dark fairytale in which a young girl’s foolishness brings down a witch’s curse upon her betrothed and the price to make things right is high. “Binky”, a social commentary on birth defects and lingering spirits. And “The Beach”, which will speak for itself in the reading below.
Inspiration for “The Beach”The Beach is based on actual beach I discovered my first time through college. Pretty much everything in the story is based on what really happened…except killing. The killing is specific to the story. Aside from that, riding my bike, discovering the cove, seeing the mansions, even returning after successes in business (although just to see if the beach still existed, not to develop the property) are all based on actual events from my life.
Reading from “The Beach “Reading from “The Beach” by Joseph CarrabisAbout Joseph CarrabisJoseph Carrabis told stories to anyone who would listen starting in childhood, wrote his first stories in grade school, and started getting paid for his writing in 1978. He’s been everything from a long-haul trucker to a Chief Research Scientist and holds patents covering mathematics, anthropology, neuroscience, and linguistics. After patenting a technology which he created in his basement and creating an international company, he retired from corporate life and now he spends his time writing fiction based on his experiences. His work appears regularly in several anthologies and his own published novels.
Joseph’s story, “Maryanne”, is featured in the 2022 Visions anthology from WordCrafter Press.
You can learn more about him at https://josephcarrabis.com.
That wraps up the first stop on the WordCrafter Midnight Roost Book Blog Tour. I hope you enjoyed learning about Isabel Grey and her winning story. I hope you’ll join us tomorrow on Undawnted, where DL Mullan interviews contributing author, Christa Planko and we’ll learn about the inspiration for her story, “The Easterville Glass Ghost”. And we’ll meet author M J Mallon with a reading from her story, “The Cull”.
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Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!
October 15, 2023
Writing to be Read
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