Victoria Zigler's Blog: Zigler News, page 17
September 17, 2021
#AmWriting + Cute #Dogs + Artemis The #Tortoise Turns 2 + #Mountain #Fog + #Crafting + #SelfCare With Happy Post
Thanks to some encouragement and accountability partnering from my friend and fellow author, Barb, I finally made some decent progress on writing. I wrote a couple of new poems, but also managed to make some excellent progress on three of the stories I started but didn't really get anywhere with before world and life events got in my way, plust ended up starting another. I'm hoping to be able to publish one of them before the end of this year, and the others early next year. Yes, progress was that good.
In the meantime, though one of the poetry books I published earlier this year is now available in audio, audiobook production is still not complete on the other one. I'm hopeful that will change soon.
*~*
When we first got Logan a little over two years ago, we were concerned that our hopes of him and Lilie becoming great friends weren't going to come to pass. Especially in the first couple of months. After a while though they did become very close, as photos like this one taken when they were cuddled up together at the foot of the bed on the evening of September 5th illustrate:
Aren't they cute?
*~*
It was Artemis' second hatchday on September 6th. So, my little Hermann's Tortoise - who isn't quite so little any more, having easily doubled in size since we got her - is now two years old.
We always give the petkids something for their birthdays, but there's not much to buy a tortoise as a gift, so I treated her to some extra helpings of fruit. My Mam even got in on it and contributed some melon. So, Artemis got a special hatchday breakfast of lettuce, tortoise pellets, melon, apple, raspberry, and strawberry. Here's a photo and video of her, taken right after we presented her with her breakfast:
*~*
We had woken on the morning of September 6th to find this:
No. There's nothing wrong with the camera, or your monitor. That really is a whole lot of fog. A curtain of mist had all but concealed things in every direction, so that the whole of our area of the mountains was blanketed in it. Mam could even see that there was a lot of mist in our direction from her place, and she lives just over five miles away.
It had cleared by lunch time, leaving a rather warm and sunny day.
*~*
I finished a crochet dishcloth I've been working on. This is my first completely 100% solo crochet project, since my Mam had helped me get the only other one I've done started, but this time I didn't have help from her. Here's a photo Kelly took for those who would like to see it:
I'm now working on finishing a half-knitted blanket I found among the craft stuff I got from Nan.
*~*
Remember the charity thing where I knitted squares to send to someone who was collecting them for a charity that turns them in to blankets for the homeless? The goal was to get 100 squares to send to the charity by the end of August. Well, the final count is in, and it turns out between us we made loads more than that. In fact, we weren't too far off tripling the goal. The charity will be getting 271 squares.
*~*
I've got lots of happy post to enjoy these days.
Since it's my favourite way for some self care, I've been making a point to spend some time enjoying a book while working on a craft project, with a cup of herbal tea and a snack to hand, while enjoying a scented candle. So, since I love getting subscription boxes - AKA happy post - I decided to make sure I was subscribed to some that would encourage me to keep doing it.
With that in mind, along with the Makerly Crafts and Cosy Craft Club craft kit subscription boxes I was already getting, I now also subscribe to the scented tealights subscription box from Sara-Jane Candles, as well as the Bird & Blend Co. tea tasting club subscription box, and The Vegan Kind lifestyle box.
I can't do any of the book subscription boxes, for obvious reasons, but I do have an Audible subscription, so technically I also have one for books, even if those get chosen by me and delivered to my Kindle, rather than chosen by the companies and delivered to my door.
Anyway, the arrival of my subscription boxes gives me plenty of happy post, and also acts as a reminder and excuse for some self care. Plus, since Kelly has his game and magazine subscriptions, it's only fair I get some fun subscriptions each month too, right?
September 13, 2021
Free To Be Me Community Call - Every Friday
The following information first appeared here on Patty's World, and refers to the call I refer to as my "Zoom book club" - Patty and I would love for you to come along and join the call.
*~*
*Note! You need not be an ACB member, nor do you need to be disabled. All are wanted and welcome.
EVERY FRIDAY!!
Free to Be Me: 2pm ET, 11am PT, 8am HT, 7pm UTC
If you enjoy free-flow conversation about books and anything else that might come to mind, this is the call for you.
Come as yourself. All are welcome and wanted.
To make certain you’ve got the call in information you may subscribe to the ACB Community Call Events email list to receive the daily schedule by sending a blank email to: Acb-community-events+subscribe@acblists.org
If you need any further assistance, please contact Patty L. Fletcher at: patty.volunteer1@gmail.com
Thanks in advance for attending the call.
September 10, 2021
"After The Fires Of Day" WordCrafter Book Blog Tour, Day 5 + My #Review
Today is day five of the "After The Fires Of Day" WordCrafter book blog tour, and I have a guest post for you from the author, Cendrine Marrouat, as well as a short book extract, and my review of this title.
So, over to you, Cendrine.
‘After the Fires of Day’: The Inspiration Behind the Title and Book Cover by Cendrine Marrouat
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I was 19 when one of my aunts put a copy of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophetin my hand. She promised that this book and Gibran’s words would change my life. She was right.
When I read Alphonse de Lamartine’s The Lakea few years later, something clicked within me. It was as if I could walk on water.
I had always wanted to pay homage to Gibran and Lamartine. I had many options, including writing an entire book on the reasons why they have been such inspirations in my writing career. But it would have been a boring read. I also thought of using Found Poetry. Having tried to emulate Gibran's and Lamartine's styles a long time ago, I knew that I would fail miserably.
I wanted to do something personal, yet respectful, at the same time.
In the late 2010s, I had an idea: Why not “borrow” the energy behind their beautiful words and go from there? My long break from writing was suddenly over. As I started penning haiku again, everything came together beautifully.
The only problem was that I did not have a title before completing the project. This was totally new for me—but so was the concept behind the book. Initially, I wanted to release After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartinein two volumes. Volume 1 would be about Lamartine and volume 2 would be about Gibran.
After the Fires of Day was an instant choice for the first volume. The words translate as “après les feux du jours” in French and appear in Alphonse de Lamartine’s poem “Le soir” (Evening). Let Us Speak of Beauty, which is taken from the chapter on beauty in The Prophet, popped up in my mind shortly after. Finding fitting titles had never been easier and faster!
Once I was done formatting the first volume, I realized that one book made more sense. I went for After the Fires of Day because the words sum up the essence of the haiku — short, impactful and conjuring up images that go beyond nature. Plus, they make the title look like a mini-haiku!
The cover, though, required a little more work.
Whenever I read Gibran or Lamartine, three words come to mind: 'boundlessness', 'peace' and 'nature'. Their poems and stories inspire me, uplift my soul, and transport my mind to places of deep comfort.
I have designed my own book covers for years. Except for a couple of them, they feature my own photography. For After the Fires of Day, I needed an image that conjured up the three aforementioned words; it took me a while to find the one you see. But when I did, it made complete sense. I took it at Pine Point Rapids, Manitoba, Canada, a few years ago.
Still, there was something missing. And I found it in one of Lamartine’s poems: "Le papillon (The Butterfly)". A butterfly added a lovely layer to the design. That was it!
Working on After the Fires of Day was one of the highlights of my writing career. I will treasure this book for a long time.
Thank you for reading! I look forward to your comments.
*~*
BOOK EXTRACT
Chapter 1: Kahlil Gibran
Among the leaves,
raindrops gather slowly
in my hands
.
Chapter 2: Alphonse de Lamartine
Morning glory
from the blue-green lake
two butterflies.
*~*
AUTHOR BIO
Cendrine Marrouat is a French-born Canadian photographer, poet, and the multi-genre author of more than 30 books. In 2019, she founded the PoArtMo Collective and co-founded Auroras & Blossoms with David Ellis. A year later, they launched PoArtMo (Positive Art Month and Positive Art Moves) and created the Kindku and Pareiku, two forms of poetry.
Cendrine is also the creator of the Sixku, the Flashku, and the Reminigram. Cendrine writes both in French and English and has worked in many different fields in her 17-year career, including translation, language instruction, journalism, art reviews, and social media.
Books: - Songs in Our Paths: Haiku & Photography (Volume 2) (2021)
- Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography (2021) (Co-author)
- 30 Creative Prompts to Take Your Art to the Next Level (2021) (Co-author)
- Rhythm Flourishing: A Collection of Kindku and Sixku (2020) (Co-author)
- The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: 2020 Edition (Co-editor)
- The Auroras & Blossoms NaPoWriMo Anthology: 2020 Edition (Co-editor)
- The Little Big eBook on Social Media Audiences: Build Yours, Keep It, and Win (2014 - Second edition 2020)
- Blog Your Way to Success: 35+ No-Nonsense Tips for Authors and Writers (2020)
- Walks: A Collection of Haiku (All the Volumes and More!) (2020)
- Photography of Life and Living: The Black and White Book (2020) (Co-author)
- Songs in Our Paths: Haiku & Photography (Volume 1) (2020)
- Bad. Pitches. Period. 30 Flavors of Spammy Emails (2020)
- The Heart of Space (2020) - My Twitter Workbook: 20 Tips to Get Noticed and Followed (2020) (Co-author)
- My Positivity Journal: 100 Action Verbs and Affirmations for Daily Inspiration (2020) (Co-author)
- My Poetry Workbook: 20 Tips to Write Great Poems (2020) (Co-author)
- My Creative Journal: 40 Prompts to Take Your Writing to the Next Level! (2020) (Co-author)
- My Marketing Workbook: Promotional Tips For Poets (2020) (Co-author)
- Dans le silence des mots: Une pièce en trois actes (2019) - Walks: A Collection of Haiku (Volume 3) (2019)
- Walks: A Collection of Haiku (Volume 2) (2019)
- Walks: A Collection of Haiku (Volume 1) (2019)
- In the Silence of Words: A Three-Act Play (2018)
- Life’s Little Things: The Quotes (2017)
- Life’s Little Things - Les petites choses de la vie (2016)
- When the Mind Travels: A Poetic Journey into Photography (2015)
- The Little Big eBook on Blogging: 40 Traffic Generation Tips (2012)
- Five Years and Counting: A Journey into the Mind of Soul Poetry (2010)
- Project: Heartbeats and Elevation (2009) - Short Poetry for Those Who Fear Death (2006)
- And They All Rejoiced! Soul-Stirring Poetry (2006)
- Sortons des chemins battus (2006)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Website: https://www.cendrinemedia.com
Blog: https://creativeramblings.com
Books: https://creativeramblings.com/books
Email: cendrine@creativeramblings.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cendrinephotography/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cendrineartist
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cendrinemarrouat
*~*
And here's my review:
After The Fires Of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran and Alphonse de Lamartine by Cendrine Marrouat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is an excellent collection of haiku, which evoke all kinds of images. I'm really not sure what more I can say about this book, except that I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading haiku poetry.
*NOTE: I was given a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This fact has in no way influenced either my opinion of this book or the contents of my review, and all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
View all my reviews
*~*
Did you miss the other stops on this blog tour? Then check them out using the links below:
September 6, 2021
#Vampire #Fantasy #BookRelease - "War of Nytefall: Anarchy" by @cyallowitz - Just $0.99!
Cover Art by Alison Hunt[/caption] The paladins of Windemere have had enough! As the Vampire Civil War heats up, mysterious murders are being committed against members of every holy order. All signs point to the culprits being vampires, which has resulted in the creation of a unified paladin army. To protect his people, Clyde must find the killers before the holy warriors unleash their purifying crusade. It is a battle against frustrating obstacles as the war inches closer to mortal civilization and ambitious new allies join Nytefall. One slip is all that is needed for the secret of the Dawn Fangs to be revealed. Curiosity piqued? Check out this teaser!The urge to move faster nearly overtakes Lost’s common sense, but she reminds herself that adults are supposed to be patient. As if her mind is trying to undermine her actions, she is on the verge of whistling the first tune that slips into her thoughts. Sucking in her lips, the Dawn Fang pierces them with her fangs to stop them from causing trouble. The pain makes her eyes water and she squishes mud in her hands to hold back a scream. Reaching out with her telepathy, she tries to locate her targets while she lets her unfocused thoughts run their course. A distant prayer to Ram the War God causes her to change her direction and she takes a deep breath to regain her composure. With the paladins so far away, Lost moves a little faster, but stops short of giving in to her silly, impatient urges. Seeing the edge of the tall grass, she drops again and uses her elbows to pull herself along like she remembers seeing Titus do on several missions. As she comes out of her cover, the bright sun blinds her, so she is unable to stop herself from banging into something metal, which falls onto her back. “Get off of me!” Lost shouts before telekinetically hurling the object into the river. She scrambles to her feet and freezes at the sight of six paladins standing in her path. “Such shiny and pretty armors, you have here. I really like the guy with the big helmet. Is that an ostrich feather? I keep meaning to ride one of those again. So, nice day for a walk. This is bunny who is totally unable to fly. That’s why he’s on my head. Your friend seems okay, so there’s absolutely no reason for us to spend any more time together. Bye!” “You must be Lost,” Lord Adam says through his great helm. He takes a step forward and holds out a diamond fused to a bronze chain. “We are well aware of you and your abilities, monster. That is why I travel with this. None of your mind tricks will work on those who stand in my presence. Even your keen senses are tricked by the spells designed specifically to thwart your actions. Be honored that we went to so much trouble to design items with you in mind. No other Dawn Fang has earned so much individual attention.” “That’s kind of creepy,” she replies as she steps back. Seeing weapons getting drawn, she stops retreating and playfully slaps at the mud with her bare feet. “Needed to wash some gunk out from between my toesies. Well, this is awkward. You brought me such a pretty present and I don’t have anything for you. Bunny says that I need to work on my manners. There’s really no need for violence. Dawn Fangs are mostly good. Just like mortals, we have some bad ones, but we’re all individuals like all of you. I mean, we all eat soup the same way, right? I really hope you all use spoons for that comparison to work.” “Abominations such as you-” the paladin begins to announce. “Look at the naked heretic!” she shouts while pointing into the distance. All of the holy warriors, except for Lord Adam, turn to see what Lost is gesturing at, so she flings mud at their leader’s helmet grating. The man coughs and hacks as the Dawn Fang sprints back to the river and launches herself to the other side. A quake meets her as she lands and she nearly topples onto her side, but manages to stumble along. Glancing over her shoulder, she does not see any of the paladins in pursuit and considers slowing down to get her bearings. Lost’s eyes go wide when she sees the powerful steeds rise into the air, arch over the river, and land in a perfect line that immediately charges ahead. The open plains allow the warriors to move at full speed, which is only slightly slower than the sprinting Dawn Fang. They hurl spells and glowing weapons, which return to their hands, but the attacks never hit their mark. Those that come close are deflected by a telekinetic shield, which repeatedly shatters upon impact thanks to Lord Adam’s diamond weakening her even from a distance. With the relic defending the paladins’ minds and muffling their hoofbeats, she has to repeatedly look over her shoulder to make sure none of them have disappeared. To her relief, they never break formation and she gets a sense of their attack pattern, which never falters. Get a copy of this vampire action adventure for99 cents on Amazon!Help spread the word by adding it on Goodreads!*****
Want to catch up on War of Nytefall?Grab the volumes 1-6 for 99 cents each ($6 total)![caption id="attachment_36859" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Cover Art by Alison Hunt[/caption] Interested in more Windemere? Then don't forget to check out Charles E. Yallowitz's first series:
Legends of Windemere
[caption id="attachment_24017" align="alignnone" width="640"]
Cover Art by Jason Pedersen[/caption]About the Author:
Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After spending many years fiddling with his thoughts and notebooks, he decided that it was time to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house with only pizza and seltzer to sustain him, Charles brings you tales from the world of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you and drawing you into a world of magic. Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.comTwitter: @cyallowitzFacebook: Charles YallowitzInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyallowitz/Enjoy the fang-filled adventure by clicking here!
September 3, 2021
Lilie The #Westie Talks About Her Exciting August
Hi everyone. This is Lilie the Westie.
Mummy finally let me have a turn on here again. Yeah, I know... She should let me post more often, since you'd rather hear from an adorable pup like me than a boring human like her. I've been telling her that for weeks, but does she listen? No! I've been training her for more than four years, and she still needs a lot of work. I'm thinking of sending Mummy to obedience school.
Anyway, it's been an exciting few weeks; August was a fun month for me and Logan.
First we had a ride in Nana's car. Mummy said we were going to the groomer, but when we got there Nana just looked at a bit of paper on the door, and we went home. I'm not sure what's up with that. All I know is we still haven't been groomed, and even Mummy and Nana don't seem too sure about why the groomer cancelled, or when we'll get our grooming sessions. The car ride was fun though.
Another time we went to Nana's house, and we played with Izabel for lots and lots of time. It was great! Sometimes Mummy and Nana - especially Mummy - even joined in, which all three of us really loved.
Then there was the ccar ride this past weekend, after Nana got a new special cover for her back seat, and got me a seatbelt clip like Logan, since I decided I don't want to be in the carseat any more if Logan isn't going to be in one (which he isn't when Izabel is in the car too). So Mummy and Nana decided Izabel should keep her seat for herself, they got rid of the baby seat I was using, and now me and Logan have special straps that atatch to our harnesses to make them act like seatbelts. We went on the car ride to see how we liked them. We liked them just fine, but we somehow got all tangled at one point when we decided we didn't want to be the way around that Mummy and Nana had put us (they put Logan by the door and me in the middle, between him and Izabel, but he wanted the middle spot and I wanted to be by the door). We settled down just fine when they swapped us around though. At least, as long as they kept the windows open, since I don't like when they close them. Hey, if they're going to insist on car rides, the least they could do is give me a way to catch some of the scents as we ride, don't you think?
If that wasn't enough, we had another outing on Tuesday. This time we went in Grandad's car. Grandad doesn't use the clips, but instead puts our dog crate in the back of his car and has us ride in that. We don't really like riding that way, but we jump in when he tells us to anyhow. At least we try to... It's a bit too big of a jump for me to manage without them giving me a boost. I might feel like a big dog inside, but I'm only a small one on the outside. Anyway, it was only a short car ride, because we were just going to play in Grandad's garden for a while. We love Grandad's garden. It has birds to watch, because he has food out for them, and fun things like moss to roll in. Both of which were activities I took great pleasure in enjoying several times during the time we were there. Logan mostly just sat beside Mummy watching me and the birds. His loss if you ask me. Mummy says I should tell you I was a good girl though, because I only watched the birds and didn't try to chase them away. And Mummy didn't mind that I smelled all mossy, because she said it made her think of walks in the woods, and she liked that. Oh, and she says to tell you - for those interested - that we saw some bluetits, a great-tit, loads of sparrows, a robin, and one she thinks Grandad said was a female stonechat.
Lots of licks,
Lilie
P.S. Mummy also says to tell you the inspection went well. I'm not sure what she's talking about personally, but she says you'll understand. If not, she says to read her post from this past Monday.
August 30, 2021
Random Ramblings - August 30th 2021
Yes, it's Monday and not Friday. But I'm participating in a bunch of blog tours, as you've no doubt noticed, and between those and tags and things my Fridays keep getting filled up, so I thought I'd put up a post today to catch you up on a few random happenings.
*~*
On the anniversary of Nan's death (August 19th) we invited Dad and Wayne to our place, and Mam picked up Chinese for us all on her way to join us. Even the dogs got some of the chicken and rice Kelly and Wayne were eating (Izabel took hers home, and we even sent some home with Wayne for Maya).
We thought it would be nice to all get together, and have something nice happen on the anniversary. I think Nan would have liked us to do something we enjoy, and we all enjoy Chinese food.
Anyway, we had a lovely evening together, it was nice to have a distraction from how much we were missing Nan (I know I was glad of it) and the food was pretty good too.
*~*
The inspection planned for August 23rd didn't happen, because the three year old daughter of the person who was meant to be doing it wasn't well, and nobody else could come in her place. The little one is fine... It's only that any signs of them not being quite right means they aren't allowed to go to creche (daycare) and she couldn't very well be dragging her toddler around to do inspections. Unfortunately, I got the message several hours after it was sent, when we were wondering why nobody had shown up, since signal isn't too great at my Mam's house, and I was already there with the dogs by the time the message came through. Though I would have gotten it literally right after arriving if I'd gotten it when it was actually sent, judging by the timestamp on it.
Why was I at my Mam's place with the dogs? Because - despite the government's insistance on having as many things as possible return to how they were in the pre-pandemic days, and fact I'm glad to see some of our freedom being returned to us - I don't feel comfortable being in the house when someone I haven't been around is here just yet, especially with the combination of my not being able to have the second jab, my compramized immune system, and the Delta variant. It's risky enough having Kelly here with them, but someone has to be, and they want the inspection done in person now government restrictions don't prevent them from doing it in person. Personally I'd have prefered photos, like they did when we had the other inspection, but I only get to decide when they can come, not whether or not they can, if that makes sense. Anyway, since that was the case, we arranged for Lilie andLogan to have a playdate with Izabel while Kelly (who is at least fully vaccinated) stayed home to deal with the inspection.
But, like I said, the inspection didn't happen on August 23rd. Instead it was rescheduled for this week, and is happening on Tuesday August 31st. Yes, tomorrow. Hopefully it won't get cancelled this time.
*~*
Mam gave Kelly her Kindle, since she wasn't using it, has never really used it, and he wanted one to read PDF copies of gaming books on, since the Kindle Keyboard I'd previously given him had died.
The one Mam had is a Kindle Fire 7 (7th generation). My Kindle is a slightly newer model (a Kindle Fire 8) though has been used a LOT more, but I offered him a trade anyhow, and he was happy to have whichever Kindle was on offer. Why did I offer him a trade then? Because the couple of minor differences in the two Kindles really are minor (slight difference in storage capacity, for example) and the main one makes no difference to me, but is potentially useful for Kelly, which is the fact the Kindle Fire 8 has a slightly larger display than the Kindle Fire 7 has.
Plus, then I have an excuse to get the purple Kindle case I spotted on Amazon when I was replacing my iPhones case (which I had to replace, because Mollie tried to eat it, and there was a chunk missing from it in a place where it was causing issues with the case staying on). No, my new iPhone case isn't purple too. The new iPhone case has got unicorns on it. But the case I'm going to get for the Kindle Fire 7 is purple.
*~*
I watched the 2017 "Wonder Woman" movie on Friday. I started watching it with Kelly, but I had to do something that couldn't be postponed before it was over (it was time for my Zoom book club meeting, if you really want to know) so missed the end. I'd been enjoying it enough though that I watched it myself later, and started it again, rather than just continuing from where I'd last seen. It's a fantastic action-packed superhero movie, with some entertaining scenes. I'm not as familiar as Kelly is with superhero origin stories, but thought the one they did was excellent, and can tell you it was close enough to the original Wonder Woman origin story to satisfy Kelly. We both loved how it ended too. I forgot to actually ask Kelly for his rating, but I'd personally give it five out of five stars.
*~*
My cousin, Shane, had his birthday on August 19th. Kelly's cousin, Holly, had hers on August 23rd, and Kelly's Dad will be celebrating his birthday on September 5th. So, happy birthday to them all.
Also, I know a couple of online friends celebrated their birthdays in August too. So, happy birthday to Jeanie, Barb, and anyone else who's owed birthday wishes for recent birthdays I've missed, or who has a birthday coming up real soon.
*~*
Finally, I'd just like to take a moment to send out some positive thoughts to Rita, who is currently fighting cancer, and could use all the healing energy and positive thoughts you can send her way.
August 27, 2021
"Behind Closed Doors, A Collection Of Unusual Poems" WordCrafter Book Blog Tour – Day 5 + My #Review
It's day five of the "Behind Closed Doors" blog tour, which means it's my stop on the tour. And, today I have a guest post for you from the author, Robbie Cheadle. So, over to you, Robbi.
I have always believed that people need time to daydream and just watch the clouds floating past and changing shape, to create. One of the problems with our modern lifestyles is that we are just to busy all the time. We rush from one activity to the next, and cram as much as possible into every waking minute of our lives in an attempt to get done everything we think we must do.
By doing this and not allowing our minds time to float freely, we supress our creativity and prevent those amazing leaps of logic mixed with the impossible that have allowed humanity to progress from one generation to the next. Sometimes our progress has been made in such giant steps we are left reeling in surprise.
This poem, Can you see the butterflies? is about letting go and finding time to relax and spin creatives webs.
Can you see the butterflies?Can you see the butterflies?
Bright splashes of vibrancy
daubs of colour
against an azure sky.
Can you see the butterflies?
On near transparent wings
they flutter and fly
deliciously light on the breeze.
Can you see the butterflies?
A cloud of beauty
acting as one
a gossamer pool of delight.
I can see the butterflies
through half closed eyes
my dreams form shapes
with fluttering wings.
I can see the butterflies
as they develop in my mind
elusive thoughts grow wings
and they fly.
If you prefer to listen to me reading this poem, you can find it on my Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhxR7czXGZw
Do you fit time to daydream into your busy life? Let me know in the comments.
Book blurb
What goes on behind closed doors: in the boardroom, after death, in the home, during lockdown, and in nature? This collection of poems, ranging from rhyming verse to twisted nursery rhymes, captures the emotions and thoughts people hide behind the masks they present to the world.
What thoughts are hidden
Behind her immobile face
Quite expressionless
Eyes cold and indifferent
Scrutinising me – hawk like
This book includes some of Robbie Cheadle's spectacular fondant art and cakes.
Robbie Cheadle author bio
Robbie Cheadle is a South African children's author and poet with 9 children’s books and 1 poetry book.
The 7 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 has also published 2 books for older children which incorporate recipes that are relevant to the storylines.
Robbie has 2 adult novels in the paranormal historical and supernatural fantasy genres published under the name Roberta Eaton Cheadle. She also has short stories in the horror and paranormal genre and poems included in several anthologies.
Robbie writes a monthly series for https://writingtoberead.com called Growing Bookworms. This series discusses different topics relating to the benefits of reading to children.
Robbie has a blog, https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.... where she shares book reviews, recipes, author interviews, and poetry.
Social Media Robbie CheadleRobbie Cheadle
Website
https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
Blog
https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/
TSL Books Author Page
https://tslbooks.uk/robbie-cheadle/
Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15584446.Robbie_Cheadle
https://twitter.com/bakeandwrite
Purchase linksAmazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BBR94NC
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behind-Closed-Doors-Robbie-Cheadle/dp/B099C8R3T4
*~*
I read this book a few days ago, so thought I'd include my review in today's post. So, here it is:
Behind Closed Doors by Robbie Cheadle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I'm reviewing a book of poetry, I try to pick a poem or two to mention. Ones that stuck out for me as being the b est of the collection. But I'm finding that task impossible in this case, since each poem was fantastic in its own way, and I simply can not decide on a favourite. In short, this is an excellent collection of poems, which I highly recommend.
View all my reviews
*~*
Check out the other posts in this tour:
Aug. 23 – Writing to be Read – Intro./Guest Post
http://writingtoberead.com/2021/08/23/welcome-to-the-wordcrafter-behind-closed-doors-book-blog-tour/
Aug. 24 – Undawnted – Review
http://www.undawnted.com/2021/08/wordcrafter-blog-tour-robbie-cheadles.html
Guest post
http://writingtoberead.com/2021/08/24/day-2-wordcrafter-behind-closed-doors-book-blog-tour/
Aug. 25 – This is my Truth Now - Guest Post/Review
Aug. 26 – The Showers of Blessings – Guest Post/Review
August 23, 2021
#Poetry #Book "Born From Stardust And Other Poems" Now Available As An #Audiobook
A selection of poems of various lengths and styles, exploring a variety of themes and subjects.
Topics explored in the poems that make up this collection include – but are not limited to – animals and nature, writing and creativity, death and grief, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Born From Stardust And Other Poems" is now available as an audiobook, narrated by Giselle M Chatelain.
If you'd like to get your hands on a copy of the audiobook, you can grab your copy via Audible, iTunes, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, and the Amazon sites for several other countries.
However, if you'd prefer an eBook, you can buy the eBook from Smashwords in all formats they offer, which means there's a format that will work for you, regardless of your prefered method of reading eBooks, whether it's with a Kindle, Nook, your computer, or whatever. In fact, if you can read this post, there's a way you can read the book. Alternatively,if you prefer to buy your eBooks elsewhere, you can grab your copy via other retailers such as Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and a few other places my books get distributed to, including many of the Amazon stores for other countries.
Or, if you're one of those people who prefers a paperback, you can grab your copy via Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada, as well as the Amazon sites for several other countries.
Regardless of your format of choice, to grab your copy, just click on the link for your prefered retailer, or go there and search for it if I haven't listed it in this post.
Also, if you'd like to add the book to your Goodreads to-read shelf, you can find the book's Goodreads page here, where all available formats will be listed.
Oh, and... Yes, the cover image is an actual NASA image. One of the ones the public is free to use however they want, as long as NASA gets credit for it. So, here's the copyright information for it:
Cover art Hubble Discovery of Runaway Star Yields Clues to Breakup of Multiple-Star System © NASA
August 20, 2021
Random Ramblings - August 20th 2021
We got the motivation we needed to get back to work on sorting the craft room, and getting the boxes of books and things that were still unpacked - including some more boxes of stuff Dad had given us - unpacked and at least sort of where they belong. A lot of it still needs us to actually properly organize it (books aren't in their proper order, I need to properly organize the contents of some of the craft supply boxes, etc). But at least everything is either put away, or - if putting it away isn't really an option right now, like with the ornaments I have yet to get shelves for - organized in to neat piles of as few boxes as possible near where it will eventually be going.
Of course, as you no doubt know, especially if you're a regular on this blog, we had been meaning to deal with those boxes. But with one thing and another it wasn't being considered a priority, and what little was being sorted was being dealt with incredibly slowly.
Until I learned our landlord (well, the agency we deal with the landlord through) wants to come do their six monthly inspection on Monday (August 23rd). And, with most Covid restrictions no longer applying, this time they want to do it in person. As you can no doubt imagine, we suddenly found the motivation to get those things in boxes that we'd been dragging our feet about organizing sorted out. Amazing how much motivation you find when you know your landlord is coming to do an inspection, isn't it? LOL!
So, that's a big part of what's been keeping us busy. And the house looks loads better for it.
I'll try and get Kelly to get some updated pictures of how things are looking. Especially of the craft room, which I know some of you will definitely want to see. It's looking like a craft supply shop, but is at least now reasonably tidy and mostly organized. Mostly.
*~*
Yesterday (August 19th) was the one year anniversary of when Nan (Dad's Mother) died, and eight days before that (August 11th) was the seven year anniversary of when Kero died. So I'm glad I've had so many things to keep me busy during this past week and a half. Even if a lot of it was dealing with the contents of the various boxes. Not all of it though... There was book club and roleplaying too.
*~*
I haven't been watching much in the way of movies or TV shows lately, despite my intentions to do so, the fact I have three streaming services at my fingertips (Disney+, Netflix, and Prime) and my to-watch list being about as long as my to-read list. Which, let me tell you, is incredibly long.
But I watched the 2011 version of "Wuthering Heights" on Netflix last weekend. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I love the book, and I don't feel like it did the book justice. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
*~*
The weather reports keep promising me some good thunder storms, but I'm not getting them. Plenty of rain, and a bit of wind, but no storms. They have them close enough for the seagulls to come this far in land again, because I've heard the gulls. But I'm still waiting for my storm. Never mind, Autumn storms will be here soon, so maybe I'll have better luck with those.
*~*
We've never been able to have Mollie running around loose. We had a playpen when we had both chinchillas, since Maizie liked to come out and play, but was terrible for getting behind things and chewing things she shouldn't. Mollie hated going in it though, and would kick up a fuss during the picking up phase (and mostly just hide behind things while she was in the playpen anyhow) so after we lost Maizie we never ended up using it. We held on to it for ages afterwards, but since Mollie would either not want to be touched or just want a few moments in my arms and then want to return to her cage, it stood unused for a couple of years, so when we were moving last year we got rid of it.
Since we've been here though Mollie has started being more interested in interacting with us. I'm not sure if it's something she likes about the move, her bigger cage, or her being older. All I know is she's much more eager to interact with us - me especially - and will often even get up in the day to see what's going on. So when she was acting like she wanted to come out and play the other day, we decided to try her and see what she'd do, expecting to have to get her from behind something when she hid, and carry her squealing back to the cage.
But no.
She ran around a little, exploring. And when I sat on the floor and called her over, she came and climbed on my legs. I had some treats with me for her, and I offered her one, which she took happily, backed off a bit to eat, and then came back to me looking for more. And when it came time to put her back in the cage, she let me pick her up with only the slightest protest.
She even ignored the fact the dogs were just the other side of the baby gate, and Logan (who seriously hates being unable to get to his Mummy) spent the whole time crying because there was a barrier between us.
It's just a shame the camera was too far away, and Kelly can't work the one on my phone, so we have no photos or videos. We'll try and get a video or some photos one of these times, though that might take a bit. Mollie has never been one to want attention all the time, so - unsurprisingly - isn't interested in coming out of her cage too often. But that's fine, and it's nice she'll come out to play sometimes. She's come a long way from the scared and depressed chinchilla we brought home a little over five years ago.
*~*
Lilie and Logan were meant to have a grooming appointment yesterday, but all they got was a car ride, because we got there to find a note on the door telling us the appointment had been cancelled. Apparently she'd tried calling us all morning to tell us, but for some reason we didn't get those calls, and can only assume she wrote the number down wrong. As it stands at the moment, they don't have a new appointment, and I don't even know for sure why this one was cancelled, since we haven't been able to get hold of the groomer. So I don't know when they'll end up getting groomed next. They're going to need it badly by the time they get done though, I know that much
August 16, 2021
The (Very Late) 2021 Mid Year Book Tag - #AmReading #Reviews
As you've no doubt noticed, the year is more than half over, and I've had a lot to post about, so have ended up using days besides Fridays to post as it is. With that in mind, originally I wasn't going to bother doing this tag. But then Darlene did it on her blog, and tagged any of her readers who wanted to join in, and... Well, my regular readers will be familiar with my weakness for these tags, so won't be surprised to hear that was all I needed to hear to convince me to stop resisting and just go ahead and do the tag anyway. I wanted to post it before we get too much further in to 2021 though, hence having it go live on what's officially not a posting day for me.
Of course, despite the fact we're already in August, if you want to play along too, you should feel free to do so. I mean, it's never too late to share book recommendations, is it? So, feel free to play along, either in the comments section of this post, or on your own blog. And, don't forget, if you do the latter be sure and let me know, because I'd hate to miss your post.
Now, on to the questions, as well as my answers and reviews for them.
~
1. Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2021
Kingfall (The Kingfall Histories, #1) by David Estes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My review: "I've been longing to get to read this book, and let me tell you, it was well worth the wait, and I was not disappointed. Vivid descriptions, well-rounded characters, excellent worldbuilding, and a gripping plot, all merge together to make this an amazing read. The story captured me from the first words, and only the essential nature of real life commitments, and the need to sleep, prevented me from devouring it from start to finish, otherwise it wouldn't have taken me nearly so long to finish reading. Now I'm eagerly anticipating the second book in the series, and strongly considering ensuring I clear my calender for a couple of days after its release so I can binge read it in the way I would have liked to do with this one. If you love a good fantasy story - especially one filled with magic, demons, and dragons - you need to read this book. And if you get the audio version, I can assure you the narrator does a fantastic job."
2. Best Sequel You’ve Read so far in 2021
Skin Taker (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, #8) by Michelle Paver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My review: "This is an awesome continuation of the series, as well as being an excellent book in its own right. I have absolutely loved these books so far, and this one was most definitely no exception. The characters are well rounded and believable, the plot is exciting and gripping, and the world building is amazing. I had planned to take my time with this book, reading just a small amount before bed each night, but got so into it it was difficult to put it down, and I could easily have read it all in one sitting if I’d allowed myself to do so."
3. New Release You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To
There are several books I want to read. Some actual new releases, some only new to me. It would take too long to list them all here, and even longer to try and narrow down a few to mention, so I'm not going to even bother trying.
4. Biggest Disappointment
Highfire by Eoin Colfer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
My review: "The plot concept was fascinating, and the characters were intriguing. It’s just a shame that the book was spoiled for me by overuse of foul language and crude comments, which I think were supposed to be funny, but were not the least bit amusing to me. Had it been the occasional bit of cursing, and the odd crude comment or joke, I might still have enjoyed the book, but as it was I felt like most of the book was made up of those things, and it ruined it for me."
5. Biggest Surprise
Mech Warrior: Born of Steel (Metal Warrior #1) by James David Victor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My review: "I read this book for the "Febookary" reading challenge, where you have to read a book you might not usually pick up; this book was recommended to me when I asked someone for a recommendation for my Febookary book. It turned out to be a really good read, with a fascinating plot, and interesting characters. The actual writing itself could use a little attention (there are some issues like how we're told how people are reacting, rather than being shown, for example) but it was an otherwise great book, and I'm even feeling some enthusiasm about reading the rest of the series."
6. Favorite New Author
I haven't read any new to me authors I've loved enough to add to my favourite authors list so far this year.
7. Newest Fictional Crush
I don't have any new fictional crushes. Sorry to disappoint you and all that.
8. Newest Favorite Character
I don't have any new favourite characters from books I've read this year to be honest. The books have had great characters, but no one character stands out as being my favourite.
9. Book That Made You Cry
Two books immediately spring to mind, so I'm going to mention both of them.
A Ghost and His Gold by Roberta Eaton Cheadle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My review: "This is a thrilling and gripping read, with a wonderful cast of compelling characters, not to mention a fantastic plot. The author clearly did a lot of research, and reading the details of the war going on when most of the events in the story take place is fascinating, despite the disturbing nature of some of the unfortunately entirely factual occurrences. I only hesitate to give this book the full five stars because the way the different stories were told required some getting used to, so it took me some time to get in to the book (though I was thoroughly enthralled by the tale once I got used to the way it was being told). Also, I felt the definitions being presented as footnotes rather than simply in a glossary of terms at the end of the book interrupted the flow of the story - something possibly more noticeable to me due to the need to rely on a screen reader to read the book."
And...
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My review: "The concept was intriguing, but the plot was a bit slower than I'd have liked in places, and many of the plot points were predictable. Not to mention the fact the young Jacob was way more naive than you'd expect a 23 year old to be in those days, and most of the characters weren't as well-rounded as they should have been. However, I did enjoy the book, even if I didn't love it anywhere near as much as some seem to, and am a little uncertain as to why it's such a, "Must read," book. Regardless, reading this book was an emotional experience, because it was difficult to read about the cruelty to both animals and people knowing that kind of thing did happen back then. Plus, my heart went out to the older Jacob, since I know what it's like to lose the ability to do certain things for yourself, and can imagine how difficult it must be for him being in his 90s, in a nursing home, and unable to do much for himself."
10. Book That Made You Happy
Pass the Turkey: The Small Dog's Christmas by Sue Vincent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My review: "This is a delightful book filled with entertaining and sweet stories and poems."
11. Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought This Year
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My review: "Even though the concept sounded sort of interesting, I was unsure if I wanted to read this when I first heard about it, and though I put it on my to-read shelf, it was with little enthusiasm. But then I was in a book club meeting where someone was gushing about how awesome it was, and literally the next day saw it as an option to get in the two for one sale on Audible, so I thought I'd grab it, and see if it was any good. I went in to it with low expectations, despite the assurances from this person in my book club that it was an awesome read, and was pleasantly surprised, because it really was. The idea of being able to explore the questions about what would have happened if you'd done even one thing differently was an interesting one, and I liked how the fact even one small difference in your life can have a domino effect was taken in to consideration when the main character was exploring all these different lives. I also found the philosophical musings and quotes throughout fascinating, and thought the concept of depression and mental illness was handled well. In short, I'm most definitely glad I did give this book a chance, because I found it to be an excellent read, which really makes you think about how you look at things in your own life."
12. Books You Need to Read by the End of The Year
I'm not sure how to answer this one. I mean, there are obviously several books I want to read. But I generally randomly pick my next read when I'm ready to start it, so I don't have an actual list of the order I plan to read them in, which means I don't know which ones I plan to read during the rest of 2021 myself, so can't really tell you.
~
So, how about you? What would your answers be?
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