D.G. Kaye's Blog, page 63

Writer’s Tips – Best Book Promo Sites, Book Design, Writing Exercises and More!

Welcome to this month’s edition of Writer’s Tips with a great list of book promo sites, Writing exercises, How to pitch the media, How to choose a book narrator, Designing your book covers and more!   Best sites for Book Promotion by David Gaughran Source: Best Book Promo Sites in 2020 | Sell More Books | David Gaughran   24 Fantastic writing ideas to get the creativity flowing 24 of the Best Writing Exercises to Become a Better Writer   Comparables: Where Does Your Book Fit In? Searching for book comparisons by Carol Balawyder Comparables: Where Does Your Book Fit In?   Three items writers dread – writing the blurb, synopsis and logline by Mae Clair at the Story Empire Three Items Writers Hate to Write         My friend Doris Heilmann of 111 Publishing is sharing secrets from editors about how they want to be pitched and what makes them choose accept or reject How the Media Wants to be Pitched     Also by Doris Heilmann, what you need to know about narrating your own audio books. DIY Narrating and Audiobook Production     Nicholas Rossis shares the Kindlepreneur’s instruction on how to make a book cover How to Design Your Book Cover   Authors Publish featuring 8 pieces of writing advice from some of the legends 8 Lessons From Legendary Authors That Will Improve Your Writing ©DGKaye2020      

The Sunday Book Review – The Mermaid and the Bear by Ailish Sinclair

Today’s review is for the book, The Mermaid and the Bear , a book  I would never have picked up on my own if I hadn’t read such an enticing review from Diana Peach’s review list. Diana’s review roped me in, having me thinking it would be similar to an Alice Hoffman book I read last year – Incantation, where the setting was back in the late 15th century, and Jews were persecuted just for existing. And in this book, it’s set in 16th century – ish, where in this story it’s Isobel who fled to safety in Scotland, when she fled England, and greed took precedence over humanity (sounds familiar?), and women were accused of being witches. So, in many ways these books are similar with the persecution theme and no doubt, I was drawn to it. I think I would describe this book genre as Historical/Mystical Fiction, being that the characters are fictional, but the setting of the times reflects accurately of what was the political crimes of the times. Once you reach the end of the book, you will learn that the story was created around three real women accused of witchcraft, written into this fictional story.     Blurb: Isobell needs to escape. She has to. Her life depends on it. She has a plan and it’s a well thought-out, well observed plan, to flee her privileged life in London and the cruel man who would marry her, and ruin her, and make a fresh start in Scotland. She dreams of faery castles, surrounded by ancient woodlands and misty lochs… and maybe even romance, in the dark and haunted eyes of a mysterious Laird. Despite the superstitious nature of the time and place, her dreams seem to be coming true, as she finds friendship and warmth, love and safety. And the chance for a new beginning… Until the past catches up with her. Set in the late sixteenth century, at the height of the Scottish witchcraft accusations, The Mermaid and The Bear is a story of triumph over evil, hope through adversity, faith in humankind and – above all – love.   My 5 Star Review: This was a bit different of read than my usual genres, and although my genre of choice is historical fiction, I tend to shy away from books (and definitely parts) that describe violence, just as I turn my head or the channel when I see physical abuse done to a human being. I did also feel a bit slow of a pace to where it was going for almost half the book, but felt invested in the protagonist Isobel who’d escaped from London by ship, fleeing to Scotland away from an arranged marriage with a bad man. Isobel and her brother Jasper and his friend Ian, all end up living at and working for the Laird in his castle, and like most fairytales, we’re interested in the eventual attraction between Isobel and Laird Thomas Monteith. Now, I’ll stop here because this is where the plot “thickens”, shortly after the romance grows to marriage, halfway thru the book, it takes a wild 180 with action. But when Isobel’s past comes back to bite her, sign of the times – burning ‘accused’ witches at the stake was a popular sport in those days for greedy and abusive men who led the Aberdeen witch trials, the tension builds as some of the scenes become disturbing. The story was beautifully written, no matter how I couldn’t tolerate the abusive parts, and I may have skipped over a few painful descriptions. Also characters spoke with their Scottish tongue which was interesting and easy to translate in context. With Isobel working and living in the Laird’s castle, eventually sparks fly between her and the Laird, and the story heats up with the graduation of their growing love and leading to marriage just before her past catches up with her, and not only Isobel, but her past will eventually encompass and affect the lives of everyone in the castle. This book was an engaging read and a compelling tale with wonderfully written characters who all kept me engaged and feeling all the emotions each and every character were experiencing in this Scottish saga. If you enjoy historical fiction blended with romance and suspense with a slice of witch trials, you are sure to enjoy this book.   ©DGKaye2020          

Cover Reveal: Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry | Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry

I’m happy to be sharing my Fey sister Colleen Chesebro’s Cover Reveal for her fabulous upcoming book – Word Craft – Prose and Poetry, how to write syllabic poetry. Colleen is serving gluten-free and calorie-free cake for her reveal, so enjoy the cake and check out the beautiful cover.       Help Me Celebrate! Grab a piece of cake! While I’m waiting to hear from my editors, I thought it was time to share the cover of my newest book creation, “Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry. This book will discuss the basics of how to write the Japanese and American Syllabic poetry forms we use in my weekly Tanka Tuesday challenge. . . . Please hop over to Colleen’s party   Source: Cover Reveal: Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry | Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry    

Q & A with D.G. Kaye, featuring Kathy Steinemann – The Writer’s Body Lexicon

Welcome to my Q and A where today I’m featuring author/blogger and grammar guru Kathy Steinemann  with her new release – Writer’s Lexicon series – The Writer’s Body Lexicon.     About Kathy: Kathy Steinemann, author of the popular Writer’s Lexicon series, is a bird-loving grandma and retired ex-editor from the land of Atwood, Shatner, and Bieber. She loves words, especially when the words are frightening or futuristic or funny.     Blurb: Ordinary writers describe the body in order to evoke images in readers’ minds. Extraordinary writers leverage it to add elements such as tension, intrigue, and humor. The Writer’s Body Lexicon provides tools for both approaches. Kathy Steinemann provides a boggling number of word choices and phrases for body parts, organized under similar sections in most chapters: •Emotion Beats and Physical Manifestations •Adjectives •Similes and Metaphors •Colors and Variegations •Scents •Shapes •Verbs and Phrasal Verbs •Nouns •Prompts •Clichés and Idioms Sprinkled throughout, you’ll also find hundreds of story ideas. They pop up in similes, metaphors, word lists, and other nooks and crannies. Readers don’t want every character to be a cardboard cutout with a perfect physique. They prefer real bodies with imperfections that drive character actions and reactions — bodies with believable skin, scents, and colors. For instance, a well-dressed CEO whose infrequent smile exposes poorly maintained teeth might be on the verge of bankruptcy. A gorgeous cougar with decaying teeth, who tells her young admirer she’s rich, could spook her prey. Someone trying to hide a cigarette habit from a spouse might be foiled by nicotine stains. Add depth to your writing. Rather than just describe the body, exploit it. Build on it. Mold it until it becomes an integral part of your narrative. “… a timeless resource: You’ll find advice, prompts, ideas, vocabulary, humor, and everything in between. But more importantly, it will make your characters stand out from the crowd.” — Nada Sobhi   Review from Amazon.ca: “Books 1 and 2 of The Writer’s Lexicon series already reside within easy reach as I write, and I’m pleased to say that book 3 has joined them as a ‘must have’ reference book. If you’re an author (new or veteran), pick up a copy of the series — you won’t be sorry.” ~ J. I. Rogers   My 5 Star review: DGKaye 5.0 out of 5 stars Every Writer’s Resource Guide for Anatomy Description Reviewed in Canada on July 31, 2020 If you thought you knew words, you’re in for a big treat with this almost 500 pages of action-packed book full of alternative words and phrases to make your characters come alive and help readers create believable characters. How many ways can we express body parts, gestures, prompts and humor? Steinemann will arm you better than any thesaurus. The author expanded her blog post of lessons for writers and created this absolute must-have resource guide, aiding in better descriptive writing in this 3rd and comprehensive book in her Lexicon series for writers. We’ll also find words that keep the action going as well as idea replacements for similes and metaphors that AREN’T cliche, with loads of examples under each body part heading. Steinemann helps writers to choose appropriate adjectives and verb tenses – eg: If you say your character has tanned arms while the setting takes place in winter, you’ve used the wrong adjective unless a reason is presented for the tanned arms. The author demonstrates how to eliminate unnecessary words with suggested word replacement. Plenty of prompts are also given as well as: opinion words explained, hyphen use, how to incorporate color, use of props for description, use of word variation pertaining to the character’s description – example: you may use the word ‘porky’ for a bully, but the word wouldn’t go over well if a husband were to refer to his wife with such word. This book is a fantastic edition to describe all parts of the body from head to toe, also offering ideas to set up a character chart to list all attributes of characters, ie: shapes, appearance, flesh tone, etc. Each chapter begins with descriptions, examples of word usage. Steinemann also talks about caveats, eg: perception of the writer’s view needs to be made clear for readers. The writer may know what she means to relay being privy to the character’s thoughts, but make sure the reader is informed too. The Writer’s Body Lexicon is succinctly written into sections for each body part, covering verbs, variegation of color, shapes, idioms, cliches, metaphors, similes, comparisons and more. A must-have resource guide for all writers! Now that you’ve had a little sampling of Kathy and her amazing writer resources, let’s get to know more about Kathy and get her opinions on writing rules, self-publishing and more!   When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? The urge to write was always a part of my life. As a child, I created stories and accompanied them with pictures. In fifth grade, I won a contest sponsored by an agricultural college. I can still remember the opening sentence: “Calling all cars, calling all cars.” Vague recollections of how the police tracked down weeds come to mind, but the plot has disappeared after all this time. And no, I won’t say how many dec— years have passed since then. During secondary school, I placed in a couple of speaking contests, wrote for the high school newspaper, and submitted a weekly high school news column to the local paper. D.G. – Wow, to think you began with writing for the school newspaper. But so not surprised. Do you agree with the general consensus that writers are loners? Yes. It’s difficult to retain focus or get any writing done if a myriad of activities takes writers away from their writing cave. However, savvy authors must interact with the world. How can they write about what it feels like to travel by air if they’ve never boarded a plane? How can they describe the scent of churros in the air at Disneyland if they’ve never been there? But time away from writing is never truly time away. An active mind is always thinking about the next story idea, the subplot of a WIP, or a way to make X or Y happen. D.G. – I totally agree Kathy. A writer’s mind never really sleeps. What’s your opinion on self-publishing? The good: Self-publishing provides unprecedented opportunities for writers who might otherwise be unable to find an agent or swing a book deal. In fact, some famous authors have switched to this platform or a hybrid model. The bad: The ease and speed of the process often results in poorly written books with a surfeit of plot holes, typos, and formatting inconsistencies. This has given self-publishing an unsavory reputation. Fortunately, most online sales outlets allow potential buyers to read the first part of a book before they order. Tip: If you want to support brick-and-mortar sellers, evaluate books online first. You’ll know what you like and what to avoid before haphazard strolls through local book stores. D.G. – I couldn’t agree with you more. Also, I think since the stigma of shoddy Indie work began, many want-to-be writers are learning how poorly shoddy work reflects on their work, and are taking in the advice. Do you have any advice you can share for new writers? Yes! Learn the rules. Understand why they exist before you make a conscious decision to break them. Stephen King doesn’t like adverbs — but he uses them. Occasionally. Mark Twain detested exclamation points — but they appear in his work. Often! Kurt Vonnegut loathed semicolons; however, he used 41 per 100,000 words. Stephen King’s opinion of adverbs: “If you have one on your lawn, it looks pretty and unique. If you fail to root it out, however, you find five the next day … fifty the day after that … and then, my brothers and sisters, your lawn is totally, completely, and profligately covered with dandelions.” Mark Twain’s take on italics and exclamation points: “But the teller of the comic story does not slur the nub; he shouts it at you — every time. And when he prints it … he italicizes it, puts some whooping exclamation-points after it … All of which is very depressing, and makes one want to renounce joking and lead a better life.” Kurt Vonnegut on semicolons: “They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you’ve been to college.” There is one incontrovertible rule, however: Sloppy punctuation and grammar makes writing difficult to understand. Difficult to understand = lost readers. D.G. – Loved all these quotes from some of the greats. I’m a firm believer in the first one: we must learn the rules before we can acceptably break them.   What are your writing goals for this year? I released The Writer’s Body Lexicon at the beginning of July. Based on what readers found there, a couple of them have asked me to publish a color lexicon. Putting the cart before the horse, I designed the cover already. Now for the research. I also have a sci-fi anthology in progress, and I’d like to write more short fiction and poetry for literary journals. My overarching problem is always lack of time. There never seem to be enough hours in a day to get through my to-do list. Maybe I should try to clone myself or discover a wayto survive without sleep. Any inventors out there? D.G. – Hello! I hear you loud and clear! I think all us writers could use a clone, lol. And fabulous you are already working on the next installment for the Lexicon series.   Who is your favorite author and why? My favorite author changes occasionally. Right now, it’s James Dashner, writer of The Maze Runner series. His narrative is imaginative and easy to read, without purple prose or excessive backstory. Short chapters and regular scene breaks make his books convenient to devour in spurts — a plus for anyone with a hectic lifestyle. I finished the Maze Runner books first and then watched the movies, which weren’t as good as the books. Are they ever? Diana Gabaldon is a close second with her Outlander novels. I prefer less sensory detail than she provides, but the storylines are riveting. And the writers of the Starz Outlander TV series deserve their own kudos. D.G. – I’ve heard so much praise for Outlander series. In fact, I’ll be reviewing a book this Sunday that many reviewers tout reminded them of that same series! And I have to say, my favorite kind of reading is short chapters too.   If you weren’t a writer, what else do you think you would do? I’d love to work as a CGI artist, to boldly go where no CGI artist has gone before, to create worlds for shows such as Star Trek, Game of Thrones, and Maze Runner. And what could be better than to travel to another planet, solar system, or galaxy for ideas? Impossible, at least for now, but a person can dream. Second best: Create colorful word pictures that transport readers to new galaxies and realms of imagination. Earth is where I am, and where I’m likely to stay. It’s not a punishment, and I enjoy my hectic life as it is. D.G. – Sounds ambitious. But I think you can sign up now for a trip to Mars?

Colleen Chesebro’s #Poetry Challenge – Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry

This week’s Poetry Challenge at Colleen Chesebro’s Word Craft is a #Photoprompt and we can choose any form of syllabic poetry for the story. I’ve written a tanka.       WELCOME TO TANKA TUESDAY! It’s the third week of the month! Time for a #PhotoPrompt Aishwarya, aka, Kitty from Kitty’s Verses, was my selection from last month’s challenge. She has provided the photo for this month’s challenge. Remember, don’t just describe what is in the photo. Engage your senses and work with implied metaphors to make your poetry sing!       All Aboard   Last chance for escape Anticipating freedom Awaiting the train Fleeing evil injustice Last stop ticket to new world   ©DGKaye     Source: COLLEEN’S 2020 WEEKLY #TANKA TUESDAY #POETRY CHALLENGE NO. 191 #PHOTOPROMPT | Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry

Frida Kahlo – The Love and Life of the Famed Mexican Artist

I’ve had a fascination with Frida Kahlo since I fell in love with Mexico. Frida was a bohemian free-spirited Mexican artist who is known for her unfettered strength in overcoming debilating physical illness and bullying when she was a young girl, first bedridden with polio, then later in her young womanhood years after recovering from polio, she was severely injured and mamed for life from a bus accident. It was when she was bedridden for months in a body cast that her father invented a makeshift way to hang an easel above her so she could paint, leading to her life as an eventual famous artist.   “Who needs feet when I’ve got wings to fly” ~Frida Kahlo   Frida Kahlo was born – Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo Calderon on July 6, 1907 in Mexico City, Mexico, and grew up during the Mexican revolution. Frida was the third of four daughters to her Mexican mother and her half German, half Hungarian father, born in Germany. When Frida was six years old she contracted polio and was left with one leg shorter than the other, which of course was good reason for other kids to make fun of her, despite the fact that she always wore long dresses to cover her smaller leg. And despite her illness she was quite clever and managed to excel through and finish high school at Prepatoria, which was recognized as one of Mexico’s presitigious high schools. The first thing Frida is remembered for is the tragic accident she endured when a streetcar crashed into the bus that Frida was on. Frida was just 18 years old on that September 17th day in 1925. The accident had left Frida with several broken and fractured bones, most dangerously her spinal cord was fractured. Being bedridden and immobilized for many months in a full body cast, it was then that Frida began to paint, mostly self-portraits portraying externally how she felt on the inside. And during that time, she realized she wanted to be a painter more than to continue on to study medicine.    “I paint myself because I am often alone and I am the subject I know best” ~ Frida Kahlo   After Frida recovered from the accident, she formed relationships with other artists, and notably, the already famous Diego Rivera, who was 21 years her senior, and he ultimately, became her husband –  twice, and the love of her very interesting life. Frida’s paintings continued to emphasize the pain she endured from the accident and the many operations that were to follow, and her exhaustive psychological pain. When asked about the symbolism of her paintings, this notable quote was Frida’s reply:   “I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality”~ Frida Kahlo   Frida’s art was deeply influenced by her Mexican culture, many paintings using vivid colors and dramatic symbolism, as well as both Christian and Jewish themes. In 1939 the Louvre Museum in Paris bought Kahlo’s first piece of 20th century art. When Frida recovered from being immobilized by the bus accident, she approached Diego Rivera, an already famous painter whose work Frida admired, for advice about pursuing her art career. Rivera knew Frida had talent and guided her to becoming famous in her own right, eventually leading to the fiery love affair they engaged in together. And despite the disapproval of her parents, Frida married Rivera in 1929. It is said her parents referred to them as the ‘elephant and the dove’ because of their vast size differential to each other. The relationship between this odd couple was often touted as tumultuous. Both Kahlo and Rivera had fiery instincts, both had extra-marital affairs. Frida was also an open bi-sexual. The saying goes that Diego didn’t mind her illicit affairs with women, but he was extremely jealous when she strayed with another man. It is said that the only time Frida didn’t approve of Diego’s wanderings is when he had an affair with her younger sister. Some thought it was payback from Diego, but it was enough for Frida to end the marriage. But that wasn’t the end because they both remarried each other in 1940. And their second go at marriage was just as explosive as it was the first time round.     Later in their marriage, Frida and Diego became Mexican communist sympathizers and became good friends with Leon Trotsky. Later, Trotsky and his wife came to live with the Riveras while hiding out there as they sought sanctuary from the Soviet Union. And once again, Frida had an affair with Trotsky, which upset his wife and sent them packing, and eventually, they were found and Trotsky was assassinated. Frida died on July 13th, 1954. It was said she died of a pulmonary embolism, but some others say she may have taken her own life with the many medications she took to dull her constant physical pain. In her last year she suffered pneumonia and gangrene in her leg, which was consequently, amputated at the knee. A few days before Frida died. she wrote in her diary:   “I hope the exit is joyful – and I hope never to return – Frida”    Today, Frida’s home in Coyoacán, a borough in Mexico City, known as the ‘Blue House’ – “Casa Azul”, is a museum housing many of Frida’s works and relics and a pre-Columbian urn containing her ashes. After Frida’s passing, in Diego’s autobiography, he writes that the most tragic day of his life was when Frida died, adding his regret that only too late did he realize that the best part of his life was the love he held for Frida.   Fun facts: Frida was known for her ‘strong dark hairline’ across her lip and her almost unibrow above her eyes. Frida lied about her age, telling people she was born in 1910 when the Mexican revolution began. Frida appeared on the 1937 cover of American Vogue magazine in an article entitled Senoras of Mexico. Frida and one of her sisters were briefly jailed as suspects of Leon Trotsky’s murder, but were soon cleared. In 1953 just before Frida’s leg was amputated and she suffered with terrible pain, her first solo art exhibition was to take place in Mexico at the Galería Arte Contemporaneo. Kahlo was on bed rest and wasn’t about to miss her first solo exhibition so she stubbornly went by ambulance on a stretcher and had her bed moved to the event. It was a year later when Frida died. Like many artists during their time, Frida wasn’t fully as famous in life as she was in death. Most of her adult life she was referred to as Diego’s wife rather than the talented artist recognition she didn’t gain respect for until after her death. Frida’s fame was hugely acknowledged in the 1970s with the pop culture explosion. At this time women were starting to stand up to be counted and students questioned the exclusions of non Western artists. Also at this time was the coming out of the gay community, which also commended Frida for her openness about her sexuality and her fierce pride for her Mexican roots.     I also purchased on my numerous visits to Mexico, a beautiful beach coverup with a portrait of Frida painted on the back, as well as a beach bag with Frida’s face embroidered on the bag.     (Note: the material is wrinkled, not her face)       Click on the link below to see some of Frida’s beautiful art and more! https://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/   Check out this mini view into various aspects of Frida’s colorful life. Biography   Some great photos of Frida and Diego and more famous quotes, click this link: https://www.museofridakahlo.org.mx/en...   If you ever get a chance to watch, I saw a fabulous movie of the life of Frida, starring Selma Hayek as Frida, and it was a fantastic accounting of Frida’s life with a parade of stars. The biographical movie was made in 2002 and was simply called Frida, although Frida was far from simple. You can check out more about the movie specs below: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120679/   ©DGKaye2020  

Smorgasbord Health Column – Supplements – Absorbing the nutrients, avoiding the additives by Sally Cronin | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

  Today I’m reblogging a segment from Sally Cronin’s Health Magazine at her Smorgasbord Invitation. Sally is a certified nutritionist among MANY other talents, and in this article she goes through the instruction of sharing the awareness about where it’s best to purchase natural supplements, the importance of understanding what you are taking, and caveats and conflictions with possible other medications.   Smorgasbord Health Column – Supplements – Absorbing the nutrients, avoiding the additives by Sally Cronin       I frequently get asked about taking supplements and when and how to take. In this post  I am looking at the use of supplements, the ingredients you should avoid and which ones are more easily absorbed by the body. My research into absorption of supplements goes back to my days of running my diet advisory clinic and health food shop twenty-two years ago here in Ireland. I noticed that herbal remedies in tincture form appeared to work more effectively than their tablet format, and as a consequence I usually suggested that customers and clients use the tincture or liquid form whenever it was available, and if not move to capsules. The capsules were easy to break apart and mix with water, rather than have to crush tablets which was recommended if hard to swallow or digest. Roll forward a few years when I was taking care of my mother who was on several medications (all tablets) to keep age related problems under control. She was 92 and had developed early stages of congestive heart failure. She had a pacemaker but she was now largely inactive, getting picky about eating and reluctant to drink fluids (except for banana milkshakes and black coffee). Her digestive system was unable to absorb her medications in tablet form and after changing to liquid or capsule forms showed a marked improvement in a number of physical symptoms. This was confirmed when diuretic pills she was taking stopped working and she needed an intravenous diuretic to clear the build up of fluid. Methods of improving the absorption of pills and tablets has improved in recent years but there are also new ways to take your supplements that increase that process significantly. I have taken supplements in one form or another when needed since my 20s, so for 47 years. However, I moved any supplements I take when possible, to oral sprays via the inside of my cheek or under my tongue for quick absorption into the bloodstream. I was taking a cross section of separate nutrients but now find that a multi-vitamin spray, with additional Vitamin D in the winter months sufficient. I also use an oral spray for Turmeric which seems to have been effective against my usual joint pain in the wet Irish winters and is hopefully maintaining my immune system. I cannot say definitively that they work, only that I find they do so for me. Why do we need to take supplements? I would love to be able to tell you, that eating a healthy and varied diet provides you with all the essential vitamins you need, but I would be misleading you. Good nutrition does begin with food, but today there is no guarantee that the food you are consuming, contains the same level of nutrients that it did 50 years ago or even 20 years ago. In some areas of the world, the soil we grow the food in is becoming depleted, and this results in less nutritious food. For the younger generation with a very active lifestyle combined with heavy work schedules or parenthood, taking a booster dose of nutrients is probably necessary. Also, as we age, we absorb food differently as I mentioned earlier, and this can impact the amount of nutrition we are obtaining. Once you become less active, you are likely to reduce your food intake, further restricting your ability to consume enough to provide all the nutrients you need. Once you are in your mid-60s both men and women lose their hormonal protective elements. We need to maintain our organ health, including our brains and also bone density to prevent age related physical and mental decline. This requires maintaining a balance of healthy fats, moderate intake of whole grains and plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, and this can become hard to achieve. Here is a summary of the nutrients we need to be healthy and the foods you need to consume. However, despite eating these foods, it is usually necessary to take some form of supplementation. to maintain healthy levels across the nutritional spectrum. Smorgasbord Health Column -Shopping list by food and by nutrient  . . . please continue reading.   Source: Smorgasbord Health Column – Supplements – Absorbing the nutrients, avoiding the additives by Sally Cronin | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine   ©DGKaye  

Sunday Book Review – Rescue and Redemption – #Poetry by Frank Prem

Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. Today I’m reviewing Book 3 in Frank Prem’s Love Poetry Trilogy – Rescue and Redemption. This book was inspired by T.S. Eliot’s poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, where once again, Prem takes us on a journey of words and emotions by taking lines from the poem and incorporating into his own poetry.     Blurb: Let us go then, you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient etherized upon a table; Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets, The muttering retreats Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells . . . from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Drawing on the phrasing of T.S. Eliot’s amazing early 20th century poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (above) Frank Prem has produced a collection of companionable and introspective love poetry written, as always, in the unique style that allows every reader to relate. Prem’s interpretations breathe new life into contemporary exploration of themes of love in poetry, and utilise Eliot’s original phrases to inspire a contemplation of the self in the context of landscape and the wider world: I am seeking you within the hubbub and the burly trying to gauge location by the strength and timbre of your voice rising and falling even as you rise and fall from rescue and redemption rescue and redemption is the third of the three collections that together comprise A Love Poetry Trilogy, with each revisiting outstanding work by stellar poets of the past to produce vibrant new collections. The first collection, walk away silver heart, draws on Amy Lowell’s deeply personal Madonna of the Evening Flowers, while the second, a kiss for the worthy, derives from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. This is a new kind of poetry that tells stories, draws pictures and elicits emotional responses from readers. Just as the best poetry should.   My 5 Star Review: Once again Prem has managed to create a beautiful collaboration of poetry by taking from the Prufrock poem by T.S. Eliot and converting lines into Prem’s newly adapated poetry in his 3rd book to this beautiful trilogy – Rescue and Redemption. Prem evokes both the beauty and sometimes pain of love reflected from the original poem, and brings us into his own interpretations converted from the original, expressing deep thought and meaning, love, loss, elation and more. I would state the author’s poetry style as minimalistic in words, but deep on contemplation, using the epigraph at the beginning, serving the role for the Requiem. A few of my favorites were:  You and Me (at three O’clock), and Novel Advice ( my darlings) which will resonate with most writers:   “There will be time to murder and create always kill your darlings sage advice for one and all you need to kill your darlings but . . . all in time you can take it slow first build them up with all your heart make them ring clearly sound and true make them loveable likeable and hateful both essential critical unimaginable make of them the pumping heart that reveals the story with each beat take your time write what you want and then . . . commit a little mayhem don’t hesitate to dramatize let chaos rule throughout the world always the way you guide and no need to explain your why to anyone why did you kill our darlings why not keep them were they not good we all feel so vulnerable with our darlings gone and wonder we wonder what will happen to us in the chapter that you write next” If you enjoy variations on different poetry styles and words that stir and move you, you will enjoy this entire trilogy! ©DGKaye2020          

Sunday Book Review –

Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. Today I’m reviewing Book 3 in Frank Prem’s Love Poetry Trilogy – Rescue and Redemption. This book was inspired by T.S. Eliot’s poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, where once again, Prem takes us on a journey of words and emotions by taking lines from the poem and incorporating into his own poetry.     Blurb: Let us go then, you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient etherized upon a table; Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets, The muttering retreats Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells . . . from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Drawing on the phrasing of T.S. Eliot’s amazing early 20th century poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (above) Frank Prem has produced a collection of companionable and introspective love poetry written, as always, in the unique style that allows every reader to relate. Prem’s interpretations breathe new life into contemporary exploration of themes of love in poetry, and utilise Eliot’s original phrases to inspire a contemplation of the self in the context of landscape and the wider world: I am seeking you within the hubbub and the burly trying to gauge location by the strength and timbre of your voice rising and falling even as you rise and fall from rescue and redemption rescue and redemption is the third of the three collections that together comprise A Love Poetry Trilogy, with each revisiting outstanding work by stellar poets of the past to produce vibrant new collections. The first collection, walk away silver heart, draws on Amy Lowell’s deeply personal Madonna of the Evening Flowers, while the second, a kiss for the worthy, derives from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. This is a new kind of poetry that tells stories, draws pictures and elicits emotional responses from readers. Just as the best poetry should.   My 5 Star Review: Once again Prem has managed to create a beautiful collaboration of poetry by taking from the Prufrock poem by T.S. Eliot and converting lines into Prem’s newly adapated poetry in his 3rd book to this beautiful trilogy – Rescue and Redemption. Prem evokes both the beauty and sometimes pain of love reflected from the original poem, and brings us into his own interpretations converted from the original, expressing deep thought and meaning, love, loss, elation and more. I would state the author’s poetry style as minimalistic in words, but deep on contemplation, using the epigraph at the beginning, serving the role for the Requiem. A few of my favorites were:  You and Me (at three O’clock), and Novel Advice ( my darlings) which will resonate with most writers:   “There will be time to murder and create always kill your darlings sage advice for one and all you need to kill your darlings but . . . all in time you can take it slow first build them up with all your heart make them ring clearly sound and true make them loveable likeable and hateful both essential critical unimaginable make of them the pumping heart that reveals the story with each beat take your time write what you want and then . . . commit a little mayhem don’t hesitate to dramatize let chaos rule throughout the world always the way you guide and no need to explain your why to anyone why did you kill our darlings why not keep them were they not good we all feel so vulnerable with our darlings gone and wonder we wonder what will happen to us in the chapter that you write next” If you enjoy variations on different poetry styles and words that stir and move you, you will enjoy this entire trilogy! ©DGKaye2020          

Q & A with D.G. Kaye – Featuring Adele Marie Park – Sea Dragons

Welcome to my Q & A. Today I’m happy to be featuring my friend and Fey Sister, Adele Marie Park and her new release, Sea Dragons, Book II in her Wisp series, a dark, magical fantasy with murder and magic!       About Adele: Adele Marie Park was born in the north-east of Scotland, and at the age of six months, she moved to live with family on the Orcadian island of Rousay. Her childhood was surrounded by the tales and legends of old, and these became the themes and beliefs she’s carried with her through life as they now emerge and live within the pages of her books. Adele’s first published book is Wisp. A tale of murder, passion and intrigue set in the mythical world of Edra. Wisp II Sea Dragons is now available on Amazon. She has won awards for her short stories and many have been published in successful anthologies. Her writing crosses genres between fantasy and horror but is always character driven. Transforming the pictures and characters in her head as if by magic onto the pages of her books. Her belief in magic, faeries and the paranormal has never wavered.     Blurb: The malevolent and ruthless mage, Dante Asano is defeated but victory came at a horrific price. Before Wisp and his companions could intervene, Dante possessed Pendra Thorn’s body. In order to stop Dante without killing Pendra, a magic sleep spell was cast. A glass coffin warded with powerful spells encased her body while her mind fled to a favourite memory; unfortunately, Dante is also trapped with her. The magical coffin will only keep her alive, and Dante contained for a short time. A desperate plan to undertake a treacherous journey across an unknown sea means Wisp and his companions must disband. Some journey with Wisp to find an ancient spell to release Pendra and banish Dante’s spirit. Those left behind must guard Pendra in a city under threat. An ancient evil casts a shadow over Edra causing burgeoning unrest and setting the inhabitants against one another. Wisp’s journey must be successful not only for Pendra’s sake but also for Edra itself.   First Review: Colleen M. Chesebro 5.0 out of 5 stars An atmospheric dark fantasy filled with suspense, murder, and magic! Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2020 “Sea Dragons” begins with Wisp, a Marsh Faerie Law Enforcer, as he waits inside the office of the new Senior, Nether Green, an elf with considerable law enforcement experience to show for a planned meeting. He reminisces about the events of the last six months, and recalls the death of his Senior officer Bartholomew at the hands of Dante Asano, and how Lady Pendra Thorne’s childhood home was now her mausoleum, where she lays sealed inside a glass coffin warded with spells. Wisp, Finn, and Arutha watch over the princess in the glass coffin day and night. After an hour there is a knock at the door. Wisp learns there’s been a murder, and the new Senior is the victim! Even stranger, the new Senior is found hanging from a rope, made to look like a suicide. After a visit to the scene of the murder, Wisp quickly picks up on a few prominent details and comes to the assumption that the new Senior was indeed murdered. Now, Wisp must solve the murder of another dead elf! Meanwhile, at home, Finn discovers Pendra convulsing within her glass coffin. Finn summons his mother to help him deal with this new situation. Inside the glass coffin, Pendra’s mind retreats into a favorite memory of childhood comfort, where she tries to maintain her sanity; unfortunately, the evil Dante is also trapped inside her body. In this state of flux within her mind, Pendra learns the horrible truth of the ancient evil that controls Dante Asano and his plan to rule Edra. The magical coffin will only keep Pendra alive, and Dante contained for a brief time. To save her, Wisp and Finn and his family have to remove the evil Dante without harming Pendra. When it’s decided that there might be a spell which will separate Dante from Pendra, Wisp and the others set off for Samoyer, a land across the Great Sea. The only problem is, Finn’s father, Slait, has a price on his head if he returns to his homeland. Yet, without this spell, Pendra will die and Edra could cease to exist. Park has woven an atmospheric dark fantasy filled with suspense, murder, and magic! Through thoughtful detail, we’re introduced to a world filled with dragons, elves, goblins, faeries, and many other creatures where the laws of magic govern the land. Park’s portrayal of the evil Farloaeth, the ancient harbinger of doom, reminded me of the Norse’s “Wild Hunt,” which added sensory details to the story in unexpected ways. She filled the book with plenty of twists and turns, which kept me reading long into the night. The end was a total surprise, which stops on a bit of a cliffhanger. My mouth literally dropped open when I read the last pages. I never saw it coming. I’ve been a fan of this author’s novels, since I stumbled upon some of her short- stories in several anthologies published within the writing community. Read “Wisp” and then delve into “Sea Dragons” as the books are not standalone novels. If you love fantasy, you will love these characters. Seriously, I can’t wait to find out what happens in the third book. With Park’s creativity, the sky is the limit! Let’s get to know more about Adele and about how her childhood has aided in leading her to fantasy writing!     What hobbies do you enjoy when not writing? My second love is painting, watercolour. I can paint from an image, but I prefer to work with the subject directly. Especially when painting the flowers in the garden or a beach scene. I also adore drawing, pencil, or ink, but I haven’t used ink for a long time and having said it here, I want to buy some and give it a go. I read as if it’s the last book on earth, devouring and living each book that I read. Crocheting is something I love to do in the winter when the weather gets cold. Blankets, hats, scarfs, and little dolls. The garden is another love of mine and I enjoy sitting out as I weed, plant, or play with the dog. I have always loved cooking and have a few favourite dishes that turn out well each time. Vegetable lasagne, my macaroni and my veggie stew and dumplings. I do wish I could bake, my aunt Adeline, who brought me up, was a fantastic baker. Walking along the beach, I am definitely a beach girl. Searching for sea glass and looking in rock pools. D.G. – Sounds like never a dull moment for you Adele with all your crafting and hobbies, besides writing, lol   What are your writing goals for this year? An e-book which is to be published by Black Wolf Publishing. It’s just at the finishing stage to be sent back to them. Finish writing the third instalment in the Wisp series then get it edited before finally publishing with amazon. I have two other books in the pipeline, and I hope to get the time to finish them as well. Ideas pop into my head all the time and through dreams as well. Once these projects are finished, I hope to work on a companion book for Wisp which will have maps of Edra, the country in which Wisp is based and character drawings which I want to do. It will give the readers the chance to see Edra and the characters and pick up knowledge of the different races on Edra, their magical skills and where they live. It’s going to be a huge project but I’m looking forward to it. I don’t know if I can publish it through amazon as I want a specific look, an antique finish as if you’ve just found the book in a dusty attic. D.G. – Wow, that sounds fabulous Adele. And I wish you luck with these abundant amount of exciting projects.   What is the worst part of publishing and why? For me it is the editing. The first, second and third self-edit can drive me bonkers as I tend to want to re-write a lot which takes time. Then it is off to the editors who depending on their lifestyle can have other jobs before their editing. The wait is torture, so I usually begin writing something else to take my mind off it. When the first edits come back to me it can take a long time to read through and make the corrections. It’s just so frustrating because I’m a “yes let’s get this done” type of person but I temper my enthusiasm as I want to produce the best possible work I can and that involves other people as well as me. A novel is not a solo project and I am so incredibly grateful to my editors who go above and beyond the call of duty at times. By the time, the novel is ready to publish it can sometimes be nerve racking to finally put it out there as it has been so long in the evolving process. D.G. – I’m with you on all you said, lol. The first return from the editor holds us writers in great anticipation, and then the gruel of revising again from edits. Isn’t writing fun?   If you weren’t a writer what else do you think you would do? I wanted to be an art teacher, preferably for younger children as it can be so much fun to explore colours and types of using paints and crayons with them. The other thing I would like to do is to be completely off grid. This would mean building our own house, I love cob houses, solar and wind power to provide electricity and warmth in winter. Growing my own veg and herbs and I have always wanted a goat. Yes, a goat. It would provide milk for making cheese which is something I don’t think I can live without. Cheese and my love for it means that I stay vegetarian and not vegan, although there are good vegan cheeses around these days. No television, no internet, and a happy peaceful life. Ideally this vision would happen on the coast beside a favourite beach. Now, if I make enough money writing, ahem, that just might happen. D.G. – That sounds heavenly, be right over, lol!   Where do you think your passion for storytelling originated from? I grew up on the small island of Rousay which is part of the Orkney Isles. I was lucky that the old traditions and stories were still prevalent at the time I was a child. My aunt Adeline and Uncle Tommy raised me, and they had all the time in the world for me and my questions, even though Tommy had the farm to run and Adeline was the district nurse. My uncle Willie lived just up the road from our house, and I would wander up to his to hear stories about Trows, (trolls), witches, faeries, mermaids and selkies. I would also have my tea up at his house a few times a week. Usually a boiled egg, toast, and a wee glass of stout. Another great influence was Willie o Hammerfield. In Orkney you are usually known by the name of your house rather than your surname. Willie lived with his wife Mabel at the edge of a cliff which sheared downward to the wild sea. He told me tales about selkies, grey seals who change into humans on land, leaving their skins and dancing in the moonlight. He also told me about the Finn Folk who lived in these islands many years ago and fought a...