Callum McLaughlin's Blog, page 73
March 1, 2015
February in Books
books, books, books!
It���s time for my second short reading update of 2015! When it comes to books, February was a good month for me. Not only did I release one of my own, I also managed to read 6 of them, taking my yearly total up to 15 thus far and keeping me well on track to reach my 40 book target by the end of December.
Within the mix this time round were a graphic novel and an indie poetry collection, keeping that sense of variety and diversity going which I���m really pleased about and hope to carry forward into March.
How are you getting on with your reading goals? Did you read any good books in February?
February 26, 2015
February 24, 2015
Seeking Solace | Poetry Book Trailer
It���s just a quick post today to first of all say a big thank you to everyone who was kind and supportive during the recent launch of my poetry collection, Seeking Solace, and to share a short trailer for anyone interested in checking out the book.
You can find it at the following links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US | Goodreads
Thanks again and happy reading!
February 22, 2015
City Slicker
Power suits and coffee steam ���
Mindless, faceless swarm
Lost in man-made jungles
February 20, 2015
Compassion | #1000Speak
#1000Speak
Solitary songbird soaring in the sky
Poised to gift her music to desert plains so dry
Flightless, fallen comrades, compassion for them all
Swallowed in the silence that thrives on pleasure���s fall
Blinkered in the search of vessels for her love
The black hole soul of humans won���t drain this selfless dove
Collecting tears of sorrow that shimmer with regret
To nourish desperate saplings burdened with our debt
And as her wings grow weak, no offer of relief
She tumbles towards the Earth that���s healed by her own grief
But she feels not fear or anger as she takes her dying breath
For she can hold her head up high in her honourable death
—
Let us not wait until it���s too late to show compassion to this glorious world we live in; the wonderfully diverse creatures that call it home and the fellow people with whom we share it. #1000Speak for compassion today, but I think it���s not too grand a claim to say we could all stand to show a little more of it every day.
February 17, 2015
The poet speaks
I was interviewed about all things poetry by the lovely Kay. You can check it out here!
Originally posted on Suddenly they all died. The end.:
With me today is Callum McLaughlin, author of��The Vessel,��False Awakening, and��Seeking Solace. ��He���s graciously agreed to talk poetry with me, and I hope you���ll have as much fun reading about his work as I did. :)
KK: So, how long have you been writing poetry?
CM: I���ve been writing in virtually every capacity since childhood. My earliest memory specifically associated with poetry is when I won a school competition aged 10 and I���ve been interested in the art form ever since. The poems included in Seeking Solace were written throughout the last couple of years, which is when I���d say I started really taking it seriously and falling more and more in love with it.
KK: We have something in common there ��� I wrote my first poem at age ten for a summer homework assignment. :) ��What got you interested in poetry?
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February 16, 2015
Sale, sale, sale!
False Awakening
In celebration of the launch of my poetry collection, Seeking Solace, my previous book, False Awakening, will be on sale from today until Friday 20th February on Amazon UK and Amazon USA.
—
When teenager Abi Watson wakes in a hospital bed with no memory of the incident that put her there, she must begin the long and difficult process of piecing her life back together, but unfortunately, her search for answers will merely give rise to further questions. Frayed relationships and haunting revelations soon come into play, leading Abi to discover that some things are best left forgotten.
With a past that is unwilling to let go, her only option is to delve into the depths of her own mind so that she can uncover the truth and finally awaken from her living nightmare.
—
excerpt from False Awakening
Thanks as always to anyone who picks up a copy ��� I hope you enjoy Abi���s story. Have a wonderful day and happy reading!
February 13, 2015
Seeking Solace | Book Launch!
Seeking Solace is available now
That wonderful mix of excitement and nerves is back: My newest book, Seeking Solace, is now available to buy both for kindle and as a paperback.
The official synopsis is as follows:
—
Seeking Solace is a collection of sixty poems that span a variety of topics and touch on universal aspects of modern life, from nature and war to friendship, love and grief, with many others in between.
From the very air we breathe to the wholly make-believe, regardless of whether inspiration has come from the world around us or the most whimsical of dreams, the one common thread that unites them all is a desire to create poetry that is both approachable and relatable.
—
I���ve included a couple of visual quotes below with small excerpts from various poems in the collection as a little taster.
Taken from ‘Making Memories’
Taken from ‘Grand Cosmos’
It can be daunting to share something so personal, as poetry is in many ways like a window into someone���s very heart and mind, and so I hugely appreciate each and every person who has supported me in getting here or who will now show their support to Seeking Solace.
You can find it on Amazon UK by clicking here, Amazon US by clicking here or Goodreads by clicking here. If you enjoy it, please do let me know with a review; it really does make all the difference. Thank you.
February 10, 2015
Seeking Solace | Cover Reveal
Seeking Solace
I���m incredibly excited to be able to share the cover for my newest book and first poetry collection, Seeking Solace. I���m really happy with how it turned out and hope you like it.
The book should be available in both Kindle and paperback formats within the coming week or so ��� I will of course keep you updated here on my blog.
It���s been a long time in the making and as much as I���m looking forward to having a neat, documented way to look back at a significant portion of my poems for my own benefit, I can���t wait to also share it with anyone out there kind enough to spare their time to read what I have to say.
February 8, 2015
Solecism
Narcissus worshiper inglorious in lust
Presents a banquet with table fit for one
Feasting on richest spoils that leave a bitter taste
But numbed to resonance this gorge seems infinite
Dancing clumsily in your unkempt redundance
Lancing your armed mouth comes forked guile
Reviling, backbiting displayed in destitution
Repudiate truth disallowing clean visibility
Languishing now by your crystallised lake
To preserve your miserable, warped creations
Nails scraping on icy barriers of self-made loathing
Carelessly discarded souls of generosity at bay
Advent in your predictability to flourish animosity
Never austere in your unaccountability
Presumptuous in the clouded lies of a behemoth brain
Only draws the precipitous turn of the swift arm of karma
For when you seek out the eyes reflected in haste
Feel the void of an induced blackness held within
Gathering fists to birth the sweetest overflow of union
Finding rather desert plains of enforced drought
Let me just say that I do not envy your fate
Lost in translation of an unending hell
The life you have sought so hard to gain
Will end in the loss of the one thing you crave
—
I had the pleasure of co-writing this piece with the brilliant Lisa. If you aren’t familiar with her work then I definitely recommend you head over and check out her blog.
