Hello, beautiful readers! I had very little time to read this month because of the opening of school. Luckily, I chose an amazing poetry book that I could read in snippets, and I enjoyed it thoroughly!
“Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words.” Arthur Brisbane 1911.
An image offers an opportunity to see endless possibilities depending on the viewer’s perspective. Where some might see beauty and joy, others imagine sadness and loss of hope.
In this collection, images and syllabic poetry are brought together to tell a story based on the author’s perspective. The poetry explores our human experiences such as love, happiness, hope, aging, friendship, new beginnings, dreams and loss.
The world around us is an amazing playground and source of all our essential needs as well as sensory experiences that bring wonder into our lives. What lies beyond the horizon? What surprises will we discover as a garden bursts into bloom? Where do the night creatures live?
At the end of the collection there are some longer poems celebrating memories of the author’s life of travel, teenage exploits and love of food!
My Review:
I absolutely loved this collection of poems. Not only was each poem accompanied by a stunning picture, it was also written to reach into the soul and permeate slowly. Many of the poems are written in syllabic poetry forms such as the butterfly cinquain and the Etheree. The poet is concise with her words while choosing powerful imagery to stir emotions and connection.
Some of my favorite poems were Our Legacy, Advancing Years, Sunflower Seeds, The Air, The Beacon, Hope, On the Wind, Birthdays, Is it time?, The Sunflower poems, The Future?, Life's Progression... Honestly, I could list them all. Some are layered with humor; others touch upon profound concepts that make one pause and ponder. All of them are beautiful works of art. If you enjoy poetry that makes your soul smile, I definitely recommend this book.
Have you read a great book this month? I'd love for you to share. :-)
Hello, beautiful readers! The first full week of school is behind me, and I honestly did not think I would get to this week's #TankaTuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge. Luckily, I became inspired while sitting at the beach today.
This week, Colleen Chesebro challenged us to use at least one kigo word in our syllabic poem. As Colleen explained, "A kigo is a season word used in haiku and haibun (the haiku portion)." Kigo can include seasonal words, the sky and other elements, landscape, human affairs, animals, and plants.
As I was sitting at the beach today, I sunk my feet in the sand after my second swim to the buoy and back and gazed at the clouds on the horizon. They looked like a painting where light and shadow were used to create texture. I tried to take a picture of it, but it couldn't capture the beautiful art that nature was creating.
I chose to write a haiku with a syllabic pattern of 5-7-5. Haikus contain kigo, or seasonal words. I believe I used a few words that represent kigo below. Haikus are also untitled.
Hello, beautiful readers! Today, I have the pleasure of introducing Breakfield and Burkey's newest book in their Enigma series, The Killer Enigma! If you haven't read one of their technothrillers yet, you are going to want to learn about this series.
GIVEAWAYS:
(7) epub copies of THE KILLER ENIGMA
Please leave the authors a comment below for your chance to win one of these awesome prizes!
Mystery, crime, and larceny get woven into The Killer
Enigma. There is also romance and some heartache between JJ and Jo. Their
anniversary getaway doesn’t seem to be going any better than last year’s vacation.
But they both care for each other even when JJ ticks Jo off.
She sat and watched him with those big brown eyes he
always got lost in.
“I’m sorry, Jo. I was trying to figure out the right
order to explain and messed up yet again.”
“I’m listening now since I overreacted. I’ll wait ’til
you finish. I’m sorry too.”
“Yesterday, when I rode back with Tommy, he and I had a
couple of discussions. One was about the evidence he figured I gathered, and
the other was about you. I told him our suspicions and some of what we learned
during our searches. I told him I wanted to keep you safe.”
“I know that, JJ.”
He looked at her as she ran her fingers across her mouth
and moved like locking her lips shut.
He laughed. “You’re too cute. He said he would be worried
too if he were married to such a well-known model who is drop-dead gorgeous.”
Jo appeared stunned, with her eyes wide. She covered her
mouth with a hand as a groan escaped her lips. “Oh, dear. Does everyone in town
know? You’re right. This is a problem I hadn’t even considered. Everyone has
been…”
“Tommy said he believes only he and Lily know. When he
questioned her after the attack last year, Lily inadvertently gave him a clue.
She’d feel awful if you knew she’d spilled the beans. He also suggested this
town likes us and is glad we returned for a visit. He thinks we should stay if
we can get over the mess we found.”
The authors are always willing to answer questions or
discuss The Killer Enigma:
BOOK
BLURB
Enough is Enough - JJ roars when the Paparazzi wrecked
their dinner
JJ and Jo realize
privacy doesn’t exist for them. They return to Magnolia Bluff to check on their
friends and recapture the small-town anonymity. In Magnolia Bluff, no one
suspects their fame.
They discount the status as urban legends in favor of acceptance and a quiet,
peaceful life. After all, a supermodel needs time and space to recharge between
jobs. A geek wants time to adore his wife.
· Does Magnolia Bluff hold the answers to their prayers?
· Will their desires get clouded by a hidden secret?
Past, present, and future collide in a perfect storm no one expected. JJ and Jo
take action to uncover the truth. Chief Tommy Jager likes them but feels
they’re a lightning rod for trouble and disruption.
Who will live or die to prevent the truth from being exposed? The answers may
be in the graveyard with fresh flowers on the gravestone.
What readers are saying
Literary Titan - The Killer Enigma offers a fresh perspective
on the complexities of small-town existence and the lengths individuals are
willing to go to liberate themselves from the constricting grasp of urban life.
Readers’ Favorite - Breakfield and Burkey deliver yet another
engrossing installment of the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles with The Killer
Enigma.
AUTHOR BIOS
BREAKFIELD– Charles is a data/telecom solution architect and
supports digital security, blockchain solutions, and unified communications. He
enjoys writing, studying World War II history, international travel, and
cultural exchanges. Charles’ love of wine tastings, cooking, and Harley riding
often provides writing topics.
Much of his personality
comes from his father, who served in the military for 30 years and three wars.
Charles grew up on multiple bases and in different countries. The multicultural
exposure helps him with the various character perspectives they bring to the
series. His personal ambition is to continue to teach Burkey humor.
BURKEY– Rox is a Customer Experience Specialist who works with
businesses worldwide. As a gifted speaker and accomplished listener, she
bridges the chasm between business problems and technical solutions to optimize
business productivity. She has written technology briefings and white papers
but launches into high gear when plotting our next technothriller or short
story.
As a youngster, she led
the other kids with her highly charged imagination generating new adventures
with make-believe characters as a child. She is proud of being a Girl Scout
until high school and contributed to the community as a member of a Head Start
program. Rox enjoys her family, learning, listening to people, traveling,
outdoor activities, sewing, cooking, and thinking about diversifying the
series.
They are passionate about
leveraging real technology into fictional writing. The variety of characters’
attributes from the many people who crossed their professional paths adds that
depth. Admittedly, Breakfield often asks people he meets if they thought about
being an evil cyberthug or femme fatale in their series.
Both authors have traveled to many
places around the world. These travels are pulled into stories that require
personal knowledge of specific locals. They enjoy well-rounded thrillers,
including humor, romance, intrigue, suspense, and mystery.
To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit theAUTHORS' TOUR PAGEon the 4WillsPublishing site. If you'd like to schedule your own blog tour and have your book promoted in similar grand fashion, please clickHERE. Thanks for supporting these authors and their work!
Hello, beautiful readers! It's been a busy couple of weeks for me as I prepared for the beginning of school and then started the new school year. My first two days were exhausting but great. I have a feeling it's going to be a wonderful school year.
My son's first football game of the season was this past Friday. He played extremely well. He had four carries for 62 yards, two touchdowns, one two-point conversion, and a forced fumble! I know this has nothing to do with this prompt, but proud mama has to share. 😉
I missed last week's prompt because every day was nonstop, and here it is now Sunday, and I'm just creating a moment to get this week's #TankaTuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge prompt done. This week, Colleen Chesebro challenged us to write a poem based on this beautiful picture from Terri Webster Schrandt.
For as long as I can remember, the sunflower has been my favorite flower. Yellow and green are my favorite colors, and a sunflower has both of them. In my younger years, I battled with depression a few times, and sunflowers became my reminder to always follow the light. So, there was no way I was going to let this week pass without writing a poem. (Plus, did you know that sunflower seeds are extremely healthy for you? They reduce inflammation, improve heart health, support the immune system, and boost your energy levels.)
I chose to write a reverse cinquain. This form reverses the order of an American cinquain, making the lines follow a syllabic pattern of 2-8-6-4-2. In a traditional American cinquain, the words should create drama that builds into the fourth line with the pivot happening on line five. I decided to reverse that as well and put the drama in line two. So, I'm bending some rules. Cinquains must always have a title.
Survivor
flower
folds protectively in darkness
draws its strength from the sun
stands tall and strong
fearless
What is your favorite flower and why? I'd love to hear from you below.
There is still time to write a poem of your own. Join us here.
Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's #TankaTuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge, Colleen Chesebro has asked us to write a poem using synonyms of words wave and flow. As a beach lover, my mind immediately goes to water.
So, I decided to write a haiku. A haiku is a 3-line poem with a 5-7-5 syllabic pattern. The middle line is supposed to be a pivot where the first two lines can create one image and the last two lines can create a different image. It should also connect with nature or seasons in some way. Recently, we learned that a haiku isn't really about the syllables but about the rhythm. I tried to incorporate that as well. You can learn more about it here.
My life is about to get even busier. Next week starts back-to-school preparation. I'll be working four of the five days to teach beginning teachers and begin setting up my classroom, plus doing my part-time job on the side. The following week will be mandatory teacher planning days and the first two days of school.
The beginning of the school year is always an energy drain for me. Don't get me wrong. I love what I do and am excited to meet my new students, but the body isn't as young as it used to be. Getting back into a school routine takes an adjustment.
I still plan to be around, write poetry, participate in the RRBC Writer's Conference and Book Expo, and support my fellow authors as much as I can, but if I'm a little quieter, you'll know why. 😊
Do you want to try to create a poem with synonyms for the words wave and flow? Join us here.
