New Release by Harmony Kent - Sorrowful Soul, Book 3 in the Soul Poetry Series! @harmony_kent #poetry #grief #poems #NewRelease

Hello, beautiful readers! Today I'd like to share with you the newest poetry book from an incredibly talented author, Harmony Kent! If you have never read a story or poem from her, you are in for a treat! Please welcome Harmony to our space as she shares this beautiful book with you all.

~o~

Hi, Yvi.

Thanks so much for hosting me today. It’s always wonderful to visit with you.

Here’s a little bit I’d love to share about my latest book of poetry, Sorrowful Soul. Full of freestyle poems, which provide company and compassion through the devastating journey of grief and loss and onward, this heartfelt collection shows us we do not travel this lonely road alone.

Since Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s excellent book on the stages of grief, we now have an established set of seven stages to the grieving process. Although these stages are non-linear and can be revisited at any time, it’s helpful to have a rough idea of what we might expect during this difficult period of transition. The second stage is commonly known as Denial.

Here’s an extract from the opening lines to a poem about disbelief …

From Part 2: Denial

(Extract From Done)

Hands raised

Palms out

Flat in refusal

Blood stained

Coated in tears

Of hurt and disbelief

You would never

Leave me alone

Stay away, I tell

The naysayers

Who’d have me

Convinced

Have you ever found yourself in a state of disbelief and denial over an unexpected change or loss? Chat with me in the comments. I hope you enjoyed this poetic excerpt and would love to know what you think. Thanks for reading! 😊

Book Trailer:

PRE-ORDER NOW: https://mybook.to/SorrowfulSoul

About the Book:

If we’re lucky, we meet twilight at the front door and old age creeps in on the night breeze.

Even if we make it to our twilight years, the more we age, the more loss we must endure as part of the cycle of life. Many of these poems lament death, but they also relate to broken relationships, severed friendships, and the loss of youth. This book of grief poetry is as much about saying goodbye and working through loss as it is about death and love split asunder.

This heartfelt collection provides company and compassion through the devastating journey of loss and shows us we do not travel this lonely road alone. Within these pages we share shock, numbness and denial, catapult into anger, bargaining, depression, loneliness, and guilt, and—eventually—make the seismic shift into testing the possibility of a new normal and finding acceptance.

AUTHOR BIO:

Harmony Kent spent 13 years in a Zen Buddhist monastery, where she faced her demons and overcame devastating low self-esteem and found freedom. After a life-changing injury, Harmony returned to the world at the tender age of 40, and her life as a writer began.

Harmony is an award winning multi-genre author, and her publications include:

The Battle forBrisingamen (Fantasy Fiction) AIA approved

The Glade (Mystery/Thriller) AIA Approved/BRAG Medallion Honouree/New Apple Literary Awards Official Selection Honours 2015

Polish Your Prose:Essential Editing Tips for Authors (Writing/Editing) New Apple Literary Awards Top Medallist Honours 2015

Finding Katie (Women’s Fiction)

Slices of Soul (Soul Poetry Series: Book 1)

Life and Soul (Soul Poetry Series: Book 2)

Sorrowful Soul (Soul Poetry Series: Book 3)

Interludes (Erotic Short Stories)

Interludes 2 (Erotic Short Stories)

Moments (Short Stories and Poetry)

Jewel in the Mud (Zen Musings)

Polish Your Prose (How to Self-Edit)

Creative Solutions (Creative Writing Inspiration)

Backstage (Erotic Romance and Thriller)

FALLOUT(Post-Apocalyptic Dystopia) BRAG Medallion Honouree

The Vanished Boy (Psychological Thriller)

As well as being an avid reader and writer, Harmony also offers reviews and supports her fellow authors. Harmony is always on the lookout for talent and excellence and will freely promote any authors or books who she feels have these attributes.

Harmony's Website

Twitter: @harmony_kent

Goodreads: Harmony Kent

BookBub: Harmony Kent

Story Empire (co-authored blog): Harmony Kent

Harmony’s Amazon Author Page: author.to/HarmonysBooks

~o~

I hope you all will pick up a book or two from Harmony! I have no doubt you will enjoy them. We'd love to hear from you. Do you enjoy poetry? Can you relate to the poem Harmony shared with us? Tell us in the comments below! :-)

Welcome to Day 5 of the REIMAGINING NEON Blog Tour featuring Author, Linda C. Mims! @boom_lyn @YvetteMCalleiro @RRBC_Org @RRBC_RWISA @4WillsPub @4WP11 #TheNeonHouses

Hello, beautiful readers! I am so excited to share with you a story I'm sure you will love. I first read The Neon Houses many years ago and immediately fell in love with the characters and the storyline. The author, on the other hand, pulled it from the virtual shelves because she wanted to reimagine the story. I have been after her for years to give me "more Neon," and she has finally come through! Join me in welcoming Linda Mims to our space as she shares her story with you.

GIVEAWAYS!

GIVEAWAYS:  (3) $10 Amazon gift cards

Please leave Linda a comment below or anywhere along the tour, for your chance to win one of her awesome giveaways!

~o~

Modern Methods of Communication

We’re concerned that our kids are becoming lazy communicators because they text, instant message, or use Facebook, TikTok and Instagram as means of communication. We wonder if they’re losing valuable social skills by not engaging in actual conversations.

The young people’s habits are carrying over to my generation (Boomers), and I think it’s a good thing. I’ve talked to more people today than I would’ve in a week. I had five communications and can have even more when I’m through here. All I need to do is go to Facebook and chat with whoever is on. If I go to text messaging, I can chat with my daughter who lives in another state. My brother emailed me photos from Texas, and I texted him to ask when he was coming home.

In the last two days, I talked to two of my former students on Messenger and received a job offer on LinkedIn. This is addictive. No wonder kids can’t put their phones down. My friends and I are more eloquent on Facebook than we would be on the phone, and we’re learning the shorthand that kids use while texting.

We may also be a little more honest in these quick conversations, which I’m learning to watch because there’s still something about hearing tone and voice inflections. Still, we don’t fill our online conversations with extraneous details, conversation openers, or needless chatter. We say what we really need to say and sign off.

The kids have hit on something that makes them much more social and more connected than we were as kids.

Now, if only we could talk to people or play games just by thinking about it, via a chip in our heads. Welcome to the world in 2087.

(Excerpt from The Neon Houses, The new computer chip.)

“I had a good time, as usual. You guys don’t disappoint,” said Declan Daniels, another of Dickey’s coworkers and probably the one who worked the closest with him and Mayor Scott Baker.

“Thanks, Declan,” Noel said.

Dickey called out to Noel’s dad and waved him over. “This is the guy I was telling you about, Cam. He’s always looking for the latest microchip dashes.” Dickey made introductions.

Dashes could be purchased and stamped into a chip’s memory band, allowing access to books, movies, and music through the sensory modules of one’s brain.

“Thanks for your interest, Declan,” Cam said. “I’m working out a few kinks in our latest dash. We want better ways to activate or halt the program. Head turns were sufficient when there were just a few dash applications, but as we add to the number, subtle head movements aren’t enough. I see too many customers about to snap their heads off in order to turn a game on.”

The men laughed.

“It’s not funny, guys!” Cam said.

“A lot of my friends have the first versions, and they don’t mind using head movements to operate the controls,” Declan said. “Are you saying that I should wait awhile for you to develop alternate controls?”

“Yes,” said Cam. “Just a while longer. I’ll have Fredrick tell you when it’s time to buy.”

Declan put his hat on. “Dr. Reed, it’s been a pleasure, and please let me know if you need to test those new dashes on someone. I love the action games.”

“I might take you up on that.” Cameron laughed and shook hands with him.

~o~

Thanks for sharing that excerpt with us, Linda! So, how many of you would have a chip implanted in your brain? We'd love to hear your thoughts below. Don't forget! You could win one of three $10 Amazon gift cards just for commenting. :-)

BOOK BLURB

What would you do if you were the daughter of a cult hero who boasted a past life full of exciting, colorful exploits?

Suppose the thing that made your mother a cult hero was also inside you.
Now, imagine spending your whole life trying to hide it—until you shared the heart stopping death of someone close to you.

Supposed that death brought you face to face with the gift of the neon houses.

New Chicago and its neighboring town, The Southland, are vastly different worlds in circa 2087, but Dr. Noel Kennedy is an expert at navigating both worlds. As the Deputy Chief of Schools in The Southland, Noel has perfected being a solid, middle-class citizen. Not even her husband, Fredrick Kennedy, truly understands what she is.

When Zarah Fisher, Noel’s young protégé, is murdered on a deserted street in The Southland, Noel knows the exact moment Zarah takes her last breath. Though miles away, Noel feels the girl's terror, and hears her anguished screams inside her own head because of an inheritance that has left her with extraordinary gifts.

Can Noel find justice for Zarah without risking it all? Murder, mayhem, and suspense abound in this action-packed page-turner. 

More than a mystery, The Neon Houses thrills the reader with scenes of a futuristic 2087. Autoplanes, body planes, and flying buses are the norm. Robots and androids cook, clean, and serve the affluent, while dystopia lurks just around the corner.

AUTHOR BIO

LindaMims is a writer, a dreamer, and an educator, who hails from a quiet village just south of Chicago. Her stories are mainly about urban characters who are engaged in mystery and mysticism. Her hope is that while entertaining and informing, she’s also sending the message that humans aren’t that different and all each of us want is a better world.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

AMAZON LINK

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMB85SNL

To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit the AUTHOR'S TOUR PAGE on the 4WillsPublishing site.  If you'd like to book your own blog tour and have your book promoted in similar grand fashion, please click HERE. Thanks for supporting this author and her work!

 

 

New Release! Saddled Hearts by @JanSikes3 #BlogTour #Giveaway #ScavengerHunt @wildrosepress

Hello, beautiful readers! Today I have the pleasure of sharing with you the newest release by award-winning author, Jan Sikes! Saddled Hearts is book three in her White Rune series. Please join me in welcoming her to our space.

Thank you, Yvette, for offering up your blog space to let me talk about my new release, Saddled Hearts! I am deeply appreciative.

This story takes place on a large ranch turned horse sanctuary. I visited a local sanctuary and spent the day listening to all sorts of horror stories about these rescue horses. It gave me lots of story fodder.

My character, Colt Layne, has an uncanny connection with horses. He communicates with them on invisible wavelengths, and the animals understand. I’ll share his explanation about when he first discovered the gift and why he turned the inherited ranch into a rescue center.

EXCERPT:

Sage leaned forward. “Tell me about your gift and how you first realized it.”

“I was riding in a finals rodeo up in Cheyenne many years ago. I drew a bronc no cowboy had been able to stay on. When we were in the chute, I leaned down and whispered in his ear. I don’t even remember what I said. I just know he understood on some invisible wavelength. He let me ride him that night, and I won the gold buckle. That’s when it sank in.”

“What a great story.” Sage laid her fork beside her plate. “I have a feeling there’s more.”

“There is. I went the next day and tried to buy the horse. The owner wouldn’t sell.”

“Why did you want him?”

“I was going to take him up into the hills where wild horses still roam and release him. He didn’t deserve to be caged. He had such a powerful free spirit.”

“You have a big heart.”

He shrugged. “I suppose. I just wanted to set him free. I understood his anger at being captured. I guess some part of me could relate to it.”

Sage leaned forward. “And is that the reason you started the Layne Horse Sanctuary?”

“I wanted to honor my grandfather and his legacy. He often talked about the horrible reality of so many horses going to slaughter each year just because no one wanted them or couldn’t take care of them. It was something I knew he’d approve of, and from what you told me yesterday, he does.”

Sage nodded. “I’ve never been around horses, but I’d love a tour of the ranch.”

“It would be my honor to show you around the place. Horses are magical creatures. You know, they evolved from unicorns.” The corners of his eyes crinkled with a smile.

“Unicorns?” Sage laughed out loud. “Seriously? I can’t believe you just said that. You are a man of many contrasts.”

***

Have you ever felt as if you communicated with an animal? I’d love to hear your experiences.

Book Blurb:

Colt Layne owns the Layne Horse Sanctuary. He lives an idyllic life between caring for the animals and playing music with his band. That is until a stranger appears with unreasonable demands. When someone murders the man, Colt is arrested. He’s been framed, but by whom and why? 

He needs to talk with his deceased grandfather. But that’s impossible. Or is it?

Sage Coventry is gifted with the ability to communicate with the deceased. Skeptical but desperate, when Colt consults with her, he gets more than messages from beyond the grave as she breezes into his heart with sweet patchouli fragrance and tempting lips he longs to kiss.

The race against time to clear his name and save the ranch launches them on a mission that brings shocking revelations.

Find your copy of Saddled Hearts here:  https://linktr.ee/Rijanjks

Follow Jan Sikes through these links:

WEBSITE: http://www.jansikes.com

BLOG:   http://www.jansikesblog.com

TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/jansikes3

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks

PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/jks0851/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7095856.Jan_Sikes

BOOKBUB:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jan-sikes

LINKEDIN:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jansikes/

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Sikes/e/B00CS9K8DK

 

SUGGESTED KEYWORDS:

#RomanticSuspense 

#HorseSanctuary

#Rodeo

#Horses

#Murder

#PsychicMedium

#ContemporaryRomance

#Musician

#wrpbks

#NewRelease

#TankaTuesday #Poetry Challenge #ColorPoetry #TasteTheRainbow @ColleenChesebro #haiku #poem #poetrycommunity

 

Hello, beautiful readers! It's been a while since I've posted. With school starting again and with my son's football schedule, I don't have much time to write or read. My only day of rest is Sundays, and I spend it at the beach soaking up the sunny days and rejuvenating my soul with the sand and salt water.

This week, Colleen's #TankaTuesday poetry challenge was all about the tasting the rainbow through color poetry. While I did see a rainbow at the beach today, the moment captured in the picture below pulled a poem from me, so I thought I'd share it.

cerulean sky

tries to form a funnel cloud

but never connects

If you would like to try to write your own color poem, click here.

#TankaTuesday #Poetry Challenge #Ekphrastic #PhotoPrompt @ColleenChesebro #Ekphrastic #poetry

Hello, beautiful readers! Life as a teacher has left me with very little time to read and write. With the new school year commencing, I'm trying to adjust my sleeping patterns as well as reorganizing my time around work and my son's busy football practices. So, if you don't see me commenting on blogs as much, please know I'm still helping to promote them on Twitter. I just need to pick and choose where to give my time. 

This week's Tanka Tuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge is an Ekphrastic prompt. Reena has provided us with a beautiful piece of her own artwork to inspire us. 

I've chosen to write a cinquain. Truthfully, I chose this form because the first word that came to me when I saw this art has two syllables in it. Lol! So, I found a form that would allow me to start with that word. I hope you like what I've drawn from her work. (Thank you, Colleen, for the title suggestion!) :-)

Chaos Tamed

chaos

unravels me

life is messy sometimes

we can choose how to handle it

now, calm

Do you want to try your hand at writing poetry? Click here! Join the fun! :-)

#TankaTuesday #Poetry Challenge #SpecificForm @ColleenChesebro #4-11poem @gmplano #change

Hello, beautiful readers! I've missed a few poetry prompts because life has been busy, but I wanted to make sure to get this one posted. Last month, Colleen Chesebro chose my poem to highlight for the Specific Form week, and then she asked me to choose a form for this month's Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge. 

I wanted to try something different, and I remembered that Colleen had asked us months ago to create new poetry forms, so I perused that site and found this amazing form by Gwen Plano! She calls it The 4-11 because it consists of eleven lines of four syllables each  with the first line repeating at the end. I'm happy I chose this form because the poetry everyone is creating is amazing! You can check it out here.

As I previously mentioned, my life has been very busy. With school about to commence, it just got busier. For those of you who don't know me yet, I am a middle school teacher with a son who plays high school football, so there is never down time. Lol!

In my neck of the palm trees ;-), this week is when teachers start preparing for school to start. At the end of last school year, my classroom started dripping water from the a/c unit in the ceiling. It still hasn't been fixed; in fact, it's gotten much worse. 

So, I am now having to move classrooms while they start working to repair it. My anxiety disorder really hates change, so yesterday was quite overwhelming for me. I'm focusing on one hour at a time and reminding myself that it's just temporary. So, as I sat looking at my new empty classroom and meditated, this is what came to me:

I embrace change

it's not easy

sometimes I cry

frustration hits

overwhelms me

I can't give up

just take a breath

pause and reflect

to grow, to thrive

I must take risks

I embrace change

I head back today with renewed positive energy, ready to make my temporary classroom feel warm and inviting, not just for my students but also for me. Wish me luck! :-)

Do you want to try your hand at a new form of poetry? Click here!

It's Time for the #RRBC 7th Annual Writers' Conference & Book Expo! #WCBE22 #writingcommunity #writers #authors #readers #writersconference

Hi, beautiful readers! It's that time of year when the Rave Reviews Book Club hosts their annual Writer's Conference & Book Expo! If you have never attended one of these conferences, you are in for a treat. Not only are there author booths to visit and win prizes, there are also raffle tickets that you can purchase to win $100 Amazon gift cards/gift baskets and games to play! 

Take your lunch break and check out what all the hype is about! While you're there, check out my author booth. Leave a comment and you just might win one of my books for free! See you around the incredible conference! :-) 

#TankaTuesday #Poetry Challenge #Ekphrastic #PhotoPrompt @ColleenChesebro #poetry #senryu #poem #poetrycommunity

Hello, beautiful readers! This week is Photo Prompt week for Colleen Chesebro's Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge. Colleen asked Willow to provide the picture, and she shared this touching photo below. The goal is not to describe the image itself but to write about what it might represent.

I'm not really sure where this picture came from, but the background reminds me of a train station. Immediately, I imagined this man was leaving for war and wanted to soak in all he could from the love of his life before he left.

I decided to write a senryu. This poem form has three or more lines following a short-long-short pattern. In this case, I used the 5-7-5 pattern. It is written about the human condition whereas a haiku focuses on nature and seasons. To learn more about the senryu, click here. 

So, here it is! I hope you enjoy it. :-)

one last kiss, my love,

survival is uncertain

I'll love you always

Does this picture inspire you to write a poem? Try it here.

#TankaTuesday #Poetry Challenge #Lanterne #Lanturne @ColleenChesebro #poem #poetrycommunity #selflove #Tangled

Hello, beautiful readers! This week, Colleen Chesebro invited Lisa, the Versemith, to select the syllabic poem for our Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge. Lisa chose the lanturne, or lanterne, form. This form has five lines and is shaped like a Japanese lantern with a syllabic pattern of 1-2-3-4-1. 

If you've been following me, you know that I'm on a journey to be the best version of myself. I focus on improving my physical, mental, and emotional self on a daily basis. So, naturally, I wrote a poem that encompassed self-love.

(me meditating on top of Cathedral Rock in Sedona, AZ)

I

exist

beautiful

happy, calm, strong

me

be

sit still

now listen

follow your breath

sigh

see

clearly

all are one

accept what is

truth

live

zestful

with purpose

in the moment

thrive

When I read about this form, it also made me think of the lantern scene in the Disney movie, Tangled. (I'm a HUGE Disney fan!) I won't copy the scene's video because I don't want to infringe upon any copyright laws, but it's a moment when the two main characters step away from their egos and truly see the other person. So, I came up with this poem as well.

love

accept

see their light

unlimited

real

Although it seems like an easy form, it takes some thought to keep the lines focused on one theme. Do you want to try to create one? Check it out here.

#TankaTuesday #Poetry Challenge #TasteTheRainbow #color #weather @ColleenChesebro #poem #tanka #ReverseCinquain #clouds #adventure #poetrycommunity

Hello, beautiful people! I'm back to writing poetry, and it feels so good! For this week's Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge, Colleen Chesebro encouraged us to write a poem not only about a color but also the weather. Since I've been away for a few weeks, I decided to write two poems based on pictures I took during my vacation. I hope you like them.

(photo from the airplane's window)

Rise Above

 

from beneath the clouds

the world appears dull and gray

but above the clouds

the sun shines brightly on us

see past facades; embrace light

(Rail Explorers Las Vegas)

Adventure

 

sunrise

bakes the earth with his summer heat

suck it up, buttercup

journeys await

onward!

The first poem is a Tanka. It was taken on our flight to Arizona. I thought about how beautiful the view was above the clouds and how those on the ground were probably looking up and wishing the clouds would just move away. Perspective is everything, isn't it?

The second picture is a Reverse Cinquain. This photo was taken was taken right before my son and I rode a semi-electric four-wheeled bike that had been fitted to the railway. Even though it was early in the morning, the temperature was already in the 90s. Luckily, once we started pedaling, the wind cooled us off. It was another moment where we just embraced life at its fullest and enjoyed the adventure.

To join in on the fun and write your own poem, click here!