Category Archives: Book Promotion

Day 9 of The HYPE Blog Tour @YvetteMCalleiro #Hype #NewRelease #BookPromo #YAFiction 

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I’m so thrilled to have my friend Yvette on my blog today. She is here to celebrate her new release The Hype. Please join me to welcome Yvette and learn more about her new book.

GIVEAWAY:  3 e-book copies of HYPE! Leave a comment below for your chance to win! 

Before introducing The Hype, Yvette would like to share with you about Critique Groups.

Critique Groups

A writer’s life can feel very isolated, but it doesn’t have to be. Yes, a writer writes the story alone, but there are so many steps between the birth of the idea and the published novel. Today, I’d like to share with you the value of critique groups. (Did I hear a few of you groan?)

Many people shy away from critique groups because they don’t want to listen to someone trash the sleepless nights, moments of writer’s block, and hours of typing they invested into the black ink on the page, but one cannot improve his/her craft without having someone scrutinize it. A critique group is so much more than people finding what is wrong with your writing. In fact, my experience has been quite the opposite.

I have been blessed to have two incredible authors join me in a critique group, Patty Perrin and D.L. Finn. We each share one or two chapters with the group and then spend a couple of weeks reading it and sending suggestions on ways to improve the story. That’s right! We don’t trash one another’s work. What’s the point in that? We find typos and grammar errors. We question character behavior and motives. We suggest ways to flush out the imagery or action. It’s about professionalism and passion for writing and reading.

Then, we meet via Zoom and review the notes that were sent to us. I look forward to each and every one of these sessions. We laugh about silly errors (like when we write that a character has his head in his hands, making it seem that his head is detached from his neck). We get into deep conversations about plot lines and ways to deepen the story. We share our frustrations with our writing and give one another suggestions to get through it. And somewhere throughout the conversations, we spark new ideas and reinvigorate our love for writing.

Here is a scene that went through a significant rewrite after my critique group shared that they weren’t sure what I meant by “play chicken.” I thought everyone knew of the chicken pool game, but after our session, I realized I needed to bring the scene to life. The original version looked like this:

We have a great time laughing and sharing our New Year’s resolutions which none of us will probably be able to keep. We attempt to play chicken, but Dee is fierce and wins hands down each time.

After the conversation with my critique group, the scene changed to this:

We attempt to play chicken. Dee sits on Sam’s shoulders, and Roxy settles herself on Gio’s shoulders. Team Dee/Sam and team Roxy/Gio position themselves in the pool’s mid-section. Sam and Gio do their best to keep their balance as Dee and Roxy try to push or pull the other off her partner’s shoulders. The guys hold onto the girls’ legs to try to give them extra balance. Ryan and I observe them try to get the upper hand for our battle.

I lean over to whisper in his ear. “Sam is slowly pushing Gio into the deep end. Look.”

Ryan chuckles. “Sneaky trick. I won’t fall for it.”

Dee gives Roxy a side push, and Gio loses his balance. Roxy shrieks as she realizes she’s going down. Dee thrusts her hands up in the air in triumph. I laugh and climb atop Ryan’s shoulders.

“Don’t get all cocky just yet. You still have to beat me.”

She cocks her head to the side and smirks. “Bring it, girl.”

Roxy and Gio sit on the small underwater bench in the pool’s deep end to witness as I get my butt handed to me. I can talk the talk, but Dee’s a beast at this game. She knows my weakness – tickling. Ryan does his best to keep us on the shallower side to control my jerks away from her tickling attempts, but it’s no use. I can’t stop laughing, even without being tickled. I get a lucky break when Gio’s foot slips, but he regains his balance before I have enough momentum to bring Dee down.

Dee feigns being tired, and I fall for it. I lunge forward to push her to the side. She grabs my wrist, pulls me in, and begins tickling me. I’m done for. She easily pulls me toward her, which pushes Ryan off balance and we both tumble into the water. Dee takes a bow from atop Sam’s shoulders, and we all clap and hail the reigning champion.

This is the value of a critique group. Through their questions and suggestions, it opens writers to view their work in a new light. It provides the writer the opportunity to grow and flourish as a writer. And it brings a more polished, more enjoyable read to the reader.

I’m sure you are familiar with the saying: it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it takes a support system to birth a novel. I am blessed to be surrounded by supportive authors who are willing to lend a hand, whether it is as part of my critique group, as a beta reader, or as a host during a blog tour. So, when you pick up a well-written book to read, know that a lot of time and care has gone into bringing you a pleasurable read.

Blurb

Cici’s junior year in high school is going to be the best year ever. Popular co-captain of the varsity cheerleading team, she’s dating the starting quarterback. Even her jealous co-captain’s attempts to steal her boyfriend can’t curb her enthusiasm.

When her mom moves in with her fiancé, a handsome, wealthy man, only one small detail threatens Cici’s perfect life. The school’s social pariah is about to become her stepsister, and Cici wants nothing to do with her.

Everything changes when someone Cici cares about throws her life into a tailspin, and the one person Cici couldn’t stand becomes her only ally.

Warning: This story contains scenes of sexual assault.

Available on Amazon and Smashwords

Author Bio:

Yvette M. Calleiro is a heavily addicted reader of both young adult and adult novels. She spends most of her time pseudo-living in paranormal worlds with her fictional friends (and boyfriends). When she’s living among real people, Yvette M. Calleiro is a middle school Reading and Language Arts teacher. She’s been sharing her love of literature with her students for over twenty years. Besides writing about the various characters that whisper (and sometimes scream) in her head, she enjoys traveling, watching movies, spending quality time with family and friends, and enjoying the beauty of the ocean.

Yvette lives in Miami, Florida, with her incredible son who has embraced her love for paranormal and adventurous stories. She also shares her space with an assortment of crazy saltwater animals in her 300-gallon tank.

Amazon Links:

Hype – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L7BFNXG

The One Discovered (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 1) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I4L2Q40

The One Enlightened (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 2) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R0QI51I

The One Betrayed (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 3) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0191O1892

The One Revealed (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 4) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBKJHIO

The One Awakened (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 5) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0781WT73J

The One Chosen – A Diasodz Short Story – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0986Q6P1D

Breathless – A Short Story – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BLVDHQX

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.com/Yvette-M-Calleiro/e/B00I4RJMUU

Social Media Links:

Author Blog: http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/YvetteMCalleiro

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yvettemcalleiro

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7800735.Yvette_M_Calleiro

To follow along with the rest of the Hype tour, please visit the author’s blog. Thanks for supporting Yvette M Calleiro and her work!

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Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives 2021 – #Potluck – April Children’s Book Reviews @BookTrib by Miriam Hurdle

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I’m over at Sally’s Smorgasbord Magazine. She featured my post from the archives. I became a member of the BookTrib Children’s Book Network beginning this year. Each month they send me a “Booster Box” with several books to read, review, and share on social media. They have books for toddlers to YA books for teenagers. People can sign up for their preferences. You don’t have to review all the books they send you. I didn’t post reviews for several months, but they continued to send me hardcover books. Anyone can sign up. Hop over to read about it.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

Since this series began in January 2018 there have been over 1100 Posts from Your Archives where bloggers have taken the opportunity to share posts to a new audience… mine.

The topics have ranged from travel, childhood, recipes, history, family and the most recent series was #PotLuck where I shared a random selection of different topics. This series is along the same lines… but is a ‘Lucky Dip’

In this series I will be sharing posts from the first six months of 2021 – details of how you can participate are at the end of the post.

This is the second post from children’s author and poet Miriam Hurdle and was published in April 2021 and is a bumper collection of reviews for children’s books.

April Children’s Book Reviews @BookTrib

I became a member of the BookTrib Children’s Book Network beginning this year. Each month the members receive a “Booster…

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Free Book Promotion Link

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Songs of Heartstrings: Poems of Gratitude and Beatitude by [Miriam Hurdle]

Dear friends,

I’m celebrating the 3rd anniversary of publishing my poetry collection Songs of Heartstrings: Poems of Gratitude and Beatitude.

The free download is for October 29, 12:01 a.m. to October 30, 11:59 p.m. PDT.

It has been my pleasure meeting many new authors and bloggers during the last three years. I would like for you to have the eBook version of my poetry book.

Hope you’ll enjoy this poetry collection illustrated with my photography and watercolor paintings.

Click Buy on Amazon Link:

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Trailer created by Diana D. Wallace

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Book Tour – Things Old and Forgotten by Mae Chair

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It’s an exciting day today to share the good news with you about my friend, Mae Clair. She has a very special new book. She is here to tell you about it.

Please help me welcome Mae and be sure to comment on what you think about her book.

Hi, Miriam. Thanks for hosting me today and allowing me to share my newest release with your readers. Things Old and Forgotten is a collection of short fiction that includes stories in several genres—magical realism, fantasy, speculative, even two that touch on mild horror.

When I’m writing, I often visualize in colors. My father was an artist, and although he would not consider white a color (technically, it’s a shade) it has long mesmerized me. It speaks to the ethereal, visionary, and the otherworldly. The color white floats—a wisp of the insubstantial we can never quite touch, like an echo weaving future and past.

I had all those elements in mind when I wrote Desert White which—among other strangeness—includes a white dog. When I was eight years old, I wrote my first short story, The Night Dog, about a spectral canine. It took me decades to pen another about a white canine. Below is a short excerpt taken from the beginning of Desert White.

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EXCERPT:

“His name is White.” The gravelly tone of the old man’s voice matched his lined and weather-beaten skin.

“It’s fitting.” Micah eyed the dog from his seat at the kitchen table. If not for the German shepherd’s dark eyes, he would have thought the animal was an albino. White had sniffed around his mutilated wrists in the desert, nudging him with a cold nose. Now, curled up on the floor of Floyd Henley’s trailer, the canine didn’t seem the ghostly presence it had under a pale moon. Even so, he wished it wouldn’t lie so close. Large dogs made him nervous.

The shepherd was the last of his worries.

Earlier, he’d caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror above Floyd’s bathroom sink while the old man fussed over his wounds. When he’d driven into the desert that evening, his hair had been ink-black. Now, it was the same spectral white as Floyd’s dog.

I must be dreaming – still.

“Drink this.” Floyd thrust a cup of foul-smelling liquid into his hands. The concoction looked like yellow mud threaded with licorice.

“What is it?”

“Healthy. That’s all you need to know.” Floyd hobbled a short distance away, pausing by the rear door to snatch a plaid jacket from a peg. When he returned, he dropped the frayed garment over Micah’s shoulders. It reeked of must and stale pipe tobacco, but the fabric was warm.

Grateful, he gathered it close. He hadn’t been able to stop shivering since his brush with death. “Thanks.”

Floyd nodded to the cup in his hands. “Drink.”

He forced down a mouthful of the tonic. Tasted bitterness in steeped tea leaves, caraway, and something citrusy. “What were you doing in the desert?”

“I could ask you the same, but no need.” Floyd busied himself filling a basin with water. A crisp yellow towel hung from his shoulder. “We both know what drew you there.”

Shame heated Micah’s face. Tightening his hand around his cup, he studied the dried blood beneath his fingernails. The ugly rust-colored blots on his jeans.

I should have bled to death. Would have, if not for the old man and his dog.

He forced another swallow of the abominable brew, taking perverse pleasure in the way it curdled his gut. At least he was alive to feel the acid.

Floyd drew a chair close then set his basin on the linoleum-topped table. Pale green with chrome edges, the surface had a repetitive design that reminded Micah of boomerangs. How long would it take to count all those angled wedges flying into infinity? Long enough for the blood to drain from his body after slicing his wrists?

The old man had already lined up fresh bandages and gauze pads, well stocked for a recluse who lived in the middle of nowhere. Maybe he had no choice, holed up in the run-down trailer like a hermit. As far as Micah could tell, there wasn’t another soul for miles. Damn fortuitous he and the dog had been there.


BOOK BLURB:

A man keeping King Arthur’s dream of Camelot alive.
A Robin Hood battling in a drastically different Sherwood.
A young man facing eternity in the desert.
A genteel southern lady besting a powerful order of genies.
A woman meeting her father decades after his death.

These are but a few of the intriguing tales waiting to be discovered in Things Old and Forgotten. Prepare to be transported to realms of folklore and legend, where magic and wonder linger around every corner, and fantastic possibilities are limited only by imagination.

My Review

Ms. Mae Clair showed her talents of multi-genre writing in her newest book, Things Old and Forgotten. The crafting of words, the colorful, and vivid depictions were delightful. I read this book slowly. It was like trying not to swallow too fast to indulge the tongue in the sensation and richness of the texture and taste of the delicacy.

When someone’s loved one died, we’re short of comforting words to say. In Remembering Sadie, Ben did something amazing for Gordon after his wife died. He made Gordon feel Sadie never left him. I’m touched by Ben’s word – “She never left you, Gordon.”

There are treasures that remind us of our ancestors. In Yesteryear Treasures, Charlene found a clock in an antique shop. She remembered her great-grandmother had a clock like this. This story spun off to a spooky ending yet showed what the power of memory could do to our present emotions.

This folklore Kin-Slayer tells a story of the sea monster demanding the sacrifice of three virgins in five seasons. The village chose five virgins for its selection. The two virgins not picked for five seasons could be free. When E’ana was chosen, Atalayah tried all the tricks to save her sister. I held my breath for the twist of turn of the tale. Don’t we make irreversible mistakes sometimes that we may feel sorry in life?

Driven by guilt, Micah in Desert White slit his wrist. He was sure he would have bled to death in the middle of the desert. Floyd, an old man wearing white hair with a white dog beside him, attended to his wound. There was a purpose in the magical healing – Redemption.

Angie in Yellow Bird agreed to vacation in a treehouse with Joel. She complained most of the time along the hike. Her fondness for the treehouse grew within five short days because of the yellow bird. The fairytale-like ending made me want to hug her.

Robin Huntington, in this 2056 futuristic Robin Hood, pursued a mission. He pretended to be interested in a fletcher position in Nottingham. His intention was not trusted since he was a son of a nobleman. I was hooting for his success.

The seventy-seven years old Ms. Lily released a genie from a glass jar. I was afraid she would have wasted all three wishes. Wow, she was clever. It gave me a cheerful chuckle. As a painter, I appreciated Ms. Clair’s description in the genie story in all the invented shades of colors.

There are about half of the stories I highlighted. But I appreciated all the stories. I would read this book again to enjoy the richness of the writing. Lovers of myth and legend, fantasy and magic would enjoy this book.

Ratings: 

Amazon Goodreads

8

Thanks again for hosting me today, Miriam. In honor of my love for autumn—a fantastic time to curl up with a book—Things Old and Forgotten will be on sale for .99c through October 31st.

https://www.amazon.com/Things-Old-Forgotten-Mae-Clair-ebook/dp/B09HP4Q6QC

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Connect with Mae Clair at BOOKBUB and the following haunts:

Amazon| BookBub| Newsletter Sign-Up
Website | Blog| Twitter| Goodreads| All Social Media

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New Release – Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance by Elizabeth Gauffreau

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Hot Press! Hot Press!

It’s an exciting day today to share the good news with you about my friend, Elizabeth Gauffreau’s new release Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance.

About the Book

Blurb

“Poetry readers willing to walk the road of grief and family connections will find Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance a psychological treasure trove. It’s a very accessible poetic tribute that brings with it something to hold onto–the memories and foundations of past family joys, large and small.”
~Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review

“Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance is a passionate ode to loved ones lost and an intimate portrayal of one family’s shared grief. It holds the key to solace in home photographs and illustrates just how special our singular moments can be. ~Toni Woodruff, Independent Book Review

“A beautiful, personal collection of family photos and poems that express the author’s most inner feelings. Nostalgic and heartfelt, Gauffreau’s poems are written in the Japanese style of tanka, simple, thoughtful, and full of love. Filled with wonderful memories of the past.” ~Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review

My Review

Grief Songs: Poems of Love and Remembrance is a poetry collection written in Tanka form. After her mother passed away, Elizabeth Gauffreau cleaned up the “forbidden rooms” and found the “hidden photographs.” These are the photographs of the author and her father, mother, and brother George.

Grieving is a personal process that can last for any length of time. The memories of the loved ones could be fleeting or lingering moments, and the emotion of grieving could be of the surface or intensely deep.

In Grief Songs, the photos brought back the intensity of the precious memories to the author. Elizabeth expressed her grief in poetry. She paired the poems with each photo included in this collection.

One poem was about the author’s mother took her and George to the vaccination. Their mother gave the kids a treat of root beer floats for being good for the occasion. By the way, root beer is a soda, not a beer with alcohol! Another fun poem was about a youth group picnic when the author and her brother waited for their dad in the car after the picnic. Apparently, their dad didn’t come right away. They pressed the honk for so long that when their dad finally came back; the battery was dead. I loved the poem and the photo with Elizabeth and George sitting on their father’s lap for reading time as a nightly ritual. The lines were, “Waiting until your father gets home, not a threat but a promise.”

There were poems about Elizabeth as a kid for the first sacrament, confirmation, and baptism. What precious memories as she could see the history from the beginning of her life when father and mother holding her in their arms that led to her present life.

Family time such as clam bake at the beach and the family reunion always flashed back fond memories that ache the heart yet bring smiles on the face. The dying takes away a part of the ones left behind yet leaves them something sweet and long-lasting.

The poetry is a short read, yet the emotion of joy and sorrow lingers long after I put down the book. Highly recommended

Ratings: Amazon Goodreads

Purchase Link:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098TQBM1R

Trailer:

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Elizabeth Gauffreau

About Elizabeth Gauffreau

Elizabeth Gauffreau writes fiction and poetry with a strong connection to family and place. She holds a B.A. in English from Old Dominion University and an M.A. in English/Fiction Writing from the University of New Hampshire. She is currently the Assistant Dean of Curriculum & Assessment for Champlain College Online, where she is an Associate Professor. Her fiction and poetry have been published in literary magazines and several themed anthologies. Her debut novel, Telling Sonny, was published by Adelaide Books in 2018. Liz lives in Nottingham, New Hampshire with her husband.

Website/Blog: https://lizgauffreau.com/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Gauffreau/e/B07NTZFVSF?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LGauffreau

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liz.gauffreau

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“Where Spirits Linger” Book Blog Tour

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The 2021 WordCrafter Paranormal Anthology, Where Spirits Linger, was released today – September 20, 2021!

Where Spirits Linger Authors with Kaye Lynne Booth, editor

“I hope you will stay with us and follow the tour to each blog stop to learn more about the stories within to picque your interest. Of course, I hope you buy the book, but each comment you make along the way earns an entry into a random drawing for a free digital copy of Where Spirits Linger, so you could be our next lucky winner!” – Kayne Lynne Booth

I’m excited to host the tour on Day 2 featuring Roberta Eaton Cheadle’s piece “Listen to Instructions.”

I’ll let Roberta tell you about the process she went through to write her story. Here’s Roberta:

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The Location of “Listen to Instructions”

This year the WordCrafter short story challenge required a story built around a specific place. This was a new idea for me as my stories are usually built around an event or a character. Never before had I tried to write a story that focused primarily on the setting.

I went through my file of story ideas and came across a true South African haunting of a farmhouse in Stellenbosch in the Western Cape. The clip about this haunted house was only a few sentences long and involved a man who had stolen a large sum of gold coins. Following his death, the thief returned to haunt the house where he’d stowed the treasure.

This story interested me. I wondered if the ghost regretted stealing the money which led to his being trapped indefinitely in the nether world between life and death. Would the spirit take an opportunity of redemption if it was offered?

I wondered how any person who occupied the farmhouse and found the hidden money would feel about it? Would the finder keep the treasure, or hand it over to the state? How would the ghost react if his hidden horde was discovered?

From these thoughts and questions, my short story, Listen to Instruction, was borne.

About Stellenbosh

Stellenbosch is a university town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The town is surrounded by the vineyards of the Cape Winelands and the nature reserves of Jonkershoek and Simonsberg.

Stellenbosch was established in 1679 by Simon van der Stel, the governor of the Cape. He granted land in the vicinity of Stellenbosch to interested farmers. Stellenbosh officially became a village in 1682 and in 1685 it became the Cape’s second magistracy, with an authority that extended for 25,000 square kilometres. It is the second oldest European town in South Africa.

The farmers build Cape Dutch houses with graceful gables and irrigation furrows for their lovely gardens.

In 1690, some of the French Huguenots settled in Stellenbosch and planted the grapes that turned the town into the centre of the South African wine industry. Stellenbosch became an important educational hub in 1859 when the Dutch Reformed Church opened a seminary. The University of Stellenbosch was established in 1918.

Cape Dutch architecture. Picture credit: https://www.wesgro.co.za/travel/blog/a-stellenbosch-historical-amble
StellenboschWC-Aerial.jpg
Stellenbosh. Picture credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellenbosch

Thank you, Roberta, for the interesting information. Now, here is my review of the story “Listen to Instructions.”

My Review

I listened to ghost stories with my dad when I was a kid. Once a week we stayed up late because the ghost broadcasting didn’t start until 11:00 p.m. A perfect hour to cuddle up next to someone in case I got scared. I still hear a vibrating voice announcing the Midnight Zone.

If you enjoy ghost stories, you’re into a treat with the new release of Where Spirits Linger, an anthology with Kaye Lynne Booth, Robbie Cheadle, Stevie Turner, Enid Holden, Sharon Kretschmer, and Crysta Planko.

We hear the cliché “RIP” (rest in peace) when someone passed away. Do all the spirits rest when people passed away. Will they have unfinished business to cause them to linger?

In Where Spirits Linger, Roberta Eaton Cheadle writes about the spirit of Simon Pienaar, who didn’t cross over to the other side of the world. He broke into someone’s home one night, killed the owner, and stole his collection of antique Kruger coins. The police arrested Simon Pienaar and charged him with murder, but nobody found the treasure.

Jake bought the 19th-century house owned by Simon Pienaar despite rumors and gossips about the haunted house and all the stories behind it. He got a bargain on an auction, planned to renovate it over time, and wanted to live there while he did so.

He soon found out the restless spirit haunted him by asking for help. He ignored the chilling voice that invaded his dreams night after night but finally asked what the ghost wanted him to do. It was Simon Pienaar’s spirit asking him to do something with the antique Kruger coins he had stolen. He gave instructions to Jake to help him take care of his unfinished business.

How hard could that be to help a ghost put the closure in his business? It’s not as easy as it seems, especially for following Simon’s specific instructions. Roberta will let you know Jake shouldn’t have messed around with Simon.

Roberta’s “Listen to Instructions” is entertaining, so are the rest of the ghost stories. Highly recommended for an evening reading. I received a free ARC to do an honest review.

Ratings: Amazon Goodreads

Roberta Eaton Cheadle’s books

A Ghost and His Gold

After Tom and Michelle Cleveland move into their recently built, modern townhouse, their housewarming party is disrupted when a drunken game with an Ouija board goes wrong and summonses a sinister poltergeist, Estelle, who died in 1904.

Estelle makes her presence known in a series of terrifying events, culminating in her attacking Tom in his sleep with a knife. But Estelle isn’t alone. Who are the shadows lurking in the background – one in an old-fashioned slouch hat and the other, a soldier, carrying a rifle? 

After discovering their house has been built on the site of one of the original farms in Irene, Michelle becomes convinced that the answer to her horrifying visions lies in the past. She must unravel the stories of the three phantoms’ lives, and the circumstances surrounding their untimely deaths during the Second Anglo Boer War, in order to understand how they are tied together and why they are trapped in the world of ghosts between life and death. As the reasons behind Estelle’s malevolent behavior towards Tom unfold, Michelle’s marriage comes under severe pressure and both their lives are threatened.

Through the Nethergate

Margaret, a girl born with second sight, has the unique ability to bring ghosts trapped between Heaven and Hell back to life. When her parents die suddenly, she goes to live with her beloved grandfather, but the cellar of her grandfather’s ancient inn is haunted by an evil spirit of its own.

In the town of Bungay, a black dog wanders the streets, enslaving the ghosts of those who have died unnatural deaths. When Margaret arrives, these phantoms congregate at the inn, hoping she can free them from the clutches of Hugh Bigod, the 12th century ghost who has drawn them away from Heaven’s White Light in his canine guise.

With the help of her grandfather and the spirits she has befriended, Margaret sets out to defeat Hugh Bigod, only to discover he wants to use her for his own ends – to take over Hell itself.

Purchase Roberta Eaton Cheadle’s books

TSL Books (paperback)

https://tslbooks.uk/product-tag/roberta-eaton-cheadle/

Lulu.com (ebook):

A Ghost and His Gold https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/robert-eaton-cheadle/a-ghost-and-his-gold/ebook/product-d858km.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Through the Nethergate https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/roberta-eaton-cheadle/through-the-nethergate/ebook/product-1qkz92jq.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

Roberta Eaton Cheadle Author Biography

Roberta Eaton Cheadle is a South African writer and poet specializing in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

 Roberta has short stories and poems in several anthologies and has 2 published novels, Through the Nethergate, a historical supernatural fantasy, and A Ghost and His Gold, a historical paranormal novel set in South Africa.

Roberta has 9 children’s books published under the name Robbie Cheadle.

Roberta was educated at the University of South Africa where she achieved a Bachelor of Accounting Science in 1996 and a Honours Bachelor of Accounting Science in 1997. She was admitted as a member of The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2000.

Roberta has worked in corporate finance from 2001 until the present date and has written 7 publications relating to investing in Africa. She has won several awards over her 20-year career in the category of Transactional Support Services.

Follow Roberta Eaton Cheadle at:

Website https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

Blog https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19631306.Roberta_Eaton_Cheadle

Twitter https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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Thank you for your visit and reading!

Have a Wonderful Week!

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Blog Tour – After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine by Cendrine Marrouat

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I’m delighted to have Cendrine Marrouat on my blog today to celebrate her new release of After the Fires of Day: Haiku inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine.

Dear friends, please help me welcome, poet, photographer and multi-genre author Cendrine. She will share with you about the poetry form Haiku.

The Haiku: A Celebration of the Human Journey by Cendrine Marrouat

When I announced the upcoming release of After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine, people reacted very positively. They were also quite intrigued and kept inquiring as to why I had chosen the haiku as opposed to other forms of poetry to pay homage to those two amazing authors.

The haiku is my favorite form of poetry. It has been part of my life for almost two decades. I have written hundreds of them. However, it is not the reason why I opted for the haiku for this new collection. And this is what I would like to share with you today.

In the English-speaking world, when people think of the haiku, they may remember what they were taught in school: a short poem of three lines that follows the 7-5-7 syllable pattern. The seasonal reference (‘kigo’) and “cutting word” (‘kireji’) may be mentioned, but the obsessive focus remains on the 17 syllables. If your haiku does not contain those 17 lines, it does not qualify as such. This is wrong.

The haiku was invented in Japan. Japanese poets count in phonetic sounds or units called ‘on’, ‘onji’ or ‘morae’, which are different from English syllables. An “English syllable may contain one, two or three morae” to quote Wikipedia. In his excellent book titled The Haiku Handbook, William J. Higginson states that the 17 onji of traditional haiku are about 12 syllables in English. Other books talk about the number of words and recommend sticking to 8-12 words.

There is something liberating in knowing that you do not have to stick to a rigid syllable pattern when you write haiku. Your creativity is suddenly unleashed.

The haiku is an intimate form of poetry that goes beyond its syllable count. To write a memorable haiku, you need to understand the importance of conciseness and simple language, and how to leverage the kigo to evoke a specific mood. Every word counts!

A haiku does not just freeze a scene in time. It also implicitly reveals the author’s innermost feelings at that precise moment. As such, it tells a story about the human journey.

Ultimately, that’s what Kahlil Gibran and Alphonse de Lamartine successfully did with their writing. They were driven by a desire to awaken the human spirit. And that is what the haiku allows me to do.

Thank you for reading!

NB: Wondering who Kahlil Gibran and Alphonse de Lamartine are? Read my posts here and here.

Book Information

After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran and Alphonse de Lamartine by [Cendrine Marrouat]

Blurb

Originating from Japan, the Haiku has been a source of inspiration and comfort for people of all ages and from all walks of life for many years. This versatile poetry form is cherished around the world. Inspired by the timeless words of authors Kahlil Gibran and Alphonse de Lamartine, After the Fires of Day is a hymn to life, the emotion of the moment, and our connection to nature. Every haiku in Cendrine Marrouat’s collection is sure to stay with you for a very long time…

Formats: ebook and paperback 

Release date: September 7, 2021 

Availability: Everywhere books are sold, including Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Chapters-Indigo, Barnes & Noble, and FNAC. Readers are encouraged to support independent

Bookstores: https://creativeramblings.com/books/.

Website: https://creativeramblings.com/after-fires-day/ 

Trailer: 

Author Bio 

Cendrine Marrouat is a French-born Canadian photographer, poet, and the multi-genre author of more than 30 books. In 2019, she founded the PoArtMo Collective and co-founded Auroras & Blossoms with David Ellis. A year later, they launched PoArtMo (Positive Art Month and Positive Art Moves) and created the Kindku and Pareiku, two forms of poetry.

Cendrine is also the creator of the Sixku, the Flashku, and the Reminigram. Cendrine writes both in French and English and has worked in many different fields in her 17-year career, including translation, language instruction, journalism, art reviews, and social media.

Contact Information

Email: cendrine@creativeramblings.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cendrinephotography/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cendrineartist

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cendrinemarrouat

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Smorgasbord Book Reviews Rewind – #Children’s – Tina Lost In A Crowd by Miriam Hurdle

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Sally Cronin at Smorgasbord Magazine posted a five-star review of Tina Lost in a Crowd in her Children’s Reading Room. Please head over to check it out and browse around her wonderful features of music, books, children’s books, health, and many more.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

In April of this year I was delighted to read and review the children’s book by Miriam Hurdle – Tina Lost in a Crowd.

About the book

Tina invited her friend Erica to attend a popular Tchaikovsky’s Spectacular concert on a summer evening with her parents. During the intermission, her dad left the seat to buy some snacks. Tina and Erica followed him wanting to use the restroom. The shoving crowd pushed them away, and they lost sight of him. It would be impossible to fight through the 18,000 people to find him or go back to Tina’s mom. What would the girls do?

This story tells about what happened to Tina and Erica after they got lost. Children can adapt to the learning from different situations they may observe or encounter. Adults could have discussions with the children about the situations to help them develop problem-solving skills.

My review…

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Blog Tour – Behind Closed Doors, a Collection of Unusual Poems by Robbie Cheadle

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It’s my pleasure to have Robbie Cheadle on my blog today to celebrate her new release.

Dear friends, please join me to welcome Robbie and her new book Behind Closed Doors, a Collection of Unusual Poems.

I’ll let Robbie tell you about her book cover, the title, and the different aspects of the poems. Here’s Robbie:

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The cover of a book and its title are both important selling points.

The cover needs to be eye catching, suit the genre, and hit at what the book is about. My previous poetry book is called Open a New Door, a phrase taken from the song Open a New Window from the musical production of Mame starring Angela Ladsbury and Beatrice Arthur.

I first listened to my mom’s record of Mame when I was a little girl of five. My mom had numerous records most of which were Broadway musicals, but Mame was always my favourite. I loved this song the best. It is rejection of the run-of-the-mill ordinary life and a quest for something new and exciting.

I wanted to retain the doors concept for my second poetry book, Behind Closed Doors, even though it had a different focus. The poems in this new book look at the various parts of my life and what effectively goes on behind those doors that are closed to social media and the world.

The poems are collected into the categories of In the Boardroom, In death, In my mind, In relationships, In lockdown, and In nature. I wanted a cover that would complement the idea of the many doors into people’s lives and souls so when I saw this cover of multiple multi-coloured doors designed by Teagan R Geneviene, I knew this was the one.

The doors in many different colours suited my own personal idea that the doors in peoples live come in different shares. Some are the yellow, pinks, and oranges of joy, the reds of love, the blues and greens of comfort and coolness, and the purples of sadness and depression.

What are your thoughts about the importance of covers? Tell me in the comments.

Thank you, Robbie!

Now, here is the book information

Book Blurb

What goes on behind closed doors: in the boardroom, after death, in the home, during lockdown, and in nature? This collection of poems, ranging from rhyming verse to twisted nursery rhymes, captures the emotions and thoughts people hide behind the masks they present to the world.

                                                                                          What thoughts are hidden

                                                                                          Behind her immobile face

                                                                                             Quite expressionless

                                                                                           Eyes cold and indifferent

                                                                                          Scrutinising me – hawk like

This book includes some of Robbie Cheadle’s spectacular fondant art and cakes.

My Review

I’ve read Robbie Cheadle’s first poetry book Open a New Door and loved it. I knew I would enjoy reading Behind Closed Door. I’ve also read Cheadle’s children’s books, a young adult fictionalized biography about her mother’s life, and her historical fiction. She is a prolific writer while maintaining her demanding full-time job and home-schooling of the two teenage boys during the pandemic.

Behind Closed Doors is a poetry collection with themes about the author’s complex emotions and thoughts on her cooperated world, her personal dreams, her family life as a daughter, wife, and mother, as well as her thoughts on the lockdown during the pandemic.

Robbie is a qualified Chartered Accountant and specializes in corporate finance. The poem “Climbing Cooperated Ladder” vividly portraits the harsh reality of the cooperated world. Many individuals give up their family and social life to meet the never-ending demands with no guarantee of success:

 “Sit in your office, juggling ideas and possibilities, while your friends watch movies, eat out, drink, and socialize, spending their weekends having a jolly good time.”

“There are no friendships in the corporate jungle Colleagues left to demise in this uncaring world.”

It reminds me of the headache, heartache, and disappointment during my ten years in administration.

I could relate to the poem “He Walks Away” that describes the mother’s joy, pride, and pain:

“She watched over him tenderly as he learned about life… her smile healed all wounds; her kiss cured all pain…

“It’s heart-wrenching to let go knowing he must… encounter setbacks and loss before success… but it’s the duty of a mother to set her son loose to fly alone.”

Cheadle’s poems about lockdown remind us how vulnerable life is. “One day I had freedom, the next, it was gone. How will this end? I find myself wondering, Will we take a big step backward in time fifty years or more?”

Cheadle’s Behind Closed Doors is a delightful hour-long short read, but the provoking thought will stay for a long time. I highly recommend this book to poetry lovers and non-fiction readers.

Ratings  Amazon Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BBR94NC

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behind-Closed-Doors-Robbie-Cheadle/dp/B099C8R3T4

About Robbie Cheadle

Robbie Cheadle is a South African children’s author and poet with 9 children’s books and 1 poetry book.

The 7 Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.

Robbie has also published 2 books for older children which incorporate recipes that are relevant to the storylines.

Robbie has 2 adult novels in the paranormal historical and supernatural fantasy genres published under the name Roberta Eaton Cheadle. She also has short stories in the horror and paranormal genre and poems included in several anthologies.

Robbie writes a monthly series for https://writingtoberead.com called Growing Bookworms. This series discusses different topics relating to the benefits of reading to children.

Robbie has a blog, https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/ where she shares book reviews, recipes, author interviews, and poetry.

Robbie Cheadle’s social media

Website: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za

Blog: https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Robbie-Cheadle/e/B01N9J62GQ?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

TSL Books Author Page: https://tslbooks.uk/robbie-cheadle

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15584446.Robbie_Cheadle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bakeandwrite

Book Review – Oskar’s Quest by Annika Perry

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I followed Annika for quite a while. When she knew that I was writing my first children’s book Tina Lost in a Crowd, she was excited and extremely helpful to me.

It is my pleasure to share a book review of Oskar’s Quest by Annika Perry.

About the Book

Blurb

Oskar is afraid of adventures. Yet one day he finds himself on a mysterious island which needs his help. Join Oskar on this unexpected and magnificent quest, where he finds not only courage but so much more. “It’s light, extremely enjoyable and very gripping.” Esther Chilton – author & editor. Perfect for ages 3 to 6.

Purchase Link

My Review

Annika Perry’s Oskar’s Quest is a delightful story that originated from the author’s bedtime story to her son Sammy. The illustrations are artistic, colorful, and lively. Oskar is a little bird who fell and got lost in the jungle on the island of Roda. Bella, the red-bell flower, told him that Drang, the darkest cloud, had taken the songbird Maya. Oskar wanted to help find Maya, even though he was not a brave bird. He took off on his adventure looking for Maya, blown off by the gusty wind, and then landed on a soft surface. He heard a soft screech coming from a cage with Maya in it. Drang had captured Maya to keep him from being lonely. The sad cloud cried and shed raindrop tears. Oskar comforted him and invited him to come to Roda to listen to the songs. Drang agreed and set Maya free from the cage. Oskar and Maya united and flew back to the island in happiness. Drang’s cloud became light with brightness. He was not sad anymore. After taking Maya home, Oskar bid farewell to the flowers and birds to head home. His friends asked where the scary bird went. Drang said Oskar became a brave bird conquering an adventurous journey.

Perry did a wonderful job describing how Oskar became brave by helping others. A charming story for small children.

Ratings:  Amazon Goodreads

About Annika Perry

Annika Perry is a full-time writer, blogger and book reviewer. She was born in Gothenburg, Sweden and raised near Ilkley, West Yorkshire. Annika received her BA Honors Degree in German Language and Literature from the University of Leeds. Her initial employment was as a journalist followed by many years as an agent in the timber trade. She was awarded first prize in Writing Magazine’s Short Story Competition in 2014 and also shortlisted in an Ink Tears Short Fiction Contest. The Storyteller Speaks, a collection of short stories, flash fiction and poetry, was her debut book. Oskar’s Quest, a beautifully illustrated and enchanting children’s story, is her second published book. Annika Perry lives with her family in a small village in North Essex, England.

Connect Annika via:

Blog: https://annikaperry.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Annika-Perry/e/B0789NNWFX?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

Twitter: Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnikaPerry68

Goodreads: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/55576285-annika-perry

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annika-perry-5a9ab8a6/

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