books
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‘This is Lockdown’ blog tour
Thankyou Marje for inviting me to be part of your fantastic new book, focusing on thoughts of Lockdown. I’m very excited to have you here, for the last part of your blog tour.
The Poets in This Is Lockdown – For Marian Wood
by M J Mallon
Thank you so much for contributing to the anthology Marian and for hosting me on your blog as part of the blog tour.
This Is Lockdown includes M J Mallon’s diaries, her poems, flash fiction and short stories, the ‘isolation writers’ thoughts on their experiences during this time, and the poems and writing contributions from many authors, bloggers and poets.
An anthology and compilation of diaries, short stories, flash fiction, contributions from the ‘isolation writers,’ plus poetry written during the time of lockdown in the UK. This Is Lockdown is written from a writer’s perspective highlighting the simple pleasures of day-to-day life during such an uncertain and frightening time. It also gives a glimpse of the blogging, writing world. The book showcases several authors and their thoughts on what it is like to experience ‘isolation’ as a writer. I also discuss the handling of the pandemic and my thoughts on what might happen next. In the final part of the book I include my latest short story idea: a YA romance and various short pieces of poetry, and flash fiction inspired by the pandemic.
The authors showcasing their poems in this collection are:
Marian Wood
Title of Poem: Our Changed World Poetry – Free verse
I met Marian at last year’s Bloggers Bash in London. She is an enthusiastic blogger, writer and poet who is working on two novels, one of which is Crime, the other Science Fiction. She manages all this whilst bringing up a family and working part time for the NHS.
Sally Cronin
Title of Poem: Silver Lining – Double Etheree
Sally Cronin is a huge supporter of the indie community, and an enthusiastic blogger and author. She writes book reviews, many features, health columns and all manner of blogging wonder in her aptly termed Smorgasbord blog. She is an author/poet and regular contributor to Colleen Chesebro’s poetry challenge. Her latest book is: Life’s Rich Tapestry Woven in Words
Adele Marie Park
Title of Poem World End – Free verse
Adele Park is a Fantasy/Horror author. She has won poetry competitions in the past. Her poetry piece World End shows how talented she is. We have been friends for a long while and are both contributing authors to Dan Alatorre’s bestselling horror anthology Nightmareland. Adele, Debby (below,) and I are all part of the sisterly collaboration – Spiritual Sisters which includes, Colleen Chesebro and Annette Aben. Adele recently released her second novel in the fantasy series: Wisp. Sea Dragons.
Debby Gies
Title of Poem: Cabin Fever – Etheree
Debby is a memoirist/Non-Fiction author, a huge supporter of the indie community and fellow administrator of The Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook. She’s a lovely lady who shares her book reviews on her Sunday review spot and interviews fellow authors too. She is a regular contributor to Colleen Chesebro’s poetry challenge. Her latest memoir is: Twenty Years After I Do .
Frank Prem
Unknowing (the city) – Free verse
Frank Prem has been a storytelling poet for forty years. When not writing or reading his poetry to an audience, he fills his time by working as a psychiatric nurse. Frank’s latest release is the last part of the wonderful love trilogy – Rescue and Redemption. I’ve read two out of the three in this trilogy and looking forward to reading the last one!
Willow Willers
The Plague – Free verse
Willow is a lovely soul who blogs, writes, and shares heart felt poetry on her blog. She contributes to many online blogging challenges including Linda Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday, Colleen Chesebro’s Poetry Challenge, Ronovan Writes Poetry Challenges, Sue Vincent’s Write Photo. She is a kind, caring, positive light in the blogging community who I have met on several occasions in London at the Blogging Bash gatherings.
M J Mallon
Marje, or MJ as she sometimes likes to be known has been writing poetry for quite some time. She only recently became a published poet with her first collection of poetry, prose and photography which was released in Feb 2020 : Mr. Sagittarius.
Author Bio – M J Mallon
I was born on the 17th of November in Lion City: Singapore, (a passionate Scorpio, with the Chinese Zodiac sign a lucky rabbit,) second child and only daughter to my parents Paula and Ronald, only sister to my elder brother Donald. I spent my early childhood in a mountainous court dwelling in the Peak District in Hong Kong.
It’s rumoured that I now live in the Venice of Cambridge, with my six-foot hunk of a Rock God husband. My two enchanted daughters often return with a cheery smile.
Sometimes when the mood takes me, I adopt an alter ego, M J – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheroes!When I’m not writing, I eat exotic delicacies while belly dancing, or surf to the far reaches of the moon. To chill out, I practice Tai Chi and Yoga. If the mood takes me, I snorkel with mermaids, or sign up for idyllic holidays with the Chinese Unicorn, whose magnificent voice sings like a thousand wind chimes.
My favourite genres to write are: YA fantasy, magical realism, and various forms of poetry. I blog about books, writing, photography and inspiration at: https://mjmallon.com.
I enjoy writing articles celebrating the spiritual realm, my love of nature and all things magical, mystical, and mysterious. One of my greatest pleasures is reading. I’ve written over 150 reviews at my lovely blog home: https://mjmallon.com – book reviews
Links:
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Authors Amazon page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-J-Mallon/e/B074CGNK4L
Twitter:@Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-j-mallon
Collaborative Group: https://www.facebook.com/pg/5SpiritualSisters/The wonderful contributors are:
Richard Dee, (Sci Fi , Steampunk, Amateur Detective author,) Catherine Fearns, (Amazon Bestselling Author of Police Procedural/Mysteries and Music Journalist,) Lynn Fraser, (Author,) Jackie Carreira, (Writer, musician, designer and aspiring philosopher,) Willow Willers, (Poet and writer,) Sharon Marchisello, (Murder Mystery, Financial non-fiction,)
Fi Phillips, (Author, Copy Writer) Jeannie Wycherley, (dark stories, suspense, horror,) Chantelle Atkins, (urban fiction, teen/YA,) Tracie Barton-Barrett, (Speaker/author,) Peter Taylor- Gooby, (Crime, Love Stories, Political Fiction,) Ritu Bhathal, (Chick Lit romance, poet,) Alice May , (Author, Artist and Speaker,) Miriam Owen, (Blogger and Doctoral Researcher,)
Drew Neary and Ceri Williams (Ghost Horror, Supernatural,) Katherine Mezzacappa, (Author name: Katie Hutton,) (Historical Fiction/Romance,) Sally Cronin, (huge supporter of indie community/blogger/author) Debby Gies (D G Kaye), (Memoirist/NonFiction,) Adele Marie Park, (Fantasy, horror, urban fantasy,) Marian Wood (blogger, poet and writer.) Samantha Murdoch, (Writer, Blogger,) Beaton Mabaso (Blogger, African Storyteller,) Frank Prem (Poet, Author,) Anne Goodwin (Author, Book Blogger) Sherri Matthews (Writer, Photographer, Blogger,) and Jane Horwood and Melissa Santiago-Val – Community Masks 4 NHS.
This Is Lockdown
An anthology and compilation of diaries, short stories, flash fiction, contributions from the ‘isolation writers,’ plus poetry written during the time of lockdown in the UK. This Is Lockdown is written from a writer’s perspective highlighting the simple pleasures of day-to-day life during such an uncertain and frightening time. It also gives a glimpse of the blogging, writing world. The book showcases several authors and their thoughts on what it is like to experience ‘isolation’ as a writer. I also discuss the handling of the pandemic and my thoughts on what might happen next. In the final part of the book I include my latest short story idea: a YA romance and various short pieces of poetry, and flash fiction inspired by the pandemic.
Buying Links:
Universal link: mybook.to/Thisislockdown
Please note anything purchased through this blog at Amazon will earn me a small amount of commission which will help to pay for my blogs.
To purchase – This is Lockdown
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My Son, reading and life poetry
End of January
We are nearly at the end of January 2020,
Kids back at school and work has been busy.
Working on my life and working on my reading,
With my writing anthology, I’m finally succeeding.
With thanks to my writing group, the story is done,
A demon, a hospital, ghosts, the lives that are gone.
I’m hoping it’s liked enough, to be printed in a book,
Where people will read, drink tea and have a look.
Now as I sit here, my son is not at school,
With a sore tummy Wednesday, he’s nobody’s fool.
I was hoping that he would be back at school today.,
But rules say no, so he gets to quietly play.
Son unwell
He has done some reading, he read some Harry Potter,
But very soon he wanted to be back on the computer.
I thought we could cuddle up and maybe watch the film,
But he’s happier driving cars around a little screen.
Taking my daughter to school they like to run around,
I stood with my Kindle trying to stand my ground.
This last week I have travelled with Debra Purdy Kong,
Her Casey Holland books have got me, you can’t go wrong.
My reading
Casey and Lou, Summer, Stan the buses,
Mainland transport, the drama, the losses.
Book six is released on the 12th February,
Pre-order today, for Casey’s life and rebelry.
The continued balance of writing, work and life,
Ensuring that I read, adding to my strife.
I like spending my day off alone,
Safe in the knowledge it’s just me at home.
As I sit here, typing on my bed,
I have things racing around my head.
Frustrated with the noise of the computer,
The roar of cars, I need to be a better instigator.
Maybe after dinner, we can do some work together,
His fingers are typing quickly on the computer.
Years ago, I wrote poems on a typewriter,
Back then we didn’t know that computers were our future.
Life
Life has changed over the years,
We have all evolved along with our peers.
It’s not just the youngsters enjoying online shopping.
I met a ninety year old, for his Tesco order, online he is hopping.
So, today I’m going to go and make some tea,
Maybe take my son downstairs with me.
Enjoying his sick days, he is making the most of them,
Watching him relaxing, he isn’t unwell often.
I’m lying here trying to stay awake,
The house needs a tidy, my sanity’s at stake.
The washing is racing around the washing machine,
The pile of dishes is bad but really not obscene.
So back to the life of a working stressed out mum,
I know there are jobs I need to get done.
Hope you have all had a good week,
The weekend is here, now fun to seek.
(Please note anything bought through my links will earn me some commission that will help pay for my blog.
Other blogging authors that I’ve read.
Include the work of Stevie Turner
Ritu’s – debut novel – Marriage Unarranged is available for preorder – for release on 9th February
There are many others that I still need to read.
Kindle for kids – I have ordered this today for my daughter’s birthday. My son has said he doesn’t like reading. I’m hoping that seeing his sister read will make him want to read more. She has set up a book corner in her room. I’m wondering if a Kindle will be easier to read then a hard back or paperback. She had a load for Christmas including Nevermoor.
If you have tips for getting a reluctant reader to read, then please do tell me in the comments.
For more see, My life and my family poetry
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Books, reading, blogging, writing and life
Does anyone else have a growing number of books begging to be read? I want to read them but between blogging, writing and life, I am struggling.
Please note anything purchased through my blog, will at no extra cost to you earn me some commission which will help to pay for my blog.
I am currently reading Ravens Gathering by Graeme Cumming on my Kindle. I’ve only read a few pages and already there is action. This book needs to be read.
Other books, Past Tense by Lee Child. I purchased somewhere near Christmas, I started it and then life took over. It is the latest book in the Jack Reacher series.
Defender and Hunted by G.X (Gemma) Todd (the first two books in the Voice’s series). As a reader of Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Lee Child, I am looking forward to reading these. If you are in a book shop or perusing books on Amazon these look very good. Also to note, book three Survivors is due for release on October 31st 2019 but can be preordered.
On Writing by Stephen King. As a writer, I need to finish reading it. This book was recommended to me by other writers.
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger has been recommended to me as I’m writing a time travel novel. A few days ago I was given the film, I still need to watch it. Does anyone know why traveler’s is spelt wrong? It is spelt this way on the book and the film.
Today my garden desperately needs weeding and homework needs to be done. I have so far walked to town and back and am now sat in my garden. I’m tired and the weeds are shouting but I’m not motivated to do anything about them.
Sitting reading my Kindle seems the easier option. I need to read and the weeds can wait. Meanwhile, the kids are in the house with daddy all happy on their technical gadgets.
My son must be one of the few that doesn’t have a Nintendo games station or equivalent. He uses an old IPad or the desktop computer. Daddy equally enjoys playing games which really doesn’t help.
Today I found Mr Stink by David Walliams in the library. I picked it up for my nearly eight-year-old in the hope that he will read it. He’s put it to one side and gone back to Minecraft. I tried, how do you get a child obsessed with games to read?
Talking to fellow blogger Jemima Pett at this year’s Bloggers Bash, we talked about books for children with funny names. I hoped that Mr Stink wouldn’t just be thrown to one side, but for now, it has. If I could confiscate the computer games I would, but I don’t think daddy would support me. He enjoys his games too much. Maybe Mr Stink will be picked up later.
Anyway, I’m now going to try and do some reading, hopefully, later I might get more of my novel written. I still need to think more about my characters. I came to a bit of a wall yesterday with my lead character, maybe, for now, I just need to keep typing my first draft.
Trying to keep up with everything is a challenge for a lot of us, I need to manage my time better. Try and make the most of those rare times when we are not doing much. It did occur to me that I could have read my Kindle walking to town, but then tripping over or walking into someone or something is never fun.
My daughter has now joined me, she is trying to read My Little Pony. Maybe she will be the next book lover in this family.
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