writing
-
‘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
Share this:
-
Holiday and loneliness in the New Forest
Loneliness
She carefully walked down the pathway, why had Ruby suggested this holiday? It had been many months since she had joined her in the New Forest. She was normally too loved up with Mark to ask her to join her.
As Freda caught her arm on a branch, she knew that this was a holiday that she needed. The stress of the last few years and the loneliness she now felt, she desperately needed Ruby.
Checking her arm for scratches, she winced. She loved the country, she loved woodland but her mind was focused on her own situation.
Ruby
“Do you really think they will like each other?” Mark looked at me and shrugged.
Freda had been gloomy since we had arrived. She was either going to thank me, or react badly. I am starting to worry, this has to work. If it doesn’t I don’t know what I’m going to do. I want Mark and us to work but I cant leave Freda wallowing in her own loneliness.
Freda
As she came out of the wood, she was struck by the sunlight as it fell across the shadows. Hearing a whine, she was woken from her stupor. Looking down she saw Rex’s adoring eyes looking up at her. Patting the Labrador, Freda knew it was time to get back to Ruby.
Needing time away from the claustrophobic cosiness of coupledom, she had made an excuse to walk Rex. Regretting coming, she longed for the loneliness of the pub back home. Longing for normality. Why had Ruby invited her?
Returning to Mark’s small bungalow, she could smell chilli. Her heart sank further, she didn’t want to cause a scene.
“Hey, Freda, it’s Mark’s famous curry, want some?”
“I guess so, errr small portion please.”Mark smiled as he got up and walked to the kitchen.
“Take a seat Freda, I’ll get something for Rex as well.”“There’s a can on the side for him”.
Freda thought of the tin of rabbit and wondered if that would taste better than the curry. Struggling to be polite, she accepted the plate from Mark, aware that Ruby was staring at her. Asking herself why Ruby had offered it to her, she sensed her laughing at her.
Holding back tears, Freda started to eat the hot burning food. As her stomach became warm, she realised how hungry she is. Despite the stinging heat, she started to feel comforted. It was now the tears started, hot and wet, everything has become too much.
Ruby
I looked at her anxiously,
“What’s wrong Freda? Why are you so upset?”
“I can’t do this Ruby, you are so happy. I need to go home and shouldn’t be here. I’m in the way.”
I took her hand, “You’re not in the way. We want you here”.Looking into her eyes, I could see that she didn’t believe me. I felt sick now, we would have to tell her about the date. There was going to be repercussions.
“Freda, we want you here, and we are off to the pub tonight. Come on, please relax, let your hair down.”
If looks could kill, Mark would be lying on the floor right now. Instead he just stood staring at her. I knew that his words were not want Freda had wanted to hear.
“Why would I want to go to the pub with you two? You don’t want me there, not really.”Knowing that I had to be truthful with her, I said,
“Look Freda, err, we need to tell you something”
Knowing I was going to break and potentially ruin everything, Mark now spoke again.
“Come out tonight, if you want to go tomorrow then go then. Tonight you need to rest Freda, I’m buying.” Ignoring Mark, she said,
“What did you need to tell me?”
“That doesn’t matter, come out tonight and it you still want to go home tomorrow I’ll drive you.” I didn’t want to leave Mark, and as I said the words, I knew it was highly likely we will be going home.Freda
It was a few hours later that they arrived at the pub. Freda was wearing her new blue sweater and had tied her hair back in a pony tail. Feeling apprehensive she was expecting nothing. Looking around the pub, she felt that she needed to make up for being pathetic earlier. Mark and Ruby had given her food and she had cried over it. Knowing she needed to paint on a smile, now doing her best to look happy even if she didn’t feel it.
It was now she saw it. As a tall man with messy hair, a tank top and blazer approached, everything fell into place. The reason her friend had bought her here. Why Mark was so insistent that she came. No, no one was setting her up. This man was certainly not right for her. Okay one drink, she thought, then I’m making my excuses and leaving. Longing for her own loneliness, she didn’t need to be set up with a messy wierdo in a blazer.
Written for Grammys Grid – First sentence prompt – ‘She carefully walked down the pathway’
For more see, Decisions. Freda and a plan – part 11, this is part 12
Share this:
-
A year today, I started writing my blog – poetry
My Blogaversary
A year today, I started writing my blog,
A way to ease stress, to ease my mind fog.
Stress from the children, work stress and strife,
Working it out, on just muddling through life.
A year of posting stories, Amazon posts and rhyme,
Tales of my children, their changes in time.Writing my blog is a huge commitment,
One which a year ago I didn’t appreciate.
Writing my first post, I didn’t know where I was heading,
Of the work ahead of me, and the Bloggers Bash in London.
The friends I would meet, and the work it would take,
All for my writing, and my writing blogs sake.I look back now, I have come a long way,
Slowly my audience grows day by day.
With over 8500 views now at a year,
I was hoping for more but actually I shouldn’t fear.
For those blogs with high figures, those that do well,
They have more going on, have something to sell.I know a blog should benefit the reader,
Mine tells of fiction, so it’s not a blog leader.
Now spending time doing Facebook Live,
Twice a week hoping to help my page thrive.
The work that it takes to keep a blog going,
Not to give up, to keep on writing.This year
So, into year two and where am I going?
I’m hoping my audience, will keep on growing.
My writing prompts will continue with tales of Ruby and Freda,
Blog Battle and Writers Unite to entertain the reader.
Tales of my children on just muddling through life,
The joys of working and being a stressed wife.My blog is one you can sit, with a mug of tea,
Put your feet up and enjoy a short story.
Forever adventures in just muddling through life,
With my children featuring adding to my strife.
A blog to relax with or get into a feature,
A story or poem, or my kids and their nature.
A year today I started writing this blog,
Unaware of the hard work and slog.
Sharing the work of all my fellow bloggers,
Commenting and tweeting, supporting their efforts.
With Blogging and a Beverage and Share and Inspire,
Epic bloggers and Golden bloggers all help us further.A year today, I didn’t know my future friends,
Those who now my blogging depends.
Thankyou all, for your comments and shares,
Here’s to year two, more writing about my cares.
For my blog to develop, I continue writing on,
A post at a time, my thoughts, the stories are soon done.Statistics
Here are my statistics of my blogging year,
All the work that has kept my readers near.
From today a year ago 101 posts straight,
My novel at that point it had to wait.
June this year I started a second blog,
Yes, it has impacted my writing log.Through writing every Tuesday on marianwood.com,
Writing of my novel and how I’m getting on.
Now a total of 88 posts this year on just muddling through life.
Writing every Friday with my short stories and life strife.
With over 77500 words achieved in 2019,
My novel right now is 75000 words, I’m quite the writing queen.For all the words I’ve written throughout my blogging year,
I look back and read, those words won’t disappear.
All the thanks I owe to those at Lyrical Host,
Who without you I wouldn’t be able to boast.
For without all your help and your support,
My blogging year would have certainly been a lot more fraught.Thank you!
So, thank you every one of you, who has offered their support,
Blogging is not easy, the commitment, the time is sought.
I try now to blog every Tuesday and Friday, writing every night,
In the hope that my novel will be completed one day.
On with the blogging and on with our lives,
I’m in year two, this blog will continue to survive.Note, including my second blog at marianwood.com, I have written about 90674 blog words in 2019. I could have written two first drafts with all those words.
Share this:
