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Release Update of Doctor's Rescue by Lia Meadows

2022-12-23T15:04:00.001-05:00

Hey book-lover! How are you? Today I am coming with a Release Update of a contemporary romance novel written by Lia Meadows. This is the second book written by Lia Meadows and it's released on 24th December, 2022. The Name of this fantastic romance piece is Doctor's Rescue.

About the author Lia Meadows in her words:

"I live on a farm with many rescue animals, horses, mini pigs, donkeys, cows, dogs and a bird. Many of these animals require special treatment which I enjoy providing each day. Most of these animals came to my farm so broken from lack of care it was a miracle they survived. I have so enjoyed seeing these abused animals thrive under the proper care and grateful to be a part of their recovery. No matter how many hours I spend taking care of the animals they have always given back more than they take with the countless laughs, smiles and affection they give me each day. Writing books has provided me with a wonderful creative outlet which allows me to stay home and care for these beautiful animals. I am committed to providing an escape for my readers with contemporary romance books. I love providing a magical escape in love and romance for my readers."

About Doctor's Rescue (blurb):

He’s her knight in shining armor, and she might just be the damsel in distress. With a failing business and a broken relationship, the last thing Heather Lee expects to do is fall for the hot-shot doctor after he saves her. The plan is to work on her business and find a way to move on with her life. She has nothing under control until he walks into her life. He might be too good to be true, but it doesn’t matter because Heather’s falling for him anyway. But then, her ex walks back into the picture, and she’s once again reminded that there is no reason why she shouldn’t give her heart to the man who seems to be everything she had ever wanted.

Important links:

Buy Doctor's Rescue on Amazon (not affiliated): https://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Rescue-Lia-Meadows-ebook/dp/B0BQH8DCZX

Visit Lia Meadows' website: https://liameadows.com/

Follow Lia Meadows on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_liameadows/

Watch Lia Meadows YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@_liameadows

Follow Lia Meadows on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_liameadows

Follow Lia Meadows on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorliameadows

I hope you loved reading this short Release Update of Doctor's Rescue written by Lia Meadows. Show some love to Lia on her social media. She writes amazing words! I recommend you to buy a copy of Doctor's Rescue to enjoy this festive season! If you're planning to gift something to your partner, trust me, this will be the perfect gift! I am coming soon with a new blogpost, till then keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Release Update of Charles K. Carter's Read My Lips

2022-12-14T16:57:00.001-05:00

Hey book-lover! How are you? This post is the Release Update of poet Charles K. Carter's debut full length poetry collection Read My Lips. The collection was released on 2nd November, 2022.

About the poet Charles K. Carter:
Charles K. Carter (he/him) is a queer poet from Iowa who currently lives in Oregon. He shares his home with his artist husband and their spoiled pets. He enjoys film, yoga, and live music. Melissa Etheridge is his ultimate obsession. Carter has an MFA in writing from Lindenwood University. He is a volunteer video curator for Button Poetry. His poems have been featured in several literary journals. Carter is the author of four chapbooks, including Salem Revisited (WordTech Editions). His first full-length collection, Read My Lips (David Robert Books), was released in November 2022.

About Read My Lips poetry collection:

Charles K. Carter’s Read My Lips is a collection of poetry that follows the metamorphosis of romance; journeying from adolescent crushes to casual intimate encounters to marriage and heartbreak. Carter utilizes a variety of poetic forms including blank verse, free verse, ghazal, haiku, nirat, and prose poem as well as more unconventional forms.

Charles K. Carter reads a poem from Read My Lips on kmgreads Poetry Cafe:

Reviews for Read My Lips:

“Charles K. Carter swings effortlessly from dizzy yearning to quirky playfulness to diamond-sharp psychological insight. Poem after poem glows with a sense that even the most transient of everyday objects such as fries, soda or lipstick can serve as vehicles into Carter’s imaginative lyricism. Read My Lips is a bold yet tender, direct yet shimmering collection of poems by a bright young American poet.” – Bren Booth-Jones, author of Open Letters to the Sky

“Waking up to the vulnerability of the body and the heart, the speaker of Read My Lips shares what it is to surrender. The urgency in these pages is honest and forever unapologetic.” – Lauren Davis, author of Home Beneath the Church

“In Read My Lips, Charles K. Carter leads the reader back in time, into the pained and glorious years of adolescent heartbreak, and of coming to terms with one’s sexuality in a world that seems dedicated to forcing us to hide who we are from it. But Carter knows that we cannot, ever. The poems, here, are a testament to all of the ways in which one must raise one’s voice and shout to the world; we are here and we are enough! Underlying this work is a groundswell of deep, deep courage and the desire to tell others; in this, you are never alone.” – James Diaz, author of All Things Beautiful are Bent

Important Links:

Visit Charles' website: https://ckcpoetry.com/

Order a signed copy of Read My Lips here.

Buy Read My Lips on Amazon (not affiliated): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1625494211/

Follow Charles on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ckcpoetry/

Follow Charles on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ckcpoetry

Charles' YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTAn53eWRs9rM8yELO_W_1A

Follow Charles on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ckcpoetry

I hope you enjoyed reading the Release Update of the collection Read My Lips. I am coming very soon with a new blog post. Till then keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Release Update of F. J Haddley's debut novel The Witch That Won't Burn

2022-12-05T06:24:00.000-05:00

Hey book-lover, how are you? Recently my friend Franka aka F. J Haddley released her debut novel The Witch That Won’t Burn and I think as a true friend, it is my duty to introduce her book to you. I told her about it and she allowed me to post a Release Update. So this Release Update is about Franka and her book The Witch That Won’t Burn.

About the author F. J Haddley:

F. J Haddley is a fiction writer and a passionate language learner. She is a fierce pursuer of all things human and a strong believer in the power of good textbooks and late nights. A proud LGBTQ+ ally. The Witch That Won’t Burn is her debut novel. She is also a podcaster and a blogger, exploring life beyond fiction.

About the book The Witch That Won’t Burn:

The Witch That Won’t Burn is an LGBTQ+ fantasy romance with a good bit of mystery and heartbreak. The plot revolves around two different natures, one of a witch, and the other of a demon. The supposed enemies. But one night, during the yearly Gathering of the witches, Kaia's empath powers are being used against her and she gets marked. It's then the demon, Jaya, reaches her a hand of help but only to ask for a favor in exchange later. It starts with a distrust—demons can't be trusted, that's what Kaia knows. But turns out Jaya isn't what Kaia thought she was and neither is Kaia the witch Jaya carries the hate for in her very veins. On the brink of the destroyed world of magic, among the corrupt power of the witches and the demon's thirst for revenge, Kaia and Jaya will learn the truth—that history is stronger than them all and that even being on each other's sides will eventually separate them. That when for one love is strength, for the other it can be weakness.

The Witch That Won’t Burn is the first book in the duology that rather opens a door into the world where there're so many questions and so little answers.

Blurbs from The Witch That Won’t Burn:

"… evil isn’t what is born into darkness but what is feeding on the fruits of it…

Kaia knows she shouldn’t trust a demon but what if the said demon is a mysterious girl that insists on helping her. There’s one little detail though, demons don’t do things for free. Especially when they are dealing with their worst enemy—witch."

Links to connect with F. J Haddley:

Book: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1185167

Website: https://fjhaddley.com/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/fjhaddley

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fjhaddley

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fjhaddley

I hope you liked reading this Release Update. Please shower some love to my friend and go to her podcast and tell her that we(you) want a collab podcast in the upcoming days. I am coming soon with a new blog post, till then- keep reading, keep smiling! Bye!

Release Update of theory of creation by Aleah Dye

2022-11-28T11:57:00.000-05:00

Hey book-lover, how are you? Today I am coming with the Release Update of the poetry collection theory of creation written by Aleah Dye. It's a religious deconstruction in the form of twelve poems, theory of creation asks again, ‘what makes a god?’ The collection was released on November 25, 2022.

About the poet Aleah Dye:

Aleah Dye (she/her) primarily writes poetry, tending towards topics of morbidity, love, social justice, and philosophy. She is dreadfully afraid of imperfection and spiders, in no particular order. She has a one-eyed cat named Ivy and a one-track-minded (food!) cat named Rosebud. Aleah hopes to make hearts grow three sizes with her words. She is a 2020 Sundress Publications Best of the Net nominee and the graphic designer for 'perhappened'. Aleah is a graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College with a B.A. in English and Philosophy, and she currently attends Quinnipiac University School of Law as a 3L with a Criminal Law and Advocacy concentration.

Aleah Dye reads a poem from her latest collection theory of creation on kmgreads poetry cafe:

About theory of creation in Aleah's words:

theory of creation (lowercase intentional) tackles my religious deconstruction and examines who/what can be a god and how. It sort of arrives at agnosticism centered on humanism and love, though it is cynical and tongue-in-cheek toward religion throughout.

Reviews for theory of creation:

""Because something so beautiful should never suffer"--so Aleah Dye proclaims unwaveringly in the opening poem of her collection Dye's poetry is symphonic and hopeful. moving from loss of faith in God to her triumphant faith in human beings. Theory of Creation is au adamant cry of resilience, of love for life and the people who make it worthwhile. It is a treasure for all of us who are "waiting to hear from heaven", and meanwhile assured only of earth."

-Lila Marie Ellis

"So easy and nourishingly agreeable is it, to be charmed and acquainted with this poet through this small taste of their talent. This reader finds kinship in the floating sense of wonder, the dreamy, curious, confident sensuality, and the overflowing human love. A reverence for a holiness of nature and human intimacy, yet a critical musing against dogma and conditional love. Ideals and idylls even a non-believer can appreciate. Immense respect to the wit in so many turns of phrase and carefully chosen, positioned words. like inventions and incantations. These words hold glimpses of what this reader treasures in great poetry, great writing: a wisdom of complexity, a messiness of living in the world, the warmth of surrender to life: Pure feeling"

-Benjamin E. Morris

"Written like a confession. Aleah Dye ties together threads of trauma and faith, apathy and atheism to create a miracle of ressurection. This chapbook is a hymn for the godless, the faithful, and everyone who lins ever felt forgotten."

-Ben Riddle

"Aleah Dye uses her poems to artfully navigate between ideas of belief and disbelief. Her work asks us to consider the fluidity of God, how God might not exist in the most traditional sense but could exist within the people who love us. God could be your mother, your lover, or even yourself. The possibilities are endless.

The poems play with religious imagery in skillful and exciting ways, Aleah references proverbs and other aspects of the Bible, but she adds her own spin to them. These revisions evoke an array of feelings in the reader, mixing joy with sorrow and confidence with fear.

Often, it feels like the speaker of the poems is speaking to God directly. The speaker asks God the question, "where were you when I needed you?"! And if there is no reply to that question, perhaps it's best to live our lives without waiting for the answer."

-Catie Wiley

Important Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bearsbeetpoet

Aleah's website: https://indie-writers.fandom.com/wiki/Aleah Dye

Buy a copy of theory of creation: https://www.kithbooks.com/shop/p/dye

I hope you enjoyed reading the Release Update of the collection theory of creation. I am coming very soon with a new blog post. Till then keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Author Introduction: Vivianne Knebel

2022-11-16T14:23:00.002-05:00

Hey book-lover, how are you? I've been getting many requests from authors and publishers that they want to get introduced to all my readers, listeners and viewers. Because of lack of time, they can't come to Creator's Conversations. Instead they want me to introduce them to you. So, I am starting a new segment on kmgreads called Author Introduction. Here I will pick those authors who's been doing amazing work in this field and their life story can inspire you as a person.

Today I am going to introduce you Vivianne Knebel. Her life story innspired me a lot and I hope you will also love reading this.

About Vivianne Knebel:

Born an illegitimate child in the wake of WWII in Berlin, Nazi Germany to a single mother, Vivianne Knebel’s options were limited and her future looked bleak. She experienced poverty, cold, and hunger, and was even driven to the point of committing suicide. To seek out a better life, Vivianne immigrated to Canada as a teenager, but her misfortunes did not end there. However, in response to a miraculous intervention, she decided to preserve her life and keep moving forward.

After this incident, Vivianne met a fellow German immigrant, Wiland, who eventually became her husband. But even more than that, he became a catalyst for change in her life. His belief in her is what helped her see the true, immeasurable value of her life. She went on to play a key role in Wiland’s business venture and together they built a better future for each other.

Since then, Vivianne has run a marathon, learned to pilot a plane, and even beat cancer. She’s found a greater sense of spirituality and wants to share her story with the world, to remind people that there is always a reason to keep moving forward.

Books written by Vivianne Knebel:

A. Lessons Learned About Life and Love: Living with Intention and with Wisdom from Great Minds

Born in Berlin during WWII Vivianne grew up in the post war years. Those challenging times left their mark on her but also toughened her against all the adversities of this world.

Vivianne endured intense physical, emotional, and political oppression in the most visceral ways starting from the day she was born. Many would say that she experienced more trauma before the age of fourteen than many will in a lifetime.

Her life has been one of both hardship and comfort, demoralization and fulfillment, searching and finding, and uncertainty and hope. It is amazing what the human spirit can accomplish through will and determination.

All the obstacles she had faced and conquered are now valuable life lessons.

Having always been a seeker and a searcher she is passionate about studying the works of great poets and philosophers. They have helped her make sense of the world, and their wisdom allowed her to cope in flexible ways with the challenges life throws her way. She has overcome many hurdles and achieved the peace of a truly loved and appreciated life. Many philosophers, poets, and scientists equate this state to beauty.

In her second book “Lessons Learned About Life and Love”, Vivianne shares some of the lessons she has learned from writers and thinkers such as Dr. Wayne Dyer and Dr. Viktor Frankl, weaving them into her own experiences in a compelling guide to living, loving and thriving in old age. Her insights offer proof that great wisdom is not gained only from the classroom or the lecture hall, and that one need not look far to understand the secrets to living well. From anecdotes about her everyday rituals to memories from her world travels, Vivianne captures the profound and often surprising moments of enlightenment that can be found right in front of us, if we only know where- and how-to look.

B. From Rubble To Champagne: Rising from the ashes of war-torn Berlin to a life of grace, beauty and gratitude

Vivianne Knebel was born illegitimate in 1943 in the epicenter of Nazi power, Berlin, Germany. Her free-spirited and strong-willed mother, Marija, fought to keep her alive among falling bombs and Soviet attacks. After the end of World War II, with much of Berlin razed to the ground, Vivianne came to know poverty and constant hunger. As a teenager, she immigrated to Canada, but in her new homeland, times became so desperate that she had to beg for money to eat. After dropping out of school to find work, Vivianne became the victim of sexual harassment. Spiraling into depression, she attempted to take her life, but was miraculously saved by a six-year-old child.

Falling in love with a fellow German immigrant, Wiland, proved a pivotal turning point for Vivianne. He saw a wellspring of potential in her and believed that she could become more than she had ever imagined. They married and moved to the United States. In the land where so many immigrant dreams are built, Wiland encouraged Vivianne to pursue endeavors that would test her mettle, including piloting a plane, running a marathon, and taking on a key role in supporting his business enterprise. Vivianne’s journey of personal growth later gave her the courage to battle cancer and embrace a spiritual life.

Through hardship, demoralization, yearning, searching, loving, inspiration, and growth, Vivianne has discovered the ultimate secret to a life well lived: a grateful heart.

Documentaries on Vivianne Knebel:

Links to connect with Vivianne Knebel:

Website: https://vivianneknebel.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivianneknebelauthor

I hope you loved reading about Vivianne and her works. I am coming soon with an another blogpost. Till then keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Creator's Conversations with Author Sri Rajeshwari Devi

2022-09-30T13:14:00.002-04:00

Hey book-lover! How are you? Recently I did a podcast with Author Sri. The podcast is available on my YouTube Channel, Spotify and Anchor.fm. I updated about the podcast on my social media. Now I am thinking that some of you might not follow me there, so I decided to inform all of you through this blogpost.

Here are the links:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/adLPr8-Yn2E

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/33wBmLpitbnMKE1nnu4AED?si=15c6b4a4253544c9

Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/kmgreads

Sri's website: https://srilifeskills.com

Sri's Social Media: www.facebook.com/SRIDEVIWORKS/

https://www.instagram.com/sri.rajeshwari/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/SriDevi83485301

I am coming very soon with a new Creator's Conversations. Till then keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Creator's Conversations with Author Jenni Lorraine

2022-09-03T18:51:00.003-04:00

Hey book-lover! How are you? Recently I did a podcast with Author Jenni Lorraine. The podcast is available on my YouTube Channel, Spotify and Anchor.fm. I updated about the podcast on my social media. Now I am thinking that some of you might not follow me there, so I decided to inform all of you through this blogpost.

Here are the links:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZsgvXhnaw4Q

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6HLigiClajRQjXi1ENTwIt

Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/kmgreads

Jenni's Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/jennilorraine

Jenni's website: https://www.jennilorraine.com/

Jenni's Social Media: https://facebook.com/authorjennilorraine

https://instagram.com/authorjennilorraine

I am coming very soon with a new Creator's Conversations. Till then keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Creator's Conversations with Wahida Clark ( Part 1)

2022-07-27T14:04:00.006-04:00

Hey book lover, how are you? As I promised on my social media, today’s Creator’s Conversations is going to be an exciting one. Today we have a celebrity guest and her name is Wahida Clark. I know most of you know her and that is the reason I was showing excitement on the social media. Wahida is one of only four urban fiction authors to have had a book appear on the New York Times bestseller list. Last time we hosted an Amazon Best Seller and today we are hosting Wahida! All these achievements are happening only because of your love to the blog. I don’t know how to thank you for your support, but I promise that I will never compromise the quality of the content.

Before we begin, let’s know more about Wahida before starting the conversation with her. Wahida Clark, African-American novelist, is well-known for her best-selling novels in the Thug series. Her works have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times and Essence. She started writing while serving a prison sentence. Wahida Clark was raised in Trenton, New Jersey, where she was born. While detained at a federal camp for women in Lexington, Kentucky, she decided to begin writing fiction.

She has a raw, street-inspired style and an overactive imagination. When you read one of her novels, you immediately feel as though you are inside the story, familiar with the characters, or have to meet them. Wahida is now residing in East Orange, New Jersey. Thugs And The Women Who Love Them, her debut book, and Every Thug Needs A Lady, its follow-up, are both on the Essence Best Sellers List.

Writing Career And Background of Wahida Clark:

While serving a 10-year jail term for laundering money, wire fraud, and mail fraud, Clark completed a creative writing course. She wrote her first novel on a yellow legal pad by hand, a method she has carried on to this day.

Early works by Clark were written and published while she was incarcerated, but after her release, Clark established Wahida Clark Presents Publishing Company LLC. She went on to write 11 books in all and identified her genre as Thug Love fiction, an urban fiction subgenre. She is also a co-author of the upcoming "The Pink Panther Clique" book series by Jamila T. Davis.

Clark has a second job as a motivational speaker in addition to writing. She gives speeches in juvenile facilities, middle schools, halfway houses, and jails, inspiring her audiences to pursue their goals, advance their careers, and avoid "wasting time."

List Of Books By Wahida Clark:

• Thugs and The Women Who Love Them (2002)

• Every Thug Needs a Lady (2003)

• Payback is a Mutha (2006)

• Thug Matrimony (2007)

• Sleeping With the Enemy (2008)

• Payback With Ya Life (2008)

• Thug Lovin' (2009)

• Golden Hustla (2010)

• Justify My Thug (2011)

• Payback Ain't Enough (2012)

• Honor Thy Thug (2013)

• Blood, Sweat & Payback (2014)

• Thugs 7 (2019)

Facts Regarding Wahida Clark:

1. The Oprah Winfrey of street literature is Wahida Clark.

2. Her novels provide distinctive storytelling, original viewpoints, and a diversity that is entirely lacking in publishing.

3. Because they are entirely privately owned, her writings stand out among those of African Americans and operator publishers.

4. She has a similar voice to rock and roll icon Jimi Hendrix's granddaughter.

5. She is dedicated to extending the journey from prison to publishing and has incarcerated authors on her roster.

All You Need To Know About Wahida Clark:

Wahida Clark is one of only four urban fiction authors to have had a book appear on the New York Times bestseller list, and she has become one of this generation's most sought-after writers. She is the only author of urban lit on the list that has also spent time in prison.

The current Queen of Hip-Hop Fiction, Nikki Turner, named Wahida Clark the Queen of Thug Love Fiction in 2005. Since then, she has earned the title of "Queen of Street Literature." According to Professor Vanessa Irvin Morris' Readers Reference to Street Literature, "Wahida Clark is the founder of the Thug Love Fiction genre, a street-lit subgenre.

She started the trend by being the first street-lit author to write a series. Urban literature now follows Wahida's example of writing style. Her books are so realistic that you get convinced that you know the characters, want to know the characters or are one of the characters as you read them. For more information, you can visit https://www.wclarkpublishing.com

I hope you have got an overall idea of Wahida Clark. Let’s start the conversation and explore more of her life and writing journey. Click here to read the next part of the interview.

Release Update of I Did Not Know by Author Brian Keith

2022-07-09T10:31:00.001-04:00

Hey book-lover! Today I am bringing a release update for you. The name of the book is I Did Not Know and it is written by Author Brian Keith. The paperback version of this book contains 452 pages and 15 chapters.

About the author Brian Keith in his words:

“I was born and raised in America. My parents raised me in a decent home. But me, as a teenager, I did things that Home did not teach me. So, I went out into the street and became a drug dealer. I became addicted to drugs and got high every single day... As I was getting high one day, my heart stop beating for 11 minutes and I went into a coma for 10 days.”

The, author Brian Keith gets down to the nitty-gritty in this book. The author talks about all the consequences a person must face when surrendering his or her brain to chemical controlled substances. This book will show you how important it is to not give yourself over to drugs. It is very important to stick with your future dreams.

A little more about the book I DID NOT KNOW:

This book is about an athlete who desired from the heart to play professional league sports. His talents and skills were truly on another level. I earned two MVP trophies as a quarterback, and 2 MVP trophies as a baseball pitcher.

However, due to contolled substance abuse I never had the chance to prove to myself I was good enough. As i was using drugs one day, my heart stopped beatimg for 11 minutes and I went into a coma for 10 days.

I hope you've got an overall idea of the book I DID NOT KNOW. You can click here to buy the book on Amazon, or you can click on the image of the book. You'll be automatically redirected there. Let's encourage an independent author and read his masterpiece! I am coming with a new post very soon. Till then keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Creator's Conversations with Dr. Darnetha Chester

2022-06-14T18:46:00.001-04:00

Hey book-lover! How are you? Today’s “Creator’s Conversations” is going to be a special one. Because today we have Dr. Darnetha Chester with us. She is going to share her life stories and a lot of writing tips with us. Dr. Darnetha is a powerhouse of a woman who has dedicated her life to empowering others. She was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, where both of her parents were ministers. This gave her a strong drive to help people through her work as an author, coach, vocalist, and healer. She holds many prestigious degrees and certifications from schools such as Beulah Heights Theology University, where she studied Leadership and Biblical Studies.

Dr. Darnetha is a highly educated woman who has a passion for helping others. After obtaining her Master of Education degree in Instructional Technology with an emphasis in Curriculum Design, she went on to complete her Doctorate in Transpersonal Counseling with an emphasis on Conscious Centered Living from The University of Sedona University. She understands the importance of living a conscious and fulfilling life and uses her knowledge to support others to achieve their goals.

Dr. Darnetha is a Psych K Facilitator and Life Coach who has successfully worked with people from all walks of life--from improving self-development to couples trying to heal after infidelity. Dr. Darnetha uses her knowledge, skills, and experience in the process of healing; she's not only multi-passionate but also trained as a vocalist from Atlanta Metropolitan College. She believes that change is possible for everyone and works diligently to help others reach their goals and dreams!

My Instagram and Twitter followers already know about this interview. I also picked here some questions asked by my followers. These are some major perks to follow me on social media. Don’t skip here! You can follow me after reading this interview. I am really excited to start the conversation and explore her more. So let’s not waste each other’s time and begin it!

Kangkan: A warm welcome to my blog Darnetha! How are you?

Darnetha: I’m doing great. Very excited to be a part of “ Creator’s Conversations”

Kangkan: Before we start, I’d like to salute you for your decision to invest all your learnings, skills, talents to empower people’s life. This is a very brave decision.
Darnetha: I know that Courage is the first step to any success in life, but it's the people who motivate me and inspire my creativity as a writer. They are what keep me going when things get tough.

Kangkan: What are the major challenges you face while guiding people to live a conscious and fulfilling life?
Darnetha: My greatest challenge is getting people to move past their subconscious blockages which manifest in different ways and produce different results. Once we move past the blockages the healing can begin and lastly self-mastery. Which, I think most people would agree self-master is the goal and their various paths to attainment. I’m simply creating a path through the creativity of writing

Kangkan: We all have to face negative energies in our lives. How do you handle it?
Darnetha: Well, first and far most it helps to have many tools to handle what we call “negative energy.” My first go to is breath because if we study the mind, body chemistry that’s the first thing to go out of balance when faced with any type of negative energy is the breath. Once we gain control of the breath the process of balancing or emotions and thoughts become easier. It’s not the negative energy that’s our main problem. It’s how we respond to negative energy that is the key to overcoming “negative energy”

Kangkan: How do you manage yourself to focus on things despite exploring multiple dimensions ?
Darnetha: Commitment brings us towards the process of focusing. So, once I commit the focus comes naturally. It works every time! I implore anyone to try it for a day. Simply commit to a single thing for that day and watch your focus naturally follow your commitment.

Kangkan: What is the role of spirituality in your life? I feel somewhere in your life you are connected to the spirituality.
Darnetha: Spirituality is everything in my life. The I AM that is I is Spirit. We are spiritual being living in a physical body with thoughts and emotions. The first key to spirituality is understanding this innate truth.

Kangkan: To keep the creative fluids flowing, an author needs to read books. What is the last book you read?
Darnetha: Oh, wow! Like any scholar or seeker of truth who happens to be a writer. You are absolutely right; I read a lot! The last book I read is “ I AM” Affirmations by Peter Mt. Shasta and for you book gurus like myself, this is a vintage collection of sort. It’s not a book you would easily run across but being a book guru we love finding the jewels. Once, we reach a certain level of enlightenment a book of depth is priceless.

Kangkan: Any contemporary authors you follow?
Darnetha: I still follow Iyanla Vanzant believe or not. She opened the path for many women such as myself at a very young age. I think I was about 19 or 20 fresh out of high school and in college, when I began reading her book “ In the Meantime” Finding yourself and the love you want a really great book for a woman who's already explored relationships and has lost herself in the midst of it.

Kangkan: Why did you choose writing? Is there any story behind it?
Darnetha: Writing found me. What would be most people’s personal experience in writing is definitely unique. My experience is mystical because I was not at all looking to become a writer. Never even thought about it as a real thing. It began as an agreement like a contract with God. There were things I desired from God and I simply told God if you provide these things, I will do whatever you ask of me. Surprisingly, God did them all and I had forgotten my agreement. Until a minister friend came to visit me and he say “ you made God a promise and you haven’t fulfilled this promise.” At that very moment, I knew exactly what God wanted me to do and that was to become a writer. God wanted me to be a vessel to create books that would change people’s lives.

Kangkan: Tell us about your latest release SELF LOVE JOURNAL FOR WOMEN How To Win Any Battle, Build Unshakeable Confidence, Awaken Your True Calling and so much more. . Tell us your expectations from this book!

Darnetha: Truly, we have to giggle when people use the word expectations, mainly because it says something is somehow planned. When in reality very few things are actually planned and even when we plan them they don’t necessarily go as planned. So, I’ll say I have no real expectations.

I simply believe that the book will reach those it’s supposed to reach and do what it’s supposed to do. This book is a tool or a path to achieving and sustaining self-love, self-care and essentially self-healing. Expectation means there’s a chance of failure. There is no expectation here. The book is designed to achieve personal success for women and it does just that. It’s like 1 +1 = 2 there is no expectation. It just is. Wow, I think I just went Star Wars on everyone “ Do or Do not, there is no try’ and the word expectation infers a trying to obtain something.

Kangkan: Can men read this book and imply the teachings in the book in their lives? Or, this is only for women? I think even if it is written for women, men can read at least to understand the struggles women have to face. Your thoughts?
Darnetha: Oh, definitely men can read the book and gain some insight and hopefully be able to understand the struggles of being a woman. When women read, practice and enjoy the book. They will definitely say it was written by a woman for a woman with full commitment to women.
Nerveless, a man will find some key jewels to understanding women in a way that will enable a man to embrace women in a whole new light.

Kangkan: How much time did it take to write this book?

Darnetha: About a year maybe more. I write multiple books at one time because my creativity is never in one place. It has a mind of its own to venture into patterns. So, for 4 day’s I might be writing and working on my newest novels, then days later my latest self-mastery book, and after that my couple book. It just so happen that the Self-Love Journal for Women was the first book to be completed.

Kangkan: What are you currently working on?/ What are your upcoming projects?
Darnetha: I am currently working on a novel series, and several other personal development books, that include a book for all couples; dating, engaged or married, a devotional, and a yoga and mediation book for beginners.

Kangkan: You are a best-selling author of seven or more books, please share your experience of this achievement! There are so many young writers who follow my blog actively. Your experience may enlighten their path.
Darnetha: As writer, you must make a decision this is a part of who I am. The decision alone will lead you to the commitment. The commitment will keep you focused because life still goes on even on your journey to completing whatever your next book will be. Lastly, success is you not your book. You are the success and the book is a by-product of the success which is you.

Kangkan: What is your biggest fear in life?
Darnetha: None, and I sincerely laugh at the concept of fear because it’s an illusion. Am I faced with the illusion of fear as a human being? Yes but I am more than just a human being, I am a spiritual being and the spirit knows no fear only the mind and body know fear. I am more than mind and body. I am Spirit

Kangkan: Now I am going to ask you three questions which are popular among the readers of "kmgreads". These three questions are like rituals! I have to ask these three questions to all the guests of my blog.

1. Nikita Gill, a famous poet on social media once said in an interview, "Eight billion people are living their life in eight billion ways."- what is your way of living life?
Darnetha: God

2. Tell us a secret of your life that you have not shared with anybody.
Darnetha: I used to be afraid of my dreams as a child.

3 . There are so many readers of my blog who want to become full-time writers. What will be your message to them?
Darnetha: Becoming a full-time writer typically requires a contract from a major writing agent. I have found that it’s not realistic to venture into this field without solid financial support. It could be your family, friends, business partners you solicit, and so on. Writing is a business even though we pursue it as creative work. So, learn all you can about the business aspect and marketing as you pursue your journey as a writer.

Kangkan: Thank you so much for your time Darnetha! Your presence graced my blog! This interview was just the ice-breaker. You will have to come again and share your life’s experience with us. And next time you will have to sing a song for us. It’s a demand! Haha. I wish a grand success for your book!

That was the conversation I had with Dr. Darnetha Chester. I really enjoyed interviewing her and I think you also learnt many things about life and writing. I hope this interview will add value to your life. Personally, I learnt many things from her. One of the qualities I liked about her is "confidence and clarity" and I think there's much more to gain from her. Well, you can directly connect with her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. If you want to buy her latest book, you can click on the image of the book, or you can click here. I am coming up with a new blog post very soon. Till then keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Oh wait! wait! wait! we have recently crossed the one thousand mark on Instagram. Thank you so much for your amazing support. Miles to go...

Creator's Conversations with Kevyn LeShane

2022-03-08T14:13:00.000-05:00

Hey book-lover! If you are following me on Instagram, you might know that I recently had a chat with Kevyn LeShane. He is a critically acclaimed spoken word artist, poet, and entrepreneur. He began professional writing at the age of 16. By the time he graduated from The College of New Jersey at 22, he had self-published his first full-length anthology, two chapter books, and had won an Outstanding Book Award from the American Education Research Association for his contributions to the book “Open Mic Night: Campus Programs That Champion College Student Voice and Engagement”.

Kevyn is passionate and outspoken about social reform. He has worked and volunteered for a variety of equal rights, feminist, and mental health awareness advocacy organizations. He continues to push for social reform in his daily life and regularly uses his platform to discuss social issues, grief, and healthy ways to cope with hardship in his written works.

The first part of our conversation was live on Instagram. I uploaded the whole interview on youtube. Please have a look:

You can reach Kevyn by clicking the following link:

https://linktr.ee/LeShane

Release Update of EARTH RESONANCE: POEMS FOR A VIABLE FUTURE by Sam Love

2022-03-07T15:26:00.003-05:00

Hey book lover! Today I am bringing a Release Update for you. The book is published by The Poetry Box and the name of the book is Earth Resonance: Poems for a Viable Future. It is written by Sam Love. I have published a review of Sam's previous collection Awakening Musings on Planetary Survival here. Earth Resonance: Poems for a Viable Future is scheduled for Release on Mar 15, 2022.

A little more about EARTH RESONANCE: POEMS FOR A VIABLE FUTURE

Earth Resonance is a collection of Sam Love’s environmental poetry. These accessible poems do not simply bemoan the state of melting glaciers, stranded polar bears, or sizzling summer temperatures, but instead give the reader an in-depth autopsy of our culture’s footprint on the natural world, with humility and a dash of humor.

The subjects range from meditations on Mother Earth to the changes in migratory patterns caused by climate change. Far from a doom and gloom portrait of the contemporary environmental crisis, Earth Resonance has some fun with everything from imagining the craziness of shipping bottled water 6,000 miles to how bacteria evolving for a counterattack must be laughing at us—the humans who think we hold dominion over them.

As you read this celebration of holistic thinking and planetary consciousness, you will never look the same way at a plastic bag bouncing across the urban landscape. Who knows, you might even be compelled to ride your bike to work or at least remember to turn off the water while you’re brushing those pearly whites.

Creator's Conversations with Tymeka Coney: I Don't Like Covid-19 -a children's picture book!

2022-02-18T11:47:00.002-05:00

Hey book-lover! How are you? Today you are going to read a conversation I recently had. She is an actress, producer, director, playwright, poet, songwriter, voice over artist. Her first book was "Words Unspoken: Volume I-Deeper Than Eyes Can See," poetry book released in 2011. She also has a Spoken Word album, "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Dreams," available on Amazon and her recent extended single "COVID 19- Social Distancing," also on Amazon. Her name is Tymeka Coney.

Tymeka is also an Entertainment Entrepreneur as she is a woman of many talents. She currently runs an Indie production company- Meek Entertainment & PR for TV, Film, Live Stage Events & other media. She continues to inspire others through her writing/entertainment bringing awareness to social change as she has done as a playwright with several plays that have brought awareness to domestic violence, breast cancer, suicide, menopause etc. Tymeka realizes it is a part of her life’s mission to continue to rally around important causes like racism and other social change and continue to use her platform for the greater good of all mankind and excel the lives of others spiritually, mentally and emotionally through Arts and Entertainment to make an impact in the lives of others throughout the world.

I hope you have got an overall idea about our lovely guest. Let’s not waste time and start our conversation.

Kangkan: A warm welcome to my blog Tymeka! How are you?
Tymeka: I’m blessed and thanks for the warm welcome to your blog.

Kangkan: “Women are the perfect multitaskers” - people in my country (India) believe in that and you have proved it with your actions. How do you manage everything? I am really curious about it.
Tymeka: I am really intentional with my time in regards to socializing and making room for my alone time to create away from the outside world. I am mindful in my creativity to go towards the creative flow. Whatever comes to my mind and spirit that is where I go, whether it’s writing a story, a song, a poem or script. When it is time to Produce or spear head a project or even assist another individual with their creative vision, it is in the stillness and quietness that I hear from the Creator for direction on what to do next creatively.

Kangkan: What’s the best thing about being a multitasker like you and what’s the most challenging?
Tymeka: The best thing about being a multitasker is you open yourself up to so many limitless possibilities and opportunities. When one skill is dormant you can easily shift to your next skill or the next. Being a multitasker can also provide several streams of income. The most challenging aspect is that sometimes you can spread yourself thin multitasking and your energy has to be divided where you can’t consistently give 100 % to any one task at one time which can make you great at many things but maybe not the best at many things as you could be if you had laser beam focus on just one thing. The other challenge is that to some you may appear to be doing too much and risk being misunderstood by many as to what you are working to become or how you can be identified when they can’t often pinpoint just one thing that you do. But I am blessed to be considered a Multi-hyphenate and I enjoy the variety of opportunities and the fact that I don’t have to worry about getting bored because there is always a new project that I can undertake or creative idea that I can submerge myself into.

Kangkan: Since you have a very tight schedule, how do you manage time to write? To be more specific, when do you write?
Tymeka: I’m always working to maintain time management by keeping a calendar and task list/list of things to do daily. I also work hard to maintain work/life/balance so that I show up as a whole and balanced person in every area of life and certainly the word discipline comes up a lot for me. I manage time to write by sacrificing a lot of social time on the phone or invites to gatherings on weekends and at night. While most people my age may be at the club on the weekend etc..I find myself at home in front of my laptop writing. I often write at night before bed and/or on weekends or holidays when I have quiet time alone.

Kangkan: To keep the creative liquids flowing, an author needs to read books. What is the last book you read?
Tymeka: The last book I read is Sis, Don’t Settle by Judge Faith Jenkins. I find that I am always reading books about finance, career, relationships or the arts. I have a thirst for knowledge and a desire to always strive to be a better human being and to inspire others with the knowledge I’ve obtained. I have three bookshelves currently in my home and the library is expanding year after year.

Kangkan: Any contemporary authors you follow?
Tymeka: I enjoy self-help books by T.D. Jakes and Steve Harvey to name a few.

Kangkan: Tell us about your latest release "I Don't Like Covid-19”- a children's book. What inspired you to write this book?

Tymeka: I was inspired to write this book because I wanted to inspire others and I didn’t see any children’s books written by African-American authors that educated kids on the subject of COVID-19. I thought it was especially important to bring more awareness to the effects of this disease to kids and certainly in my community and culture and just the world overall. I also believed that this would cause parents, grandparents and teachers to be reminded of the importance of practicing safety towards COVID-19 and just keep the dialogue going. Also, having experienced COVID-19 first hand and survived it and having a family member that didn’t, I wanted to make it one of my life’s missions to make sure that children and adults and anyone who reads this book …that they would further realize or be reminded of the severity of COVID-19 and just remember everyday to wash their hands, social distance and continue to wear their masks even if they are vaccinated and why it is so essential as it could actually save a life.
I want to also say that I recognize as an author, writer and content creator, that it is my responsibility to use my platform and exposure for the greater good of all mankind.

Kangkan: To write a children’s book, one has to think like a child. To be honest, it is a very tough genre for an author, but you have done amazing work in "I Don't Like Covid-19”. I think somewhere within you, there is a child. How are you keeping her alive?
Tymeka: Thank you. I started writing my first children’s book, “I Don’t Like Racism,” because I wanted to know what it would feel like to tell the story of racism through the eyes of a young African-American girl. I also wanted to explore the same thought process of what it feels like to experience and be affected by COVID-19 through the mind of this young African-American girl with the second book, “I Don’t Like COVID-19.” This was a character I created named DaNyla which now is a part of my “I Don’t Like Series,” so I am continuing on the journey of exploring relevant topics in the world through the mind of this girl in hopes that her journeys of discovery will inspire children of all ages and ethnicities. I am an observer of life and I have a vivid imagination when I’m creating characters and dialogue to tell a story. I can hear every word that they would say in a situation that may present itself and I also studied Psychology, so I apply these skills to keep the characters alive and to properly assign their human behaviors. I have had an amazing time seeing the illustrations partnered with the words of the stories I wanted to tell…so much so that my mind has now went to the next level of what it would be like to have DaNyla come to life through animation. Stay tuned. :)

Kangkan: Your previous release "I Don't Like Racism"- was also a children’s picture book. Is there any specific reason you are writing for children?

Tymeka: There really is no specific reason I am writing for children. I have certainly worked as an Educator with children of all ages, so I definitely can understand the minds of children and the need for them to have exposure and education to relevant topics in our society and world at an early age so that as they grow up and are presented with situations in everyday life, that they are prepared and equipped with the knowledge to survive and succeed. I would say that is one of the roles one takes on being an Educator. I think topics like racism and COVID-19 are world issues and they are subjects you can’t escape at any age and there will come a time in life that you may be faced to experience one or both and I want to enlighten, empower and educate others through writing/entertainment and that is all ages from kids to the elders.

Kangkan: How long does it take to write a children’s book?
Tymeka: I would say it really depends on the individual. The process for me overall including illustrations and editing and book design and publishing typically takes 1-2 months for the completion of the entire book. However, I will say that I wrote both of my children’s books in a day. The stories just downloaded from my mind to the page instantly both times which was a clear indication that writing these books was not just a Good idea.. but a God idea.

Kangkan: What are you currently working on?
Tymeka: I am currently gearing up to shoot a short film I wrote, finishing up the writing for a Stage play to bring to stage later this year. I am also completing the writing of a TV Drama, doing several interviews for the release of the new book, “I Don’t Like COVID-19,” I am songwriting and working on obtaining funding to produce several feature films.

Kangkan: What is your biggest fear in life?

Tymeka: My biggest fear in life is not reaching all of the goals I have set out to achieve on my vision board.

Kangkan: Now I am going to ask you three questions which are popular among the readers of "kmgreads". I ask these three questions to all the guests of Creator's Conversations.

1. Nikita Gill, a famous poet on social media once said in an interview, "Eight billion people are living their life in eight billion ways."- what is your way of living life?
Tymeka: My way of life is best described by the poet Shakespeare..”To thine ownself be true.” I am living my life by pursuing purpose and doing the things that I believe I was put on earth to do because they are innate talents/skills and abilities and things I love and enjoy. Being in a Pandemic for the last two years has helped me to further realize that the Gift of Life is precious and what we do in this life and how we spend our time utilizing the gifts we possess are a gift to others. There is a greater sense of fulfillment in life when you are doing what you love and on top of that getting paid for it. When you are true to yourself, it is easy to recognize your gifts and the things that make you uniquely you and this allows you to show up in the world authentically and I just believe this resonates Universally and this is how I want to continuously live my life by being true to myself in every area. It’s liberating!

2. Tell us a secret of your life that you have not shared with anybody.
Tymeka: One of the secrets of my life that some may not know is I am very shy. This is really why I believe I enjoy writing as it is a great way for me to share my thoughts and communicate self-expression and strong emotions through various forms of writing.

3 . There are so many readers of my blog who want to become full-time writers. What will be your message to them?
Tymeka: My message to those that want to become full-time writers is to simply just write. It’s like the saying, “Practice makes perfect.”
As Malcolm Gladwell discussed in his bestseller, “Outliers“, to become an expert at something it takes 10,000 hours (or approximately 10 years) of deliberate practice. That being said, it is my belief that everyone has a story to tell and some experience that they can share through writing. I would also say that there are always going to be obstacles in the way but never let anyone or anything detour you from writing if that is something you are passionate about as that is something you can always do at any time. If it is a book that you want to write, don’t concern yourself with the formatting or any of that. Just write! Even if it is with paper and pen in a tablet and as you start the process and began to share your vision with like-minded people, all the people that you need to come along and assist with your vision and help bring your book to completion will align with you on your writing journey. I want to leave you with one of my favourite scriptures of inspiration and to encourage writers and your readers. “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, so that they who read it will run. For the vision is yet for the (future) appointed time, it hurries toward the goal of fulfilment; it will not fail. Even though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:2-3

Kangkan: Thank you so much for your time Tymeka. Your presence graced my blog. I hope you will come again and we will chat more about life and books. All the very best!

Thanks to you too dear reader. Thanks for reading our conversation. I hope you enjoyed it. I will try to bring Tymeka again, and we will explore different sides of her life. You will find her on Instagram @TymekaTymeLashae, Twitter @AuthorTymeka, Facebook @AuthorTymekaConey and YouTube @Tymekaconey. You can also visit her website to know more about her. You will find "I Don't Like Covid-19” there to order. You will find the book on Amazon and all the major retailers. I am coming with a book review very soon. Till then keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Owl Unbound by Zoe Brooks Release Update

2021-06-28T14:48:00.002-04:00

Hey book lover! Today I am bringing a Release Update of a fantastic poetry collection for you. The book is published by Indigo Dreams Publishing LTD. and the name of the book is Owl Unbound. It is written by Zoe Brooks. Zoe's collection was published on 01/10/2020. There's a total of sixty pages in this book which contain forty-six poetries.

A little more about Of Owl Unbound:
‘Owl Unbound’ examines nature and humanity in a wide range of settings; from a stag beetle on a suburban fence to fossils on a Somerset beach, from a Cotswold roofer “tiptoeing the thin laths” to a bag lady in Covent Garden “dancing at the amplifier's right hand”. Whilst there is tender joy and love in the collection, there is also anger and loss.

What reviews are saying:
“Robert Frost described poetry as ‘a way of taking life by the throat’, and the fearless, vivid and immensely lyrical poems in 'Owl Unbound' do just that. A masterful collection of poems by an extraordinary poet.” - Anna Saunders
“There are so many lines here that stick with me and continue to unfold. Language that is fresh and unexpected, that gives us that inner nod of recognition.” - Angela France

About the author Zoe Brooks:
Zoe Brooks worked with disadvantaged communities in London and East Oxford before returning to her native Gloucestershire to write and grow vegetables. Zoe has been widely published in print and online magazines and appeared in the anthology 'Grandchildren of Albion'. Her long poem 'Fool's Paradise' won the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition award for best poetry ebook 2013.

Before you exit this blog, I want to thank you for visiting my blog. Please share your opinion regarding the book or the blog by commenting below. Share this Release Update with your friends, foes and families. It will encourage me to bring more Release Updates to you. Follow this blog by clicking the follow button on the sidebar and put your email in the subscription box so that you can get an email notification whenever I upload a new blog post. Keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Creator's Conversations with Jen Feroze

2021-03-20T11:32:00.001-04:00

Hey book-lover, how are you? Today we are going to interview Jen Feroze. She has been in love with language for as long as she can remember. A former Foyle Young Poet of the Year, her poetry has appeared in national and international journals and anthologies. The Colour of Hope is her debut collection. Jen is a bookworm with a love of baking, conversation that makes your brain fizz and really good cheese. She lives by the sea in Essex with her husband and two young children.

Kangkan: How did you find poetry? Or, how did poetry find you?
Jen: I remember learning about haiku in primary school, aged about 8, and finding it amazing the way you could make such vivid pictures with so few words. When I was 16 I was a winner of the Foyle Young Poet of the Year award, and as part of the prize I went on a week’s writing retreat with the Arvon Foundation at Lumb Bank in Yorkshire. I can honestly say that week changed my life and made me realise how important poetry is to me. Since then I’ve always written, really. I’ve found ways to fit poetry in and around the rest of my life, and certainly in the last 18 months or so it’s become a really therapeutic practice for me.

Kangkan: 2020 was a curse for everyone in this world. But you have set an example of how we can convert our bad times into good times by writing your debut poetry book ‘The Colour of Hope: Poems of Happiness in Uncertain Times’. I have gone through a few poetries of this beautiful collection and I am impressed by the poetic environment offered by the poetries. What are your expectations from this book and what a reader can expect from Colour of Hope?
Jen: Thank you, that’s lovely of you to say! This collection grew organically and very quickly, and was really about cheering people up. It started out as a way to make a friend feel better - I asked her to send me three things that would make her happy, and then turned them into a poem for her. She shared it on her social media and I started getting some more requests to write others, and after I’d done a handful of them I realised there was the possibility of a collection here. My hope is that the poems in here will connect with people and help them to look forward and feel uplifted.

Kangkan: What is your favourite poem in this collection? I know it's a tough call. Haha.
Jen: Argh, that’s a hard one to answer! Several of them are favourites for different reasons. There are some like ‘For Sarah’ and ‘For Charlotte’ where the imagery feels particularly pleasing to me. ‘For Emma’ and ‘For Rachel’ were written for two of my oldest friends, which is something very special, and then ‘For Emily’ is a favourite as the brief I was given was amazing but challenging to fit together (Ceilidh dancing, graffiti in London tunnels, Balinese gamelan music and living on a houseboat), and I was really happy with the way it worked in the end!

Kangkan: Whom do you show your poetries right after writing?
Jen: Until fairly recently I didn’t share drafts with anyone, I’d walk away from them and come back a few days later with fresher eyes to tweak and polish, and that’s been my process for the poems in this collection - lots of rigorous self editing! But in June of last year I joined the instagram poetry community, and have found it to be a spectacular source of support and inspiration. I’ve made some great friends through sharing poetry there, and can’t wait until lockdown restrictions in the UK are lifted so that I can meet some of them in real life! You can find me on instagram @the_colourofhope .

Kangkan: Apart from writing poetries, what are the other things you think that you can do easily but others can't?

Jen: I quite enjoy public speaking, even though I do still get nervous. I can also speak French and I make a mean Black Forest Gateau, haha.

Kangkan: What are you currently working on?
Jen: I went through a little bit of a poetic dry spell after my daughter was born in 2016, and I’m only recently finding myself able to put some of my feelings about motherhood into words, so I’m enjoying writing poetry for and about my children at the moment. I’m also trying my hand at submitting to various journals and competitions, so we’ll see what happens!

Kangkan: Any contemporary poets you follow?
Jen:Yes, I’m inspired by so many people! Kate Clanchy and Maura Dooley are two firm favourites whose work I go back to again and again. I’ve also recently been totally blown away by John McCullough’s ‘Reckless Paper Birds’. The instagram community is bursting with incredible talent, too. Some particular favourites are Kristiana Reed (@kristianamst) Katy Luxem (@katyluxem) and Karan Chambers (@writer.interrupted), although there are lots more!

Kangkan: Now I am going to ask you three questions which are popular among the readers of "kmgreads". I ask these three questions to all the guests of Creator's Conversations.

1. Nikita Gill, a famous poet on social media once said in an interview, "Eight billion people are living their life in eight billion ways."- what is your way of living life?

Jen: Making sure there is something to laugh about every day, and keeping the biscuit tin replenished on a regular basis!

2. Tell us a secret of your life that you have not shared with anybody.
Jen: I’d love to voice a character in a Disney film!

3.There are so many readers of my blog who want to become full-time writers. What will be your message to them?
Jen: If you love it, keep doing it. Work out ways to squeeze it into your life and make it part of your daily ritual.

Kangkan: Thank you for your time. I hope you will come again and then we will chat more.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. This interview is a part of The Colour of Hope Blog Tour organised by Isabelle Kenyon. I hope you enjoyed reading it. If you are from the UK, you can click here to grab a signed copy of The Colour of Hope and if you are from the US, you can grab it here. The book is also available on Amazon. If you buy this book, 20% of the amount will be donated to www.mind.org.uk. Also, don't forget to follow Jen on Twitter and Instagram. Also don't forget to check out Jen's website. Keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

A Short Review of Lucía Orellana Damacela's Inherent

2021-02-21T13:05:00.000-05:00

Hey book lover! The first poetry book I read in 2021 is Lucía Orellana Damacela's Inherent. The book is published by Fly On the Wall Press. You may already have watched the unboxing video of this book on my YouTube channel, in case you missed it, the video is here:

Inherent has forty-seven pages. There are thirty-nine poetries in this collection, and they will collectively create a homely atmosphere in a reader's mind. Break In, Mourning, Drenched, Housekeeping and Rain Noir - these five poetries touched me so much that I was reading this book again and again to feel them more. Housekeeping holds the poet's point of view on silence, fear, loneliness, anxiety, indulgence and strength. This poem will definitely grab the reader's attention more.

Lucía Orellana Damacela's Inherent can be read by anyone who loves lyricism. The poetries in this book reflect multiple cultures. Inherent belongs to home. If you are staying out of your home, you can consider a paperback copy of Inherent as a companion and you will start missing your home more. If you love reading personal poetries, the "freshness" of these poems will crank up your reading experience. I think the poetries in this book are written to please the slow readers. Inherent doesn't contain any vulgar or profane words. If you are a budding poet, you can read this book to learn how you can convert your life into a beautiful poem.

Reading Experience of Inherent:
It took me almost one and a half months to finish this book. I loved reading the poetries and enjoyed their freshness. I read the book so many times, and every time I reach the last poetry of the book, the inner me says, "It will not take much time, let's explore them again". So, it was tough to break the loop. The taste of the poetries gradually gets better. The free spaces on the pages may offend some readers, but they allowed me to roam around my thoughts. I loved the formatting and page quality of this book. I am giving four out of four stars in this section, and I'm pretty sure that the paperback version will give you a good reading experience.

Writing Style:
Lucía used simple yet meaningful words to express her thoughts through poetries. Look how beautifully she assembled her life, nature and some deep thoughts in one stanza:

"A gaunt tree stands
alone amidst the arid shore,
its roots down my throat" - The Inside Tree
The use of Spanish words (and phrases) added a nostalgic flavour to the poetries. Her unique style of titling the poetries will hold the attention of a reader. Lucía's writing style is very influential and I am giving it four out of four stars.

Overall Rating of Inherent:
Lucía beautifully snapshots her life through lyricism by keeping the poetries close to nature. Each poem is a fusion of two or more thoughts which made this collection interesting to read. One thing I missed in this book is - the author's note. The author's note brings the reader closer to the author. I didn't see any such notes or sentences to the reader. Hope the author and the publisher will not ignore it in their upcoming books.
Like their previous publications, Fly on the Wall Press has not disappointed the readers. Inherent reflects how much effort Fly on the Wall Press is putting to provide the readers with quality content. The book is perfectly edited, and I loved all the elements of this book. I am giving it four out of four stars.

I hope you got an idea of Lucía's Inherent from this review. If you want to buy this book, you can click here. I think the book will be shipped anywhere in the world. I will update on my Instagram if there's a discount going on. So don't forget to follow me on Instagram. Until my next blog-post, keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

P.S.: I know you will share this blog-post with your friends, foes and family.

Creator's Conversations with Anna Saunders

2021-02-12T12:30:00.001-05:00

Hey book lover! Today we will be talking with Anna Saunders - the founder of Cheltenham Poetry Festival. She is the author of six poetry books and her latest poetry book Feverfew was released on 4th January 2021. I didn't invite her just because she is a writer or a poet. I invited her because she is also a very good reader- a pure bibliophile. I hope you will enjoy the conversation between two readers.

Kangkan: The number of books written by you clearly says how much you are passionate about writing. What is the inspiration behind this?
Anna: I worked for a publisher and he said I had ink in my veins rather than blood. My family are all writers, my parents were journalists, novelists, poets - and I grew up in a house full of books surrounded by passionate bibliophiles. I learnt early that literature could affect wonders - it could enchant and intoxicate, take the reader to other worlds, and I soon developed an appetite to consume it in large amounts and then to write it.
I wrote my first poem at the age of eight and was hooked. I loved the way you could capture the moment and keep it, as you would within a photograph. As I grew up I turned to write prose and drafted a few novels. I then returned to poetry in my twenties and thirties but I was working quite long hours and wasn’t able to devote enough time to it. I kept files and files of poems but it wasn’t until I took an MA in Creative and Critical Writing, under the wonderful Prof Nigel Mcloughlin, that my work really started to shape. Whilst doing the course I had my first book Communion (Wild Conversations Press) published. That was to be the first of six books, the latest being Feverfew (Indigo Dreams),

Kangkan: 2020 was a curse for our world. On the other hand, it also offered ample time to those booklovers who could not read because of their tight schedules. What is the most amazing book you read in 2020?
Anna: I was lucky enough to find more time to read through 2020, and now 2021 - I read quite a lot of poetry so it is hard to single out one book - but highlights include How to Carry Fire (Christine Thatcher),The Impact Of Limited Time ( Kitty Donnelly), A translation of Euripides by Robin Robertson and Owl Unbound by Zoe Brooks.

Kangkan: I have read a few poems of your latest poetry book Feverfew. They sound very bold and confessional. What Feverfew is offering to the reader from your point of view? I also noticed in the content list that the poetries were divided into six sections. What does that symbolise?
Anna: Feverfew offers readers a sense of solidarity. We all suffer heartache, grief, joy - and by reading other writer’s accounts of these conditions we sense that we are not alone.
When I say ‘ surely these white stars will heal’ in the title poem, I am not just talking about the healing properties of the plant - but of poetry itself. Helen Ivory described it as ‘ extremely good medicine’ and I hope the book will offer some solace.
Feverfew contains some confessional poems but also explores politics, climate change, philosophy, psychoanalysis in a way that I hope is engaging and inspires thought and contains a rich lyricism, a consistent musicality.

Kangkan: The readers of kmgreads would love to know about Cheltenham Poetry Festival.
Anna: Cheltenham Poetry Festival was launched in 2010 and it is a yearly feast of wordy happenings.
I launched the Festival in 2011 and it kicked off with a sell-out performance by iconic punk poet John Cooper Clarke at Cheltenham Town Hall. It has since gone from strength to strength.
In the last ten years, the Festival has offered events featuring our greatest living poets, spoken word artists, musicians, actors, dancers, writers and filmmakers.
We also offer an extensive outreach programme for those who suffer economic, physical and other barriers to cultural inclusion.

Kangkan: What are you currently working on?
Anna: I am currently working on my seventh book - All the Fallen Gold.

Kangkan: Now I am going to ask you three questions which are popular among the readers of "kmgreads". I ask these three questions to all the guests of Creator's Conversations.

1. Nikita Gill, a famous poet on social media once said in an interview, "Eight billion people are living their life in eight billion ways."- what is your way of living life?
Anna: Poetry has given me a way of living that affords pleasure with no side effects! I spend my days working as a mentor, a festival director, a poet and a teacher. It is a very giving artform.

2. Tell us a secret of your life that you have not shared with anybody.
Anna:

3.There are so many readers of my blog who want to become full-time writers. What will be your message to them?
Anna: If you are talking about writing poetry then I would suggest- write and read. Then read some more. Consuming poetry is essential for anyone who wants to write well. Don’t be too self-critical either, it can stop you in your tracks. Find workshops and groups and try to meet other writers, at least online, being part of a community can be very inspiring.

Kangkan: Thank you for your time, Anna. I hope you will come again and then we will chat more. This interview is just the icebreaker. Haha! All the best.

This Creator's Conversations is a part of the Feverfew Blog Tour hosted by Isabelle Kenyon. I hope you got something to cherish your life from our conversations. If you want to know more about Anna, you can visit her blog. You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Go and buy a copy of Feverfew if you want to explore her thoughts. Don't forget to share this interview with your friends, foes and family. Keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Listen to this interview:

Creator's Conversations with Grae J. Wall

2021-01-29T13:31:00.000-05:00

Hey book lover! Your favourite blog kmgreads completed a successful year on 25th January. When I started it, I didn't expect that I would continue it for a year. But your love and support made everything possible and I promise you that I will put more efforts to provide you with better content. To enjoy this happy moment, I invited poet, lomographer and songwriter Grae J. Wall. He is from St Albans, UK. Grae J. Wall's latest poetry book The Sound of Revolution was released on 7th December 2020.

Kangkan: Music, poetry and photography -these three things have always been fascinating us, the humans and you are living the life among them. How does it feel?
Grae: Quite organic I suppose, I really did just fall into the world with an innate need to create and capture and share. My mum was a poet and I was inspired by the poems she would send to the letters page of our local newspaper. I inherited my grandad’s old Kodak Brownie when I was six or seven and then aged about 11 I saw David Bowie on Top of the Pops and my course was somehow set. At the moment obviously, it is a little tough and not being able to get together with my musical cohorts or head off on tour last year was definitely stressful, but on the upside, I had the time to put together a new book and some of the virtual gigs and festivals have been fun to contribute to.

Kangkan: I have little knowledge of music, but I love listening to (everyone does). Both music and poetry are mood changers. Did there any moment occur when music and poetry conflict with each other (with two different vibes) and give you a bad mood?
Grae: Not really a bad mood. Sometimes when I start writing I’m not sure if I’m writing a poem or a lyric and on occasion I’ve taken it in the direction of a lyric and then on completion realised I should have gone more down the poem route. Sometimes something ends up being distinctly both a poem and lyric and that’s nice when it happens. Sometimes of course the very creation is about releasing a wave of anger or frustration and that’s no bad thing, as John Lydon once said, ‘anger is an energy’.

Kangkan: Each poem has a melody(tune). When you add music to a poem, do you feel more comfortable in your own lyrics, than someone else's?
Grae: I definitely feel more comfortable with my own words though obviously sometimes they can be tough to deliver as they are tapping into very real experiences and emotions. I do also enjoy interpreting other folks' songs but I need to feel I can find something of myself in the words and deliver something personal with it. You have to find a way of inhabiting the songs, wearing it like a comfortable coat. I have written songs that I have hardly ever performed live as I’d worry about losing it on stage. There’s a song I wrote about my mum’s passing called Old Brown Sofa and even after quite some years I still find it tough to sing.

Kangkan: A photograph can offer a poet many poems. That's how I understand the relation between photography and writing. How do you take(use) photography as a musician(or as a poet)?
Grae: I’ve recently contributed some poem & photo combinations to online exhibitions and that’s definitely something I’d like to do more of - blurring the lines between the different disciplines. I’m really more a lomographer than a photographer and there is a real connection there. Lomography is all about capturing a moment or a narrative with very cheap tools. I have a few cameras now, most of which cost under £20. It all started with a Holga 135 which captured my heart some years ago. The beauty of poetry, lomography and to some extent music is that you can create something cool, wild and wonderful with the cheapest of tools; a pencil and paper, a battered old guitar or a cheap plastic camera. This all stems from my punk roots, that year zero that opened the door and beckoned me in. Art should not be the preserve of the affluent but available and accessible to us all. That ethos is something that has pervaded all my artistic endeavours but also my various roles as an arts facilitator and promoter. I’ve just recently contributed a musical soundtrack to a photography project online by Nic Madge for his Pandemic Portraits series which was exciting and again that cross-genre collaboration is something I’m keen to explore more.

Kangkan: I love listening to your songs when I am driving. Remember you this way, Blame it on the night, Sitting in a bar in East Berlin -these three songs have blown my mind. When did you feel that music can't be separated from your life?

Grae: Thank you, that’s lovely to hear. The songs (and poems) do often come from quite dark moments and as such have been a very necessary outlet for me since my teenage years I guess. For example both Remember You This Way and Sitting in a Bar in East Berlin are both about very real people who were important in my life that sadly died way too young (both took their own lives). I have sadly lost quite a few friends and relatives too early and if I sat around internalising that I’m not sure I could really cope. Somehow relating, releasing and sharing those stories enables me to cope with that sadness and allows those folks to live on a little in those moments. The same could be said of just trying to make sense of a world that seems so intolerably sad and unfair so much of the time; it just feels like everything needs fixing and a poem, a song or a photo is a more creative and hopefully positive way of releasing that angst than just punching a wall or self-medicating. Having said all that, I think I manage to find humour and some positivity, even celebration in these outpourings. In the past we have challenged audiences to count the number of deaths that appear in our sets - there’s a gallows humour at play there. Blame it on the Night, by the way, is a Kevin Coyne song that I recorded for a tribute album after he died and illustrates quite well the answer to your previous question - as in it being a song that I felt a genuine connection to, something I could wear quite comfortably.

Kangkan: Tell us your expectations from your latest poetry collection The Sound of Revolution, which was out on 7 December. The title of the book is very attractive. I think the poetries inside have much more to offer.
Grae: As I found myself doing more poetry events last year at various online festivals and exhibitions, a number of people asked me if there was a book available and the simple truth is there wasn’t. The last little book I published was around 7 years ago, just a short run that sold out fairly fast. Since then I have been happy to mostly just share work at the little poetry page I run on Facebook - The Poetry Underground. In the back of my mind though I’ve had the thought to put together a new book for some years and being furloughed, locked-down and isolated from my bandmates allowed me the time (with the help of my daughter) to collate the book and put it out there. I chose the poem The Sound of Revolution as the title as it just seemed to work with the moment but you are right in that really only a few of the poems address those world issues, others are just about coping with demons and those little personal revolutions and observations. It’s definitely not a heavy political manifesto, there are poems about my cat, train travel and life in the back-room bar! Thankfully I have sold some physical copies through my website and I have also put it out as an e-book so we’ll see how that works out (I have to admit I have never actually read an e-book or used a Kindle!). What I’m most looking forward to is being able to sell the book at real gigs face to face, at the bar after the show.

Kangkan: Whom do you show your poetries right after writing?
Grae: Occasionally my wife but to be honest I usually leave the poem for a while and then return and judge whether it is worth sharing somewhere. I’m a fairly harsh self-critic. There are many poems and songs that don’t make it out into the world. The Poetry Underground is a great little space for sharing, a bit like a virtual open-mic night. There are some great poets in the group and it’s always good to get any feedback that emerges.

Kangkan: Now I am going to ask you three questions which are popular among the readers of "kmgreads". I ask these three questions to all the guests of Creator's Conversation.

1. Nikita Gill, a famous poet on social media once said in an interview, "Eight billion people are living their life in eight billion ways."- what is your way of living life?
Grae: When I was going through a particularly dark patch around 20 years ago I found much solace in reading Buddhist texts and poetry and some of that either resonated with my own thoughts or inspired new ones. I do believe to a large extent that there is only the moment. Yesterday has gone and there’s nothing that can be changed there whilst tomorrow is really an unknown and none of us really knows if we will see it. Therefore live that moment and if you can, help others to live theirs. I take little heed of anyone’s position or title, only their compassion and wisdom. Countries, borders and nationalities I think are largely an irrelevant construct that tend to get in the way of meaningful global development. That said I recognise the contradictions that lie within us all - a citizen of the world who still wants England to win the world cup.

2. Tell us a secret of your life that you have not shared with anybody.
Grae: My immediate family already know this but I tend to cry at the silliest of movies. Not just the obvious ones like It’s a Wonderful Life or The Muppets Christmas Carol but things like the Toy Story and Ice Age movies - I’m a real sucker for those.

3.There are so many readers of my blog who want to become full-time writers. What will be your message to them?
Grae: There’s a poem in the book that illustrates this quite well - A Man sits on a Train. The greatest advice I can offer is to relish the journey and allow yourself to be taken by the wind. I have known so many that have set their plan for success in stone and ended up missing out on so much fun and adventure by sticking to their often fruitless path. Listen, love, travel and absorb. Be kind and generous of heart for those cherished spirits will enrich your tale tenfold.

Kangkan: Thank you so much, Grae. I think one interview is not enough to understand you and your thoughts. I will shortly call you again and you have to sing for us in that interview.
Grae: Thank you so much for having me - it’s been a pleasure and I look forward to the next time.

I hope this interview will add some value to your life. If you want to know more about Grae J. Wall, you can follow his blog. You will also find him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. If you enjoy beat poetry and lyricism, you can consider reading Grae's The Sound of Revolution. Looking at the length of the interview, I couldn't add your questions that you asked Grae on social media. To compensate that, I will again invite Grae to my YouTube channel shortly and I'll add your questions there. So, please subscribe to the YouTube channel and you will get the notification whenever I upload the video. If you loved this interview, share it with your friends, foes and family. Keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

Creator's Conversations with Dr. Gail Aldwin

2021-01-21T07:08:00.003-05:00

Hey booklover! Renowned novelist, poet and scriptwriter Dr. Gail Aldwin is our guest in today's Creator's Conversations. Before we start, let me introduce her to you. Gail Aldwin is a Dorset-based writer. Her debut coming-of-age novel The String Games, about a child lost on a holiday in France, was voted a finalist in The People’s Book Prize and was shortlisted in the Dorchester Literary Festival Writing Prize 2020. Gail loves to appear at national and international literary and fringe festivals. Prior to Covid-19, she volunteered with VSO International at Bidibidi in Uganda, the second largest refugee settlement in the world.

Kangkan: How many hours a day do you dedicate to writing?
Gail Aldwin: Writing takes many forms for a published author including notes and planning for future projects, research, editing, writing articles and blog posts. I’m often asked to review the books of others, provide feedback on writing … and answer interview questions, as I’m doing now. In 2020, I gave up paid employment to become a full time writer. Activities associated with writing fill my day with about 30% of my time dedicated to my current work in progress.

Kangkan: Your latest book Pandemonium published by Victorina Press is a children's picture book. Which qualities, according to you, must an author possess before sitting down to write a children's book?

Gail: One of the qualities needed to write for children is empathy. Children are the experts of their own experience so texts should prick their curiosity and generate questions. Children’s literature is a growth area and it’s important to read widely to stay abreast of innovations and trends. Using language appropriate to the target audience for the publication is fundamental. Pandemonium is a picture book aimed at young children so it includes patterned words and repetition that enable children to tune into the language and the story. It’s also beautifully illustrated by Fiona Zechmeister. This enables the words to tell one story while the pictures tell a parallel and more nuanced version.

Kangkan: Why did you choose writing? Is there any story behind it?
Gail: After twenty years as a teacher, I decided I was investing too much time and energy into my

lessons and wanted to develop a creative outlet. As a graduate of English and drama, writing seemed the obvious choice. I changed my routine, got up at 5am each day and started writing before going to work. My ambition was to write a publishable novel. Because a novel is such a huge undertaking, I wrote short fiction and poetry alongside other writing projects. To be able to complete short pieces of fiction and poetry built my stamina to finish the novel. Several other novels followed, plus a PhD in creative writing which finally brought my work to a publishable standard. My short fiction collection Paisley Shirt was published in 2018, with my coming-of-age novel The String Games and a poetry pamphlet adversaries/comrades in 2019.

Kangkan: What are your upcoming projects?

Gail: A new novel is taking shape. This time I’m working on a dual timeline story called Little Swot. This follows the journey of a redundant, middle-aged journalist who decides to investigate the disappearance of a teenager at her school in 1978.

The following three questions are picked from social media:

1. What are you currently working on?
Gail: I’m in the process of finalising my most recent manuscript. This Much Huxley Knows is a contemporary novel with a seven-year-old narrator which is going to be published by Black Rose Writing on 8 July 2021. Here’s the blurb. Do let me know if you’d like to join my launch team.

2. Do you think writing books is a good business these days?
Gail: Someone is surely making money from books but it’s not always the author! While best-selling writers make a decent living for many of us it’s the work we do alongside writing, such as offering talks and workshops, that builds a business. Writers can sometimes find more lucrative contracts with ebooks where publishers offer up to 50% royalties. Robert Graves famously said, ‘there's no money in poetry, but there's no poetry in money, either.’ Could the same be true of fiction?

3. What is the worst book you have read till now. Did you finish it?
Gail: Being a writer, I know how much energy, effort, imagination and hard work goes into each and every book. To complete a writing project is a major achievement and definitely worth celebrating even if it never gets published. Putting your writing out into the world takes commitment, so I’m never going to criticise anyone for following their ambition. That said, it is worth investing in a good copy editor and proofreader before publication, to ensure the book doesn’t go out into the world with avoidable errors.

Kangkan: Now I am going to ask you three questions which are popular among the readers of kmgreads and I ask these questions to all the guests of Creator's Conversation.

1. Nikita Gill, a famous poet on social media once said in an interview, "Eight billion people are living their life in eight billion ways."- what is your way of living life?
Gail:

Work hard
Enjoy the small things
Be kind to yourself

2. Tell us a secret of your life that you have not shared with anybody.
Gail: I don’t believe in secrets but there are a few things in my life I would prefer to remain private. Mostly, I’m happy to share information. For example, I met my first husband in Outback Australia and married him within a fortnight.

3.There are so many readers of my blog who want to become full-time writers. What will be your message to them?
Gail: It is a long apprenticeship to becoming a successful writer. Celebrate every success along the way, take pleasure in your craft and be generous to other writers.

Kangkan: Thank you for giving us your valuable time Gail. The readers of kmgreads will learn many things from you. I hope you will come again to have a chat with us.

I hope you enjoyed reading my conversation with Dr. Gail Aldwin. If you want to find more about Gail, you can follow her blog. You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook. If you enjoy reading children's books, or if you are a father or mother of a child, Pandemonium will be the best gift for her/him.

Before you exit this blog, I want to thank you for visiting my blog. Please write a comment in the comment box below to tell me your opinions on presenting a conversation in this format. If you loved it, share it with your friends, foes and families. It will encourage me to bring more conversations to you. Follow this blog by clicking the follow button on the sidebar and put your email in the subscription box so that you can get an email notification whenever I upload a new blog post. Keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

A review of On Borrowed Time by Graeme Hall

2021-01-12T11:08:00.002-05:00

What could be more amazing than starting a new year with a fiction book (that too before its release date)! A few weeks ago, Isabelle Kenyon sent me On Borrowed Time written by Graeme Hall and told me to share my reading experience with you.

The book is released on 11th January 2021. It has almost three hundred and sixty-six pages and twenty-five chapters excluding the prologue and the epilogue. The story of On Borrowed Time revolves around six characters- Sam, Emma, Kate, Alice, Yeung Kwok-wah and Susan Khoo.

The prologue is set in August 1997's Hong Kong and it started with the break-up story of Sam and Emma. Emma broke up her relationship with Sam just because her visa was expiring. The author beautifully portrayed Sam's feelings on the day when Emma was going to fly to the UK.

The first chapter takes back the reader to one year earlier Hong Kong and describes Sam and Emma's life from two different angles. Sam worked at McShane Adams, the law firm with his two colleagues Rob and Kate. Kate and Sam were good friends who offered each other a shoulder to cry on when romantic liaisons were not working out. Only once had the mutual comfort gone further and they’d kissed, before they both pulled back not wanting to spoil a friendship. But one night, after a party and at least one margarita too many, and when they were both more maudlin than normal, they’d vowed to get married if they were still single when they hit forty. On the other hand, Emma, who loved to travel, broke up with her fiancé Mike two years ago on a Hong Kong trip. She told others that she was the only child of her parents. But later in the story, it is found that she was in Hong Kong to find out more about her brother’s death in Hong Kong a few years earlier. He had been killed in a traffic accident.

The second chapter introduces Kwok-wah who was doing a PhD in Computer Science at Shanghai University of Science and Technology. His research topic was- "a number of mathematical techniques that can be used in data transmission". He chose to do his PhD under professor Ye who was a leader in the field. Kwok-wah was inspired by professor Ye's lecture in Hong Kong outlining some of the things they’d be doing with phones in the future. Kwok-wah was from Hong Kong so it took him a while to settle in. He used to play basketball with the guys in his dorm. One day he got introduced to Susan Khoo who was watching him for a while at the basketball court. Susan was an American and was studying building sciences. They slowly started to spend more time with each other.

Emma met Sam for the first time when she was appointed as his temporary secretary. Her friend Alice was a local Hong Kong girl. They had met when Emma was working in one of her first temping jobs. Alice worked as a secretary but was doing a part-time law degree. She was politically active and was involved with a small human rights group. Alice was Kwok-wah’s cousin too and she persuaded Emma to join her human rights group.

The story is really interesting and you will find it more appealing once you start reading it. On Borrowed Time touches several sub-genres so it will be able to engage any fiction lover. If your reading tendency is to find mystery even in a normal story, this novel has so much to offer. If you are a college student or a corporate employee, you will love this book. It has so much to tell you about university life in china and corporate life in Hong Kong as well. The story is set in the period 1996/1997- including the handover of Hong Kong to China and I think this reason will be enough for you to pick this book. Although the story is set in Hong Kong (and Shanghai), anyone around our globe will be able to relate to it. If you are starting your first fiction work, On Borrowed Time will improve your writing style for sure.

Writing Style: Four out of four stars. I read Graeme Hall for the first time and his writing style impressed me. He introduced the characters in a very creative way. The story is written in multiple points of view but the writer never showed his attachment to any of the characters. Graeme used some Hong Kong phrases(e.g. mo nan tai) to give the reader a flavour of the place. The ratio of flow of the story and description is so balanced that you can't skip anything in this book. Graeme's writing style is very calm and composed and it can never dissatisfy a reader.

Story: Four out of four stars. The story of On Borrowed Time will entertain the reader. All the characters in this novel have their own stories and there's another story behind all the stories. Granny Sun's sad story of selling her child will bring tears to a reader's eyes.

Overall rating of On Borrowed Time: "Morning shows the day" - the prologue indicated to me that this book is going to offer me good moods. Initially, I thought it was a typical love story, but I was wrong. I never thought of putting it down after starting to read the first chapter. Each chapter in this book has something to contribute in the story and that is the most satisfying value for a reader an author can add. There were so many characters, so many stories and so many tastes to present to the reader. The author showed his maturity by not creating any confusion in the reader's mind and beautifully developed the story. I really enjoyed reading this masterpiece. I am looking forward to collecting the paperback of On Borrowed Time and reading Graeme Hall's other books as well. I am giving On Borrowed Time four out of four stars.

This review is a part of the blog tour organized by Isabelle Kenyon and I'd like to thank her for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic novel. Before you exit this blog, I want to thank you for coming here to read my review. Please write a comment in the comment box below to give me your constructive ideas so that I can write better reviews for you. If you loved this review, share it with your friends, foes and families. It will encourage me to bring more reviews to you. Follow this blog by clicking the follow button on the sidebar and put your email in the subscription box so that you get an email notification whenever I upload a new blog post. Keep smiling, keep reading. Bye!

A review of the chapbook Medusa Retold written by Sarah Wallis

2020-12-29T16:16:00.001-05:00

I am a huge fan of Greek mythology, and Medusa is one of those characters whom I want to explore from different angles. Isabelle Kenyon and I often share our book-reading expectations. When she came to know my hunger for exploring Medusa, she told me that her press (Fly on the Wall Press) recently published a chapbook where Medusa is portrayed from a different perspective. The name of the book is Medusa Retold and it is written by Sarah Wallis. I immediately requested her to send me the book so that I can share my thoughts with you.

Unboxing video of Medusa Retold:

Medusa Retold is a long-form poem. There are thirty pages in this chapbook. The central character of the poetry is Nuala who lives in a modern seaside town. Nuala is brought up by a single mother. Being a loner, her emotions, likes-dislikes differ from others. Athena is Nuala's best friend and they spend time in a band together. If you are wondering how this contemporary character can reflect our ancient Medusa, you have to read this chapbook. The author's note at the very beginning of the book will give you a clear idea about it.

I don't think that Medusa Retold is a heavy kind of poetry. It is so relatable, so accessible that anyone who loves poetry, will enjoy this chapbook. I did not notice any use of vulgar or profane words in this book. So minors can also jump into this one. Mornings will be the best time to read this book. If you have not read any books for a long time, this chapbook is the perfect option to start your reading habit again. This book will inspire you to read more poems. It will take less than an hour to finish this book, so even a very busy person can read Medusa Retold. If you are into topics like female empowerment, you can taste this book. This book will not disappoint you at all. It's also a great gift for this time of the year.

Writing Style: Four out of four stars. Writing long-form poetry indicates a poet's ability to balance the content. By reading this book, I am sure that Sarah Wallis mastered the art of writing such poetries. The book is written in a very simple language. Each word came together in a really concise and beautiful way to create this amazing poetry. They say exactly what they need to say. This book sets an example to the new poets to check their fluency in playing with the emotions. I hope Sarah will offer more such awesome poetries to the readers in the upcoming days.

Reading Experience of Medusa Retold:
Four out of four stars. Medusa Retold feels so contemporary, so real and relevant. The poet has beautifully built up the characters. All the elements of this book created a really quite emotional as well as a smooth reading experience.

Overall Rating of Medusa Retold:
Medusa Retold provides a pure poetic atmosphere to the reader. The poet beautifully conveyed emotions like how it feels like to be alone, to be broken and to be a strong girl. This poetry is such a unique and glorious way of portraying Medusa. It is perfectly edited and I didn't notice any typos or grammatical errors. I am giving this brilliant affecting poetry four out of four stars. If someone tells me to write the review of this book in a single line, then I'll write - Medusa Retold is an absolute classic.

I hope this review has given you an idea of the chapbook Medusa Retold. Before you exit this blog, I want to thank you for coming here to read my review. Please write a comment in the comment box below to give me your constructive ideas so that I can write better reviews for you. If you loved this review, share it with your friends, foes and families. It will encourage me to bring more reviews to you. Follow this blog by clicking the follow button on the sidebar and put your email in the subscription box so that you get an email notification whenever I upload a new blog post. Keep smiling, keep reading and stay safe. Bye!

A review of Valedictorian of the Bottom Feeders written by James F. Miller II

2020-12-15T11:03:00.001-05:00

In 2020, I read a lot of poetry books but only a few could impress me. The poets who made my 2020 special are James F. Miller II (Ghost in the Reflection, Letters to Erin) and Steve Denehan (Days of Falling Flesh and Rising Moons). I never thought that I would get another chance to read these poets' work this year. But it happened and Jimmy sent me his latest chapbook Valedictorian of the Bottom Feeders published by Planet Productions Poetry & Press. He asked me to do a review of this book, and I thought why I shouldn't share my opinion with you!

Valedictorian of the Bottom Feeders has forty-two pages, and it contains fifteen poetries. While writing this review, "if you want to annoy a poet, explain his poetry" -this famous quote by Nassim Nicholas Taleb is striking in my head. I think I should not reel out any of the poetries in this review. I hope the poet or the publisher will also avoid revealing anything to the readers. My suggestion to the poet or the publisher will be- "Don't give the readers any direction. Let them find it themselves." You will understand the reason behind it in the later parts of the review.

Valedictorian of the Bottom Feeders contrasts perpendicularly to the poet's previous book Ghost in the Reflection, Letters to Erin. Ghost in the Reflection, Letters to Erin was liberal enough to allow the reader's thought process to roam here and there. But this chapbook will direct the mind where the poet wants it to reach. In Ghost in the Reflection, Letters to Erin, you will find at least something from any direction, but here you have to find that particular direction to feel the poetries.

The poetries included in Valedictorian of the Bottom Feeders are heavy and hard to read. Majority of the poetries are long poetries, so it will not be easy for everyone to set a connection. This might attract those readers who enjoy hard-core poetries. I forgot my worries and negative energies around me while reading this chap. So if you are looking for an escape, you can choose to read this book. If you are in a hurry, you should not go for this chap. You must give time to these poetries. Otherwise, you will not be able to feel them. Introvert kind of readers will enjoy this chap more than an extrovert one. Those, who like to show off that they read extraordinary books, can put this book in their library. This chapbook is not recommended to the minors.

I think now you have got an overall idea of this chapbook. Let's put this book in our three-dimensional review system and see if it can help you more.

Writing style: Four out of four stars. By writing this chapbook, the poet proved his versatility in deep level poetries. Considering the maturity level of the poetries, it is clear that Jimmy gives time to his poetries. He proved that a poet doesn't have to use extraordinary words to write good poetries. He used simple words but very deep meanings and emotions were rooted in them.

Reading Experience of Valedictorian of the Bottom Feeders:

Four out of four stars. The poetries included in this chapbook will play with the reader's thought process. It will gradually take you to an imaginary world beyond infinity, and when you reach a certain high, it will leave you there. Your landing will depend upon how you control your emotions. You will also find humour or sarcasm in the poetries if you don't let them control your thoughts on some particular points. You will need a fresh and active brain to feel this chapbook. You will enjoy it less if you read it in your bedtime. You will be in a hangover state after reading this chapbook.

Overall rating of Valedictorian of the Bottom Feeders:

From a reader point of view, this chapbook is a ticket to another world. It can transform a reader's reading taste. It has anger, grief, humour, sadness and all the emotions. The nature of the poetries in this chapbook is very dominant. If you can't reach the point where they want to take you, you will not enjoy them. The last poetry of this chapbook Swinging Upon Thick (-headed) Branches left me in the middle of a desert. Such a surrendering tone was beyond my expectations. The Judgement is my most favourite poem in this chapbook. This book has all the characteristics which can blow a reader's mind. So undoubtedly James F. Miller II's Valedictorian of the Bottom Feeders deserves four out of four stars.

I hope this review has given you all the information on Valedictorian of the Bottom Feeders. Before you exit this blog, I want to thank you for coming here to read my review. Please write a comment in the comment box below to give me your constructive ideas so that I can write better reviews for you. If you loved this review, share it with your friends, foes and families. It will encourage me to bring more reviews to you. Follow this blog by clicking the follow button on the sidebar and put your email in the subscription box so that you get an email notification whenever I upload a new blog post. Keep smiling, keep reading and stay safe. Bye!

Of Necessity and Wanting by Sascha Akhtar Release Update

2020-11-17T06:05:00.001-05:00

Hey book lover! Today I am bringing a Release Update for you. The book is published by 87 Press and the name of the book is Of Necessity and Wanting. It is written by Sascha Aurora Akhtar.

A little more about Of Necessity and Wanting:
This fiction work was published on 14th October 2020. It is a collection of lyrical, atmospheric stories of varying lengths set in urban Pakistan. The book is divided into three sections and there are 240 pages in this book. At its forefront are the concerns of people who are lower down on the metaphorical ‘chain’ of status and power, especially in the context of their symbiotic relationship with those they see as ‘other,’ ‘ privileged’ or 'fair.'

What reviews are saying:
Mohammad Hanif: "Sharply observed & tightly spun. Sascha has the eye of a poet & the ear of a wanderer. She writes precisely & lyrically. It’s a thing of beauty."

Nik Perring: "There is a familiarity in Akhtar’s characters that reminds us that, whomever or wherever we are, we share the same truths. Deliciously written, always entertaining and filled with striking imagery, Akhtar’s stories do the most magical thing - they show us who we are."

My opinion about Of Necessity and Wanting:
Sascha's work will encourage young talents to pursue writing as a career. I think the book is written targeting Pakistani and Indian readers. Karachi is the central attraction of the book. So readers from both countries will be able to find the connection very easily.

This Release Update is a part of the blog tour organised by Fly on the Wall Press. I would like to thank Isabelle Kenyon for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic collection of short fictions.

Creator's Conversations with Steve Denehan

2020-10-19T08:21:00.004-04:00

Today's Creator's Conversations is a part of the blog tour organised by Fly on the Wall Press. Today we will interview Steve Denehan. Steve lives in Ireland and he has written two chapbooks and two collections. He won Irish Times' New Irish Writing award for two tims. His poetries are featured in Westerly, Acumen, Into The Void and Poetry Ireland Review. He was nominated for Best of the Net, Best New Poet and was twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize. His latest poetry book Days of Falling Flesh and Rising Moons with Golden Antelope Press was released on October 14th, 2020.

I have not done any editing to the conversation we had. Now let's begin the interview. Kangkan: Nowadays, people prefer watching a video rather than reading a book. Looking at the rising demand of the videos, do you think that the video industry is going to obliterate the book industry? Steve: I think both can happily exist alongside each other. To me watching a film or series is more of a shared experience but reading a book is very much a solitary one. I think it’s important to have time alone, so, in my opinion, there will always be a place for books.

Kangkan: Do you think the physical appearance of an author impacts the sales of his/her books? Steve: Absolutely! We are a shallow bunch! Physical appearance is a factor in every industry, in life in general really I suppose. It’s a shame of course as when it comes down to it, all that matters are the words.

Kangkan: Apart from writing poetries, what are the other things you think that you can do easily but others can't?

Steve: Nothing! suppose everyone has their strengths and weaknesses but all I can think of are my weaknesses right now... Wait, I have one! I can do a fair few keepie-uppies which is a completely useless skill really but there you go.

Kangkan: Nikita Gill, a famous poet on social media once said in an interview, "Eight billion people are living their life in eight billion ways."- what is your way of living life?

Steve: That’s a pretty gigantic question! I don’t really have a blueprint I’m afraid. I’ve always kind of floated along really and it’s gone okay so far. That’s my answer I suppose, floating.

Kangkan: How do you handle failures? Steve: It depends really. Sometimes when big things go wonky it doesn’t bother me at all but then something small will go wrong and I go completely bananas. When that happens I try to reason with myself. Unfortunately I’m not always willing to listen.

Kangkan: What is your biggest fear in life?

Steve: The usual stuff I suppose, bad things happening to the people I care about.

Kangkan: Tell us a secret of your life that you have not shared with anybody. Steve: That’s a hard one… Once, a long time ago, I was having a bad day in a bad month in a bad year in work. It all got too much and I simply grabbed my jacket and walked out. It was the middle of the day. It was in Dublin City and there was a cinema nearby so I wandered over, headed in, watched a film and then went home afterward. I went in the next morning expecting to be dragged over the coals but nobody had noticed. Which, thinking back, said it all really. Kangkan: I have gone through your latest poetry collection Days of Falling Flesh and Rising Moons. "You" and "Fabric"- these two poems have touched my soul. How do you get inspired to write such beautiful poetries? Steve: Wow I had forgotten that “Fabric” was in the book! That was a late addition and part of a batch of poems written after the virus dug its claws in. I’ve just moved it out of my “unpublished” folder! Thanks Kangkan! Thanks also for reading the poems. That’s something that will never stop being amazing to me. I just write for the hell of it so when someone reads a poem (and, better yet, enjoys it!) it’s almost impossible to believe. I wish I had a simple answer to your question but really I rarely feel inspired. I just enjoy trying to put something down in a way that makes me happy. Oftentimes I just want to jot something down so it is remembered. Sometimes I find it useful to write a poem when I am unsure about something. It helps me tease things out. But, more often than not, I think of a line, or an idea, and just build on that. It’s like a puzzle sometimes and it’s a really nice feeling when the pieces click together. Kangkan: You have portrayed the Covid 19 pandemic situation in your poetries artistically. What is the most productive thing you have done during this period? Steve: I wrote a lot of poems, read a lot of books and taught my wife and daughter how to skateboard. Kangkan: How long did it take to write this book? Steve: There are about 100 poems in the book and it takes me about a half hour to write a poem so about 50 hours give or take I suppose. Kangkan: How do you transfer your feelings/thoughts from one poem to another? In other words, how do you handle the hangover of your own poetries? Steve: I’m not sure really. When I finish a poem I put it to one side and forget about it. I think there will always be elements that overlap but there’s not a lot anyone can do about that. We only have the one frame of reference after all. Kangkan: Any contemporary poets you follow? Steve: I’m not a huge poetry reader I’m afraid though I have just discovered Matthew Sweeney and Ada Limón who are fantastic. Kangkan: Some poets complain that social media distracts them from their poetries. What is your opinion on that? Steve: Do they? That’s bananas! It seems like a very strange complaint to have. I mean if social media is distracting someone from writing, or from anything, they should ease off it. Nobody is forcing them to give their time to it. If people are complaining about something so ridiculously inconsequential I think they are incredibly lucky. Kangkan: There are so many readers of my blog who want to become full-time writers. What will be your message to them? Steve: If I ever become a full-time writer I’ll let them know! I think the most important thing about writing is to not write for an audience. Don’t try to write what you think other people want to hear or expect. Don’t try to be like anyone else or try to impress anyone. Be yourself. Write the truth. Kangkan: Thank you for giving us your valuable time Steve. The readers of kmgreads will learn many things from you. I hope you will come again to have a chat with us. All the best for Days of Falling Flesh and Rising Moons. Steve: Not at all Kangkan. Thanks a million.

Before you exit this blog, I want to thank you for visiting my blog. Please write a comment in the comment box below to tell me your opinions on presenting a conversation in this raw format. If you loved it, share it with your friends, foes and families. It will encourage me to bring more conversations to you. Follow this blog by clicking the follow button on the sidebar and put your email in the subscription box so that you can get an email notification whenever I upload a new blog post. Keep reading, keep smiling. Bye!

A review of The IRON Book of Tree Poetry

2020-10-04T08:19:00.005-04:00

Just before writing these words, I have seen a post on social media that a Climate Clock has been installed in New York's Union Square which shows how much time we are far from another massive crisis. However, I have not checked the facts yet and honestly I don't have the mood to Google it right now. It's raining outside, and I want to invest this time only on writing while listening to the thunderstorms. If you know about the Climate Clock do inform me the details in the comment section. I really appreciate the idea of installing the Climate Clock, and I think all the major cities in the world should have a Climate Clock. It will act as a wake-up call for us, the homo sapiens. I don't know why we keep forgetting that trees play a major role in our survival on this planet, but we hardly care about them. Coincidently I completed reading an anthology themed on trees last night. Let's discuss it.

The name of the anthology is The IRON Book of Tree Poetry, and it is published by Iron Press. This book contains poetries of almost fifty well and lesser-known contemporary UK poets. Eileen Jones and Peter Mortimer have edited this anthology. There are forty-nine poems in this book and its page count is sixty-five. The collection includes a vivid foreword by the celebrated writer, woodsman and traveller Max Adams. The introduction by the co-editors tells the story behind publishing this anthology.

Unlike other book reviewers, I hardly give importance to the author or publisher's reputation while reading and reviewing a book. I keep intact my focus on the content and that is the reason I write less about the author or publisher in my reviews. Before reading this collection, I was precarious about being able to read good quality poems even though Iron Press is a reputed publishing house which has been in this field for almost forty-seven years.

But Vicky Arthurs' The Counsel of Trees has given me the assurance that reading this book will not be a waste of time. It tells us that we can live our lives happily with minimum expectations. Considering trees as a medium, he has beautifully torched his philosophy of life into this poem. This is my most favourite poem in this book.

I enjoyed reading Linda France's Atlas Cedar the most. Anyone can have a strong vocabulary archive, but not everyone knows how to and where to use them. Linda has beautifully used the words in her poem and gifted the readers a good reading experience.

The poem which created illusions after illusions in my mind is Ken Cockburn's The Ash Grove. It took me some time to understand and feel this poem.

In her poem Desert Trees of Rajasthan, Rebecca Gethin portrays a tragic incident that happened in 1730. Well, you have to read the poem to know more about it.

This book can be suggested to anyone who loves poetry. Since there are so many contributing poets, a reader will be fortunate to see how we can dissect one subject from different dimensions. It will help those poets, who have recently started their journey in this field. I didn't notice any vulgar or profane words in this poetry collection. So it can be recommended to the minors also. The book is available on Amazon and other major retailers.

Now let's put this anthology in our three dimensional review system and see what comes out.

Writing Style: I am giving three out of four stars in this section. The poets wrote their poems giving the best of their skills. But some of them tried to grab attention by putting attractive titles. Unfortunately, those poems couldn't grip that attention. I am not saying that those poems are not good, but not as good as I expected them to be.

Reading Experience: I was in ecstasy while reading this collection. I felt like I was on a roller coaster. Some poems drove my emotions to a peak whereas some poems pulled it down. I am giving four out of four stars.

Overall Rating: Four out of four stars. This anthology is a festival of thoughts centered around one subject- trees. The poems inside it are gems for mankind.

This review is a part of the blog tour organised by Fly on the Wall Press. I would like to thank Isabelle Kenyon for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic collection of poems.

Before you exit this blog, I want to thank you for coming here to read my review. Please write a comment in the comment box below to give me your constructive ideas so that I can write better reviews for you. If you loved this review, share it with your friends, foes and families. It will encourage me to bring more reviews to you. Follow this blog by clicking the follow button on the sidebar and put your email in the subscription box so that you get an email notification whenever I upload a new blog post. Keep smiling, keep reading. Bye!