It’s been a strange sixteen months for me on many levels. There were several deaths of pets, friends, and family, plus a period of things breaking. Then came 2020 with high expectations. Halfway through this year, I find myself wishing for someone to shut down the rest of the year. This is the point where my emotions caught up to me, following several weeks of being sick. It was bronchitis/sinus infection that was heading into pneumonia because I waited too long to see my doctor. After a surreal doctor’s visit and, yes, a painful COVID test, I found out twelve days later it was thankfully negative. Finally, I started feeling better, so I got out to trim some hedges, which flared up my shoulder and lower back.
So besides some editing, I found myself unable to focus on current stories. It was time to take care of myself. I got back into my exercise routine and then wanted to try something new. I have always had a love of poetry. When I write it, I’m visiting my soul, where I can reflect on my emotions and life. The free verse will always be my go-to, but I decided it was finally time to explore some different types of poetrythat I have been enjoying lately. I tried Haiku a couple of years ago, and that stuck with me and a part of my normal poetry writing.
Last week, I took some notes on some poetry I’ve wanted to learn and headed outside to write, hoping for the best. Right away, I found I loved Haibuns, mixing prose poetry and Haikus. Then I tried Tanka that was like a longer Haiku which I enjoyed. The most challenging type for me was the Cinquains. I have a lot to learn, but here’s another way to express my deep feelings and explore my enjoyment of patterns while I heal in nature.
Some of my first attempts:
TANKA
THE WORDS
Hearing heavy words
Sends chills through the listeners
A surreal moment
Where hate and fear are enshrined
Love lingers just out of reach.
HAIBUN
A SUMMER DAY
The flowing water soothes shattered nerves. The tall pines sway seductively in the wind’s gentle caress. The roses burst forth in their scented glory while rewarding the humming toil of the bees their ultimate gift.
Peaceful moment
Provided by a summer day
Soak in its splendor.
CINQUAIN (I admit this one makes me giggle…)
Raven
With black feathers
Perches on a branch cawing
Its mate answers in the same shrill
Bird love.
BUTTERFLY CINQUAIN
The bear
With a black coat
Lumbers through the forest
Scrounging for its next tasty meal
Alert
It never misses the garbage can
Noise sends it up a tree
Where it’s safe
Watching.
A special thanks and hugs to Colleen Chesbro and her wonderful blog for inspiring me to branch out and try something new! As time and creativity permits, I’ll be participating in her challenges soon and post them here:)
You won’t want to miss this week’s special edition blog.
Embrace your inner child by taking good care of you, D. L. Finn
I’m very excited to welcome, Jacqui Murray here today to celebrate the release of her new book “Against All Odds” and to learn about being a whale reader! I have my copy and I’m reading it right now:)
How I Afford to be a Whale Reader
Yes, I’m a whale reader. In case you don’t know what that is:
A whale reader is a person who reads 3-7 books a week, every week.
We’re an unusual species but there are more of us around than you’d think. I wrote about my experience as a whale reader here, going into detail on what that is, how I became one, and my favorite whale writers.
I’m often asked how I read so many books. For example, the last few years my Goodreads Reading Challenge has been around 200 books a year. The answer to how I do that is simple: I don’t have a life outside of reading and writing. Where other people do coffee with friends, movies out, and shopping trips, I do none of those. I don’t even do housework–I have a wonderful husby who doesn’t mind doing most of that. I used to be at the bark and call of my beloved Labrador but now, he sleeps most of the day. As a result, it takes a lot of writing and reading to fill my awake hours.
If you’re interested in becoming a whale reader, a big problem is affording all those books. You have to read books that interest you or you won’t be able to get through them. Starting with A in the library won’t work. Here’s how I find lots of books affordably:
The Library
I have an online account at the library. I reserve books I want to read and the library lets me know when they’re available. I have plenty on the list so some are always showing up in my email box.
The web-based Project Gutenberg has a wide assortment of free full-length books but focuses more on older books that have been in print for a while–not the most current books and probably no Indies. There is no fee, no registration. Just search and start reading.
Kindle Unlimited is a lending library available through Amazon for certain Kindle digital books. You pay about $10 a month and can borrow up to 10 books at a time. Once you’ve read the book, you return it to Amazon and can borrow another. My husband encouraged me to do this because he tired of the daily charges for $.99-$4.99 for books I then consumed in a few days. He was right (he usually is). The $10 a month is worth it. You access this with your Amazon account.
NetGalley is a reader’s dream in that it offers ARC copies of a huge variety of books, both best sellers and niche. I get a ton of books from NetGalley. I have several publishers who auto-approve any selection I make. Others approve my request before making the digital ebook available. I usually get the books I request because I do my part to promote the authors by publishing reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and wherever else I can think of.
Shared Books
Some Amazon books can be shared by the owner with others. Though this doesn’t work as well as I had hoped, I do get a handful of these books each year that I love reading.
Do you have any hints I can use for getting more free books?
Xhosa’s extraordinary prehistoric saga concludes, filled with hardship, courage, survival, and family.
Summary
A million years of evolution made Xhosa tough but was it enough? She and her People finally reach their destination—a glorious land of tall grasses, few predators, and an abundance that seems limitless, but an enemy greater than any they have met so far threatens to end their dreams. If Xhosa can’t stop this one, she and her People must again flee.
The Crossroads trilogy is set 850,000 years ago, a time in prehistory when man populated most of Eurasia. He was a violent species, fully capable of addressing the many hardships that threatened his survival except for one: future man, a smarter version of himself, one destined to obliterate all those who came before.
From prehistoric fiction author Jacqui Murray comes the unforgettable saga of a courageous woman who questions assumptions, searches for truth, and does what she must despite daunting opposition. Read the final chapter of her search for freedom, safety, and a new home.
A perfect book for fans of Jean Auel and the Gears!
Excerpt:
Chapter 1
The foothills of the Pyrenees
They came out of the mountains, hair frozen in sparkling strands, hands and feet wrapped in shredded pelts, ribs etched against their skin under ragged hides white with snow, faces haggard with fatigue. Blood crusted scrapes and gashes, many recent, others almost healed, reminders of the violent struggles endured on their journey.
Though their steps flagged, not one of these upright creatures exhibited a hint of defeat. All males and a few females carried at least one spear, some two, many with warclubs strapped to their backs. Despite the anxiety and fear of entering this foreign land, hope energized them today, that their migration might be at an end.
All of them—Xhosa and her tribe, Pan-do and his, Wind, Zvi, and Seeker—had been chased from their homes by enemies. In their flight, they found each other. It took time to work through their differences but now they traveled side by side, respected ideas not theirs, and called themselves the People.
Their charismatic Leaders—Xhosa, Wind, and Pan-do—were known as reliable friends to those who earned their trust and dangerous enemies to those who opposed them. Two wolves—Spirit and Black Wolf—journeyed with them. Though the People lacked the animals’ sharp claws, dense fur, and piercing teeth, each considered the other “pack” and would defend them to death.
The exhausted group straggled down the gently sloping flank, feet shuffling carefully over the slippery scree. The ground changed from talus to stunted tufts of grass, sparse and brown which made walking easier. Optimism shone from their faces even as their tired eyes flicked side to side in search of unexpected movement, ears strained for out-of-place noises, and noses sniffed.
Rather than continue across the meadow, Xhosa led the People into the shade of the edging forest.
“Do you smell it, Wind?” Anticipation filled her gestures.
She and Wind, pairmates as well as Co-Leaders, stood quietly, absorbing their surroundings. Light filtered lazily through the canopy, the shadowed ground dappled with patches of warmth. She sniffed in the essence of wet earth and rotting leaves, the mustiness of moss, and something else much more enticing.
“It’s there.” She pointed and strode forward, lengthening her stride.
An icy gust whipped down the hillside through the shadows and raised bumps on her arms but she ignored it. The forest gave way to open sky and searing heat. It was too hot for her thin pelt but she didn’t stop to remove it. Green stalks swayed as far as she could see, edged on one side by more mountains and the other by some sort of leaves and branches. Sunlight glinted off the rippled surface of a distant river as it curled over the terrain.
“Dung!” The scent overpowered every other odor.
Wind huffed to her side. “It’s been a long time since we smelled dung that wasn’t frozen.”
“We did it, Wind.” Her eyes glistened with relief.
For most of a Moon, dread gnawed at her courage and left her wondering if following the guidance of Seeker—a boy barely a man—was a mistake. But Seeker assured her in his ebullient way that once out of the hills, their new homebase would welcome them. Xhosa wanted to believe him because she wasn’t sure what else to do. Nor did she know what to do if it didn’t work.
Siri, Pan-do, Ngili, the wolves Spirit and Black Wolf, and the rest of the People gathered around Xhosa and Wind, eyes locked on what lay in front of them.
Pan-do whispered, “We made it.” His eyes were moist, mouth open.
Ngili, the People’s Lead Hunter, motioned, hands close to his body. “With all this grass, Gazelle or Mammoth must be nearby.”
Dust, the Lead Scout, trotted up, coming from a tall cliff far ahead on their forward path. “I think there are caves there.”
The People hadn’t slept in a cave since leaving Viper and the Mountain Dwellers. It would be a treat if true.
Xhosa looked behind. Shadows already stretched as far from the bottom of the rocky slopes as sunlight to the top. Daylight would soon end.
“We don’t have much time. Let’s rest and then see if those are caves.”
Ngili, the People’s Lead Hunter, motioned, fingers spaced out, palms up, “I’ll go with Dust to check.” He added a swift spread-fingered swipe with first one hand and then the other, followed by a quick bob of his head and a puff.
Xhosa brushed both hands down her sides. Go.
The People spoke with a complex combination of hand motions, facial expressions, body movements, and sounds augmented with chirrups, snaps, hisses, and whistles. By the time Ngili finished talking, Xhosa knew how many would join him, where they would go, and how long they’d be away. The People’s communication was sophisticated but quiet, a precaution especially in unfamiliar areas. Unusual sounds—voices, for example—stood out. All animals made noises but few as varied as the People’s. Why alert Others who lived here to their presence? Xhosa would do that in her own time, in her own way.
Dust, Ngili, and two scouts soon receded into the landscape, the only evidence of their passage a slight disturbance in the slender waving stalks. Despite the dung scents, the abundant plant food, and the glisten of a faraway river, Xhosa crossed her arms over her chest and paced.
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the Man vs. Nature saga. She is also adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice, a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Laws of Nature, Book 2 in the Dawn of Humanity trilogy, Winter 2021.
I’m participating in the “Fiction In A Flash Challenge” Week #11 NEW Image Prompt by Suzanne Burke. I played around with different types of poetry last week. Here’s the Haibun Poem I came up with for this image:
The river roars over the precipice. Its cry is heard for miles as it travels its painful path down the jagged granite. The clear sapphire essence turns cloudy and white. There is nothing to cling to as it’s thrust into the unknown.
The great fall of tears Rapidly release the pain In the pool’s peace.
“My Mechanical Angel” is a YA fantasy with Christian overtones and my favorite, angels. This book was recommended to me, and I’m glad it was. I enjoyed the uniquely written story told through the eyes of eighteen-year-old, Emmaline. She lived in a small rural town where their leader, Reverend Archibald, warned of the evil in the forbidden city, Seraphton. The city intrigued Emmaline and made her feel like an outcast in her community. Then she meets a resident from Seraphton, Aleksander, during a storm one night. The meeting is the start of a change of events for her. I loved the instant connection between Emmaline and Aleksander, which brought about her softer and braver side. Her relationship with her family, especially her grandfather, felt real to me, including their push for something she didn’t want. Her journey, along with a few surprises, held my interest the entire way. This is not only a love story, but how people are capable of change — or not. I will definitely be reading more from this author! Four-Stars
“Guns of Perdition” is a dark western horror story with a biblical twist. Jessie worked in a salon but was compelled to follow a drifter named Grace. They immediately drew me into their strange world where there were not only cowboys, but bloodsuckers and an evil man Grace called the Darksome Gunman. I enjoyed learning along with Jessie and rooted for him, even though there were times his actions frustrated me. Grace made it hard to know her, but her interactions with Kaga, her wolf brought out her more tender side, but that wasn’t often as her strength pulled them forward. “The Dark Tower” by Stephen King series came to mind when I was reading this with its mixture of horror, settings, and complex characters. The story tugged on my emotions in several places where I wondered how this could happen, which only showed how involved I was in the story. This is a great debut by Ms. Bakkers, and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series. Five-Stars
“Watching Glass Shatter” is a fictional drama that centers on the wealthy Glass Family. Olivia lost her husband after 40 years of a wonderful marriage. She is surrounded by her five sons after his death when she learns her husband kept a secret from her. This takes her on a journey of learning about herself and her sons. I admit I wasn’t a big fan of Olivia at first. She was very opinionated and self-absorbed. I loved her visits to each of her son’s households. This is where she learned more than expected from her excursion. There was some laugh out loud moments and some that brought tears to my eyes. The characters were well developed and were able to grow as the story went forward. I dreaded the final reveal of the secret but was completely satisfied with how it was handled. If you love a good drama, with a wonderful insight into the family dynamics, you won’t want to miss this book. Five-Stars
“The Sundial” is a fun time-traveling western. Although it started with a ghostly appearance, the story soon veered from modern-day to Texas in a historical setting. This is where it all fell together for me in the 1800s. I loved how strong Sarah was and spoke her mind, even if it got her into trouble. Jesse was a perfect counterbalance with his loyalty and stubbornness. Monet, the cat, joined Sarah on her journey, and he added in some fun along with his protectiveness. The history and slang were nicely mixed into the action. This is a love that not only crosses through time but many lives, and I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Five-Stars
“Breathless” takes the reader in a new direction showing what happens when the handsome, rich man, William, meets up with the peasant-like female, Selina. Ms. Calleiro provides a refreshing change to the usual storyline. I loved the setting in the 1920s, with the slang weaved in so seamlessly. When Selina decides a bit of magic couldn’t hurt, there is a twist I didn’t see coming. A well-written story that I couldn’t put down. Five-Stars
I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews. If I don’t like a book, I won’t finish it. It doesn’t feel right leaving a review in that case, but I have been known to email the author:) Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!
Watch for a special edition blog this week:)
Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L. Finn
