“TANKA IN ENGLISH: 5/7/5/7/7 or the s/l/s/l/l/ syllable structure. Your Tanka will comprise 5 lines written in the first-person point of view from the perspective of the poet.
When writing a Tanka, we consider the third line your “pivot,” but feel free to let it happen anywhere, or to exclude it. It is not mandatory. If you use a pivot, the meaning should apply to the first two lines, and the last two lines of your Tanka. Remember, we can read great tanka poems both forward and backward.”
If you want to know more please click on the link above–there is some good information!
I took this night shot, but it wasn’t the inspiration for my poem. It does have a certain feeling that the words do.
Happy Fall! I love this time of year when the leaves are changing, the nights are cooler, and apples are in abundance. Halloween and Thanksgiving are ahead promising joy, fun, and family. Rainy nights by the fire can’t be too far behind, I hope. In these cozy moments is the perfect time to read a great book. Here are three amazing stories that have taken me to new worlds, offered a different perspective, or introduced a character I’ll never forget. I may have finished reading them, but they linger in my thoughts.
I’m continuing my format using the blurbs over my reviews. I want to focus more on the stories or poems that moved me enough to “change” me.
In no particular order, the books and their blurbs
Jessie expects he’ll be forever cleaning up after the cowpokes of the Bad Hoss Saloon. That’s until the day a drifter strides through the doors, and blows away a blood-sucking demon, along with Jessie’s belief in an everyday world. Jessie is captivated by the enigmatic Grace, with her pearl-handled revolvers, and wolf companion. He throws in his normal life and follows her across the Wild West, as she hunts down and slays the evil creatures that roam the frontier.
Along the way, they seek the aid of a Native American warrior, cross paths with a Cajun Queen, and encounter a small-town tycoon with a deadly hunger for gold. Animosity and distrust plague Grace and Jessie, and their strange group of allies, but they must put their differences behind them if they’re to have any hope of finding and defeating the frontier’s true evil, the Darksome Gunman.
The Armageddon Showdown is a dark-fantasy, weird western series of epic proportions, focusing on the age-old battle between good and evil, though in the Wild West, it’s not always clear just who is good and who is evil.
Join Grace Dyer and her band of miscreants as they battle demons and demi-gods, in the frontier’s deadliest conflict…the Armageddon Showdown.
In Book 2 of the Wake-Robin Ridge series, Marcia Meara, author of Swamp Ghosts and Finding Hunter, returns to the rugged beauty of the North Carolina mountains, introducing a little boy whose remarkable gift will change the world for everyone he meets.
“Evil’s comin’, boy…comin’ fast. Look for the man with eyes like winter skies, and hair like a crow’s wing. He’s the one you gotta find.”
The remote mountain wilderness of North Carolina swallowed up the ten-year-old boy as he made his way down from the primitive camp where his grandparents had kept him hidden all his life. His dying grandmother, gifted with the Sight, set him on a quest to find the Good People, and though he is filled with fear and wary of civilization, Rabbit is determined to keep his promise to her. When he crosses paths with Sarah and MacKenzie Cole, neither their lives nor his, are ever the same again.
The extraordinary little boy called Rabbit has the power light up the darkness, and the resourcefulness to save himself from the one person his grandparents had hoped would never find him. His dangerous and bittersweet journey will touch you in unexpected ways, and once you’ve let Rabbit into your heart, you’ll never forget him.
I killed someone, you see. I killed the girl, who used to be me.
I’m Kate … Kate Charlesworth. I’m seventeen, and self-harming. This time I cut too deep, and I’m in hospital. I hadn’t meant for it to be so bad—it just sort of happened. I needed a lot of distraction that day.
You’ve had bad days, right? Days it hurts too much to think. Days you just wanna stay in bed. Days when the world needs to go away for a while. Right?
What do you do when you’ve hit rock bottom? When there’s nowhere left to turn?
This one little mistake lands me back on a psych unit—the last place I wanna be. Only this time, the nurse I end up with isn’t content to stick on a band-aid and send me home. She wants me to face my demons. But to do that, I’ll have to face who I am … who I used to be … I’ll have to find Katie.
Embrace your inner child by reading a fabulous book! D. L. Finn
Our kitty, Zuzu, expressing her thoughts on 2020 in a modern dance pose.
Things have been smoky in our forest with all devastating fires on the west coast. I had to get creative in finding ways to clear out the smoke that crept into the house. People were posting ideas and this is one of them, taping a heater filter on a square fan. I don’t have one of those fans so I improvised with this. It seems to be working, along with a couple of other fans too:
Staying indoors all the time in a worried state isn’t a healthy way to live. So, I pulled out the Halloween decorations:
Only poetry has come easy for me lately, besides revising. So, I’m sharing a recent Tanka poem. I was going to save it for October, but since I’ve already decorated…
The Moment
The howling begins
As the full moon approaches
This is the moment of change
When the wolf sheds fur for skin
The night he walks as a man.
NOTE:
1. There will be no weekly blog on September 27th. I will be on vacation:) I’ll be back on October 4th with reviews.
2. If you are a monthly newsletter subscriber watch your email for it later today.
3. My time on social media and blogs will be limited this week. Not sure if I’ll be able to participate in the challenges.
Embrace your inner child by reading a good book. D. L. Finn
The heavy dark clouds shrouded the sun in a weary sorrow that mirrored Alice’s mood. She stood alone in their spot under the old cedar tree. It was where Sam had proposed to her fifty years ago. Now her weathered hands were scattering what remained of him. As her tears fell, an icy rainstorm mixed with her grief. She sunk down on the cold ground and lovingly placed their song, and a single red rose from the garden. A hand touched her shoulder, and a familiar warmth ran through her—but no one was there. The wind blew through the forest, playing their song. She smiled, knowing Sam was still with her.
Pleasant memories
Will never be forgotten
When encased in love.
I learned a new term Ekphrastic. “This challenge explores Ekphrastic writing inspired by visual art (photographs). Lisa Thompson, from last month’s challenge, has provided the photo for this month’s challenge.”
I have read the first two books in the Dead Games Series and was eager to continue the story. “Dead at Heart” takes off with plenty of action where two ended. Shana is involved with a powerful vampire William but doesn’t completely trust him. I enjoyed the relationship between Linda, her best friend, and another powerful vampire, Gregg. But what kept this a page-turning book was the battle not only in the vampire community but also in Shana’s heart. While she loves William, she appears to have feelings for the sheriff Sam still. That sets up for an intriguing love triangle. I wasn’t sure who Shana would end up with until it happened. I love the friendship between the women and how they have each other’s backs no matter what. The undercurrent in the vampire community made me wonder who the good side was and kept me guessing until the end. I walked the streets of Quebec with the characters and now have added it to a place I’d like to see. Plus, I became of fan of the other entities that showed up. This is an exciting addition to the series, with a satisfying conclusion. If you enjoy vampire books with some romance mixed in, this is for you. Five-Stars!
This was an interesting read that is very current. Ms. Jules’ opinions on how education is being affected by the pandemic followed facts, ideas, and quotes. It was thoughtfully presented with personal examples. “The Day The Lights Went Out” is something every parent and teacher struggles with, and this quick read offers a solution on how to help our next generation through the crisis in their education. Four-Stars!
I grew up loving horror movies, and “Unhinged” tapped right into that. Two fourteen-year-old boys gratefully took a job to clean up the drive-in for food and movies. They watched “Night of the Living Dead,” which I can still remember watching and being terrified. After that, they had to walk home. I loved seeing the world through their scared eyes. I really enjoyed this quick read that captured the youth of the past so well! Five-Stars!
Rochelle and Ethan seemed to have the perfect marriage. In reality, though, Rochelle couldn’t contain her jealousy, and it boiled over into insecure abuse. It was an unhealthy relationship that ended up hurting their son, which made me cringe. This is a well-told insight into violence directed at the husband with an ending I wasn’t expecting. Four-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!
Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L. Finn
Here’s my take on Suzanne Burke’s ‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ Week #17 NEW Image Prompt. This picture took me all over the place, including a short story and different types of poetry. This Haibun Poem is the one that called to me today.
THE MESSAGE
The fog penetrated my skin, adding heaviness to my existence. The furious waves crashing against the shore fueled my anger. The salty air was bitter in my lungs, making each breath a battle. Alone, I pushed through the frigid sands, going nowhere, until I couldn’t take another step. I sat down on a flat rock and waited for the pain to end. This went on ceaselessly until I caught a glimmer in the haze. A bottle had washed ashore at my feet.
Here’s my tanka poem for Colleen’s Weekly Tanka Poetry Challenge. Two words were chosen and then we picked a synonym of them. Here are the words: Hint & Bold. I wrote this when our power was shut down, which meant I used my old paperback Thesaurus to find words to replace them.
The first line was going to be “The stagnant gray gloom.” That had fit the smoke we’ve been dealing with the last few weeks since those lightning storms.
But then came a strange dark orange that covered the skies from the fires this week. So I made a last-minute change. Thankfully, our power is back and we are still safe.
This is a surreal and anxiety-filled time for much of the west coast. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
I’m really enjoying the Astral Conspiracy Series. The thrilling pace hasn’t slowed down one bit in “The Nine.” Landon Throne is a fantastic character who is at the center of the story and key to helping humanity. His flaws, abilities, and inner conflicts make him very real, and I can’t help but root for him. There’s more insight into the aliens. I was particularly fond of one and can’t wait to read more about the alien in future books. One storyline was chilling and cruel. I yelled at one point, which shows how well Ms. Cross creates believable characters that I care about. The Nine reminded me of the current conspiracy climate. Full of action with well-written exciting ongoing stories, this makes for a compelling page-turning read. I can’t wait for book four to see what happens next. Five-Stars!
I love Ms. Clair’s books, which means I’m working my way through her catalog. Although there was no paranormal theme like her current books, “Eclipse Lake” had mystery, family dynamics, and some romance, which completely captured my attention. Dane Carlisle had changed since he was a troubled teen. He’s a good father and runs a successful business, but he wants to reconnect with his brother Jonah. The strain between them seemed so real to me I had my fingers crossed they’d work it out. Dane’s son, Jesse, was determined to find out his dad’s secret, and Ellie, the photographer, made an impression on Dane. Then comes the discovery of a dead body and a lawman who had a chip on his shoulder, which added the layers that made this read intriguing. This is a great book to read on a lazy summer day or curled up next to the fireplace. I found it to be a page-turner, wondering what would happen next. The twist at the end completely surprised me. If you like a mystery with action and a budding romance, this is the book for you! Five-Stars.
I’ve read the first two books in the Crossroads Trilogy and loved them. So, I was eager to read the conclusion in “Against All Odds.” It kept me reading late into the night or until I couldn’t hold my eyes open anymore. I’ve gotten very attached to this group trying to find their home in 850,000 BC. Xhosa, the leader, had her flaws, but also her strength and bravery. Pan-do’s compassion and insight made him an excellent advisor for Xhosa. But it was the wolves who always had my full attention. The research that went into the story shines through as I read it. I could easily see the world through their eyes and imagine how it was to live in those times. Their food sources, shelters, and relationships felt very real to me, thanks to Ms. Murray. The enemies are chilling for many reasons that I won’t give away. Although this could be read as a standalone, I recommend going back and reading the previous two books first. This is a great read for those who enjoy prehistoric fiction and those that like a good story. I highly recommend it. Five-Stars!
I read the first Wake-Robin Ridge book and had been looking forward to continuing with the series. It was good to see Mac and Sarah back, but the new character, Rabbit, stole my heart. I fell in love with his innocence and wisdom. If I could have reached into the book and hugged him, I would have. The world, through his eyes, is a place I want to live. He was raised away from the world, in the woods, by his grandparents. He believed people were evil, but on his grandmother’s deathbed, she let him know there are good people too. She sent him on a quest to find one of those good people. His growth inspired me as much as it inspired those he encountered. There were some heart-wrenching parts along with some endearing ones, and I deeply felt each one. I highly recommend this book and look forward to continuing the journey with Rabbit. Five-Stars!
“The Stones” starts where “The Gate” ended. Landon has come back with information that might help with the Astrals from the Akashic Records. Others with him have their own knowledge, and they, for a good reason, don’t trust each other. This adds to the book’s tension. Landon is a favorite character of mine, flaws and all. He has the feel of your average guy that no one believes but is still trying to do the right thing. In this story, Quinn won my heart, and I wanted to know everything about him. But the focus is on Landon by the aliens and different fractions of humans. There’s constant action while they are busy fighting aliens, and at the same time, there are power grabs and religious beliefs that undermine a straight path forward. Ms. Cross pays attention to details and fleshes out some alien, history, and conspiracy theories that I enjoy. I can’t wait to read book three to see how this plays out. Four-Stars!
NOTE: It’s that time of year again, the peak of our fire season in the Sierra Foothills. So, if I disappear a day or two it might be a power shut down during high winds to prevent more California fires. We are expecting shut down this week.
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!
Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L. Finn
