Tag: SelmaMartin

August Book Reviews! @supermegawoman @FizaPathan @teagangeneviene @SelmaWrites #writingcommunity #readersoftwitter #whattoread #bookreviews

You Can Take The Girl From The Prairie: Stories about growing up on the Canadian prairies

By Darlene Foster

“You Can Take The Girl From The Prairie” is a heartwarming collection that glimpses into the author’s life of what it was like growing up in Southern Alberta in the 1950s and 60s. I have always had a curiosity about Alberta since my grandmother was born there in the 1920s. The heartwarming stories had me either laughing or shedding a few tears, and immediately drew me in. Ms. Foster’s family didn’t have all the extras that others had, but she was blessed with a beautiful childhood full of love. I loved the relationship between not only her and her grandmother, but her father, too. It wasn’t always an easy life and there was heartbreak along with the celebrations, but this was a family that was always there for each other. I read this in one sitting and can only hope there are more stories to come. I can highly recommend these stories.

In The Shadow of Rainbows

By Selma Martin

“In The Shadow of Rainbows,” is Ms. Martin’s debut poetry book that I thoroughly enjoyed. There is a nice blend of nature with the emotional side of poems. The words flowed through the pages with vivid images and insights. I enjoyed them all but here are a few lines and poems that caught my eye: “nurtured under the illimitable/distant sun, fulfilling stories/among the starlight…”—Give Back, “Light illuminates/all who wander/in darkness and delusion…”—Let Go. “When death comes/I want to be led into eternity/curious, full of joy…”—When Death Comes, “The green outside is winking at me/it arose merely moments ago,/like a well-rested child rising from sleep,…”—Nature’s Tender Doings, and  “I almost died of exuberance/snorkeling around the unspoiled/coral reef/ when, in the dull hum of silence…”—I Almost Died. A wonderful collection to savor more than once that I can easily recommend for poetry lovers.

Murder at the Bijou: Three Ingredients I

By Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

Ms. Geneviene wrote “Murder at the Bijou” as a part of her weekly blog serial story. This is one I missed, so I was eager to read it. Readers contributed three words each week or chapter. At the end of some chapters, or installments, a list of ingredients that made me hungry was included. Pip is sent to live with her grandma to learn how to cook, but she ends up dealing with a murder mystery and criminals. I love it was set in the twenties and Pip considers herself a flapper or a modern woman. A quick read that includes gangsters and a budding love story that took a sharp turn. Besides Pip, Granny, a parrot, and a rabbit were also my favorites. This unique cozy mystery is great to snuggle up with in any season.

Nirmala: The Mud Blossom

By Fiza Pathan

“Nirmala” is a painful and sometimes inspiring read that was hard to put down. Nirmala was born to a family that didn’t want a female child, so they threw her away. She was found, though, and returned to her family. Growing up she suffered through not only staggering poverty but beatings and abuse which are graphicly described. She could go to school only to teach her younger brothers and advance them. In school, she was shunned because of her lack of hygiene, but she also was a top student. Her dream was to be a doctor. I couldn’t help but root for a girl in a society that wasn’t welcoming. She had a deep strength that shined through, even in the darkest of situations until the very end. Although she didn’t get to pursue her dream, a marriage was arranged, and it seemed to be a place of peace for her—until it wasn’t. The heart-wrenching part was this is the stark reality for some women in Mumbai. A beautiful young girl who was gifted with intelligence being constantly told she was trash. There is no happy ending, but it fits her situation. A well-written story I can easily recommend that shines a light on how unfairly some women are still treated in our world.

More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose

By Lauren Scott

“More than Coffee” is a thought-provoking collection of Ms. Scott’s memories mixed with beautiful poetry. Her stories tell of past events, such as how her parents met and her own beginning with her husband. I could easily relate to spiders always finding her. The poetry in between the prose added extra insight and layers to this great read. I read it in one sitting, but it would be good to savor each part with a cup of coffee or, in my case, tea. I enjoyed all the stories and the positive spin they had, no matter where the emotions went. There were glimpses into relationships between people, ventures into nature, and childhood. I can’t pick a favorite narrative, but I can share some of the many poems that caught my eye. “With childlike fascination,/I leaned against the door frame/watching her apply a little/powder to her nose, a touch of red to her lip./No more, no less…”—Red Lipstick, “Gazing high beyond their treetops/Where birds build family dwellings,/Dreams begin to bloom, worries lessen…”—Forever Steady, “Harmony lives in each flow of a breeze/In each gentle embrace of evergreens/The clear blue is our enchanting shield…”—Her Offerings, and “It’s freedom, fun, and magical/as tires hum on the road/A wave of a hand/befits the two-wheel code…”—Riding with the Wind. This is an inspiring collection I can easily recommend!

Watch for an exciting announcement from Story Empire this week and a special post from me on Wednesday!

Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L. Finn

New Release! “In the Shadow of Rainbows” by Selma Martin @SelmaWrites #writingcommunity #readersoftwitter #poetry #poetrycommunity #debut

I’m pleased to welcome a fellow poet, Selma Martin, here today to share her beautiful debut collection with us. I’ve included my review.
The cover photograph is by a dear friend, https://kathrynleroy.com/
Here’s Selma’s insight into one of her poems:
In writing, I attempt to add value to the finished work that comes straight from the place from where poems arise. Most come when I sit alone with my thoughts; I prefer quiet, like the kind one finds out in nature. Others come after reading something that lingers or makes me give a double take. In the case of this poem, it came about after reading a lovely book titled The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The book is set in Germany and is based on the time of that terrible war.
The Heil to her Pa expression is supposed to mark that awful time in history for the reader—that is all. In this poem, I hoped to showcase this young ‘adopted’ girl’s exuberance for learning to read and reaching the end of her very first book.
Her Pa had everything to do with her first win! In Zusak’s novel, the girl’s adopted Ma had a penchant for using mean and dirty words and called her husband pigheaded. But the girl knew better. Her Pa was nothing of the sort.
I’m so happy this poem came about, and now I have one poem of my own that reminds me of the novel. If you ever get a chance, please read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I was swooned by it. xoxo
Page 82 —In The Shadow of Rainbows
Hopeful one morn
would bring them much closer
She, barely eight
and he forty-three
Dawn after dawn
they braved nightly slumber
Tasting ‘n writing,
chewing words, hungry.
The dim of the lamp
paled with new morning light
Sent them upstairs
to bowls of warm porridge
Then holding hands
to streets wet with sunlight
She to midge class went,
he to seek courage.
Until one dawn
at the turn of the lights
They reached the end
—one book defeated!
She grinned ear to ear,
and soared like a kite
Heil to her Pa,
who Ma called pigheaded.
Blurb:

In this dazzling debut poetry collection of over 60 carefully selected poems, author Selma Martin points the way to the beauty in the everyday, the shadow of the rainbow, and the silver lining at the edge of every cloud.

Favouring lyrical forms, and revelling in rhymes and musical language, the individual poems in this collection harmonise together in symphonic splendour to form an enlightening and delightful whole.

My Review

“In The Shadow of Rainbows,” is Ms. Martin’s debut poetry book that I thoroughly enjoyed. There is a nice blend of nature with the emotional side of poems. The words flowed through the pages with vivid images and insights. I enjoyed them all but here are a few lines and poems that
caught my eye: “nurtured under the illimitable/distant sun, fulfilling stories/among the starlight…”—Give Back, “Light illuminates/all who wander/in darkness and delusion…”—Let Go. “When death comes/I want to be led into eternity/curious, full of joy…”—When Death Comes, “The green outside is winking at me/it arose merely moments ago,/like a well-rested
child rising from sleep,…”—Nature’s Tender Doings, and  “I almost died of
exuberance/snorkeling around the unspoiled/coral reef/ when, in the dull hum of silence…”—I Almost Died. A wonderful collection to savor more than once that I can easily recommend for poetry lovers.

What others are saying: 

“Be ready for Selma’s poetry to play with your thoughts, and to discover your heart hiding in the shadows!” — Lynn Wielenga, madhatterpoetry.com

“In The Shadow of Rainbows is a delightful and profoundly thoughtful collection of poems. Selma Martin’s inner light radiates from every sparkling page.” — Cheryl Batavia, Author, Life in Inspiring Places

“Beautiful, simply beautiful.”—DAP @ My2ndHeartBeat

“Selma Martin’s debut poetry collection transmutes misery into mesmerizing beauty. Not only is each poem masterful in form, it is lined with spiritual truth much like a golden-lined cloud shimmering in the brilliance of a rainbow after a storm.”— Barbara Harris Leonhard, editor, MasticadoresUSA

“I encourage you to enjoy In the Shadow of Rainbows as it weaves its lyrical prose and skillful imagery and invites you to search for your one poem within its pages time and time again.”— Layla Todd, Nin Chronicles

“A wonderful debut collection of Soul-felt poetry.”— Harmony Kent, Goodreads

“If you enjoy surrounding yourself with powerful imagery, glimpses of life and nature, and slices of everyday life, then do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this collection of poetry. It’s wonderful!” — Yvette M Calleiro

UNIVERSAL AMAZON PURCHASE LINK

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Selma Martin is a retired English teacher with 20 years of teaching children ESL. She believes in people’s goodness and in finding balance in simple living. She lives in Japan with her husband. In 2017, after retiring from her ESL position, Selma enrolled in her first short story writing competition with The Write Practice (TWP), an welcoming online community of writers. She practiced earnestly there and had the honor of mingling with seasoned Writers and newcomers like herself.

In 2018, Selma participated in a TWP networking course whose final lesson was to publish a story on Amazon. After many failed attempts, she completed the course and self-published her short story, “Wanted: Husband/Handyman,” in 2019.
Later, collaborating with peers from that course, she published “Wanted:
Husband/Handyman” in Once Upon A Story: A Short Fiction Anthology.
Selma has published articles and poems on Medium since 2017; she has the story from that first competition published in Short Fiction Break, 2017, and poetry in  The Poetorium At Starlight, 2022, MasticadoresUSA, and Spillwords. After her first NaPoWriMo 2021, Selma writes poetry on her website, selmamartin.com, and struggled with her introversion to garner the courage to publish this—her first collection of poems.
Connect with Selma:

July Book Reviews Part 2! @BardenRosalind @SelmaWrites @WendyJayneScott @bmellor1 @SuePerkinsAuthr @Ash_Capes @teagangeneviene #writingcommunity #bookreviews #whattoread #mustreads #readersoftwitter

Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case

by Rosalind Barden

“Sparky of Bunker Hill” is a fun YA mystery set in 1932. Sparky is an 11-year-old homeless orphan who does what she needs to survive. On her birthday, when she just wants to enjoy her candy, she comes across a young girl’s dead body—everything changes for her. This finding pushes Sparky into hiding with an interesting cast of characters. I enjoyed her friendship with Bobbie and the new people in her life. It is a strange world she finds herself in while she is trying to clear her name. I was drawn into the 30s easily and Sparky’s stubborn strength. The characters were all unique, down to the stuffed cheetah and closet full of costumes. Sparky has some life lessons to learn along the way, including who to trust. A fast-paced read with some dark humor weaved in that older children and adults can both enjoy.

Dead of Winter: Journey 14, The Veil

by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

I have been eagerly awaiting the conclusion of this fantastic journey. The first chapter not only pulled me in but offered a reminder of where this all started. I couldn’t put “The Veil” down and read it in one sitting to find out how it was concluded. I wasn’t disappointed either, but that’s all I’ll say since I don’t want to give anything away. There were a few surprises and some issues that I would have liked to have been solved differently but it needed to be the way it was written. This says a lot that I was wholly invested in the story and the outcome. As always, the settings pulled me in, and the good and evil characters kept me turning the pages. Emlyn found her place in a world that was in turmoil and I loved her continued growth. I’m glad there is the possibility of more to come, but still, the journey was resolved. I can highly recommend this journey, but suggest you start at the beginning.

Down Under Fantasy Realms: An Anthology By New Zealand and Australian Authors

by Wendy Scott, Belinda Mellor, Sue Perkins, Ashley Capes, Brett Adams, Kate Shaw, and Kirsty Anderson

“Down Under Fantasy Realms” is a wonderful introduction to a group of authors that includes excerpts, prequels, works in progress, and short stories in the fantasy genre. I was only familiar with one author, so this was a fun way to learn about new writers. I enjoyed many of the stories, and here are a few that stood out for me: “Vision-Maker” by Wendy Scott, “The Toad Lord” by Kirsty Anderson, and “Hands of a Healer” by Belinda Mellor. A unique collection that was well-written and full of magic, but also some darkness mixed in. Each story offered something different to suit a fantasy reader’s taste with a wide variety of creative imagination. If you are looking for a new fantasy author or want to be entertained, this is for you.

WANTED: Husband/Handyman: A Short Story

by Selma Martin

“Wanted” is a heartwarming story about new love. Grace is a pregnant widow with two young children, who put an ad in the newspaper for a husband/handyman. Tim answered the ad, and it’s apparent they have developed feelings for each other. I love the moments between not only Grace and Tim, but Tim and her children. His devotion to making her life easier is sweet. When the time comes, he is prepared to deliver her baby. I can easily see this as a book and would love to know what happens next to this couple. Beautifully written, just like Ms. Martin’s poetry, I was charmed by these characters.

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. Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!

NOTE: I will be on vacation next week so there will be no post on July 18th. It’s my birthday week and I will be celebrating all week long. One of those milestone ones where I come complete circle back to the year I was born, the water tiger. Besides turning sixty this was the first time they walked on the moon in 1969 on July 20th. No idea what I’m doing but will see where the wind takes me.

Embrace your inner child—read a book! D. L. Finn