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May Spotlight – Poetry

This month we are highlighting poetry books – from the dark to the inspirational. Have a look through the list below and find your next read, and maybe even your new favoutite poet!

E:/Ed Documents/Christophers Stories/Ad Undas/Ad Undas Front CovAd Undas by Christopher Law

Often brutal, always honest, Ad Undas is the record of a collapsing mind trying to fight against the darkness; trying to believe in hope, even when there is none. There are no holds barred in this collection of free verse, a must read for anyone interested in the darker sides of existence. Buy UK and US

 

 

theresaSpewed Thoughts by Theresa Jacobs

I have compiled a collection of what some people would call poetry, most of it is my creative brain spewing out the junk so I can write my book. Following is the results of that thought process. It began in 1991 and continues on today. Some are light and playful, and some are dark. Buy here

 

sasSmoke and Shadows by Joanne Van Leerdam

It’s a common thing. As we go through life, we discover that people and things are frequently not what they seem to be, and what we understand to be the truth of our own experience often turns out to be something quite different instead. Life is as full of illusions as it is of genuine experiences.

False friends abound. Trials hurt, but then deliver unexpected strength and blessings. People put up smokescreens to hide their true intentions or feelings; and only sometimes do we ever discover why. The world seems hateful until someone delivers light and love in a surprising way.

The poems in this new collection explore some of the illusions and deceptions people experience in their lives, the clarity and wisdom gained from hindsight, and the lessons we can learn from them.

“Smoke and shadows yield to glimpses of light—
Only then we begin to see:
When we learn to perceive things as they are,
We can have peace with whatever will be.” Buy UK and US

HeartsHearts of the Matter by Mark Anthony Smith

A collection of Haiku, some of which have been commended in National magazines, to celebrate Hull winning the ‘City of Culture’. Poems include the passing of time and the falling of leaves in Autumn. Buy here

LethalLethal as Love by Patrick Williams

From the heady springtime rush of first meeting to the hard tear-stained winter of goodbye, these poems explore the lifespan of a relationship. Published chronologically as written for her, and sent as text messages so she could read them over her morning coffee, these poems are a passionate and painfully truthful testimony to someone who, for a much too brief time, was the poet’s whole heart, and who will always hold a piece of it. Buy UK and US

CalmLittle Moments of Calm by Sarah Northwood

Mindfulness is a way of focusing on the moment and letting go of past worries or future cares. In this little book of calm, each page is brought to life with beautiful and themed images. Combined with original pieces of prose, and thoughts to help you discover a moment of tranquillity, just for you! Buy here

 

 

butterflyButterfly Dreams by Sarah Northwood

Poems that inspire a touch of magic, imagination and fantasy. Uplifting and light to read. Buy here

 

 

 

truthsThe Truths We Tell by Sarah Northwood

This collection of emotional poetry and prose from Author Sarah Northwood provides nourishment for the soul. Each one is honest and explores the daily battle with this thing we call life. The poet expresses themes of fear, contemplation and love in an honest way that will leave you feeling like someone knows your pain. A positive message of acceptance flows throughout the words. Buy here

 

unicorns are realUnicorns Are Real & Other Cool Poems by Sarah Northwood

This is a poem book especially for you, where Unicorns are real and dreams do come true. With goggle woggle spiders whizzing on skates and food that is rude when it is put on a plate. With bottoms that snore and a fun dinosaur, also mermaids and fairies, so it’s never a bore. So settle down cosy when it starts to gets late, fluff up your pillow, get your blankets straight. Each poem is magic, each poem is new and each one was made especially for you. Buy here

mermaidsUnicorns, Mermaids, and Magical Tales by Sarah Northwood and Julia E. Clements

Step into a world of enchanted forests and magical creatures, where every page takes the reader on a wondrous journey.

Incredible realms await, with unicorns, fairies, mermaids, and dragons, and so much more. Together with beautiful illustrations, this collection of short stories and poems will capture the hearts of children of all ages and transport them on a magical adventure.

A fairy stuck in a wishing well. A mermaid who can’t swim. A girl who doesn’t know she’s a witch. A mystical portal that leads to another land. These are just some of the enchanting tales that will spark every child’s imagination. Buy here

in verseIn Verse by E.M. Swift-Hook & Jane Jago

Poetry from E.M. Swift-Hook and Jane Jago. Buy here

 

 

 

 

qaqQuestions & Quirks by Jane Jago

Love, loss and leisure. An exploration of life in verse. Buy here

Find out more about Jane Jago here

 

 

 

PerversePerverse by Tim Walker

PERVERSE is an eclectic collection of short, snatched memories and random ideas.

‘Perversity’, is an obstinate urge or contrary behaviour; a wilful desire to not conform.
That made me think – Life can sometimes be perverse – full of contradictions, disappointments, grief and sheer bloody-mindedness. But though it all, our sense of what is right and our submission to the rule of law, provides a counter balance that somehow gets us through.
I hope you enjoy this collection of verse and prose – a pastiche of my life, a hope for better days, reflections on the good and bad times, a celebration of life and all its riches. Buy here

SedimentsSediments: The Selected Poems of Lyra Shanti

This unique book of poetry contains the selected poems of the prolific poet, playwright, songwriter and author, Lyra Shanti. Ranging from epic story-telling to romantic and lyrical, Sediments covers it all. Passionate and unrestricted, this collection of free-form poetry and prose is one of a kind. Buy UK and US

 

momentsMoments from a Lifetime by Margena Adams Holmes

In this collection of poems and short stories, author Margena Adams Holmes brings out life’s many emotional moments. Follow her path from an elementary school writing assignment to flash fiction, from the joys of marriage and having kids to the struggles with OCD and chronic pain. Buy UK and US

 

The Little Book Series by Claire Buss

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Book One: Little Book of Verse

A collection of both humorous and sincerely heartfelt poems from award-winning author Claire Buss. Her poetry is simple yet beautiful as she touches the heart of family life and deals with difficult emotions. She offers insight into motherhood from being tired to having sore feet, having time fly and chasing those summer ghosts. Buy here

Book Two: Little Book of Spring

Inspired by NaPoWriMo, this collection of thirty poems will delight readers with playful and personal poems exploring the ups and downs of motherhood with plenty of humour mixed in. Claire Buss explores life as a mum from the lighter side of life living by the seaside right through to dealing with powerful personal emotions. Buy here

Book Three: Little Book of Summer

A scorching book of poetry from award winning author Claire Buss. Little Book of Summer, a collection of twenty-one poems, is the third poetry collection in the Little Book series. Frothy and light verses on the joys of summertime. These easy to read, easy to enjoy poems touch on fun in the summer holidays as well as more serious issues like being homeless at the seaside and picking up your rubbish. Buy here

Book Four: Spooky Little Book

Mum. Poet. Lover of cake. Claire Buss’s Spooky Little Book is a collection of Halloween-themed poetry celebrating everything spine-tingling and scary. Hide behind the sofa, watch out for the monsters under the bed and stock up on candy – you’re going to need it! Buy here

Book Five: Little Book of Winter

Twenty-five wintry poems to read at your leisure by the roaring fireplace, all tucked up under a blanket this winter. Award-winning author & poet Claire Buss shares poetry from the heart in this chilly addition to the Little Book series. Buy here

Book Six: Little Book of Love

Love isn’t just romance and flowers. Sometimes it’s tears and anguish. This collection of twenty-five poems from author and poet Claire Buss take you on a journey of love from delight to heartbreak, including pets, children and those we’ve lost. Love is everywhere and affects everyone but sometimes we can’t say what we feel. Hopefully, these poems will inspire you to spread a little love in your life. Buy here

Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to check our monthly promotions on the 1st of each month.

June – Anthologies

July – Audio Books

August – Books in a Series

September – Standalone Short Stories (under 10k words)

October – 31 Days of Horror

November – Fantasy Books

December – Children’s Books

 

Fortnightly Update #4

Welcome back to our fortnightly updates and we hope you’re staying safe and well in these unusual times.

A-Z of Horror_DThe last couple of weeks have been a little slow as we adjust to a new routine with home school, but we have made good progress with the fourth book in the A-Z of Horror Series. D is for Demons is currently being formatted and should be up for pre order within a week or so. Books A-C are available at the following links –

Aliens            Beasts          Cannibals

E is for Exorcism is close to being full, but submissions are still open. You can find the details here.

We have approved a narrator for the A-Z of Horror books, and these will be available on Audible in the near future. The Elements of Horror series is currently being recorded as well, so keep an eye out for details about these.

dogsThis week saw the much-anticipated anthology Black Dogs, Black Tales come up on pre order, in which you can read P.J. Blakey-Novis’ story Fossil Bluff. You can find out more over on our anthologies page.

 

 

 

If you’d like to find out more about our books and new releases, our author services (including free promotion opportunities), or send us any submissions, everything can be found on the website.

 

Fortnightly Update #3

This will be shorter post than previously as things have slowed down considerably since the schools closed. First though, some exciting news. P.J. Blakey-Novis was named the winner of the first Indipenned Short Story competition with his quirky tale, Passing Through. You can read the story on the Indipenned website here

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Work on our anthologies has moved to the evenings, once the hatchlings are in bed, but we are still plodding through them rather successfully.

Regarding the A-Z of Horror, we now have books two and three available to pre-order, both at just 99p each. Book One, in case you missed it, was released last month. Click the titles below to head over to Amazon;

A is for Aliens

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B is for Beasts

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C is for Cannibals

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We received a record number of submissions for D is for Demons and have spent the last few days reading through these. It’s going to be a tough decision getting them down to the required quantity!

April sees our monthly spotlight promotion focussing on novellas so check out the full list here and find yourself a new read.

 

Fortnightly Update #2

In an attempt to keep everyone updated with what we’ve been doing, we’re planning on creating a post once a fortnight with any news. Due to the situation with Covid-19 we are now home schooling which has slowed things down considerably. It has also meant that we have had to cancel the Brighton & Hove Book Fayre which was due to take place on April 25th. This will now be a virtual event via Facebook (details here)

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We have managed to get some reading in and have posted new reviews on the website for Eden by Tim Lebbon, and Hag’s Breath and The Dragon Has Wings by S.P. Oldham.

The second book in our new series of horror anthologies, B is for Beasts, is now available for pre-order at just 99p ahead of release day on May 13th. We are currently close to starting work putting C is for Cannibals together (more details to follow soon).

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Author Antoinette Corvo has also released a zombie short story, available through Kindle for just 99p and includes some great artwork within the book.

The Ivory Tower ebook

Author P.J. Blakey-Novis has put together a rather special booklet of flash fiction.  13 is a 12 page, signed and numbered print limited to 250 copies and available exclusively through this website. Cover art by Art Autopsy

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