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Showing posts with label magdalena ball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label magdalena ball. Show all posts

Monday, November 29, 2021

The Density of Compact Bone by Magdalena Ball Review

The Density of Compact Bone

by Magdalena Ball
Ginninderra Press
ASIN: B09HKYK9HL
ISBN-10: ‎ 1761091867
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1761091865
Paperback: ‎ 102 pages

The Density of Compact Bone by Magdalena Ball Review

"In The Density of Compact Bone, Magdalena Ball stuns with her elegantly constructed paean to earth, sky, water and her requiem to loss, both ecological and personal."

"Magdalena Ball's poems are replete with images and symbols and sometimes pictorial representations of our guilt and desires. Her poems sometimes sing of the extinct creatures who breathed their last to question us for our inhuman actions, nature and its "objective correlative' in poetic diction. Magdalena Ball captivates her readers with cogitations on dreams, failures, moments of joy and despair, contemplations of serious existential truths and quest for the same. Her poems transport us to a land of ecstasy, the parabolic pathway of moving away and returning to the same trajectory of existence with a new promise or at least a complacency of some kind, or just a sense of well-being. Her poems are a must-read!"- Ketaki Datta

This post will share some of the parts of poems from this book by Ball. When we read, we infer. Inferring is text on the page mixed with our own thoughts. We deduce the meaning of the poetry for ourselves. Others may see the same text differently, as we all have unique life experiences. This is what makes book discussion groups so interesting. When I read the text below, I think of overconsumption and landfills. What do you think? 

The billboard

flashing in neon

excess buy buy buy bye

hardwired to self-destruct.

A few poems ahead, Ball writes about loss. Is this what someone thinks at the end of a relationship? Is it about climate change, the ending of an evening, or perhaps how life changes after a funeral? It isn't fair to you, dear reader, as the entire poem is in the book. Yet, do you get some sort of impression?

I know this is something we share 

raising a glass, not thinking too much 

about the uncomfortable fact 

that that we’re sliding 

towards an edge.

 So starts the poem How to make Lokshen Kugel:

Begin with tears. There will not be enough. Salt is essential. Break something. A dish perhaps if you cannot find a heart. There will already be chips. There is no perfect crockery.

 What are you thinking about these words?

I cannot write a review to show how wonderful this book is because I am not a poet or writer. I was a first-grade teacher and so I appreciate Ball's writing but can't come close to honoring it as it deserves. 

The book ends with a land acknowledgment. Ball is from Australia. Have you noticed other books, webinars, or videos with land acknowledgments? How do you feel about Elders emerging? 

"These poems were written on the unceded land of the Awabakal people. I acknowledge the traditional custodians and pay my respect to Elders past, present and emerging."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Magdalena Ball is a novelist, poet, reviewer and interviewer, and is the Managing Editor of Compulsive Reader. She has been widely published in literary journals like Meanjin, Cordite, Red Room, and Westerly, in many anthologies, and is the author of several published books of poetry and fiction. Her work has won or been shortlisted for several prizes including the Newcastle Poetry Prize, the Melbourne Poet's Union International Competition, and the Grieve Writing Competition. She is a longstanding (>25 years) member of the Hunter Writers Centre and has been an active participant (as both moderator and performer) in the Newcastle Writers Festival since it's inaugural event in 2013, as well as other literary festivals such as the Hunter IF, the Sydney Writers Festival, and the Digital Writers Festival. Find out more about Magdalena at http://www.magdalenaball.com

Review by Carolyn Wilhelm

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Saturday, November 6, 2021

Carolyn Wilhelm Reviews Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Balls' Christmas Poetry





Title:  Blooming Red

Subtitle: Christmas Poetry for the Rational 

Series: Celebration Series of Chapbooks
Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Magdalena Ball
Publisher: Indy 
Publisher Website Address: https://howtodoitfrugally.com 

Author Email Address: HoJoNews@aol.com

ISBN-10: 1449948243

ISBN-13: 978-1449948245

ASIN: B004GXB4AW

Price: $5.95 Paperback, $2.99 Kindle
Page Count: 60 pages
Formats: PB, Kindle


Reviewed by Carolyn Wilhelm

 

Profound and moving poetry reflecting the reality of Christmas, which may not be that of commercials and photos. Early rising when the children are young, aching for those times when they are grown and perhaps have moved away. Howard-Johnson writes of the "echoes of foil tearing, and crushing of frail tissue." She writes the baby in the nativity set is always the first to go missing. 

 

Ball writes about how time is different for children, and "we touched each moment with tiny, trembling hands." She was a child six million years ago, according to one of her poems. She says, ". . . after hours at the mall, belief wears thin." 

 

The poetry is so beautiful, and my review cannot begin to do justice to the writing. This is a book to read again and again. It is the right size to add to a holiday card and would make a perfect present. 


More About the Reviewer


Carolyn Wilhelm reviews for Midwest Book Reviews and The New Book Review. She is a veteran educator who builds teaching aids for parents and teachers, many of them free and available on Pinterest. It is an especially valuable time during these long months of teaching via Zoom and working in isolated situations. 



More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the form at https://www.bit.ly/FinishedReviewSubmissions. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. And know that Carolyn Wilhelm, our IT expert, award-winning author, and veteran educator, makes an award image especially for those who volunteer to write reviews from Lois's review-request list and post them in the spirit of her "Authors Helping Authors" project. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Monday, March 1, 2021

Carolyn Wilhelm's Review of Deeper Into the Pond Just Right for Women's History Month

 Celebrating Women’s History Month with a Poetry Chapbook

Title: Deeper Into the Pond

Subtitle: A Celebration of Femininity

Award: Bronze Medal from Military Writers Society of America

Authors: Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball

Artwork: Jacquie Schmall 
ISBN: 9781461159384

Available in print and as ebook on Amazon



Reviewed by Carolyn Wilhelm originally for Midwest Book Review

 

The Celebration Series of Poetry Chapbooks covers many aspects of life, seasons, and holidays. Deeper into the Pond: A Celebration of Femininity is about life as experienced and thought of by women. Poetry would be the perfect Mother's Day gift for critical thinkers. 

As Howard-Johnson writes, progress has been made in women's lives while not in an orderly fashion. Progress isn't always in a straight line. Younger women do not realize what has been achieved. As Howard-Johnson writes:

"Let us be measured

Not for height or at the hip

But for our roles."

Howard Johnson's poems are about topics like a midlife crisis, narcissism, and her closet as a psychological profile. Hmmm, yes, closets (clothes) reveal much. I have never thought of writing a poem about such thoughts. She says memory has two voices which is a profound statement.

Ball writes of Lady Godiva and her mother burning a bra and how the word freedom is misused. She writes about hypergraphia (who knew?) and compulsion. A brave woman has her wig blowing in the wind due to cancer, a discarded dress in a landfill, and Jupiter's moons are other topics she addresses. Not everyday conversation!

The book offers readers much to contemplate and appreciate.


More About the Reviewer


Carolyn Wilhelm is an educator and author. She is a frequent contributor to this blog with study guides for selected books, for the Sharing with Writers blog, and Midwest Book Review. Learn more about her on Twitter @wiseowlfactory and on Pinterest. 


More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

 

 

 

MORE ABOUT MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

 

 Midwest Book Review has been a staple review site (and review opportunity) since the early days of the computer (by my memory).  They send letters like this to the author whose book has been reviewed. And to their extensive newsletter list. Notice that it gives permission to reprint which allows author, publisher, reviewer, and even readers to republish credited reviews. This one includes a  slightly update version of Carolyn Wilhelm's review of the featured book in this post along with other information about the Midwest Book Review's free book review website and its satalites. So, if you are a reader thinking about reviewing, you may easily contact him with the information in this addendum to Carolyn Wilhelm's review.  (I have copied the email verbatim.). If you are an author thinking about upping your marketing game with more and better reviews, you may submit either paper or ebooks to him according to his guidelines. 

Caveat: Only paper copy reviews are recommended by the author of this blog on the basis of their being free). See more about the reasons why I take this stance in my How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (bit.ly/GreatBkReviews). 

Note:  I have deleted the review that Cox included in his letter. It is in the original post of this book. See it above. 

"Dear Carolyn:

 

"I'm very pleased to announce that the April 2021 issue of our online book review magazine "Reviewer's Bookwatch" features a review of "Deeper into the Pond":

 

 

"Reviewer's Bookwatch: April 2021

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief

Midwest Book Review

278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575


 [Find the review on Carolyn Wilhelm's Bookshelf at Midwest Book Review, 

http://www.midwestbookreview.com/rbw/apr_21.htm#carolynwilhelm. Or scroll back to the first part of this post.]

  

"Additionally, this review will be archived on our Midwest Book Review website for the next five years at http://www.midwestbookreview.com


"Incidentally, we have amended our bylaws to allow authors and publishers who want to make a gesture of support and appreciation for what we try to do here at the Midwest Book Review to donate postage stamps "for the cause".

 

"So if you'd like to send U.S. stamps, a check, a money order, or a PayPal contribution as a donation to our Midwest Book Review postage stamp fund, please feel free (but not obligated!). Our designated email address for accepting PayPal gifts is

 

"SupportMBR@aol.com

 

"Please note, the SupportMBR email address is not used for correspondence.

 

"I look forward to your next title!

 

"James A. Cox

Editor-in-Chief

Midwest Book Review

278 Orchard Drive

Oregon, WI, 53575, USA" 


Monday, February 3, 2020

Acclaimed Poetry Chapbook Doubles as Valentine Greeting Card



Title:  Cherished Pulse
Subtitle: Unconventional Love Poetry 
Series: Celebration Series of Poetry Chapbooks
Authors:  
Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson  
Publisher: Independently Published
Publisher Website Address http://www.compulsivereader.com/
ISBN-10: 1449546056
ISBN-13: 978-1449546052
ASIN: B004HB1W9Q
Price $ 5.95 paperback, $2.99 Kindle
Page Count 42 pages

Formats (PB, Kindle)


Reviewed by Carolyn Wilhelm

The Celebration Series of Poetry Chapbooks covers many aspects of life, seasons, and holidays. Cherished Pulse is appropriate for loved ones. It is small enough to fit inside a greeting card envelope or could be used instead of a card for a memorable gift. 
Magdalena Ball’s poems focus on nature and deep feelings at the same time. “Ocean,” “Great Sky,” “Aurora,” and the rest speak beautifully of deep love, longing, and intimate relationships. 
Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s portion of the book includes poems such as “A Woman’s Heart,” and “Watching My Daughter Say Goodbye to a Fleeting Love” speak of life and how perspective changes through the years regarding love. 
The poems are profound and moving. The book is definitely a read and read again. 
 -----

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Carolyn Wilhelm is a regular contributor to #TheNewBookReview where she reviews books and writes occasion study guides for popular books turned to film. (Teachers and parents can use this blog's search engine to find her guides on works like Black Klansman and Green Book.) She is also an author. Her most recent book is Climate Change Captives 2035. Learn more about her with links below. 
Carolyn Wilhelm
Climate Change Captives 2035 and Project Save, Wise Owl Factory LLC
MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Deep and Thought-provoking Christmas Poetry: Blooming Red

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

  Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Deep and Thought-provoking Christmas Poetry

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball 
  • Publisher: Compulsive Reader 
  • ASIN: B004GXB4AW
  • Print Length: 56 pages

Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational

"The reality of Christmas does not always resemble the images we see on commercial Christmas cards--or in our dreams."

This book is perhaps not what you might assume at first glance. Hopes are high at the holidays, and hope is referred to as:
“hope—a Mobius strip”

Right. This is another way to say hope springs eternal, Christmas style.

Holiday images and stories are full of baking, food, and meals that are Norman Rockwell perfect. So I did not expect a poem that stated dinner reservations might be a “McCormick-and-Schmick system of revenge.” I did not see that coming.

Blooming Red: Christmas Poetry for the Rational (Celebration Series of Chapbooks)The nativity with the Holy family display is another holiday tradition. Did you realize the first in the Holy family to go missing . . . is baby Jesus? Oh, of course . . . that makes sense when you stop and ponder the writing. That poem made me think, as did all the others.

Aging reflections of how Christmas events change as families do, children grow up, children go to college or move away is well described. We have experienced the excitement of young children to teens — then grown-ups only at the holidays. But the poem on this topic nails the emotions changes in holiday gatherings brings through the years.

This phrase caught my attention:
“icy tendrils of memory”
See why?

The reality of commercialism and plastic is described this way:
“after hours at the mall belief wears thin”
And is described in several poems, as well.

This book may help me make it through the holidays again this year!

Deep and Thought-provoking Christmas Poetry: Blooming Red


Thank you for reading, Carolyn Wilhelm of the Wise Owl Factory Blog

This review was posted on Amazon and Goodreads by Carolyn Wilhelm.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Compulsive Reader Humorous How-To Business Book


A Vegas Publisher
Release: Dec 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9968437-4

Reviewed by Magdalena Ball first published by CompulsiveReader.com

 If you’ve never given a thought to digital manners, you clearly aren’t alone. One of the hallmarks of online interactions is speed - usual grammar and punctuation rules often don’t apply, but our world is becoming increasingly digital, and while the online world may look like a wild-west, the way you conduct yourself, particularly on social media, is critically important. It’s easy to forget how recent a phenomena our technological proliferation is. As Kristin Johnson reminds us, digital technology has been in popular use for less than twenty years. However, in that time the growth of social media has been exponential, particularly as more portable tools for access, such as the smartphone, have become ubiquitous. It’s easier to get hold of our kids, family and friends via messaging than via the telephone. Even our music listening and reading are starting to be piped in live through network enabled apps like Spotify or reading apps like Kindle and iBooks that instantly link up with our networks and share our preferences and activities.

Ain’t U Got No Manners is not only a complete guide to behaving with grace and charm online, it’s also entertaining and funny. The book provides extensive information on presenting your best self online. The writing is light, crisp and easy-to-read, and the many sidebars, symbols, stories, and takeaway points after each chapter ensure easy comprehension, even for readers with online attention spans. Despite the relaxed, humorous and conversational tone, the subject is serious.  With Facebook, Instagram, Google (including its search engine), Twitter, Snapchat, Skype and email all linking up, nearly everything that goes online is more or less in the public domain. An ill-thought through or offensive post can get you fired, can wreck your home life, can lose you friends, and even get you arrested. Like any good advice, much of the book is common sense: “When in public, act as if you’re on camera, because you just might be.” That said, it’s surprisingly easy to forget this, or not taking it seriously enough, while scrolling and commenting in the seeming solitude of your living room. 

Aint U Got No Manners is full of anecdotes, from fake Facebook fundraisers, employees who were fired after posting silly pictures, or the woman whose thoughtless Twitter post went viral while she was in an airplane and by the time she landed she was a notorious pariah. Johnson has done her research well. There are also tips on how to minimise the impact of social media overload, handing texts (and “textually transmitted diseases” - I particularly liked the texting takeaways in text language), navigating Twitter, including one of my favourite sections, the #dailysins of Twitter (7 deadly examples in hashtag form), commenting, how not to be a troll, dealing with online meanness, internet dating, public shaming, posting video, SnapChat, photo etiquette (including selfies), and lots more. Put simply, Aint U Got No Manners is a must read for the Internet age: a book as enjoyable as it is informative. The book should be part of every school’s curriculum. If you take away nothing more than #think (before you…), then it will be worth the price of the book.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Magdalena Ball is a poet and novelist. She owns the review Web site, Compulsive Reader  and edits its newsletter packed with suggestions for literate reading. It is recommended in How To Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews).

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, andreaders who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Poet J. R. McRae Urges Celebration of Earth Day with Poetry

Sublime Planet: Celebrating Earth Day and the Universe
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball
ISBN 9781482054705
Publisher: Compulsive Reader
Available as paperback or for e-readers on Amazon
"I recommend Sublime Planet particularly to those individuals who reside on this planet." ~ Suzanne Lummis, UCLA poetry instructor

Reviewed by J. R. McRae



SUBLIME PLANET,  includes a section called Sacred Lessons, Poems by Carolyn Howard-Johnson and one called Tipping Point with poems by Magdalena Ball .

Two very different poets, very different styles of writing, have produced a collection united by their passion for environment, for the world that touches their skin and imbues them with its presence with every breath they take.

This collection, is their tribute to their world, both physical and mental, our world.

It is replete with flashes of insight,

forcing myself to see
all these stories
left to grow
viral in rubbish

[from Toxic by Magdalena]

memorable lines that linger in the soul.

 
Writing in my sleep, metaphors that sit on the bridge
of my nose.


[from My Favorite Things by Carolyn]

The collection is sprinkled liberally with stunning images that catch and hold the eye –

Van Gogh brushed sea
marked with freighters,
lights twinkling.

smudged parentheses afar,
looming presences up close.

[From Malacca Strait by Carolyn]

grain of sand in your speculation oyster
truth taken for granted

[From Walking Into Eternity by Magdalena]

Acerbic or more subtly needling, comments, hit home –

Forgotten history meets trashtree

another landfill specimen
pink, fragrant, invasive
easing pangs

you wear like designer clothes.

[From Trashtree by Magdalena]

 

He unaware
he is endangered,
I unaware he might
be dangerous.

[From The Giraffe by Carolyn]

 
This is a collection to be savoured in quiet moments, in those reflective times with wine or coffee in a comfy couch.

-----
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
J.R.McRae once worked in a circus, as a Rare-Books Librarian, as a book-reviewer, as assessment package writer and Associate Lecturer, English Expression, for international postgraduates, University of Queensland. Her short stories and award winning poetry are in anthologies and journals, like Basics of Life, 100 Stories for Queensland, Stories for Sendai, The Spirit of Poe, Trust and Treachery, Poe-it, Quadrant, Long and Winding Road, Bound by the Secrets We Hide, Antipodes, Social Alternatives. Her Artwork/photography features in Ripples, ABC Pool, The Mozzie and Vine Leaves. As awarded children’s/education writer, J.R.Poulter, she has thirteen books, eleven digital and more coming 2013/14/15. Websites: http://www.jrmcrae_subversive.weebly.com, 


-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Poetry: Order Your Best Valentine Ever Early

Title: Cherished Pulse: Unconventional Love Poetry 
Authors:  Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson. 
Genre: Poetry
ISBN: 9781449546052
Reviewer: Joy V. Smith 
Review was originally published on Amazon
Publisher:  A Compulsive Reader Publication
Reviewer's rating: 5 stars
Available at Amazon in paperback and Kindle
 Reviewed by Joy V. Smith
 
Say it with poetry
 
This chapbook of poems is a delicious serving of loving and lovely thoughts, memories, and images of love shared and remembered in a breathtaking way, as in these lines from "Aurora":
 
 
"Red, green and purple curtains
waved above you"
 
"If I could capture that spectrum of
atomic neon sign of lost wonder"
 
As a science fiction writer, I so appreciated the cosmic comparisons in Magadalena Ball's poems. 
 
The first group of poems is by Magdalena Ball; the second group is by Carolyn Howard-Johnson.  All the poems flow and entice you into a world of longing and caresses.  Howard-Johnson's poems reflect the imagery of nature, as in these lines from "Dreaming Lilacs":
 
"hearing bougainvillea's fuchsia
song, taking shortcuts
across the lawn to kick
through jacaranda's silent
petalfall. Like Van Goh's flowers
twist their faces
 to the sun, ... "
 
These gentle, but stirring poems are a sweet gift to yourself, a friend, a loved one, or a young girl to show her what love really means...

 
ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Joy V. Smith loves science fiction; she reads it and writes it and interviews other science fiction writers when she tracks them down...  Her SF includes Sugar Time (audiobook), two collections of her published short stories, Aliens, Animals, and Adventure andThe Doorway and Other Stories, and three e-books: Hidebound (SF romance/adventure), Pretty Pink Planet, and Hot Yellow Planet (the sequel).  But her latest novel is a western, Detour Trail.

Find The Doorway and Other Stories on Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SV1FB2

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Today Is Earth Day: Poetry Book to Honor the Day Released


Sublime Planet
Authors: Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball
Authors' Web sites:
Carolyn:
http://howtodoitfrugally.com/poetry_books.htm
Magdalena: http://magdalenaball.com
Photos: Ann Howley  
ISBN: 978-1482054705

 

Reviewed by Karen Cioffi

 
Gearing up for Earth Day, Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball are releasing a brand new collection of poems titled Sublime Planet. The collection features relevant poems by Carolyn and Magdalena that demonstrate the interconnections of the world around us, including life, family, and love, along with the growing concern for the earth’s preservation.

This is a beautifully written collection that allows the reader to pause and take note of the world around her.

One of my favorite poems in the collection is one by Carolyn titled “The Giraffe:”

 

A tongue generous

as my head he reaches

for me, barriers no match

for his long neck, sniffs

my hair, kisses my face.

He unaware

he is endangered.

I unaware he might

be dangerous.

 

This poem is a powerful, yet simple tribute to a majestic creature that is now an endangered species. Can you imagine a planet without the giraffe?

Another poem in the collection that struck me is “Tipping Point” by Magdalena Ball: “[. . .] you eat and eat through four billion years of evolution now held loosely by one thread. [. . .] The future waits impatiently your decision.”

Again, powerful, and revealing.

 
Sublime Planet offers moving insight into the world around us and into a world that is in need of attention, and it certainly honors Earth Day. I highly recommend it.

 
For those who aren’t aware of what Earth Day is, Senator Gaylord Nelson created this special day in the spring of 1970. The purpose behind it was to make everyone aware of all the toxins being spewed into the air and dumped in nearby streams or other waterways by manufacturing companies.

At that time, there were no regulatory or legal safety nets to protect our planet, our environment. Senator Nelson took a stand and his cause quickly caught on.

The earth is our planet, our home, our responsibility, and we’re not doing such a good job protecting it.

Sublime Planet celebrates Earth Day (April 22nd).

The poems "Giraffe" and “Tipping Point” are from Sublime Planet, a book of poetry in the Celebration Series coauthored by Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball. It will be released before Earth Day.  In the meantime learn more about Carolyn's poetry books (including that Celebration Series!) at http://howtodoitfrugally.com/poetry_books.htm. And, learn more about Magdalena’s poetry and fiction at http://magdalenaball.com

About the reviewer:

Karen Cioffi is a multi-award-winning author, freelance/ghostwriter, and author online presence instructor. Give your writing and marketing efforts a boost with The Writing World newsletter. Get weekly tips and guidance, plus updates on free webinars, and TWO ebooks! Go to http://thewritingworld.com and sign-up today.



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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Poetry Available on iPad

Celebration Series of Poems iPad Bound

Technology is ever changing. It’s almost impossible to keep up with the latest news, gadgets, and trends, especially when it comes to e-books and reading habits.

Yet the least likely of tech-geeks, authors Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball, are always keen and to meet their readers’ needs, and when Smashwords.com announced its new deal with Apple to produce formats suitable for the iPad and Apple’s new iBookstore, the authors immediately agreed, and jumped into action, pulling together the appropriate formatting for all of their celebration series books and putting them forward for conversion.

The celebration series has been designed specifically to replace the trite, cliché sentiments of greeting cards, at prices that are little more than the cost of a high end card. Many of the books are beautifully illustrated with paintings or photographs, with poetry designed along themes that focus on mothers (She Wore Emerald Thenwww.budurlcom/MotherChapbook for the paperback and http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/8846 for the e-book versions ), fathers and other men (Imagining the Future , www.budurl.com/Imagining for the paperback and http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/11189 for the e-book versions), and love (Cherished Pulse, www.budurl.com/CherishedPulse for the paperback and http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/8086 for the e-book versions).

More books are in the works, including a Christmas chapbook. Hard copies of all the books are available at Amazon as giftable, low-priced paperbacks, or you can pick them up in whatever format suits, including the iPad, Kindle, Epub (Stanza reader),.pdf, LTF (for Sony reader), and more at Smashwords.com, http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/maggieball. Note: As this date Smashwords doesn’t accept coauthor listings. That these formats are evolving is evident!

So, though two authors are involved, this page lists only Ball who set the page up.

As far as Howard-Johnson and Ball are concerned, whatever format suits their reader suits them. It’s all good.

Magdalena Ball runs the highly respected compulsivereader.com review site. She is the author of the poetry book Repulsion Thrust, which was published in December 2009 to unanimous 5-star reviews. Her novel Sleep Before Evening, published in 2007, was a Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's poetry appears frequently in review journals. She is listed in Poets & Writers and her chapbook of poetry, Tracings (www.budurl.com/CarolynsTracings ), was given the Award of Excellence by the Military Writers Society of America. She is also an award-winning novelist and short story writer and instructor for UCLA Extension Writers' Program.

For more information on any of the chapbooks in this poetry series, contact either of the authors or visit media rooms at www.howtodoitfrugally.com or www.magdalenaball.com .
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Support material available electronically or by post on request.

Other headshots and book cover art is available.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
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