Doing More Reading and Writing

 

Hey Y’all!

I’ve been doing some reading. I just finished up Nora Roberts’ novel Year One. I had to pause when the pandemic started because it scared me up a little. Sometimes I get a little scary. While that book was on the backburner simmering, I revisited one of Octavia Butler’s novels, Wild Seed. It was soooo good! Ms. Butler is one of the reasons why I decided to pick up the pen and become a writer. She wove such an awesome tapestry with her main characters. I hope to do that with my own.

When I finished Wild Seed, I turned to Mr. Stephen King and started on The Institute. It was really interesting as well. Did I mention that I’m working on another novel? I’ll get to that later. The Institute may be long, but it delivers. I found myself rooting for the children in the novel.

Now, after I finished The Institute, I went back to Year One. I enjoyed the last leg of the journey in the novel. I’m looking forward to the next novel, Of Blood and Bone.

Along the way, I’ve also started another Octavia Butler novel, Mind of My Mind, J. R. R. Tolkein’s The Fellowship of the Ring, and P. Djèlí Clark’s A Master of Djinn. Clarks’s The Black God’s Drums is a good one as well. Yes, I’m a juggling reader, and to answer your question, yes, I remember what I read so I won’t get the plots mixed up. It also helps that I listen to some of these books. 😊 As you can see my reading is a bit eclectic, but it is rewarding.

Oh, one more thing, check out Issue 22 of Fiyah Magazine. One of my stories is included. The title i "Liqueur of Memory." And as long as you’re at the magazine's site, check out Issue 23 as well.

Check out some of these titles and let me know what you think. In the meantime, and until next time, hold it in the road! 😉

It's National Poetry Month!

April is National Poetry Month. Let's celebrate! 😎🎉 It's very cool to be able to write poetry. Somehow I equate poetry with the musical genre jazz. It can be so colorful. Even though I write fiction, I appreciate a good piece of poetry. 

I used to listen to my dad tell stories of yesteryear when he worked at a dairy. He even had the displeasure to be kicked by a cow. Here is a little poem inspired by his stories. Enjoy!

The Joy of Milking

  

The morning breathes of bloodied spider lilies

and she saunters about looking for me,

scarlet matching her

hide of  ivory and auburn patchwork.

 

She lets me reach

for full udders to sterilize

as she eats

complacent

with a payment

of silo for the load that will be homogenized.

 

Pressing my head into her dimpled hip,

I squeeze,

release,

and pause

for the sound of milk

pelting dented tin.

The spider lilies are shivering

under dew-filled shawls.

 

 

 Note:

 

Silo is a mixture of young corn plants that have been crushed and allowed to start the decaying process.  All cows adore the smell and the taste of this feed.