Our Wolves, my Red Riding Hood poetry chapbook, was reviewed by fantasy and science fiction writer D. (Diana) Wallace Peach for her October Book Reviews: https://mythsofthemirror.com/2023/10/31/october-book-reviews-2/. I love her review. She says, “these are thoughtful and provocative poems that I found stirring, raw, and deeply insightful. They’re also beautifully written with gorgeous but accessible language, providing glimmers into the lives and stories of girls everywhere.”
Diana posted the review on Amazon where it is keeping company with another new and fabulous review by writer Wilma Kahn: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R31IC9DU4DZING/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0BTKNP31D. The ending of her review is so cool: “Love the poetry. Embrace the shock.”
It feels so rewarding to have readers take the time to write reviews for my books. Makes me happy.
On the same subject of poetry, I read a hilarious article in The Onion, a master of satire. It’s the funniEST if you know that most poets make nothing from their books as the costs of promotion in both money and time outweigh the royalties. https://www.theonion.com/sellout-poet-made-over-150-in-2023-alone-1851012377
For #TankaTuesday, Colleen Chesebro challenged poets to write three tankas using specific kigo as either first lines or pivot lines.
#1: “the first month with sleet”
#2: “late winter garden”
#3: “blanket by the fire”
Here are mine. It took a little weirdness since we still have gorgeous weather in Arizona.
the first month with sleet
and a howling, freezing wind
first weeks of snowfalls
that melt even as they touch
the earth not yet full-frozen
*
outside I linger
among the curling petals
late winter garden
a place for thoughts of the past
a place for wishes to come
*
in Arizona
we look ahead to winter
blanket by the fire
both cuddling with the kitties
will it come or will fall stay
###
I also wrote a tanka about the contrast of our Arizona weather and my family’s Michigan weather.
[Beginning of Winter in Arizona versus Michigan]
A fall breeze upset
my skirt on my daily walk.
Lone sign of winter.
My brother in Michigan
raked fallen leaves for hours.
###
My kigo is fallen leaves and fall breeze (instead of autumn wind).
Congratulations on the reviews, Luanne!
I like the second tanka the most.
Thanks, Merril!!
You’re welcome, Luanne!
The second tanka is my favorite, too.
Oh, goodie! I do think the pivot is good in that one!
😊
I love your tanka, Luanne. I wanted to try this idea and I’m glad I did. It was how you used the kigo phrases that mattered. Even using the kigo phrases, your tanka reflect your seasonal weather. Perfect! Congratulations on the reviews. The reviews are so important to my fellow bards, who pour out their souls on paper. xx
Thank you so much, Colleen! It is a real challenge to figure out these kigos in the Sonoran desert haha. We’ll see how our winter goes this year ;).
I think you’re doing a great job. When in doubt, add the season in front of the word.
Oh, that’s a good idea! Thank you!
Hooray for the wonderful reviews!!
Always love Tanka Tuesdays!!
Thanks so much, Sheila! Tanka Tuesdays are a lot of fun!
Such a great take Luanne, love them 🙌
Thank you so much, Angela! Yippee!!!!
Hi Luanne, always so reaffirming to have uplifting reviews – particularly for those poets who are just raking in the dosh! (money). Congratulations.
I passed The Onion article on to a poet friend – I think she’ll get a wry smile.
I now have two editorial reports sitting on my desk for my two work-in-progress manuscripts. As I’ve given in and moulded them both into historical novels (rather than biography presented as creative nonfiction) then the advice is the same. Change the ending! No downers allowed. But the rest is promising, and hints at the possibility of finding a traditional publisher.
Time is currently my problem. I haven’t even finished blogging about our recent road trip. I’m not sure if you’ve seen the published ones, (I’m sure you’re busy too) but the middle part of this might interest you, about Bevan’s Cactus Nursery:
https://garrulousgwendoline.wordpress.com/2023/10/29/4-moree-to-lightning-ridge/
I really should have broken that post into two – Lord! All I want for Christmas is a clear month in the diary 🙂
Gwen, thanks for putting a link in here. I am starting to have a problem that I can’t handle email notifications so I use my reader and if I am on at the wrong time for posts publishing I miss them! Time is such a problem. I swear I “hate” it. You have been so busy with your manuscripts. Wow, historical novels. That is actually a really good idea! It’s very hard to “let go” in that transfer from nonfiction to fiction and allow the story to find itself instead of trying to stay completely true to it, thus I understand about the ending. That would be frustrating.
I thought you hadn’t seen that we were on another road trip – not that I expect you to dedicate! At the moment, my email notifications of others’ posts are still working. But I don’t seem to be able to invite followers in the way I was used to with WordPress, and I don’t have time to work out what they have done with the programming. Time … do you think we are losing the brain cells that record it? And that is why it is whizzing by?
I just exchanged some emails with my editor about potential alternative endings that sprang into my mind – at least for one of the manuscripts. She is supportive.
It hit me that the power is in my hands to give my mother a triumph-over-adversity scenario, rather than document her true life path (which is a bit of a downer). It would be pure fiction, but it has an odd satisfying feel to it, as if I can achieve for her in the immortality of a book compared to what she couldn’t achieve for herself in life. Not that the reader will comprehend that the character is really my mother.
Let’s see what comes out as I work on another iteration.
PS Your last tanka really hit the spot for me 🙂
Oh, thank you! I had to laugh when my brother was griping to me about spending hours raking.
Love your weather poems and congrats on the reviews!
Thank you, Kate!!! Weather poems hahaha.
Congratulations on the latest reviews for Our Wolves!
Thank you, Liz!!!!
You’re welcome, Luanne!
Wonderful news about the reviews. That is a challenge, I find. Loved the Onion piece!🤣 Learned a new word: kigo. Even spellcheck didn’t know it. 😁
You need Japanese spellcheck ;). I know, that Onion piece is super funny. I am sure my husband would not find the humor in it . . . .
Well too bad for him!
Congratulations on the reviews, Luanne!❤️
Thank you so much, Jill!!!
Your second tanka is beautiful and the review on your book, lovely. Congratulations!
The article about the “sellout” was funny. And congrats on the great review!
Beautiful take on the prompt. I love the 3rd tanka and cuddling with kitties. Congrats on your reviews for Our Wolves!
Those are great reviews. And I was surprised to see I hadn’t left one since I was so sure I did. Maybe Amazon didn’t consider me a verified purchaser? Or am I just losing my mind??
I really enjoyed the fall/winter poems. Right now it’s a bit weird here in New England. It’s mid-November and many trees are bare, but at least a quarter still have leaves—some even still green. It is very unsettling.
That does sound strange for mid-November!
If you leave a review on Amazon and they don’t publish it they will email you and let you know. It doesn’t have to be a verified purchase, although Our Wolves wasn’t a preorder so it can only go through Amazon anyway! 🙂
OK, so I am losing my mind! I will try to put together something soon. Just a bit overwhelmed right now.
No worries, Amy. Whenever you can it will be much appreciated! xo
I will. It’s so weird because I think I composed one, but perhaps never posted it. I also need to go back and reread the poems!
Maybe it’s on your computer somewhere?
Not that I can find. I probably am confused….
😹😹😹
Congratulations on the fabulous review, Luanne.
Gwen, thank you so very much!!!!
Congratulations on the reviews, Luanne! I love all your tankas … I refuse to pick a favorite 😉 That Onion article is hilarious.
Aw, gee, thanks, Marie! Hahaha, that article! It’s so perfect. Tell Shakespeare he was better off back in the day . . . .
Congrats on the great reviews! And I love the different winter experience out your way.
Thank you so much!!! It is so strange here. I grew up in Michigan, and Arizona is like a different country!
Luanne, happy for your positive reviews. I also had to get creative with the 3 given lines. “getting weird” with them is a perfect description of the process.
Haha, yes, getting weird ;).
Most lovely. 💗
Thank you so much, Selma!
So glad for you for those gorgeous reviews. And your Tanka are beautiful. Especially the lines “late winter garden – a place for thoughts of the past – a place for wishes to come” Its a form that is new to me to write and I struggled a little but I do it now in my daily poetry writing practice “Verse My Day”. Looking forward to explore it 🤗
Tanka is a pretty perfect form, I think. I love the flow of it. Thank you, Bee!!!!
This is delightful, Luanne!
Such a lovely read 😀 <3
Much love,
David
Thank you, David :)! We are big on cuddling with kitties over here!
Thanks so much for the shout out about my review of your amazing book Our Wolves. I clearly loved it. <3 Thank you!
And beautiful poetry. I've seen several from the great state of Arizona that seem undecided about the present season. Lol. It's fun to see the creativity that indecision evokes. Happy Writing!