Writer, poet, and critic Elizabeth Gauffreau has written a magnificently brilliant review of my new chapbook Our Wolves. Her reviews are as engaging to read as any poetry or fiction.
Category Archives: Our Wolves
Elizabeth Gauffreau Reviews Our Wolves
Sally’s Smorgasbord Features Our Wolves
A big thank you to Sally Cronin at Smorgasbord Book Promotions for featuring Our Wolves today on Summer Book Fair 2023.
Robbie Cheadle’s Guest on Treasuring Poetry
I’m excited to be author and blogger Robbie Cheadle’s May guest for her monthly Treasuring Poetry article on Writing to be Read. She had some wonderful questions for me about writing, and I enjoyed answering them! You can find the publication here: https://writingtoberead.com/2023/05/17/treasuring-poetry-meet-poet-and-blogger-luanne-castle-and-a-review-poetry-poetrycommunity-bookreview/. Robbie has also posted a beautiful review of both Rooted and Winged and Our Wolves.
With son and DIL living here, we have their dog Theo here as well. He’s such a little goofy guy, and I get to let him out when his mom and dad are both gone for three hours or more. I can’t physically handle walking him on a leash, although in a pinch I can take him on the driveway on a leash because he’s very good for me. But I like to let him roam the backyard, which is fenced. He’s very loved and what’s rewarding for me is that he loves his Grandma! In his photo you can see a very typical expression he gets on his face as he is always trying to figure out what’s going on.
Review of Rooted and Winged AND Our Wolves
Writer Joy Neal Kidney has written a review for both my full-length collection Rooted and Winged and Our Wolves. Thank you, Joy!
The Meaning of Lily: #TankaTuesday
Colleen Chesebro posted a prompt today to write a syllabic poem using an image of a lily as a starting point.
The photo is by photographer, Terri Webster Schrandt, from secondwindleisure.com.
When I see or hear lily I have several other images in my mind. Here is a haiku sequence:
*
When my father died
we asked for cause donations
instead of lilies.
*
I love daylilies
more than waxy white blossoms
reminding of death.
*
Do not choose lilies
in a home with cats, ever.
Each part is poison.
*
Cuddly Lily lies
on my chest, face tucked under
my chin, gently purrs.
*
Filed under #amwriting, #TankaTuesday, Cats and Other Animals, Our Wolves, Poetry, Writing, Writing prompt
Poetry Reading Video
I had fun reading my poetry via zoom through the Well-Versed Words program, hosted by poet Alison Hurwitz. There was time to read quite a few poems from Rooted and Winged, as well as two from Our Wolves and to yak a bit about the poetry. Having to talk about my poetry taught me things about my poetry and my life. Alison is an excellent moderator and offers a reading every month. Check out her website at https://www.alisonhurwitz.com/events.
The video is 48 minutes long (eeks). It has the name of the wonderful moderator, Alison Hurwitz at the beginning, but you are in the correct video. And of course you can skip around if you want to check it out! As for me, no way can I watch it and see myself and listen to my voice hahaha.
My leg has been diagnosed as an inside meniscus tear and arthritis of the kneecap exacerbated by my primary lymphedema. Surgery is a very very last resort because of the lymphedema. Going to see a PA in sports medicine this week. Long waits for actual doctors. I hope to be able to travel because I have plans to see my mother in Michigan this month. I will be traveling with my daughter while the gardener stays home with the kitties. Yes, I’ve booked a wheelchair at the airport! If you’ve read my blog very long you know there is always a new physical problem ;).
A spot of good news. My son got my sewing machine fixed. It’s been broken for about 15 years. I want to use it for journaling, and now I just have to remember how it works. You would think that the granddaughter of the Head Fitter at The 28 Shop (couture at Marshall Field) would be a natural at sewing. But it was my cousin Leah who inherited some of that talent. Sadly, Leah has now been gone for twenty years.
Filed under Our Wolves, Poetry, Poetry book, Poetry Collection, Poetry reading, Reading, Rooted and Winged, Writing
Review of Our Wolves by Robbie Cheadle
Our Wolves has been given a lovely review by Robbie Cheadle! A big thank you to Robbie!
“If you like interesting and thought provoking poetry, you will love Our Wolves.“
On another note, I looked for an African-American Red doll for my collection and found a gorgeous one on ebay by artist Stacy Bayne: $250! Here’s a link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/225374443246 While I can’t justify that (hah), it’s certainly beautiful. Here’s one of my $20 antique mall goodies.
Spring Walk: #TankaTuesday
Colleen at Wordcraft poetry suggested this prompt today: to write a shadorma using 3-5 selected words. Syllable count is 3-5-3-3-7-5. I think I used 8 of the words, but I am writing the poem on my iPad in this post so I can’t go over the word list again.
Spring Walk
This spring month,
not yet hot, cloudy
over rocks
and bushes,
I walk with a book and grapes
and wish spring to last.
I hope you enjoyed that, especially knowing how hot it will get here in Arizona by mid-May. I am lying on my back with this iPad because I am resting my legs. For over ten weeks my right leg has been a monster. Saturday I had an MRI, but I’ve had other tests with no diagnosis or idea of what’s wrong. So why did I write about walking? For one thing, it’s a word on the list. But I can and do like to do light walking with the leg issue. But then I have to rest it. And the leg prefers very limited sitting (at the computer).
Serena Agusto-Cox on Savvy Verse & Wit has written a great review for my Red Riding Hood chapbook Our Wolves: https://savvyverseandwit.com/2023/04/our-wolves-by-luanne-castle.html She argues that the poems are not retellings of Red Riding Hood. Read her review to see what she says they are.
Filed under #amwriting, #TankaTuesday, Arizona, Book Review, Our Wolves, Poetry, Writing, Writing prompt
Our Wolves Book Tour: 2 Lovely Reviews
Marie A. Bailey had written a review of Our Wolves that looks at the autobiographical nature of some of the poems. This is what I love about poetry: how it can be specific and universal, as well as open to different interpretations. Read what she has to say here: https://1writeway.wordpress.com/2023/03/23/in-the-company-of-wolves-bookreview-poetrycommunity/
The wolf dressed up as Grandma:
A bookstagrammer, Books Parlour, has posted a review of Our Wolves as well:
Two More Visits on the Our Wolves Book Tour
Deborah Brasket has written a very smart review of Our Wolves. I love how she notices the “slippery, slantwise versions” of Red Riding Hood in the book. You can find her review here (and check out her beautiful blog while you’re there): https://deborahjbrasket.com/2023/03/19/red-the-wolf-slant-wise-and-slippery/
True Book Addict has also written a loverly review of Our Wolves. http://www.truebookaddict.com/2023/03/our-wolves-by-luanne-castle-review.html The reviewer says: “I don’t think I’ve ever read a collection quite like this. I have an extensive poetry collection and I know I will be returning to this volume again and again.”
Yesterday a Bookstagrammer named Genia Blum @bookscarves shared Our Wolves with a gorgeous Hermès scarf.
