Published again!

So, after spending a November on the very attractive pages of Yours & Mine magazine, my work is now gracing the pages of The Australia Times Poetry Magazine!

So, after spending a November on the very attractive pages of Yours & Mine magazine, my work is now gracing the pages of The Australia Times Poetry Magazine!

The amazing editors there have given me a great bio and a three page spread for my poem, ‘The Sea’, enhanced by some lovely photography, on pages 22-25 of Issue 24.

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It’s always a thrill to find out someone likes something that I’ve written. That kind of connection is why writers write, and why artists paint, sculpt and create.
Can you imagine my excitement when I saw the beautiful treatment they’ve given my poem?

I hope you’ll take the time to click through and read my poem.

Of course, my poem isn’t really just about the sea. It uses the sea, and the shore, as an allegory for depression and anxiety. The poem itself is about living with and through that, and surviving.

TAT Poetry is a great magazine every month, and I am really honoured to be featured in it!

I’d also really appreciate it if you’d share it around on twitter, facebook, or your other preferred social media.

Books by me!

Let me introduce you to my books.

The Body On The Bar by Lolli Powell

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Hello, and welcome to the latest “Indie Author Cooperative” Book Launch Blog Tour.

Today we’re joining with the cozy mystery/romance author Lolli Powell, to celebrate the ebook launch of “The Body on the Barstool”


The Body on the Barstool  Synopsis


New Yorker Erica “Ricki” Fontaine’s ne’er-do-well uncle has dropped dead and left her a dive bar in a small Ohio river town. With a lousy apartment, less than-promising job prospects, and even worse romantic ones, the inheritance comes at just the right time.
Ricki packs up her cat and her belongings and heads for the Buckeye State. Now she’s trying to change the Top Shelf from a bar known for its Friday night fights into the kind of drinking establishment where you can bring your granny.
But finding her ex-husband dead on a barstool at opening time one morning just might put a kink in those plans.

About Lolli Powell

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I write mysteries/thrillers under the name Laurel Heidtman and romances/cozy mysteries under the name Lolli Powell. I live with my husband, four dogs and two cats on private land surrounded by Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. Over the years, I’ve paid the bills by being a dancer, a bartender, a police officer, a registered nurse and a technical writer. (I always say I could never figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up!) I draw on that life experience and my two English degrees to create stories that I enjoy writing and hope readers will enjoy reading.
Where to buy The Body on the Barstool
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Congratulations Lolli!
I’m honoured to be a part of your “The Body on the Barstool” launch team and wish both you and the book every success!

 

 

 

2016 – Turning Over a New Leaf

There’s no denying that in many, many ways, 2016 has been a rough year.

People around the world mourn leaders and entertainers, and there seem to be plenty of those that have left us this year. David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Prince, Leonard Cohen…just to name a few. And I’m not even going to start talking about politics – nope, I’m leaving that one right alone.

I also know a lot of people personally who are struggling with illness, pain, grief, money problems, relationship issues. I know those things happen every year, to everyone at some point.

Personally, my year has had very few highlights.

One of those highlights was the launch of my book, ‘Leaf’, in June. That was the one positive event in a very dark patch of grief and sorrow like I have never experienced before.  Thankfully, my launch of ‘New Horizons’ ten days ago was plagued only by end-of-year teacher fatigue, so it was a much more enjoyable event.

Imagine my surprise when this little poetry book made it onto a number of selected reading lists on Goodreads! I’m so excited that people are reading and enjoying my work, and that it’s starting to get some attention.

If you’re on Goodreads, check out ‘Leaf’ on these lists:

Favourite Books That Released in 2016
Best Indie Books 2016/2017
Beautifully Written
Poetry

Wow!  I’m humbled that ‘Leaf’ is in very fine company, and not even last. ‘New Horizons’ is also on those first two lists, which is even better!

If you love reading, and you’re not on Goodreads… let me recommend it.
It’s a great place to find new books, network with other readers, and connect with writers whose work you enjoy.

 

 

Book Review: New Horizons, by Joanne Van Leerdam

A fabulous review for ‘New Horizons’.
Thank you to The Page Turner!

Vicki Goodwin's avatarThe Page Turner

New HorizonsNew Horizons by Joanne Van Leerdam

  • Print Length: 60 pages
  • Publication Date: November 19, 2016
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B01MTKAVMS
  • My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

    View original post 206 more words

    Not a bad night’s work!

    Tonight I launched my new book of short stories, ‘New Horizons’ into the largely unsuspecting literary world and, at the same time, won first prize  in a poetry contest at AllPoetry for my poem ‘Fusion’, based on Emily Bronte’s classic novel, ‘Wuthering Heights’.

    Multitasking at its finest, perhaps!

    ‘New Horizons’ has also received some rather lovely reviews today.
    It is rather nice to feel so affirmed as a writer. I think I’ll keep going.

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    New Horizons!

    My second book, ‘New Horizons’, launches on Sunday, November 20!

    My second book, ‘New Horizons’, launches on Sunday, November 20!

    I’m seriously excited about that.

    New Horizons is available as a paperback on Amazon or blurb.com
    and as an ebook on Amazon, iBooks, & kobo stores.

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    These sixteen short stories offer insights into how people respond when they encounter experiences and events they have not foreseen, or when they discover new horizons in their lives.

    Shiva XIV – The Riddle of the Gods by Lyra Shanti

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    Shiva XIV  Synopsis

    The war for Deius begins, but first, the battle for Sirin must be fought.

    In this third and action-packed installment of Shiva XIV, Ayn yearns for freedom while Srah and Axis find their true home. All the while, Yol Notama brings The Tah to the edge of madness!

    Fates will be decided and old Gods will awaken as the most ancient of riddles is finally answered.

    About Lyra Shanti
    Lyra is a novelist, singer-songwriter, poet,
    and playwright.  Havilyrang grown up in Bellingham, Washington, Lyra is a nature and animal lover with a ferocious love of epic stories of every genre, but especially sci-fi and fantasy. 
     
    At first, Lyra was drawn to writing songs, even at the tender age of 7 years old. Then, it was poetry, play-writing, and eventually, musicals. It wasn’t until much later that Lyra began writing novels, but between Lyra’s
    Shiva XIV series and the many stories yet to
    come, Lyra’s dedication to story telling has
    only just begun.


    Where To Buy Shiva XIV The Riddle of The Gods
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    Lyra’s book Giveaway

    For the latest news and possible giveaways please visit the Facebook launch event page for the book     https://www.facebook.com/events/1251196588275748/

     
    My Shiva XIV The Riddle of The Gods Giveaway

    Lyra has very kindly given me an ebook copy of the Shiva XIV The Riddle of The Gods to give away to one of my readers.  All you need to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment on this blog post. The giveaway will close at midnight, November 14 EST, when the winner will be chosen at random.
     
    Congratulations Lyra

    I’m honoured to be part of the launch team for Shiva XIV The Riddle of The Gods and wish both you and the book every success.

    No-vember Supermoon…

    So, there’s supposed to be a supermoon tonight. And my inbox had two email alerts that conditions were great for seeing the southern lights – the Aurora Australis.

    In fact, ever since I signed up for those email alerts, it’s been overcast or raining every single time the “conditions have been ideal”.

    And true to form, it’s pouring rain tonight. The only thing anyone around here is seeing in the night sky is lots of water.

    So, what’s a girl to do?
    Write nutty poetry. That’s what.

    Just for fun, I wrote this and put it up on Twitter. It had a pretty positive response, so the evening has not been a total flop.

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    Featured!

    I am excited to announce that Festival for Poetry have featured the poem I submitted to them for consideration.

    I am excited to announce that Festival for Poetry have featured the poem I submitted to them for consideration.

    You can read the poem here: Rogue Wave by Joanne Van Leerdam

    I hope that if you enjoy it, you’ll go to www.jvlpoet.com and look under “new writing” for more.
    You can subscribe to my mailing list there, too, so you don’t miss another update!

    Remember to check out ‘New Horizons’, too! It’s launching next weekend and I’m keen to see it take off!