I was having a FB messenger chat to my blogging friend, Danny Kemp, recently, about the ‘joys’ of getting older. That conversation reminded me of Father William, a poem written by Lewis Carol and included in Alice in Wonderland.
I decided to record this poem as a tribute to my mom who turns 83 on Thursday, all my friends and family who are getting on a little, and to the young at heart and not remotely elderly author, Danny Kemp, who entertains us with his thrilling books and FB jokes.
Speaking of Alice in Wonderland, it is my favourite children’s books and my 1950’s vintage copies of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are among my prize possessions. I also have a beautiful collectors item copy my mom gave to me when Michael was born.
Here are a few of the illustrations from my vintage copies:
Father William balancing an eel on his noseFirst page of my 1950 Alice in WonderlandFirst page of my 1950 Through the Looking GlassIllustration from my collectors item Alice in Wonderland
Here is a sneak peak at my gingerbread windmill. This is part of my #GreatBakingProject which will be unveiled on Sunday.
Wishing you all a happy and peaceful week. I am not providing a Michael update yet as I have been feeling rather upset about it all recently. We see the doctor again on Friday and I’ll hopefully feel better after that visit.
Today, I am delighted to feature artist and poet, Lynda McKinney Lambert as my Treasuring Poetry guest. Do go over and read her thoughts on poetry and my review of her lovely poetry and prose book. Thanks for hosting, Kaye Lynne Booth.
Today, I am delighted to welcome artist and poet, Lynda McKinney Lambert, to Treasuring Poetry with her thoughts about poems and poetry,
Which of your own poems is your favorite?
I chose a poem on page 127 of my latest publication, Songs for the Pilgrimage, DLD Books, 2021. “Talisman,” is located in Part IV: Landmarks and Landscapes.
My Growing Bookworms article this month is about the importance of teachers. My boys have had the most wonderful teachers and I know a lot of fantastic and dedicated teachers through my blog. This is a tribute to all those wonderful people. Thank you, Kaye Lynne Booth, for hosting me.
The schools in South Africa are racing towards the end of a year fraught with lockdowns, illness and death. My sons have been on-line for long periods twice this year and many of the students have suffered the losses of friends, parents, grandparents, and other important people in their lives. Seeing how happy my sons are to be back at school and watching them forge ahead with their school work as their teachers valiantly try to reteach material and principles that were taught on-line and which the boys have failed to grasp properly, makes me feel more appreciative of their teachers than ever.
Gregory finishes school today. It is his last day of a 14-year journey and it is all rather emotional for the boys and teaches. His preliminary examinations went very well and he achieved an average of 92% for all 7 of this subjects including AP maths. This…
DAY 2 TURN THE LIGHT ON – THE BOOK COVER AND THE BOOK TRAILER
If I remember correctly, when I first reached out to 4WILLSPUBLISHING, I was able to tell them what I didn’t want. My vision of Della was extremely specific. In my mind, I didn’t see her face, I saw her profile. She was looking out of the window wearing an angry scowl. I had a reason for that. I always want my readers, female, and male, to be able to associate or relate to my characters. I want women to see themselves as Della. As some of you might know, most African American women aren’t size eight, ten, or twelve; at least, not the ones I know. We usually age beautifully, but our mid-sections tend to grow. I wanted to work with the theme of a normal woman of color, fifty-five years of age, who has buried herself in her work and reads Jane Eyre at night, and dreams about her Mr. Rochester. Della had to be authentic, and for me that meant that her hair had to be tightly curled or kinky, her hips round, and her breasts large. It was essential to me that she represent the everyday woman.
The team at 4WILLSPUB was patient and worked with me. I know it took some time finding her, but I never doubted that they would. And when they presented the image that you see on my cover, I knew that was my Della! Â I was smiling from ear to ear.
Next, we went after Alessio. This time, Della was the guide. She had to be deeply attracted to him to keep going back to the restaurant and agreeing to his stipulations of sitting at two separate tables.
In my story, I used the Chief Maître d as the communicator for the two. Alessio spoke only to him and never directly to Della.
In the story, Alessio loves to read, and he pulls Della into his world by leaving her books with passages that he has highlighted to lure her in. He’s not worried about Della’s age. His experiences with life have taught him to value moments. He’s looking for a woman he can trust; a woman that will allow him to cuddle up to her when they sleep – a woman who is unaware of the passion within her. He finds that when he encounters Della in New York City. 4WILLSPUB worked hard to find Alessio for Della and when they did find him, Della smiled, and so did I. Finally, I had living characters who people could place or replace in their imagination, but not only that, the music 4WILLSPUB used in the book trailer for TURN THE LIGHT ON, fit perfectly to the call of the heart.
Author bio
Pat Garcia can’t remember a day when she didn’t desire to write. At the age of three, Pat wrote her first story. No one could understand it because she hadn’t learned to write. So, she read the scribble on her paper to whoever would listen. Born in Blythe, Georgia, (USA), she is also a musician, singer, and songwriter and has released five CDs.
Book blurb
Would you ever accept a dinner invitation to meet a stranger who never spoke one word to you during your time together? Would you accept that you could not even sit at the same table with them? How about, you don’t even know their name and you continue this “game” for months?
Meet Della Cartwright. A superstar at what she does professionally, but when the tall, mysterious, Italian stranger, Alessio Terracina, enters her world, she begins to question her judgment and everything about her.
In this short story which takes place over the course of one day, this otherwise savvy businesswoman is led into making decisions that could jeopardize her professional life and maybe even cost her her freedom. But the greatest danger…just might be to her fragile heart.
Thanks for supporting the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB’S October Spotlight Author! To learn more about this author and all the wonderful perks she is receiving under this spotlight, please visit the RRBC SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR forum.
Thank you to Pal and Kid, D Avery and Charli Mills for hosting me in the Authors Chair at Saddle Up Saloon. If you are not familiar with Carrot Ranch, what are you waiting for? Go over and find out about this wonderfully supportive writing group straightaway.
“Pal! It’s our first real Author’s Chair segment! With Robbie Cheadle!”
“Robbie Cheadle? She’s a prolific writer, an’ in many genres. Whatever she shares, it’s sure ta be good. Here she is now.
Howdy Robbie. Welcome ta the Author’s Chair here at the Saddle Up Saloon stage.”
“Hello Pal, hello Kid. It’s good to be here.”
“What’re ya gonna read?”
“Today I’ll be reading Part 1 of Chapter 1 of While the Bombs Fell. I wrote this fictionalised memoir of my mother’s life growing up as a small girl in an English town during World War II. My mother, Elsie Hancy Eaton is a contributing author.”
“I am ready for questions and comments.”
“Thank you Robbie Cheadle!”
“Folks, be sure ta engage in the conversation ’bout Robbie’s readin’. Ya could git yer name drawn and win a book. Congratulations Liz Husebye Hartmann fer bein’ our winner from the last…
