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Category: Book Reviews
#PoeticMuses: Under The Shade of the Banyan Tree by Simi K. Rao
I was asked to read this book of poetry and some prose for an honest review. Once received, I was unsure of what I would find under this tree of metaphorical significance but I am happy to share not only did I find myself lost in the midst of some of these poems…that share bits of truth about self-confidence, sefl-esteem, and one that cleverly tells the story of a seed of doubt.
My favorite of all Rao’s words shared within the pages of this collection is called Love is.
I also enjoyed the excerpt from Inconvenient Relations, Rao’s novel.
Enter Giveaway Here. Ends May 10, 2020
Read some of my favorites below.
#PoeticMuses: Evergreen by Kirsten Robinson
I was asked to read this book in exchange for an honest review but it took me a year to open it and let it’s honesty, authenticity, and perception wash over me.
It was a beautiful compilation of finding purpose in pain, understanding when none was shown to you, hearing someone out when they tuned out your truth.
And finding peace even if the person you loved didn’t chose you.
Her words truly do help you heal, feel, and grow into more of who you were made to be, not expected to be or told to be, which leaves any reader feeling truly free.
You can connect with Kirsten via Instagram and even find a link to purchase her poetry book there.
Some of her favorites are below.
#PoeticMuses: Beyond Worthy by Jacqueline Whitney
Coming out of the other side of trauma is the part people notice. They didn’t notice you within the trauma feeling stuck, losing the fuel to your fire, losing the best parts of you to appease those people who were absolutely blind to your worth.
They didn’t notice when you were broken and reaching out to everyone and everything to help you understand the pain that had doubled you over. That made you think that this was it. The story was over, and no one checked in or showed up for you like you did for them, you turned to a higher power and internal healing, and to be free of the pain you had to let go of what or who was holding you back.
Then, dead on arrival, the truth, the clarity washes over you and you come out strong. Like a phoenix you rise and begin to fly.
And when you rise, you help others like you heal.
For me, that is the poetry of Jacqueline Whitney. It is written from a place of severe trauma, from a place where people say something is wrong with you because you are depressed and only see darkness, and from a place where light washes over you in streams and waves until the darkness flees from you, and the place you are stuck in, becomes the place where you danced right out of the flames.
It was everything I didn’t know I needed post-trauma. And I thank her for putting her words, her heart, her story out into the world because they helped me heal even more.
You can connect with Jacqueline via Instagram and even find a link to purchase her very vital book of poetry.
Below are some of my favorites of hers.
#SmartCookiePR: Did you miss the LIVE Poetry Reading Series?
The winners were all announced LIVE but if you missed it here is a replay that you can watch as often as you need a positive and uplifting message.
I also forgot to mention this but you can connect with Oscar
Instagram:Albert_the_albatross
#PoeticMuses: Poetry Review Mike Mac’s Of Welter and Whim
Poetry has always struck a chord with me. I was a poet before I became a novelist but it is rare among all of today’s modern poets that poetry strikes both a chord and a nerve.
Yet, Mike Mac’s poetry did just that like a strum of guitar chords among a thumping bass, it reads like a musical accompaniment any person may need to dance in the key of life.
I was asked to read this book for an honest review and am glad I took the leap and the chance to do so.
His topics range from love and relationships to powerful poetic statements.
Some of my favorites are below.
Purchase this and Mike Mac’s other poetry collection here
#PoeticMuses: Interview with Living Lightly Authors Dale Curd and Kimberly Alexander
Authors Dale Curd and Kimberly Alexander authors of Living Lightly were nice enough to take some time out to virtually answer these interview questions so grab a cup of espresso and enjoy!
The Smart Cookie: Hello to both of you and thank you for sharing such a lovely book with the world. How do you define living lightly?
Dale C &Kimberly A:
The title is, in and of itself, a bit of a paradox. The more I look for light, the more I must work with everything that is in the way of that, being revealed. The more I let go, the more tightly I cling to what remains, it’s importance is revealed to me. The beautiful cover design is an indicator of what Living Lightly feels like, on the inside. Our outer landscape is as individual of an experience as each reader. We encourage readers to take in a ‘simple, not easy’ philosophy to cultivating the relationship with your self and with life. Living Lightly is who we are when we are at our simplest, most content relationship with ourselves.
The Smart Cookie: In your book, you mention how you now live on a farm full-time. How has living on a farm helped teach you about life in regards to the journey and our relationship with self and others?
Dale C and Kimberly A:
Our move from the city to a historic farm is a dream come true for us both. Before we met we were both looking to move into nature. While farm life isn’t everyone’s dream come true, we highly recommend the pursuit of a bucket-list dream! It is absolutely magical to be in the flow of making a dream come true, no matter how long it takes; the synchronicity, the learning, the people, all make a process we would describe as living lightly. Being on a farm, living in a rural community, and in nature, offers a slowing down that makes it easier to see my behaviours, patterns and habits. It has been quite a revelation, and much of it we share in the book! I start to notice how I am with people, I hear the voice in my head more loudly, I become aware of my breathing. Living in rhythm with nature; sleeping when it’s dark, slowing down in winter, being higher energy in the longer light of summer. Life and death are regular experiences with farm animals, and this is strengthening our capacity to love and blurring the lines of life and death. So there are opportunities for connection every day for all of us, and living on the farm makes it easier I think to grasp them.
The Smart Cookie: Nature does have a lot to teach us if we keep our eyes, heart and minds open to it. What drew you to writing a book?
Dale C and Kimberly A:
Well, we tried writing a timeless Christmas song but that is a lot harder than it seems.
The Smart Cookie: Haha song writing sure is a whole different beast for sure. What is the hardest part of being a therapist? What is the most rewarding part of being a therapist?
Dale C and Kimberly A:
We both were introduced to therapy as clients first, experiencing the life-saving benefits firsthand. It is heartbreaking to witness another’s pain, yet that sacred space between client and therapist is one of the most beautiful, intimate experiences we can have. Hearing a client speak their truth for the first time or reach a new awareness, is incredibly humbling. Our spirit can crumble limiting beliefs, old pain and blocks and it can happen in an instant, never to be unseen again. We write often about the value of listening and witnessing in our book, and our work is dedicated to a vision that one day we will hold this intimate, healing space for each other in daily living.
The Smart Cookie: Listening and witnessing pain and trauma first hand does create a very clear intimate space. This global health crisis is effecting everyone worldwide, and creating a sense of isolation that we have not seen in such a very obvious way. What is your advice to the people of the world dealing with the COV-19 crisis?
Dale C & Kimberly A:
We would not prescribe nor advise, rather we encourage people as we do in Living Lightly; to pursue our own truths and to be kind and empathetic towards others. History and this current situation show us that the basic elements of human connection are what have us come through our greatest challenges. Kindness and caring, empathy and resilience are innate and it is only our ego that betrays us in our true time of need. If we focus on what makes us human and humane exclusively, as if it is all we have, we will be rewarded by a rich and meaningful experience of ourself and of life, beyond our imagination.
Thank you for enlightening us and sharing your insights. May we all seek to Live Lightly every single day, especially now in this time of global health crisis and social distancing epidemic.
Purchase a copy of their great book here
#NationalPoetryMonth: LIVE Poetry Reading of #Lifelines by @melanie_korach
Don’t miss next week’s reading because we are giving away a $25 Amazon Gift card and a signed copy of Albert The Albatross.
Tune in next week to The Smart Cookie Philes Instagram page at 3 p.m. est. for a live reading of Oscar Redden’s beautifully illustrated poetic wisdom. Make sure to follow so you don’t miss it!
Enter the giveaway here and winner will announced during the LIVE!
#BookReview: Living Lightly is a timely read in a heavy world
Life is far from easy. Most of the time in life, we come to hurdles along our path that teach us something about ourselves or a higher truth about life. What exactly does it mean to “live lightly?”
When I was asked to read Living Lightly for an honest review, I was transitioning from a heavy period of my life: yet another hurdle I could either get stuck behind out of fear, shame, and regret or one I could let open my eyes to a truth regarding learning to love myself and part of that process involved coming to the realization that in the process of letting what happened in the past go, I must forgive myself.
The first day I sat down to read Living Lightly I read the entry for that date and it was surprisingly exactly what I needed to read regarding my situation:
Living Lightly is the perfect read for five to ten minutes a day. Each entry contains an anecdote with a reflective or emotive question or a poem.
If you’ve been down, torn up, heavy-laden, Living Lightly will provide an escape and a bigger picture truth to remind us that life isn’t meant to be carried, like baggage on our shoulders but meant to be enjoyed and even more so, meant to be lived fully and completely.
Coming soon: An interview with the authors Dale Curd and Kimberly Alexander
Jennifer Ervig’s When My Mind Winds Up Will Help You Conquer Your Anxiety #EndTheStigma #BookReview
As someone who has battled anxiety and depression knowingly since the age of twelve, and who also tried to commit suicide at that age, I can tell you that this book was like a cold blast of a Bahamian breeze, an utter rest for my soul. When My Mind Winds Up is written in short devotional style so it is an easy and quick read and a great companion to your daily bible reading/study.
I liked the quoteable wisdom I found throughout especially when she quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson, who happens to be my go-to guy to quote in times of crisis or distress, but overall, Ervig offers real-time solutions and walking each sufferer through their thoughts and helping them process, heal, and evolve.
