Tag: Books

Two Things Thursday #24

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1. Small Hours by Amber Navran via YouTube
2. Jamaica Kincaid Quote

1. Small Hours is a short mix of nothing but goodness from Amber Navran, lead singer of the group Moonchild. Even though she isn’t a wailer or a singer with deep lungs like Jill Scott or Algebra Blessett, she can definitely hold her own against them.

She is a beast behind massive beats and stellar production with her variations of scatting and rhythmic tuning and vocal tones. I love how she can interchange jazz vocals with a bit of pop and bop, too. When I listen to her, I can hear so many vocalists chiming in through her voice from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

It’s odd to see/hear her performing alone. Apparently, she has dropped an entire solo album recently, and I am so far behind on this, but I shall be sitting down one day to give it the listen I’m sure it deserves.

I hope you enjoyed the above YouTube video share of Small Hours. I love everything about it! I just hate that it’s not long enough. A song like that should LEGIT be three minutes (at least), IMHO.

2. Jamaica Kincaid Quote is the second share for today. Jamaica is an author, gardener, and a Professor of African American and African studies. She is the author of the following books: Annie John (one of my favorites), A Small Place, and Lucy. And this list does not even begin to cover her achievements in the writing world. I own all three books and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I’ve read Lucy and Annie John twice.

The above quote hit home so hard that I had to share it. Many of us believe we know who we are. We believe we have gotten ourselves down to a TEE. But really, do we? As human beings, we are constantly evolving and growing, so it’s almost impossible to truly know who we are. Therefore, emerging as this mystery Ms. Kincaid refers to.

The question is really, how many of us are willing to admit this?

Reading Is Still Fundamental

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A few Amazon reviews for your reading pleasure

All the Words I Kept Inside. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

Pooja Gudka, at LifesFineWhine, first book of poetry was recently published, and I knew I would enjoy the content.

I read it in one sitting; took me about an hour to absorb everything and connect with a few of the gifts she has given us with this debut book of authentically vulnerable & expressive poems.

Below is the review I left for it on Amazon:

“First, I’ll say if you have a problem with the explicit truth about depression and anxiety, and how the two combined can be incredibly damaging to a human being, this is NOT the book for you.

However, if you can appreciate someone digging deep within themselves to bring you the most vulnerable parts of themselves in the form of poetry, then sit back and revel in the short ride of a most exquisite debut book of poems.

I felt so many emotions while reading ‘All The Words I Kept Inside.’ Pooja did a phenomenal job with the placement of the poems in every section of the book. One thing is for certain, you WILL FEEL something.

And however you feel afterward, will stick with you for years to come. It is as though the depths of her very soul lie in the lines of this book.

You will walk away embracing the damaged version of yourself.

And that’s an incredible accomplishment.”

Being a Woman: Overcoming. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

After I read Pooja’s book, I dove into Michele Lee Sefton‘s first two books of the “Being a Woman” project: Overcoming & Becoming.

Both are light reads with just under 18 and 25 pages, so consuming the content was not a time-eating issue.

Below is the review I left for the first offering on Amazon:

“The author, Michele, is intentional with this book about her message. She is free to be who she is regardless of what society and the many men who make the rules believe she should be.

Her coming of age and into the human being she wants to be took place during the rise of a global pandemic in 2020. Not only was she able to still be creative, but she produced this work of art.

My only dislike is that it’s much too short.

If you’re looking for a quick read, with poignant poetry and brilliant artwork as an accompaniment, I recommend Being a Woman: Overcoming.“

Being a Woman: Becoming. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

As I stated above, after I finished the first book, I thumbed through the second one and knocked it out as well. 

Here is the review for the second offering of poems by the writer:

“Michele has a knack for tackling tough subjects without making the reader feel burdened. As the second body of work for the “Being a Woman” project, “Becoming” isn’t what I thought it would be, but definitely what it should be.

It is a compilation of tiny reminders, cultural embraces, and acknowledgment of the women who make this world go ’round. The accompanying artwork by her daughter, Sammi, is also something to be admired.

If you’re a stickler for completing serial works just as I am, you’ll want this book to add to your collection.”

We are surrounded by a deluge of talented writers and thinkers in this WordPress community, and I’m happy I have a chance to delve into the words of so many of your productions.

Peace and blessings.

Séduire Video Announcment

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Short and Sweet: Séduire’s On Its Way

Séduire Video Announcement, created by Tremaine L. Loadholt via Canva.

Séduire: Serial Tales & Flash Fiction is coming soon. Mark your calendars, beautiful people.

Mark your calendars.

Are you interested in reading my previously published books? You can do so here.

Stay Tuned . . .

**Background musical selection: SiR – Life Is Good (Official Video) ft. Scribz Riley

Two Things Thursday #22

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1. Growing Things (my balcony garden). Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
2. Selma Martin’s Baby. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

1. Growing Things is a collage of two photos of two different vegetables I am growing on my balcony: cherry tomatoes & cucumbers. I am using garden growing bags, and they’re doing their job so far.

I said to myself months ago that when I was fully settled in our current apartment, I would start a balcony garden, and so, I did.

I also wanted to do red potatoes, but the planting bundle was damaged in transit. This was perhaps a blessing in disguise because I honestly don’t think I would have been able to manage the potatoes’ upkeep on my balcony space.

Thus, I am awaiting the seeds of carrots and the planting bundle of Brussels sprouts.

After just two weeks of being planted, I have the beginnings of my first ever planted vegetables, and I am truly happy about their progress.

Wish me luck, please!

2. Selma Martin’s Baby is a photo of a fellow WordPress writer’s book, In The Shadow Of Rainbows. I recently read it and I reviewed it via Amazon. Here is what I had to say:

“The author, Selma Martin, brings everything to the table with In The Shadow Of Rainbows. It is a power-packed delightful collection of poetry regarding form, meter, rhyme, scale, and perfectly placed line breaks.

I was taken on so many visually-enhanced journeys as I thumbed through the pages and experienced each poem. I emoted in every way while highlighting and making notes in the margins of certain pages for selected poems. It is a quick read, but one you will be moved to savor. What an excellent reprieve in which to take joy during these trying times!

If you’re looking for a proper escape and a rabbit hole worth falling into, I recommend this book ten times over.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this offering. You will, too, especially if you’re a fan of poetry.

Séduire

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Serial Tales & Flash Fiction

Séduire, Front Cover. Created with Canva by Tremaine L. Loadholt
Séduire, Back Cover. Created with Canva by Tremaine L. Loadholt

I have been hard at work on something for the last two years, and . . . the above front and back covers are the faces of Séduire: Serial Tales & Flash Fiction. Séduire (French), meaning to seduce or charm, encapsulates everything I wanted to do with the words I turned into characters that turned into stories for this book.

It is comprised of fourteen fiction tales, housed in 87 pages from my restless and imaginative mind. It is my first book comprised completely of fiction. It was hard to select which stories I wanted to share, but I believe I made the best decision in selecting the stories published in this book.

Its publishing date will be October 30, 2024. Why this date? It’s close enough to Thanksgiving and Christmas, yet not so close to hinder holiday expenses. I believe it will make the perfect gift for family, friends, and acquaintances. Over the next few months, I will post an announcement about the book along with blurbs from its beta readers.

The first two are below:

Tremaine isn’t just a writer; she is a sage who applies the practices and alchemy of empathy. She doesn’t just create compelling characters; she inhabits them and allows them to speak their truth through her grounded prose, regardless of how vulnerable, how conflicted, how beautiful, or how harrowing. -Barry Dawson, Jr. IV

In Séduire, Tre Loadholt gives us the full range of her storytelling magic. Beyond the humorous dialogue, the raw earthiness of relationships, and the intense despair of grief and loss … eternal hope is the emotion that always shines through her stories.This iconic collection of short fiction belongs on your must-read list. -Kay Bolden

For those of you who have always supported me, thank you. I hope you will do so this time around as well when Séduire: Serial Tales & Flash Fiction is published.

Are you interested in reading my previously published books? You can do so here.

Stay Tuned.

Two Things Thursday #19

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1. A Poem for Eustace R. Conway, IV created with Canva by Tremaine L. Loadholt

trapped trauma for the mountain man

a poem for Eustace R. Conway, IV

boy blue’d and black-hearted
made by a stubborn man
found himself peacekeeper
of the wild.

so sick of torture and
pinged for disobedience, he
trekked the world outside
his father’s home and made
love to the Carolina forests.

with nature as his mistress,
there was no place too
remote for this young man
trapped in his traumatic past
struggling to build a present.

he had loves who loved him
but he didn’t understand the
rules of falling in love, and
suffered heartbreaking consequences,
instead.

when fame found him
and plastered his noble features
on nationwide television, he
remained humble.
journalists, writers, and nosy
women wanted a piece of
Boone-infused pie.

his father’s namesake and his
mother’s favorite, he managed
to live up to his expectations
more than anyone else’s.

and even I, in my soon-to-be
mid-40s, can appreciate the
pain of childhood trauma when
it shapes and molds a
man into one who is
probably five times better
than his father.

or, that’s what I’d love
to believe to be true.

2. Lenny Kravitz. Photo courtesy of Essence.

1. I am enjoying the book I’m currently reading so much and the subject/character of interest, Eustace R. Conway, IV, that I was moved to write a poem about him.

My reading of the book led me to a few Google searches about him, and he’s really an incredible human being! I had no idea he was one of the most influential and liked characters of the no-longer-running show, Mountain Men on The History Channel.

Apparently, he’s uber sexy and intriguing to a lot of his fans and the envy of many men longing to learn more about mountain living and gaining sustainability in remote areas among nature.

2. Leonard Albert Kravitz, lovingly known as Lenny Kravitz, is a singer, songwriter, actor, father, and all-around beautiful human being.

He has had many musical hits and a signature, distinctive sound.

When you hear Lenny Kravitz, you know it’s him.

Here’s a YouTube video of my all-time favorite song by him: “It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over”. Enjoy!

It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over