#BlogTour Second Life by Karl Tearney

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Second Life by Karl Tearney. It's a book full of emotionally fraught and hauntingly beautiful poems.

About the Author
As a newcomer to poetry and writing Karl has made quite an impact with his succinct and thought-provoking style. Encouraged by Emma Willis MBE after he’d sent her a thank you poem, Karl’s work has been coveted by many. His work has included appearances at festivals and readings around the country. He is hugely passionate about encouraging other sufferers of mental issues to look toward the Arts as a means of therapy.

Follow @ KarlTearney on Twitter,  Visit willowtreesociety.co.uk

Buy Second Life

About the book
Karl Tearney enlisted into the British Army at 16 and dedicated 35 years of his life as a pilot in the Army Air Corps. He was medically retired in early 2016 and found great solace in writing and especially a new-found passion for poetry. he demand for his style of writing has led to National and local Television as well as Radio. In 2018, he was a panelist at the Hay literature festival, helped with a Poetry workshop at RADA and also exhibited some of his work at the ‘Art in the Aftermath’ Exhibition in Pall Mall.

Review
If there is one thing I would say to people after reading this it would be - Tearney wears his soul on his sleeve and he wants you to know it. He wants you to envisage the pain. Feel the words as they pound into your consciousness.

Bam goes the sledgehammer - look what I've seen. Whack goes the whip - feel it with me. Shaking you to awaken you to his inner torment. Then between the lines you can hear the call, the tiniest voice crying out to be heard among the loud memories bouncing from the pages. Hear me - help me - save me.

There are quite a few poems I really heard, felt and connected with. I loved Learn from Me. It's so raw and honest. Banshee is breathtakingly sad. Yesterday today is a poignant message about society. There are just so many beautiful moments in this book, albeit painful and dark ones at times.

I commend the strength it takes to confront inner fears, nightmares, demons and guilt. Even more so when the confrontation is shared with the world, especially in the hope that someone out there will take away a moment of peace. Tearney shows his most vulnerable side in an attempt to convey a message to those open to listening, healing and a way forward.

In the end what remains is not a man, a person defined by PTSD or mental health issues. The old Tearney has left the building and the new one is ready to embrace the world as he absorbs it in this very moment. I can imagine that the difficulty is with getting loved ones, friends and others to understand exactly that, but this book goes a long way to doing it. May many follow the path and hear his sounds and read his truth.

It's a book full of emotionally fraught and hauntingly beautiful poems.

Buy/Pre-order Second Life at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Fly on the wall poetry; pub date 26 July 2019. Buy/Pre-order at Amazon com. Pre-order/Buy at Fly on the Wall Press.

#BlogTour The Sea Refuses No River by Bethany Rivers

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour The Sea Refuses No River by Bethany Rivers. It's a conversation in poetry with the author. Moments, words, thoughts and emotions all wrapped up in small packages.

About the Author
Bethany Rivers (M.A. in Creative Writing from Cardiff University) is a poet and author based in Shrewsbury, who has taught creative writing for over eleven years and mentored and coached many writers from the start of their writing project through to publication.

Follow @bethanyrivers77 on Twitter, on Facebook, Visit writingyourvoice.org.uk
Buy The Sea Refuses No River at Amazon Uk

About the book
The journey of grief is a strange one
and one not often talked about in our everyday reality of this society,
but I know what it's like to dive deep,
down to the bottom of the wreck,
feel the ribs of the wreck,
after losing a parent so young in life

In this collection, the sea refuses no river, there is an acceptance of the pain and an acceptance of the healing moments; the healing journeys. To quote Adrienne Rich: I came to explore the wreck', and in this collection, Bethany discovers how, 'The words are purposes. The words are maps.'

Review
Poetry is art, and in a way it isn't very different from the world of paintings or sculptures. Each of us relates to the images or words in a completely individual way and that includes any response we may or may not have.

With poetry, as with reading in general, the response can be quite visceral. The conjuring up of images, situations and emotions. All through our own frame of reference.

The two poems I connected with the most were Deep Fire and Seeker. I think it will be interesting to see, hear or read which poems or parts of the poems people connect with, perhaps because there is such a breadth of range.

There may be an overall theme to the poems or words, but each one is so different and appears to relate to separate and distinct moments or things. Almost as if it's spontaneous and random, which of course poetry can be. Thoughts appearing like a flash, memories flowing in moments of nostalgia and questions that can no longer be answered.

I actually think Rivers could perform these as performance art. Some of the pieces have that staccato feel, without method or conscious decision. Let us hear the turmoil, the anger, confusion, sadness and grief in words gripped out of the air and hurtled towards us in an attempt to solidify emotions and ultimately to comprehend.

It's a conversation in poetry with the author. Moments, words, thoughts and emotions all wrapped up in small packages.

Buy The Sea Refuses No River at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Fly on the wall poetry; pub date 21 Jun. 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Fly on the wall poetry.

#BlogTour Bad Mommy Stay Mommy by Elisabeth Horan

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Bad Mommy Stay Mommy by Elisabeth Horan. It's poetry, a book filled with brutally honest words describing inner torment.

About the Author
Elisabeth Horan is an imperfect creature advocating for animals, children and those suffering alone and in pain - especially those ostracized by disability and mental illness. Elisabeth is honored to serve as Poetry Editor at Anti-Heroin Chic Magazine, and is Co-Owner of Animal Heart Press. She recently earned her MFA from Lindenwood University and received a 2018 Best of the Net Nomination from Midnight Lane Boutique, and a 2018 Pushcart Prize Nomination from Cease Cows.

Elisabeth lives in rural Vermont with her husband and two young sons. When not being poet, she works as a secretary and loves riding horses & dancing the salsa---

Follow @ehoranpoet on Twitter,Visit ehoranpoet.com
Buy Bad Mommy Stay Mommy

About the book
Elisabeth Horan was in the grip of postpartum depression after the birth of her second son, 'red and writhing a salamander underfoot'. In this collection, Elisabeth finds the courage to survive. Uplifting, guttural: Horan leaves her reader roaring for more.

Review
There is an ongoing attempt to bring the scary misunderstood and taboo topic of mental health into the sunlight. There is a stigma surrounding the topic and it's time for there to be a better understanding of what comes under the description of mental health illness, how it is treated and how it affects the lives of those living and dealing with it.

It isn't a solitary diagnosis. Family members, loved ones and sometimes even society become part of the circle surrounding that one person.

It's graphic, in a sense that she describes emotions and situations that usually stay hidden inside our heads. Not being able to cope is deemed a weakness, as is being overwhelmed and frustrated. I would say this is particularly the case when it comes to women and postpartum depression. There is any extra layer of judgement  reserved for women who appear to society to be unable to fulfil the role of motherhood in the way that is expected of them.

There is this automatic expectation of a maternal bond between mother and child. A switch that is flipped for every woman, but the truth is that it doesn't happen that way for all women. Our own thought processes, emotions and hormones betray us in the most unexpected way. In a way that makes the woman a social pariah, because not embracing your child and not exhibiting emotions that are expected of us, it's incomprehensible to many people.

The poetry has a staccato feel to it, almost as if the author is thrusting her words towards us. Towards anyone, in an attempt to make someone pay attention. Hear me, hear my pain and confusion.

It's poetry, a book filled with brutally honest words describing the inner torment she feels.
I'll leave you with words by Horan, which describe my reading experience of this book quite well: 'You have been unnerved by me'.

Buy Bad Mommy Stay Mommy at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Fly on the wall poetry; pub date 10 May 2019. Buy at Amazon com.