Colleen’s Coffee Klatch: MJ Mallon, “Do What You Love,” #NewRelease

Hello everyone! Welcome to Colleen’s Coffee Klatch. Where I grew up, the Kaffee klatsch was all the rage. Folks (mostly women) would get together, share a cup of coffee, and catch up on their lives.

Thanks so much for stopping by to share a cup of coffee and a chat. Whenever I can, I like to reconnect with my favorite authors to catch up and see what’s new in their writing world.

This week I’m thrilled to introduce my friend & author, MJ Mallon.

M J Mallon was born in Lion City, Singapore, a passionate Scorpio with the Chinese Zodiac sign of a lucky rabbit. She spent her early childhood in Hong Kong. During her teen years, she returned to her father’s childhood home, Edinburgh, where she spent many happy years, entertained and enthralled by her parents’ vivid stories of living and working abroad. Perhaps it was during these formative years that her love of storytelling began bolstered by these vivid raconteurs. She counts herself lucky to have travelled to many far-flung destinations, and this early wanderlust has fuelled her present desire to emigrate abroad. Until that wondrous moment, it’s rumoured that she lives in the UK, in the Venice of Cambridge with her six-foot hunk of a rock god husband. Her two enchanting daughters have flown the nest but often return with a cheery smile.

Her motto is to always do what you love, stay true to your heart’s desires, and inspire others to do so too, even it if appears that the odds are stacked against you like black hearted shadows.

Her writing credits also include a multi-genre approach: paranormal, best-selling horror, supernatural short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She has worked with some amazing authors and bloggers compiling an anthology/compilation set during the early stages of COVID-19 entitled This Is Lockdown and has also written a spin off poetry collection entitled Lockdown Innit.

She’s been blogging for many moons at her blog home, Kyrosmagica, (which means Crystal Magic.) where she continues to celebrate the spiritual realm,her love of nature, crystals and all things magical, mystical, and mysterious.

Her eclectic blog shares details and information about her new releases, author interviews, character profiles and her love of reading, reviewing, writing, and photography: https://mjmallon.com.

Amazon.com

Hi Marje. I’m glad to see you again. I see you brought your newest book with you!

Hi, Colleen. It’s great to share a cup of coffee with you!

This book is available for Pre-Order. It publishes November 25, 2022: Amazon.com

Now that I’ve finished writing “Do What You Love Fragility Of Your Flame Poems, Photography and Flash Fiction,” I can tell you why I wrote this book!

As you know Colleen, I don’t plan books I write and see how they develop. I am the ultimate pantser!

 

”A pantser is someone who, “flies by the seat of their pants,” meaning they don’t plan out anything in their story, or plan very little. ” https://thewritepractice.com/plotters-pantsers/

This is true of all my writing! But… I may have to adopt a plantser approach to writing book 3 in my YA fantasy The Curse of Time series as I set it in a whole new land… the land of shadows.. a little bit of plotting may be forgivable!

“Do What You Love” is a nostalgic looking back to the past and an anticipation of things to come now and in the future. At the moment, there are changes in my life which are making me question and reflect upon life. Also, I am getting older… and as we get older, we become more philosophical!

Recently, an old friend who I have known for many years came to visit me in Tavira, Portugal. She said that she would have tirelessly looked into the pros and cons of moving abroad. And, ultimately, she would not do it. In my case, I didn’t reflect too much. Of course, I thought about it, but didn’t really imagine all the pitfalls. I discovered something about myself. First I jump in, and think about what I did in depth later! Much like my writing!

will I or won't I?

my reflection says do it

I dive in and go

playful day on the river

looking for new duck friends

© M J Mallon

This collection has been illuminating in so many ways. I miss my friends and family in the UK, but I am excited for this new adventure where we navigate the overseas residency process…

field of vast yellow

friends brought together through time

walking, smiling, hugs

so many reminiscences

reunite in soul's sunshine

© M J Mallon

When we open our hearts to new possibilities, we add a deeper dimension to our life’s experiences. This isn’t easy, but in my opinion, it is beneficial. And good for the soul.

“Do What You Love” is, as its title suggests, to embrace the challenge of doing what you love, especially as it applies to creativity. And this involves sacrifices, choices, roadblocks and dedication. We only have one life, and if you can, you must follow your dreams, whatever they may be. This is so important.

Do What You Love begins with the tale of my husband’s youthful musician dreams… and how his father curtailed them… and how fate had a hand in our getting together… read a snapshot of what happened in my discussion with fate (Atropos,) in Do What You Love.

So, magic me to Tavira, Portugal. I may stay here for a while, for a few years, or life may take me on another path, (excerpt below from Do What You Love.)

a fairy tale sight,

three bridges cross the river,

tranquil Tavira,

magic me to new delights,

a ferry to the beaches! 

© M J Mallon

Whilst writing this poetry collection one aspect of it worried me…

“Do What You Love is almost autobiographical in a sense that she has taken her memories and written them in poetic form, and the fictional, almost fantastical element is where she meets the three sisters of fate through her journey of reminiscences, and they talk about her different memories.”

Review Quote from Ritu Bhathal

Would readers be interested in reading about aspects of my personal life story in poems? An early review from S C Skillman answered that question for me eloquently:

“We may consider that including often very personal material in a compilation of this sort would make it difficult for the outside reader to find a way in. This is not true at all of MJ Mallon’s poetry and prose: in many places, I related so much to what she writes, especially about a daughter ‘flying the nest’ to a faraway country. I particularly loved the device MJ Mallon uses to draw all this together: she presents it as a conversation with Atropos, one of the three Fates in Greek mythology: the Morai.”

Review Quote S. C. Skillman

I have this to thank Colleen for… it was my idea to have a discussion with fate and during a round of beta reading, Colleen suggested I develop this idea further with the three fates in Greek mythology. She was right!

So where to next? We shall see.

Life is an adventure. Come with me. I hope you enjoy this poetry collection and many thanks to Colleen for inviting me to chat today at her coffee klatch and for her valued support and help over the years. And tremendous applause for her wonderful cover creation for “Do What You Love” and the interior formatting and cover for my poetry and flash fiction collection “The Hedge Witch & The Musical Poet.“

Marje, thanks so stopping by. I wish you continued successes with your book. Here’s my review:

My Recommendation:

Do What You Love is a fantastical journey between the author and the three sisters of fate told in poetry and prose. Many of the reminiscences are autobiographical, sharing memories and photographs accompanied by poetry and short prose pieces.

In this gentle journey from her past, present, and future, Mallon weaves together the poetic threads of her life influenced by the three sisters of fate: Atropos, Clotho, and Lachesis. She shares with them many conversations about meeting her husband, what it was like living in Scotland, and later her life in Cambridge, featuring stories about her children and her own sentimental stories of growing up.

It’s Mallon’s nature photos and poetry that always send me to far-off lands filled with the beauty of Autumn. Watch for one of my favorites, the flash fiction piece called, “A New Harvest.”

A lovely read that leaves you reminiscing about your own past, present, and future.

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Media Connections

Connect with MJ Mallon on her blog: M J Mallon YA Author and Poet

Amazon.com Author Page

MJMallon.com

Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon

Would you like to stop by for coffee and a chat? Email me at colleenchesebro333@gmail.com and pitch me your news. I can’t wait to hear what’s new in your world! 💜 🦄 🧹