Title: Do What You Love: Fragility Of Your Flame Poems, Photography and Flash Fiction
Author: MJ Mallon
Genre: Poetry, Prose, Women’s Poetry, Inspirational Poetry
Book Blurb:
Do What You Love is a personal poetry collection celebrating how the fates may have a part in all that we do. With special poems and short reflective moments inspired by family, flowers and nature, love, scrumptious morsels, places I've visited, lived and intend to live in, the friendships and hopes I have for the future. The overarching theme is to live a life well lived... And to do what you love. float along with me create clouds of sweetest joy to do what you love hold fate's hand as we venture near and far on life's journey ARC reviews: ★★★★★ 5 stars Oh what a lovely book, filled with poetic gems and beautiful prose! I enjoy reading MJ Mallon's poetic fiction, where she ties poetry with prose, and have read several of her previous books written similarly. 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. It's not linear, but no conversation ever is, is it? Memories jump from the more recent to the older ones as they come tumbling into your mind. I felt a keen connection to the poems about her daughters, and the autumn trees. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons. A lovely book with a personal touch. Ritu - But I Smile Anyway. ★★★★★ 5 stars I've read this author's work before: young adult novels, poetry and flash fiction, and I love her imaginative handling of the magical, the phantasmagorical and surreal. This short book is no exception to the quality of MJ Mallon's output. I found her exploration of her past life captivating. We may consider that the inclusion of 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. Atropos presides over the past. I thought this worked extremely well as a central metaphor. It had me googling the three Fates, and reading all about them: Clotho, who spins the threads of life, guardian of the present; Lachesis, who measures the length of life with her measuring rod, and is guardian of the future: and Atropos, who is the guardian of fate and destiny, and who chooses the manner of death by snipping the threads of an individual's life. MJ Mallon has had a fascinating and varied life experience: born in Singapore, she spent her childhood in Hong Kong and her teens in Edinburgh. She now lives in Cambridge. Every culture she has lived in, I believe, has influenced her imagination, her interests and her approach as a writer. In this book, we find a compilation of words and images which draw us in: poignant, sensitive, delicate, playful, as she opens up for us her past and present relationships, the places she has loved and spent time in, and her thoughts and feelings about it all. A highly recommended book for you. Review by Sheila Robinson Author Facts: Two of my poetry collections (Mr. Sagittarius and Lockdown Innit,) have been requested by prestigious libraries in the UK: The British Library, The Bodlieian Library Oxford University, The Cambridge University Library, National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales and Trinity College Dublin.
My Review:
A creative approach to poetry and prose I thoroughly enjoyed. MJ Mallon uses her imagination to reflect on life using conversations with the three Fates as a vehicle. I’m familiar with the multiple myths about the Fates (three sisters who guide mortals using the past, present, and future) but never have I read such a tender depiction.
The poems are beautiful and easy to understand. Each poem conveys a moment, an emotion, an experience, which relate to life. Themes detailing a life filled with beauty and love are evident and allow the reader time to ponder.
The prose illustrating conversations with the three Fates is, by far, my favorite part. The writing is imaginative, creative, and flows without effort. The dialogue speaks to the heart of the matter, the reason for everything (both good and bad): live a life well lived.
The writing itself is emotive and has a meditative quality to it. MJ Mallon chooses words like an artist chooses paint colors before creating a masterpiece. Each word by itself doesn’t mean much but when put together transforms the reader. It’s an artform and one I admire.
If you’re looking to make a change in your life or want to escape for a short time for reflection, pick up this book. A delightful, inspiring collection of poems and prose.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKLC9DYY
Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BKLC9DYY
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BKLC9DYY
Author Biography:
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.
Favourite genres to write: Fantasy/magical realism because life should be sprinkled with a liberal dash of extraordinarily imaginative magic!
YA fantasy series:
Bloodstone - The Curse of Time Book 1
And the 2nd in the series…
Golden Healer - The Curse of Time Book 2
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.
M J has 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.
M J’s 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/
Social Media Links:
Reviewed by: Nancy