Black Prayers

‘My original thought when writing this book was as a paean to the church – the Black Church – that had sustained me throughout my childhood and boyhood. I wanted to say thank you for all the joy, strength, hope and faith it had given me.
‘I also wanted to celebrate the wider voices of the black diaspora that have added an essence of wisdom to my youth and adulthood: I would not be the person I am today without these voices and influences.
‘I have learned that silence is blessing if you seek the truth, but there comes a time to sing of the truths – so I have now chosen to sing.
‘God works and is manifest through the flesh of people. If we listen to the God Voice within, we can hear the genetically coded source of holy science throughout our brief sojourn on this planet. Read, enjoy, and if it is your wont – get annoyed!
‘All I desire is that these poems move you.’
Elijah Karriem

Black Clouds to Sunshine

These poems are the author’s way of expressing her feelings and thoughts, and a way of coping with mental illness experienced by herself and her family. By putting her thoughts into poems, some sad and some funny, it gives her a sense of belief.

She hopes this experiment of hers will help others out there, knowing there is a way to relieve the pressure of anxiety by putting pen to paper and writing about those pent-up thoughts.

Bizarre Poetic World of Malcolm Tilsed

Malcolm with his familiar infectious enthusiasm would like YOU to enjoy his inspirational assured debut collection work. Each poem is unique and well-written with a charismatic and often humorous writing style. You will find the collection innovative and fresh, and the intensity of the verses will captivate you. Many were written and are set during the national COVID-19 lockdowns which offer a poignant and thoughtful voice to the silent many who suffered the isolation worse than most, owing to having underlying health conditions, which will have a contemporary appeal. Malcolm is already working on his next publication.

Birds: Sketches from Birding

Birds often symbolize spiritual freedom. The universe for them is vast and without end. Free from attachments and from all earthly treasures, they listen to Mother Nature. Never tired, from far and near, they are wild in spirit and move between the worlds: between earth, air, and water.

Birds are the symphony and poetry of nature on the earth and live with an elegant simplicity tinged with a pure loneliness with worldly cares left behind. The world for them is an open book and every object seen unlocks a new faculty for the mind.

Bird Wisdom

The fundamental themes of landscape, love and loss are all celebrated in this collection. Some of the poems have a political quality, reflecting the challenges and uncertainties of life in the 21st century; others simply honour the joy, the struggles, and the hopefulness of daily life.

The poems encompass a wide genre, but all reflect a connection between people and place. Many celebrate the poet’s ‘home paddock’ while others look to the wider world. Though the inspiration is landscapes familiar to the author, the themes are universal and resonant.

Beyond the Moon

Beyond the Moon is an intimate collection of poetry about enormous stigma, Otherness and marginality, detailing with my personal experiences as a young woman living on the cusp of two very different worlds. As a young girl growing up in the United Kingdom, I was continuously made aware of my ethnic differences. The conventional Western education made no allusion to the Mauritian Muslim; I found no commonplace, no companionship with another in this world, no one like me.

Even I deceived myself with the expectation to normalise and acclimatise to the Barbie doll model. I was taught that I was not beautiful because I did not resemble this traditional model. Thus, this collection of poetry materialises and communicates such experiences, exploring the ‘dark side of the moon’.

Becoming a Parent

Becoming a Parent is an exciting and diverse collection of short poems written to be relatable to anyone on this journey.
The time of becoming a parent is an exciting one: a time to learn a lot about yourselves and others. You’ll be faced with unforgettable moments and delightful decisions. This book hopes to give you a little insight to some of these moments and decisions. Some poems express joy, others sorrow; but most express the abundance of love you feel for your child.
Everyone is different in what they experience or what they may choose to do when becoming a parent, and that’s okay.
(The secret messages highlighted in each poem give you a little message as an extra.)

Bargains

Veteran detectives Betty Kovaks and Jeff Wheeler take an early morning call to investigate an arson and murder. With Kovaks’ intuition and Wheeler’s methodical style, their partnership combines astute crime scene assessment and scientific evidence to build a shrewd investigation.

Vetted by three veteran detectives, this work will appeal to crime drama readers who expect realism and crisp dialogue.

The investigation dives deeply into the grip of methamphetamine addiction and fencing stolen property. Unconventional twists await: murder, death by sepsis, a car bomb, deportation to India, and a fatal encounter with a PTSD afflicted homeowner.

The narrative’s underpinnings rise from the author’s decades of experience as a state trial judge, criminal defense attorney, and assistant district attorney.

"Interesting characters, engaging story, accurate police work. A good read." 

– Kurt Wuest,
Lane County Sheriff’s Office Detective, (ret.)

"Crafted from his decades of experience, Billings weaves a compelling tale of criminals' lives in raw peril. He aptly portrays the addict as delinquent and victim in a savvy blend of mystery and suspense."

– Sherry Sandreth, PhD.

Banana & Salted Caramel

In Banana & Salted Caramel, Holly Jackson brings together verse and prose written across two decades, expressing themes such as loss, growth, hope, infertility and political strife with humour, honesty, vulnerability and satirical wit.
From poems about graveyards and brain freeze to stories chronicling the unintended consequences of a hen party game, Jackson takes us on a journey, through poetry and prose, spanning years, exploring what it means to be an adult, a wife, a mother and a woman.

Ballads of Loss and Woe

Every ascent is met with a descent. After reaching the pinnacle, basking in achievements and joy, an unforeseen force can bring it all crashing down. Life’s unpredictable blows can dismantle our realities, leaving behind a trail of questions and broken dreams.

As the facade of life dissipates, pillars once deemed steadfast vanish, and we’re left grappling with the remnants. The author revisits the starting point, navigating a world shaped by revelations, torn between passion and profound pain.

In his signature surreal narrative style, he paints a vivid picture of his transformed reality: a tumultuous terrain of emotion. This collection delves deep into themes of grief, betrayal, and existential sorrow. When life thrusts you into an unfamiliar realm, do you question if it’s all just a grand illusion?

From melancholic poems and heart-wrenching tales to soulful songs, this is a journey through the darkest corridors of a wounded heart. These are the words from the depths of despair, a testament to the fragile human spirit.

Awaken, Broken Soul

All my life, I was hiding behind a Girl, who was scared of showing her true self.
Who wanted to be somebody else so urgently.
Nevertheless, it should be okay to show, that we struggle with self-esteem sometimes,
that we hurt ourselves because we cannot confront the ones who hurt us.
We are forced to hide the parts that define us, whether it is a depression you are not supposed to talk about,
a man who uses his power to abuse you mentally,
a family that rips you apart,
or a life you never chose to live.
I want to end the hiding and stop the silence.
All of us went through,
go through,
dark thoughts,
and miserable times like that.
And I survived.
We survived.
You survived.
Or will survive.
So, will you listen?

Assorted Musings

If you enjoy a varied reading covering a variety of topics, some contemporary and some older, then this could well appeal to you. It is far removed from traditional romantic poetry. Nevertheless, it provides thought provoking material. There is something for everyone in this eclectic potpourri of reflective musings. Enjoy it at your leisure!