a Lamp at Midday

I'm delighted to announce that the paperback edition of my debut collection of poetry a Lamp at Midday is now available for sale at Amazon.com.

As many of you know, the last 18 months have been somewhat stressful as my adored Dad's health continued to deteriorate. I had no time to work on my planned new novel, so I fed my Muse by writing poetry.

This collection is the result and, along with poems on a variety of topics, includes some poems to my Dad that you've seen before on this blog.  But these are not only poems about my Dad. The official blurb is: 

"Containing a wide selection of poems, a Lamp at Midday gives voice to the contrasts and contradictions of modern life. As they challenge complex emotions and explore timeless themes, these poems also have relevance for the reader’s own life. This personal collection of poems is a vivid celebration of one woman's spiritual questioning and earthly existence, speaking with a haunting intensity of life, loss and love. "

Here are some of my personal favourites from the Haiku section in  a Lamp at Midday:

flames

skipping skywards so

fast, burnt orange warmth can turn

to red inferno. 

forget-me-nots 

above the sea of

brightly coloured petals i

wave farewell to you.

halloween

a field of golden

round pumpkins, ripe and ready,

basks in the sunshine.

lightning

suddenly the sky

is furious, and lets loose

a finger of fire.

giraffes 

long necks undulate. 

gentle eyes and jigsaw coats

crown a setting sun.

No book is completed without the help of others. 

As always, my dear writing friends (Debs, Leonie, Janet, LvW) were there to cheer me on when I faltered and fell into deep fits of angst about this work.

Angela Voges of Typographica Manuscript brought her excellent editing skills and insightful comments to the text, while the multi-talented author Michelle Davidson Argyle created the beautiful cover.

And, last but not least,  without the faith and support of my family - in particular my wonderful husband Beric and my incredible Mom, Dawn Heinemann - I'd never write anything at all.

The paperback copy will be available at South African on-line stores from around middle August 2012, which is the same time that the eBook will be available for sale. 

I'll be running giveaways on GoodReads and LibraryThing, so if you want a chance at winning a free copy, keep an eye out for my tweets and Facebook announcements.