Lift off then with another book, and now my twelfth published in just under nine years, so I’m still going well I think. I should add that books ten and eleven were slightly different in that book ten was a compilation of many of my humour section poems, (Laurie’s Bundle of Poetic Humour) and the eleventh book was a tribute to my created teddy bears Ted and Beth with a book of all of their poems, (Tea for Two, Poetic Antics of Ted and Beth), plus some about the animal friends they share my home with. It goes without saying that Ted & Beth have new poems in this book too. But now some detail on my new offering.
It follows on largely in the same mould as Book 9, having prior said that books ten and eleven deviated from the settled pattern of my four sections of romance, humour, reflection and tragedy, so these themes continue again. Included here are the stories behind four poems, one from each section, which proved very popular in books before, and this time some limericks also feature after an absence in book 9.
Sylvie Blackmore, a presenter on BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey has two poems about her in the book, and they stem from me being a guest on her Sunday afternoon show twenty plus times over nearly 3 years. Another presented poem, “Inner Tears” won a prestigious festival poetry competition in 2022, and very topically there are also 3 poems about the NHS and my recent experience of being in hospital for the very first time in all my years.
In book eight I mentioned milestones and I still continue with this and present this latest book as one of them. To clarify, my milestones, or achievements, are wonderful compliments given to me, my own feelings, great reviews and an increased awareness of my work on several media settings.
This involves having my poems published recently in two mainstream newspapers, read out and complimented about on national radio and regularly requested to read them at many prestigious events. This has compounded further recognition and success which has all gone beyond my early wildest dreams.
I feel this demonstrates the reasons for my increased confidence in this new book, and obviously further promotes awareness and funds for the charity Help for Heroes that I have donated to, and supported from my start.
I will now leave you to explore and find my usual multitudes of brand new poems, a smattering of popular poems from all of my now eleven previous books, and some new and topical themes. For me it’s a celebration and demonstration of my growing poetic attributes and prolific poem production that I once more have the pleasure of bringing to you.
To help you with this again please be aided by my comprehensive Appendix section to explain some not so obvious poems, so I am confident that many of them will touch and resonate with you in some way as we ride the roller coaster of life together.
As ever, please enjoy this my twelfth and latest book as “The Journey Continues”…..
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