Marie Lavender's Books and Other Things: poetry

Showing posts with label poetry. Show all posts

"Scars" - a poem

Sometimes I write poetry that isn't romantic at all. Here is one that came to me last night...

Scars

These scars are still healing,

the impression of your hateful words are like red lashes across my back,

the marks you left on me inside and out.

Angela Yuriko Smith, Pixabay

I recall the shock of finding bruises in places no one else could ever see,

the impact of your teeth marks everywhere,

the hard ways you took me and left me hating us both.

When you’d roll over and sleep it off,

I felt so empty and I’d do everything I could to make silent tears.

Counseling, Pixabay

I couldn’t show how much it scarred me.

The belittling words you’d throw my way,

later I was sure you were intimidated that I was smarter than you,

but then you did whatever you could to make me feel less.

You don’t understand how hard it was to take the step away months later,

the final one,

not because I cared too much for you,

but more because I knew I deserved better and you’d never see that.

It was also a challenge afterward,

the constant memories crowding my mind,

the time I flinched when you almost hit me,

how I thought I was stuck in place,

Cocoparisienne, Pixabay

crippled by fear and jailed by your cold heart.

I recall the dark emotions swirling within me,

sometimes I still can’t see myself enough,

and I am afraid I’ll disappear into the ether,

a forgotten note,

Kellepics, Pixabay

just where you wanted me then.

These scars will always be there,

but I know breaking away was best.

Sometimes I still feel the hard grip of your touch,

the harshness in your dark eyes,

without a hint of compassion,

even when I was in physical pain.

The way you demanded,

only demanded everything,

but never gave back.

I have to shut my eyes against the shadowy memories.

Geralt, Pixabay

Then the next one came along,

with his gentle approach and it was easy to sink into complacency.

Except he hurt me in a different way,

as men sometimes do.

He had no way of knowing the deep cut he made would turn me inside out,

Milada Vigerova, Unsplash

swirling in my gut,

when I saw further into the darkness and lost myself a bit more.

As life often goes,

I made plenty of mistakes later,

like an addict does with no other options,

exploiting internal weaknesses I shouldn’t have touched.

These scars have marked me….made me the woman I am today.

They say experience makes you stronger.

Then I should be invincible by now.

Yet I’m not,

just me,

sometimes still the girl you scarred so much.

But there is a day now and then when I feel an ounce of peace and I can find the light.

Chris Barbalis, Unsplash

It’s a journey…even though years have passed,

and I live in the comfort of one who truly loves me,

I remember and know the scars I’ve collected on my skin define me.

Created by Tirachard - Freepik.com

A survivor.

***Author's Note: if this poem moved you rather than disturbed you (I apologize for the frankness about my life), consider reading Directions of the Heart, a collection that explores the many facets of PTSD and the journey of healing. These are tales that are close to my heart.

Don't Forget Poetry Today!

Guess what? Today is a special day to recognize the art of poetry!

Dream with Me

My yearning for you is strong,

something I’ve never felt for anyone else…

There are nights like tonight,

when I ache so much for you that sleep eludes me.

With bated breath

I remember our last embrace,

savoring your arms around me,

the warmth of your body against mine,

your chest beneath my ear as I witnessed the steady beats of your heart,

a constant comfort.

I recall our quiet talks about nothing and everything,

our shared laughter.

You’re the only one who reaches me on all levels,

physical and emotional.

But the convenience of technology – firing up a text thread or dialing your number –

is a poor substitution for the real thing.

The truth is

I need you in my life.

It’s a forever kind of thing.

With the storm striking outside – rain pattering against the panes of glass,

the occasional rumble of thunder

and each curse of lightning –

despite it all, I’ll do my best to keep you safe in my heart tonight.

Soon,

maybe not tomorrow,

possibly in a week or so,

I’ll see you again and then our bond will be reaffirmed.

We’ll be one once more.

There are few things in this world that last,

even fewer powers resilient against time, hate or destruction.

But, love? Love will stand up to anything.

If you were lost to me,

I’d go anywhere,

do anything to search,

to find you again.

You mean that much to me.

It has nothing to do with loneliness.

This is about two hearts that were born for each other,

Two halves of a whole.

When we met, we spoke like old friends.

It was different yet utterly natural.

And no matter what happens in our lives,

this bond cannot bend or be broken.

This is love.

So close your eyes tonight and think of me, my love.

Dream with me…

Imagine a place of peace,

with lush, green land,

endless blue skies and beautiful seas.

A place where we’re together, dancing clumsily,

laughing and resting in one another’s arms.

Keep me in your heart, the same way I keep you.

I’ll see you soon,

on the other side of this hazy, slumberous journey,

to a world where eternity resides.

I wake to your face,

your warm smile,

the sound of your soothing breaths beside me.

And I know this is right where I belong.

You and the Muse

There are few things in this chaotic world that make total sense to me.

Two, in fact, which I can name right now…

Often it feels like I’m a mere pawn on the chessboard of life.

Some choices are strategic; others are left to chance.

A few are mistakes one would rather forget.

There’s so much about all of it we can’t control.

The sun will rise and set regardless of what we do.

There are few parts of life I can totally rely on.

Two, in fact…

You and the muse.

As you held me in your arms last night,

with your perfect embrace and your scent in my nose,

I had to fight back tears.

It wasn’t sadness which moved me.

Instead, it was a sense that everything was right.

Very few things in life make sense to me.

But you and our deep connection?

I’ve never been more definite about anything in my life.

We’re meant to be…

Then there’s the muse.

Writing is a drive inside me,

an unstoppable force.

The story calls, demanding to be told.

The characters live for a reason,

and I live to get those interpretations on the page.

But I live for you too.

I’d be lost without you,

my soul mate,

my best friend,

my lover.

My lover and the muse…

two constants I can’t do without.

There are times when the pressures of life get to be too much,

when stressors drag me down.

The muse inspires me to tell a tale,

to explore the human condition.

But you…

You inspire me to keep dreaming,

to keep loving you and every moment we spend together.

The truth is you are my muse.

My eternal muse.

You and the muse are the same.

And I’d be very little without you,

my love.

The Other Side of Our Dreams

Do you sleep?

Do you dream?

At night, do you sleep in hopes of meeting me when you wake?

Do you dream, dream of me the way I dream of you?

Do you pray?

Do you pray you’ll see my face? To hold me tight?

Because I think of you every night…

Every day, of course, but each night many times before I sleep.

It’s not because I’m lonely.

When the day’s demands are winding down, the night gets so quiet you can only hear your heartbeat, the soft thump aligned with crickets humming in the darkness.

I think of you, imagine your face, your voice blessing me, your arms surrounding me.

I don’t think of you because I’m lonely and I need someone, just anyone.

You’re in my thoughts, always.

You’re the missing part of me I didn’t know about until I found you.

You’re everything to me…

My friend, my lover, my soul mate, all wrapped up in one fine package.

Even without the trappings, I would’ve known you were the one.

Our hearts still would have called to each other.

We’ve always been this connected.

On a night like this, with the wind whipping around the house and the moon so bright, it’s hard not to think of you, to feel you afar.

I’ll give you this other thought before I sleep…

Keep thinking, dreaming, praying, my love.

We’ll both slumber and find one another again, beyond our dreams, beyond time even.

Because this?

This is forever, and that’s more than enough for me.

Gentle Giant

Lovely branches,

The limbs are shorn, lopped off by heartless men,

Thieves of beauty, like those who disturb consecrated ground.

I weep for the trees, the fine yet hard surface of their depths,

The massive arms stretching out to hold us as Mother Nature does.

The earth must tremble with disdain at this,

Should punish and maim the blind agents of our despair.

Commodity has altered our purpose,

Our origins.

We have succumbed to the final capital gains.

At what price?

At what cost do we say we have attained pleasant comfort?

At the sacrifice of breath, of livelihood,

Should we really dare to destroy that which made us,

Provided us humbly with gifts?

Why seek to destroy our souls for creature luxuries?

I weep, I beg for compassion.

Please understand, dear critters,

dear structures,

dear Mother.

We are a wasteful, stupid lot.

Can we know better?

Why, yes.

Even the spiders reuse,

Even the sloths and birds treasure their homes.

We love our temporary dwellings,

Not so stationary as massive destructive metal contraptions ruin the moment,

The pleasant symmetry we had.

I cry out, I grieve for yon simple creatures,

Critters, insects in the earth.

Your home has fallen in ruin.

I weep for that which is gone,

For the humongous brown and green leafy foliage that once was,

That was a simple, beautiful embryo,

Little seedling in the days of old.

Gone back to the time of my great great grandfather and beyond.

But, times moved on and the child became wise and large,

Wisdom was ingrained and sought after with greedy hearts.

And then like something shallow and useless,

our elders were thrown away.

Elderberry, Elderwood,

Elder blossomed into a great thing,

Then to dust,

Made into spindly, decrepit stumps and sold off to the highest bidder,

Overlooked in its splendor.

Oh, useless silly limbs, reach out and tear the hearts that made you thus.

Perhaps gain some recompense for what was done.

Find some peace, dear tree.

And one day, those blind, unseeing souls will beg you and your Mother for forgiveness.

The abandonment was committed,

Now the sinner should pay.

In what form,

I leave that to your discretion.

Forgive our imbecilic,

Fiscal plans.

I weep for your life,

Your history.

And I kneel, humbly asking for your Mother’s permission,

To start over.

A new beginning,

A beginning without destruction,

Only peace.

And Mother can be herself.

Thank you for this chance, dear spindly limbed thing.

Thank you.

Pressure

Head pounding,

heart aching,

words tearing through her like swords,

her eyes closed,

she prays for the voices to stop,

her beating heart to quit its painful onslaught,

for the madness to end.

Craving peace,

she ducks her head,

still resigned to the pressures surrounding her.

They will never stop,

never cease,

the voices blathering on about what she should or shouldn’t do.

The pressure builds,

she wonders how much she can take.

Tears echo like the raindrops above,

mixing with her agony.

Yearning to scream “stop”,

seeking peace,

she opens her eyes.

The rain is gone.

The cement beneath her feet is calming,

her hands braced on the ledge.

The buildings stretch far and wide,

each edifice glistening as the new sun touches each surface.

The light blesses her face,

warm.

She takes a deep breath,

smiles.

Hope fills her weary soul.

It’s her life…her journey.

And that should be good enough.

The War Inside

Dark secrets,

ghosts in the machine,

tool of demise,

the demise of our souls,

who we are at the core.

We never think about the war inside,

trouble in our minds,

a heart’s conflict.

When the war is over,

what is left?

How do you pick up the pieces of your life?

You just try.

Lift your head up,

your voice will be heard.

Let your conscience be heard till we…

Live better,

Breathe better.

Moral codes are fine,

but to be human is to err.

Forgive first.

Humanity.

That is also important.

Yearning

The moon over this cool night appears lonely,

its sole, pale white disc yearning for another,

perhaps even for its fiery opposite which rises each dawn.

I imagine the moon is a bit like me tonight,

somewhat heartsick,

waiting for a hand to hold.

You see, I yearn for you like no other.

A thousand years could pass and I’d still want you,

need you,

love you.

This isn’t some temporary fling.

This is real, and I can’t stop this yearning within.

I know regardless of what I do,

what I accomplish,

how I laugh or cry,

I’ll still want you by my side.

That’s my unspoken vow.

We’ve expressed our feelings many times,

marveled at the deep connection between us,

but I don’t think you understand how much you make me whole,

on fire,

alive,

fearless even.

Without you, I know I’d try to dig deep,

I’d do my best to survive,

I might even accomplish something.

But life would be duller,

a part of me missing,

yearning for you,

waiting to find you once more in another life.

And even if I had never met you,

well, I’d still search for you like a time traveler who’s lost his way.

When we met, I found the mate of my soul,

my counterpart, so to speak.

Maybe I took time to admit it, and I love you for being so patient,

but the moment we met…

It was fate.

The stars brought us together that night,

sought to align us like a constellation,

two halves of a whole.

For I knew even then,

strolling and talking for hours so easily,

a conversation that had no end and somehow began like the echo of an old song,

I knew this was different,

special.

I know now that night after night,

I’ll still gaze up at this brilliant moon and still yearn for you,

time endlessly passing…

but the heart doesn’t care for trivialities.

I know if I bide my time,

perhaps in a few days,

maybe next week,

even if a month has passed,

before I know it,

you’ll be at my door,

and I’ll be in your warm arms again,

absorbed by your love.

I have this ring that speaks my promise,

the symbol that is solely ours.

And I have you in my heart.

Your voice over the phone is some comfort.

The little notes you send are evidence of how you feel.

We talk like old friends,

we always have.

But still, I’ll yearn.

And I won’t be whole until you’re here, my head cradled against your heart.

And I won’t be complete until we say the vows that make us one.

Until then, my love,

I will wait.

I will yearn,

until our eyes and hearts meet again…

Memory

I remember…

Fields of lavender, as far as the eye could see,

Raindrops glistening on cheeks,

The ripe smell of it in the air.

Puddles of mud over laces,

A child in a raincoat and rubber boots.

I remember…

Pasting stars on a poster board covered with glitter,

Sharpening pencils,

The dust of lead soiling hands.

Riding a bike with a banana seat,

The wind whizzing past my ears,

The neighbors’ houses flying by too,

The windows' wide mouths open with laughter.

Playing hopscotch in the street,

Fresh dew on grass shining like emeralds.

Running on a beach,

Tripping over sand castles,

The water catching the sun, almost blinding.

Shopping in the town square, mistletoe everywhere,

One might think it was Christmas all the time.

I remember…

Being grown,

Moonlit walks on the beach,

Amazement at the dark, watery abyss calling to me.

And the moment your hand touched mine –

On campus we talked like rampant parrots and walked for miles and miles,

Tireless.

Now, I see your face in my thoughts,

Your wonderful countenance before me at times.

Thinking back to that girl, I remember…

But, she wouldn’t remember you. We hadn’t met.

That dreamer is me, yearning, wanting –

Yet I have you now.

Take my hand and we’ll…

Watch the bursts of light on the Fourth,

Make out like we used to,

Silly with hormones.

Knowing your love completes me.

Let’s make a new…

Memory.

I truly believe words have power.

My Author Schedule

Upcoming Events for Marie
_____________________

May 4^th – return to work on romantic mystery collection, First Target.

July 28^th – **new book review for Phenomenal Touch on Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews blog. Also named as TOP 20 Author for 2021.**

August 27^th – Writing in the Modern Age blog’s new site is launched, former posts are starting to move over (guest schedule returns in September).

September 9^th – “What Most People Don’t Know about Romance Novels” – my article on I Love Romance Blog.

September 13^th – **review for Phenomenal Touch featured in Uncaged Book Reviews magazine. See page 169.**

September 17^th – “7 Ways to Recover Your Writing Motivation” – my article on Writing in the Modern Age blog.

October 11^th – “Explore the A to Z’s of Writing” – my article on Writing in the Modern Age blog.

December 10^th – guest spot on Food and Fiction blog, But What Are They Eating?.

Guest Schedule

The Year 2017 - after May

July 7th - Emma the cat's debut takeover
August 1st - Emma's second post
August 12th - Emma's Kitty Corner - guest cat Elvira & author Susan Lynn Solomon
August 17th - Emma's Kitty Corner - guest cat Sneaky & author Debbie De Louise's FREE book promo
August 26th - Annabelle Anders' book spotlight
September 15th - Emma's third post
September 28th - National Poetry Day post
October 23rd - intro to cover contest for UYL and DoH on Authors Database
October 25th - Laura Barnard's blog tour feature
November - January - holiday hiatus
November 27th - news about Reader's Choice nomination
December 20th - Emma's fourth post (Christmas theme)
December 31st - end of year post by yours truly

The Year 2018

January 24th - CJ Warrant's book spotlight
January 31st - Madison Michael's blog tour feature
April 11th - Emma the cat's first hosted interview with panther Tiklaus from Kayelle Allen's sci-fi book

April 27th - "Scars" - a poem by Marie Lavender
JUNE TO JULY - Paranormal Romance New Release BLOOD INSTINCTS

JULY TO AUGUST - Shared Links

SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER - BIG FALL BLOG HIATUS

November 28th - Beverley Oakley's blog tour feature

December 31st - end of year post by yours truly

MID-DECEMBER TO END OF JANUARY - HOLIDAY BREAK

The Year 2019

January 24th - CJ Warrant's book spotlight
February 21st - Teasers to Share

April 1st - Brooklyn Knight's Release Blitz feature

April 30th - Emma's birthday post
September 18th - Bella Jeanisse's blog tour feature

October 1st - Romance Giveaways - I Heart Romance Week

December 3rd - BLUE VISION Relaunch

December 4th - "Top 10 Amazing Gifting Ideas for the New Year 2020" by Rebecca Siggers

December 11th - "7 Things To Gift For Housewarming" by Rebecca Siggers

December 31st - Marie's annual end of year post

DECEMBER TO JANUARY - HOLIDAY BREAK

The Year 2020

January 15th - "10 Surprising Benefits of Wine" by Rebecca Siggers

January 23rd - win a copy of BLUE VISION two ways

January 29th - "Nine European Cities You Should Visit in 2020" by Rebecca Siggers

February 12th - Sable Hunter's blog tour feature and FREE Amazon Promo for her book

February 26th - "Top Winery Destinations for Couples" by Rebecca Siggers

March 9th - "Some Authors are Shifting Away from Amazon" Marie Lavenderby
April 29th - D.M. Needom's new release boost and blog tour feature

May 6th - "7 Tips to Plan Your Next Trip While You're Locked Down" by Rebecca Siggers
May 13th - "What Are Wine Legs?" by Bill Marcia

September 1st - "Kayaking in Australia" by Michelle Williams

September 28th - Kelly D. Smith's book series promo feature

October 19th - 26th - Writing in the Modern Age: BIG HALLOWEEN MULTI-AUTHOR BOOK AND SWAG GIVEAWAY

November 9th - cover reveal for UYR
November 23rd - second edition release of Upon Your Return

December 9th - UYR launch party on Facebook

Some of Our Past Schedule

The Year 2012

9/21 - "Publishing on Demand" by Marie Lavender

The Year 2013

3/26 - "The Benefits of Social Networking" by Marie Lavender
4/27 - "Social Networking Part 2: Beware" by Marie Lavender
5/18 - "When Does Reality Affect Your Writing?" by Marie Lavender
5/31 - "My Musings on Social Networking" by Marie Lavender
6/3 - "The Journey to Publishing" by Marie Lavender
6/3 - "How Do You Juggle Being A Writer?" by Marie Lavender
6/13 - "Silly Ramblings" by Marie Lavender
6/25 - "Making Characters Believable" by Marie Lavender
7/1 - "The Big Choice: Traditional Vs. Self-Publishing" by Marie Lavender
8/5 - "Deleted Scenes" by Marie Lavender
8/8 - "Hands Tied: What Sells?" by Marie Lavender
8/8 - "Memory: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
8/23 - "What I Love: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
9/4 - "Are Your Characters Fleshy?" by Marie Lavender
9/6 - "Create Your Own Trailer!" by Marie Lavender
9/16 - "Have You Cradled Your Muse Today?" by Marie Lavender
9/17 - "A Passionate Embrace: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
10/8 - "Research Can Be Fun Too!" by Marie Lavender
10/18 - "I Love You: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
10/27 - "The Fantasy Principle" by Marie Lavender
11/3 - "The Elements of Writing Romance" by Marie Lavender
11/12 - "My Love of Paranormal Romance" by Marie Lavender
11/30 - "Writing During the Holidays? Are You Kidding?" by Marie Lavender
12/5 - "Erotic Love: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
12/8 - "What Is your Motivation?" by Marie Lavender

The Year 2014

1/1 - "My Journey in 2013" by Marie Lavender
1/8 - "Where Do Your Ideas Come From?" by Marie Lavender
1/10 - "Love in Days Gone By" by Marie Lavender
1/15 - "Forever: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
1/27 - "Gentle Giant: A Nature Poem" by Marie Lavender
2/14 - "The First Kiss" by Marie Lavender
2/19 - "February Message" by Marie Lavender
3/1 - "Salute to Women" by Marie Lavender
3/7 - "Secrets" by Marie Lavender
3/13 - "The Genesis of a Book" by Marie Lavender
3/27 - "My Writing Process" by Marie Lavender
4/6 - "Savior: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
4/19 - "All I Need: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
4/24 - "What Is This Weird 'Twitter' Thing, Anyway?" by Marie Lavender
5/2 - "Your Kisses: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
5/20 - "Appropriate Social Media Behavior" by Marie Lavender
5/30 - "Love Is A Spell" by Marie Lavender
6/9 - "My Forever Love: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
7/9 - "The War Inside: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
8/26 - "Imagery Is Everything" by Marie Lavender
10/2 - "Throwback Thursday" by Marie Lavender
10/6 - "Unbound: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
12/8 - "The Allure of the Paranormal Genre" by Marie Lavender

The Year 2015

1/3 - "What A Year! - 2014 Review" by Marie Lavender
1/18 - "The Trouble with Titles" by Marie Lavender
2/3 - Bernard Foong's interview
2/6 - Adrienne Davenport's interview
2/26 - Celia Kennedy's interview
3/4 - "What Does Success Mean?" by Marie Lavender
3/31 - Celia Kennedy's book spotlight
4/7 - Rachael Stapleton's book spotlight
4/14 - Diana Rubino's book spotlight
4/16 - Rival Gates' book spotlight
4/21 - Daryl Devore's book spotlight
4/23 - "Vampires Rule!" by Marie Lavender
5/3 - S.A. Starcevic's Cover Reveal Feature
5/12 - Michael Aronovitz's book spotlight
5/26 - Linda Lee Williams' book spotlight
5/29 - Mika Jolie's book spotlight
6/2 - Sharon Kleve's interview plus book spotlight for anthology
6/10 - A.B. Funkhauser's book spotlight
6/17 - Kris Noel's book spotlight
6/18 - Rachael Stapleton's interview
6/23 - Tony Bertauski's interview
6/29 - "Pressure: A Poem" by Marie Lavender
6/30 - Diana Rubino's interview
7/14 - Jim Cronin's interview
7/29 - "DIY Your Book Cover (Or Not)" by Marie Lavender
8/14 - Natalie O'Neil's book spotlight
9/1 - Austen Knowles' book spotlight
9/3 - Alicia Sparks' book spotlight
9/10 - Elliot Richard Dorfman's book spotlight
9/15 - Tina Bass' interview
9/17 - Michelle Lowe's interview
9/24 - Dina Redmon's book spotlight
10/1 - Frank Borne's book spotlight
10/6 - Lyn Croft's interview
10/8 - Skye McNeil's book spotlight
10/15 - Linda Covella's interview
10/22 - Kathleen Ann Gallagher's book spotlight
10/29 - J. Rose Alexander's interview
11/3 - Helen Downing's book spotlight
11/5 - Curtiss Robinson's interview
11/12 - Andrea Perno's interview
11/18 - S.A. Starcevic's Cover Reveal Feature
12/2 - Linda Lee Williams' book spotlight
12/10 - Ashley Fontainne's New Release Feature
12/31 - "Wow: 2015 Review" by Marie Lavender

The Year 2016

1/6 - Belinda Y. Hughes' book spotlight
1/7 - Frederick H. Crook's book spotlight
1/12 - Susan Lynn Solomon's interview
1/14 - David M. Mannes' interview
1/22 - Raegyn Perry's book spotlight
1/16 - David Chandler's interview
1/28 - S.C. Alban's interview
2/2 - Jacqueline T. Moore's book spotlight
2/4 - Vicki-Ann Bush's book spotlight
2/9 - Malay A. Upadhyay's book spotlight
2/11 - Penny Estelle's book spotlight
2/16 - A.B. Funkhauser's Cover Reveal Feature
2/19 - Rita Plush's book spotlight
2/23 - Sarah J. Pepper's New Release Feature
2/25 - Dr. Matthew Anderson's book spotlight
3/3 - "Empress of the Universe!" by Marie Lavender
3/3 - Alex Pilalis' interview
3/8 - K.C. Sprayberry's book spotlight
3/10 - Michael Aronovitz's book spotlight
3/11 - Teresa McRae's Blog Tour Feature
3/15 - Amber Daulton's book spotlight
3/16 - Ivanka Di Felice's Cover Reveal Feature
3/24 - Tamara Thorne & Alistair Cross' Cover Reveal Feature
3/29 - Stefan Vucak's book spotlight
4/8 - Sable Hunter & Ryan O'Leary's Blog Tour Feature
4/12 - Mika Jolie's Cover Reveal Feature
5/5 - Kat Schuessler's book spotlight
5/12 - Alistair Cross' book spotlight
5/17 - Gissel Brito's book spotlight
7/13 - Lana K. Dempsey's book spotlight
7/21 - Sable Hunter's book spotlight
7/26 - Isobelle Cate's book spotlight
8/2 - Branka Cubrilo's book spotlight
8/11 - Vivienne Vincent's interview
8/23 - Natalie Silk's interview
9/6 - C.L. Bush's book spotlight
9/27 - Andy Ruffett's interview
10/2 - "News, 450th Post and Giveaway!" by Marie Lavender
10/18 - Andy Ruffet's book spotlight
10/25 - Kyra Halland's Blog Tour Feature
11/3 - Michael Poetl's book spotlight
11/18 - "Writing Out of Your Comfort Zone" by Marie Lavender
11/22 - Monica DeSimone's interview
11/29 - Q.L. Pearce's New Release Feature
12/31 - "2016 Reflections" by Marie Lavender

The Year 2017

1/17 - Stef Smulders' New Release Feature
1/24 - Alistair Cross' book spotlight
1/26 - Rhonda Cratty's book spotlight
2/2 - Tom Starita's book spotlight
2/22 - Rhonda Cratty's Amazon Countdown Feature
3/14 - Michael J. Sahno's book spotlight
3/21 - Rachael Stapleton's book spotlight
4/23 - "Checking In" by Marie Lavender
5/17 - "Fly away, UYL! Soar!" by Marie Lavender
6/20 - "Win a Free Book!" by Marie Lavender
7/4 - Reshared Author Interview on Home of a Book Lover
7/7 - 1st post of Special Feature: Emma's Corner
7/4 - Reshared Author Interview on Home of a Book Lover
7/10 - Reshared Spotlight of DOH on Reviews by Crystal blog
7/25 - official book release of Directions of the Heart
8/1 - 2nd post of Special Feature: Emma's Corner
8/8 - radio interview with host Mary Ellen Wilson
8/12 - Emma's Kitty Corner guest - Elvira from Susan Lynn Solomon's Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series
8/17 - Emma's Kitty Corner guest - Sneaky from Debbie De Louise's Cozy Mystery Series plus historical romance giveaway
8/26 - Annabelle Anders' book spotlight
9/15 - 3rd post of Special Feature: Emma's Corner
9/28 - "Don't Forget Poetry!" by Marie Lavender
10/23 - intro to cover contest for UYL and DoH on Authors Database
10/25 - Laura Barnard's Blog Tour Feature
November to January 15th - Holiday Hiatus
11/27 - news about Reader's Choice nomination and voting
12/20 - 4th post of Special Feature: Emma's Corner (Christmas theme)
12/31 - "Echoes of 2017" by Marie Lavender

The Year 2018

1/24 - CJ Warrant's book spotlight
1/31 - Madison Michael's Blog Tour Feature
2/24 - link to historical romance boxed set giveaway
3/9 - TRR giveaway
3/20 - "Loss Is Difficult" by Marie Lavender
4/11 - Emma's Kitty Corner hosted interview with panther Tiklaus (from Kayelle Allen's sci-fi novel)
4/27 - "Scars" - a poem by Marie Lavender

6/5 - official book release announcement for paranormal romance BLOOD INSTINCTS

6/5 - 6/22 - giveaway for The Blood at First Sight Series on Romance Novel Giveaways blog

6/19 - Reviews by Crystal Author Interview

6/28 - Indie Author Spotlight on La Jersey Chika Reads Indie Books

7/1 - 8/31 - other book/author spots and new reviews can be found on the Updates/News page of marielavender.com

8/19 - new book reviews for BLOOD INSTINCTS and HEIRESSES TRILOGY

8/30 - radio interview on Thorne & Cross' HAUNTED NIGHTS LIVE! show
SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER - BIG FALL BLOG HIATUS

11/12 - Q&A contest for free copy of BLOOD INSTINCTS on The Romance Reviews

11/28 - Beverley Oakley's Blog Tour Feature

12/27 - Blood Instincts and the Heiresses in Love Trilogy won in the TOP 10 of the 21st Annual Preditors and Editors Critters' Readers Poll

12/31 - "Memories from 2018" by Marie Lavender
MID-DECEMBER TO END OF JANUARY - HOLIDAY BREAK

The Year 2019

2/21 - Teasers from works-in-progress
3/6 - Q&A contest for free copy of Heiresses boxed set on The Romance Reviews

4/1 - Brooklyn Knight's Blog Tour Feature and Release Blitz

4/30 - 5th post of Special Feature: Emma's Corner (birthday theme)

5/26 - "The Shock is the Worst" by Marie Lavender

June - Romance Novel Giveaways posts - Heiresses boxed set and Second Chance Heart
9/18 - Bella Jeanisse's Blog Tour Feature and Release Blitz

10/1 - Romance Giveaway on I Heart Romance Week

12/3 - BLUE VISION Re-release

12/4 - Guest Post: "Top 10 Amazing Gift Ideas for the New Year 2020" by Rebecca Siggers

12/11 - Guest Post: "7 Things to Gift for Housewarming" by Rebecca Siggers

12/31 - Marie's end of year post
DECEMBER TO JANUARY - HOLIDAY BREAK

The Year 2020

1/15 - Guest Post: "10 Surprising Benefits of Wine" by Rebecca Siggers

1/23 - Win a copy of Blue Vision two ways

1/29 - Guest Post: "9 European Cities You Should Visit in 2020" by Rebecca Siggers

2/12 - Sable Hunter's Blog Tour Feature and Free Kindle Days for TRUE LOVE'S FIRE

2/26 - Guest Post: "TOP Winery Destinations for Couples" by Rebecca Siggers

3/9 - "Some Authors Are Shifting Away from Amazon -- Why?" by Marie Lavender

3/14 - "True Friends Are Priceless" by Marie Lavender

4/29 - D.M Needom's Rock and Hollywood Fiction Blog Tour Feature
5/6 - "7 Tips to Plan Your Next Trip While You're Locked Down" by Rebecca Siggers
5/13 - "What Are Wine Legs?" by Bill Marcia

7/24 - Solstice Publishing submissions call notice

8/2 - vote for THE MISSING PIECE book cover on AllAuthor for the week

8/23 - repost of Chasing Ginger spotlight on Nancy Lee Badger's blog

8/26 - repost of book feature and author interview on A Blue Million Books site

8/28 - Marie's new release announcement for UYR - November 23, 2020
9/1 - "Kayaking in Australia" by Michelle Williams

9/28 - Kelly D. Smith's rockstar romance book series and discount promo feature

10/23 - Link to big Halloween giveaway on WritModAge

11/13 - cover reveal for UYR

11/23 - second edition release of Upon Your Return, book 1 of the Heiresses series

12/9 - Facebook launch party for UYR

Marie Lavender's Books and Other Things

"Scars" - a poem

Don't Forget Poetry Today!

Taking a Break from MLB

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