A New Kind of Down: The Breath & Bones of a Writer (a book review)

I am not normally known for doing book reviews as you all know, but every now and then when I actually find the time to read one from cover to cover without wanting to set it down and walk away, then the time is prime for a review. I ordered Tremaine’s book on Amazon a few weeks ago and have now gone through it not once but twice. I was already familiar with Tre (as she’s known over at her blog which can be found at https://simplesoulsister.com) and her writing, and of course her tales of life with her cute little dog Jernee over at her other blog https://ajerneeofsurprises.wordpress.com and as a fellow dog lover I am often tickled by the antics of her “globe eyed little monster” and have become a dedicated follower of her blogs. This is the first book I’ve purchased by Tre and let me say, I have no regrets what-so-ever. Opening my mailbox to find the brown envelope from Amazon was only the first happy point of receiving it, and upon further inspection as I sat down with my coffee, gazing at the peaceful image on the cover and reading the bio on the back, I couldn’t wait to dive right in. I did not put it down once. This is her third book and not having read the other two (yet) I can’t do a comparason but I know for me, third time’s a charm and trust me, I was charmed.

I can tell that this book was a labor of love and it shows. While reading it, I felt as if I was peering into her heart with each word she wrote, and it often took me back in time to that of my own life, remembering my younger days and the emotion and passion that slipped into each relationship, failed or otherwise that was a lesson in and of itself. The pain spelled out like a story of love held me captivated from beginning to the end, always hoping in my way for the starry happy outcome, I was left cheering her on to bigger, better and amazing things for her future. The poem “Realizing Reality” was exceptional (page 7) and Get High (Get Gone) was a sultry little piece that made me smile. Without a Doubt (page 40) was another piece that flowed splendidly and spoke to my soul, reminding me of me when I was in my youth, the longing of love and the way she writes it out, is almost as if she’s speaking directly to you, reminding you of the feelings of life and love that we all at one time or another have felt. It’s not often that a writer can slip you into their world so effortlessly and taking you along on the journey with them. There were so many pieces here filled with such brutal truth and deep substance that I could go on and on but I leave you to grab your copy and judge for yourself. I wouldn’t want to give away all the goods but this, this is the essence to me. The one sentence from Fool for it all, Including You sums up my favorite phrase: “We are in Amazement. Standing among greats in a tiny space, Searching for gems. I rely on the Sanity of love’s Grasp in the middle of time and space….and here, I always seem to find it.”     In her writing, I found a place, a space where the heart lives and breathes.

Her writing in this book is a compilation of free verse, quatrains, haiku and flash fiction. with each piece so unique and beautifully written from the heart. I can tell time was taken with this book, the flow of it and the rise and fall like the tides of the heart, like a beat or pulse in each piece, bringing it to life with her touch. I honor this book and the soul that wrote it, knowing it will be kept on the special shelf in my blue room which houses the sacred books that touch me. This book was published and available through Lulu and is also available on Amazon (links below) and I believe at Barnes and Noble. I highly recommend Tremaines book and know that if you grab a copy, you too will feel the passion of love and loss stir in your soul…and perhaps like it was for me, a heavy sigh as the last page finished and a feeling of leaving me longing for more, even if just a page or two or ten.

https://www.amazon.com/New-Kind-Down-Breath-Writer/dp/1365849945/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495115438&sr=8-1&keywords=books+by+Tremaine+Loadholt

http://www.lulu.com/shop/tremaine-loadholt/a-new-kind-of-down-the-breath-bones-of-a-writer/ebook/product-23129241.html

Rating: Five out of five stars

Will I be?

When the time comes,

as every good time must,

when change moves through

demanding of ourselves

a metamorphosis of soul

will we be ready for the inevitability

of change.

Will we embrace the darkness

the cocoon that holds us tight

turning us into something unrecognizable,

morphing us into a new creature

lighter,

more beautiful,

free to fly above it all

without remembering,

or will we remember

when we were strange,

not so beautiful,

an anomaly of nature that was found

sitting awkwardly on a stem

searching for something

we never found.

Will we have courage to become

that which was always intended,

that which we were never told would happen,

just a faint thought in our minds that there must be

something more than here,

something more than just this,

as we take our steps slowly,

precariously balancing on the surface of life

wary of predator

yet still existing regardless,

will we settle into the comfort of sleep

trusting that which will occur,

the magic that will happen

when we least expect it,

will we welcome it into our lives

as we gaze at stars feeling so very small,

will we realize that we are something,

not nothing,

that we are all a part of

the larger whole.

A strange caterpillar? found wandering among the confederate jasmine, my camera not the best at closeup images of insects, but I found it to be rather cool and beautiful, wondering what it will someday become, and hopefully not dinner for a hungry bird or lizard. This fuzzball inspired the words above.

Creature comforts

A beautiful day for a walk, the sun barely visible above the horizon and a cool breeze, almost chilly compared to what the day will have in store. The dogs seem to like these days, cool and comfortable, prancing and pulling at the leashes as if we were running the Iditarod instead of our normal morning walk. A few houses down, in a ditch that is often littered with Huge pine cones (some of which have been collected for future Christmas decor) the dogs pull harder on their leashes, noses to the ground and of course I search for snakes….I hear they like ditches and therefor I don’t like ditches. Apple in the lead with Chi in hot pursuit of what may be there, up jumps this mini knight with four legs. It’s shell beautiful and quite decorative and shiny and almost silver in color. I’m not sure who was more afraid but we all jump, the dogs careening backwards and I think they said what the “f” too if I heard right. Well this little beastie jumps across the ditch and begins running for the woods a short clip away, the dogs giving another tug to pursue but we hold course, continuing on our way. I looked as we passed the woods and this little thing just stood there staring at us like “haha, you can’t see me.” I hate to tell the little creature, but he or she didn’t exactly blend in as it sat there next the the empty Miller Lite can, perhaps he thought he was related to it and of course, there’s safety in numbers. The things you see…..hmmmm…..my first live armadillo. That’s enough….it can stay down the street….and out of our yard please and thank you.