book reviews |
book reviews |
Multi-volume, multi-genre author, Catherine Mellen introduces us to her volume of poetry: Poetry, where a rambling of words stumble together and create a window into a poet's world. A galaxy of emotions that run on memories filled with faith love, pain, joy, sadness and the habitation of worlds unknown. Only Beautiful Remains began inside a nightstand drawer. A place where sheets of loose-leaf paper and a scrambling of words rested together for decades. Though its contents multiplied over the years, the nightstand drawer remained closed with its treasure of poetry inside. Then one day, the drawer opened and welcomed you all inside the mine of a poet. A place where words stumble upon stairs of faith, through the teardrops of life and the tender hearts of love, whilst the harmony of society sings and all the beautiful that remains in the tiny pieces of a poet’s life. Catherine Mellen is an American poet and author who shattered her silence on childhood trauma, family secrets and the monstrous predator her birth mother harbored. Now she writes about the pretty things in life, a place where Only Beautiful Remains. This is a lovely collection of poetic thoughts. Poetic without pretense. The author shares many glimpses into her life and what is not said is nearly as important as what is said. The author isn't trying to be fancy, only honest and the beauty she shares in different forms is worthy of your attention. I enjoyed this volume a lot. You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Only-Beautiful-Remains-Words-Poet-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-only-beautiful-remains-catherine-mellen You can follow the author: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-mellen-14a642175 https://www.Twitter.com/Irishgirl692 https://www.Instagram.com/Irishgirl692 https://www.Pinterest.com/Irishgirl692 https://www.facebook.com/cathymellen1007 https://booksbycatherinemellen.com https://allauthor.com/author/irishgirl692 Copyright © 2024 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
71 Comments
10/14/2024 09:41:36 am
Hello Mark and thank you so much for your beautiful kind words. I look forward to sharing more about my writing journey, experiences and struggles. Thank you for this opportunity.
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Mark
10/14/2024 11:10:19 am
You are welcome, Catherine. I am honored to be able to help promote your book.
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Catherine Mellen
10/14/2024 12:35:47 pm
Though I wrote my first poem at age fourteen and quickly adopted my love for words, I was shamed by the childhood I had lived, that I went off to become a cook and caterer for nearly three decades. Every night I would find myself writing poetry or filling the pages of a new journal. In 2015 at the age of forty-five, I was disabled in an auto accident. It resulted in horrifying repressed memories, a walk into my hometown police department and plenty of free time to put over thirty years of writing into multiple books to publish. Up until age forty-five, I lived my life as a secret and now being on the other side of the repressed memories is like breathing in a reality of all the beauty this life does offer. That was when I came up with my tag line: Read about my life, but don’t have any pity... I'm a strong Irish girl from an All-American City.
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Mark
10/14/2024 02:54:10 pm
Many have struggled with shame from their childhood whether known or unknown. Child abuse by an adult is so pervasive. Healing moments are worth their weight in gold.
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10/14/2024 03:15:29 pm
I now write full-time. I set my own schedule depending on the day. I take breaks when needed and every day is another day to learn something new in regards to the book publishing industry. From advertising, self promo on social media and creating mockup banners, my days can get very busy. But I wouldn't trade it for a thing, I love sharing my words, stories and poetry with the world.
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Mark
10/14/2024 05:24:57 pm
Being an author, these days, means you do all the heavy lifting after your book is published. All most publishers do is list your book on their website. Anything beyond that costs them money and most publishers are struggling to keep the lights on.
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10/14/2024 08:14:49 pm
Thank you for the abundance of great information. I was reading blogs from your website last winter and I took advantage of the advice you offer. I have since dropped copies of my books off to area book stores, local libraries, senior centers and more.
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Mark
10/14/2024 08:25:19 pm
Glad to hear you have benefitted from those blogs. There must be more than a thousand links, I have never counted.
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10/15/2024 09:07:47 am
Why I write. I started back in 1984 when I was fourteen years old. I was sitting on my best friend's front porch when she questioned me about an event that happened three years earlier.
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Mark
10/15/2024 10:40:15 am
Powerful poem! Thank you for sharing that.
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10/15/2024 10:59:10 am
It most definitely does. As a teenager, I would write down poetry in a notebook or on loose-leaf paper and every night I would place the new poems in my nightstand drawer. I would then tell myself, "One day you will publish these poems." It may have taken me decades to complete, but I am grateful that I saved all my writings throughout the years.
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Mark
10/15/2024 02:53:39 pm
I think you need to write poetry. Many authors need to write. Some say they need to write to quiet the voices in their head.
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10/15/2024 03:49:04 pm
Writing is a need that my life definitely benefits from. It's helped me to see true emotions, understand complicated relations and appreciate the smaller things in life. It's almost like a medication without the prescription, taken daily with an endless amount of refills.
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Mark
10/15/2024 07:10:46 pm
I love that analogy. Like medicine with only beneficial side effects.
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10/16/2024 08:50:48 am
For some, when moving forward gets discouraging, giving up is the easier option.
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Mark
10/16/2024 10:36:34 am
This is a freaky topic, anytime we stray into the unknown things can get very weird!
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10/16/2024 11:16:49 am
Only Beautiful Remains was my easiest book to draft. I separated the poetry into five chapters; Faith, Love, Life, Society & Pieces of Me. The only thing I did change was the title as I was going to call it A Lifetime of Poetry. With great advice from Author and Poet Nina Romano, I now name all of my poetry books after the last poem in the book, which also carries the title.
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Mark
10/16/2024 01:04:20 pm
Nina gave you good advice.
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10/16/2024 01:43:05 pm
My book cover for Only Beautiful Remains was done by the amazingly talented artist Jane Cornwell https://linktr.ee/JaneCornwell?s=09
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Mark
10/16/2024 02:44:30 pm
Jane does nice work. I hope your recommendation brings more work her way.
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10/16/2024 03:54:31 pm
I did join NaNoWriMo a few years ago. I planned my schedule so I would have extra free time to write. Though I didn’t hit my word count, I really did enjoy being part of the community. Unfortunately since then, a lot of ethical problems have come to the forefront involving the people who run this writing experience. So, I have respectfully decided to not participate in them. My opinion could change in future years, but time will tell.
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Mark
10/16/2024 06:12:50 pm
I recently heard some controversy regarding the use of artificial intelligence by authors in the contest, but that is all that I am aware of.
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10/16/2024 06:29:40 pm
I have had numerous poems published in magazines and journals. Two of my poems are being published in Poets Espresso Review next month. Once Upon A Staircase (Only Beautiful Remains) and Christmas Blues (Christmas in Poetry Land)
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Mark
10/16/2024 07:56:51 pm
Congratulations on those poems being published. You must have felt pretty good seeing them in print.
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10/17/2024 08:38:05 am
I have not done any ghostwriting as of yet. Although, I was asked to write the memoirs for a family member of two high-profile stories in my hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts. One is about a girl who went missing in 1982, her remains were found in 2022 and the other is about a young popular boxing teenager who was killed in 2017 by another teenager.
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Mark
10/17/2024 10:32:23 am
Ghostwriting can be an alternate method for writers to generate income with their writing skills. Another aspect of being an independent or freelance writer. Here is a copy-and-paste link with more information or hit the search box below: https://www.writingforward.com/creative-writing/creative-writing-careers
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10/17/2024 10:59:12 am
Many actors have played the Joker, but my favorite was Joaquin Phoenix in 2019.
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10/17/2024 11:52:56 am
What a wonderful and insightful read. Thanks Catherine and Mark!!
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Mark
10/17/2024 12:30:04 pm
Thanks for dropping in, Norb.
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10/17/2024 01:02:48 pm
Thank you Norb 😍 It's been a fun week of questions, answers, advice and more 🥰
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Mark
10/17/2024 12:36:58 pm
Phoenix is a great choice! He loves playing dark roles and is quite good at it. I particularly liked him in Russell Crowe's film, "Gladiator".
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10/17/2024 01:11:11 pm
I do not use AI for anything, nor would I buy a book that someone wrote using AI.
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Mark
10/17/2024 03:49:10 pm
We remember the robot maid on The Jetsons, Rosy. We all want one though the reality is still far away.
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10/17/2024 05:56:23 pm
Awe, I loved the Jetsons. Yes, I first encountered trolls on my website Mighty Networks. I could easily block and ban them from my website.
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Mark
10/17/2024 07:30:11 pm
That is a great definition of a troll!
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10/18/2024 08:38:46 am
My first paying job was at a popular hometown bakery in the city of Lowell, Massachusetts called Price's Bakery. I was fourteen years old during the summer of 1984 when I would walk across town to work with a bunch of elderly bakers, who showed me everything about baking. From rolling dough, stuffing raspberry turnovers, to making making muffins and sweeping floors. I will admit, working six hours a day did feel like eighteen hours to a fourteen-year-old girl.
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Mark
10/18/2024 10:16:00 am
That is an interesting job. You certainly learned a lot.
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10/18/2024 10:30:26 am
I do remember that Dunkin Donuts commercial. My second job was at a Dunkin Donuts located in downtown Lowell, Mass. It's crazy how ambitious we were back then compared to teenagers nowadays.
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CHRISTINA
10/18/2024 10:40:06 am
Wow, Mark and Catherine! I love the tips you both gave and it's great to learn more about Catherine's struggle and triumph. Those journals are treasures and trophies.
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Mark
10/18/2024 11:18:40 am
Thank you for visiting us, Christina! I agree with you about all of those journals.
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CHRISTINA
10/18/2024 11:22:14 am
Agree, Mark! My journals are graph-lined Moleskins and often have an award offered for their return. They mean a lot to me. 10/18/2024 12:38:21 pm
Thank you so much Christina 💝 Yes, I would think sometime in the year 2099 or 2125, our journals could be auctioned off for millions, made into a movie and eventually a monument statue of ourselves in our home state so the new teenagers can start an urban legend about us. Well, it's a thought 🤣
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Mark
10/18/2024 11:24:17 am
There was a Dunkin' near where we lived in Oregon. Two of our children worked there for a time.
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10/18/2024 12:54:09 pm
I'm so glad you asked this question. The first writing contest I ever entered was back in 1989. It was a poetry contest being run by the actor, announcer, and game show host Ed McMahon. And I won!! I was invited to a formal gala in Maryland, where I would meet Ed McMahon, speak and have a great time. Unfortunately my soon to be husband reminded me about my past, my childhood, my family-less family and how the paparazzi find out everything. (Remember when the paparazzi were obnoxious in their job) Within seconds, I decided I did not want to be known as a girl without a family, so I declined my first place prize and never went to Maryland.
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Mark
10/18/2024 02:58:38 pm
Amazing story! The connection with Lowell High School is fascinating also.
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Melisa Quigley
10/18/2024 04:34:06 pm
I love the banter back and forth. It's like two friends having a coffee discussing their writing more than a review. I keep a journal too and I love The Jetsons. Only Beautiful Remains is a hypnotic book that will stay with you long after you've read it.
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10/18/2024 05:30:34 pm
Awe, thank you so much Melissa. I love the questions Mark writes. It's been a lot of fun going back and forth. I truly appreciate your kind and supportive words ❤️
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Mark
10/18/2024 07:01:40 pm
Hi, Melisa. I appreciate you dropping in. My review is above this interview. Your description of my interview process is spot on. I do think of it as a chat between friends.
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10/18/2024 05:43:25 pm
What a great resource to have. Thank you for sharing. I wouldn't know about past or family blood relatives. My granddaughter however, is amazingly talented; writing poetry, singing, lead roles in theater, and her graphic artwork (On both paper and skin) is out of this world. And she's only fourteen.
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Mark
10/18/2024 07:08:16 pm
I hope you find the information in that blog useful. Anne R. Allen is one of my favorite bloggers and she has written many blogs. I have links to quite a few of her blogs on my Highly Regarded Blogs page elsewhere on my website.
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10/19/2024 08:15:04 am
I love Anne R Allan blogs. I was introduced to her articles back in 2019 and have found great information, advice and resources from her blogs. And thank you for your kind words.
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Mark
10/19/2024 09:36:50 am
I see my error. I have the paperback version of your book showing in my Amazon browsing history. Switching that out for the Kindle version shows that your book is in KU. My mistake.
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10/19/2024 09:54:53 am
At first, I wasn't too sure about Kindle Unlimited. I haven't been part of the monthly royalty payment club from KU, but my books have generated many ratings and reviews from KU customers. Once my two-part memoir came out, it drew more traffic from KU users.
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Mark
10/19/2024 11:01:57 am
Exposure is the name of the game. No question about that. With a million books being published yearly on Amazon it takes steady and consistent effort to rise to the top and get noticed regularly.
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10/19/2024 04:23:40 pm
Thank you so much, I will definitely read up on that. I've saved the link.
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Mark
10/19/2024 04:45:12 pm
MP was a wonderful connection! Congratulations. He has been very helpful and supportive.
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10/19/2024 07:02:24 pm
Yes, I did a lot of research on writing queries, how to query, who to query and when to query. One of my rejection letters came with a link to querytracker.net that I continue to keep handy. I was lucky to receive a lot of helpful advice from rejection letters and they say that alone is like a golden ticket. So, I've been very grateful for that.
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Mark
10/19/2024 07:51:55 pm
You are certainly blessed. So many authors get nothing but crickets when querying. Congratulations!
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10/20/2024 09:01:20 am
Great questions. I am not sure how much time NFB puts into marketing my books. I do hope, in time, I could have a better answer for that question.
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Mark
10/20/2024 10:14:01 am
I can understand why you went that route. If your publisher is working to get your book into brick-and-mortar locations that can improve sales opportunities. Getting your book onto other online sales platforms can go help improve sales also. It is never wise to put all of your eggs in one basket.
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10/20/2024 12:02:37 pm
I certainly wish my books were published by a major publishing house, but having my books published is a victory in itself. Since the late 1980s, I knew I wanted to tell the world about my poetry, journals and family secrets, so knowing I've done and continue to do that, is a major win for me.
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Mark
10/20/2024 01:36:04 pm
I think I understand about feeling angels near. I have had some close calls with death that made me think about putting angels in overtime again.
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Catherine Mellen
10/20/2024 03:24:00 pm
The one that makes me cringe the most would be plagiarism. Whether purposely stealing another's work, or accidental, mosaic (patchwork) by not doing their due diligence to offer authentic work. Also, I will not purchase a book written by AI.
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Mark
10/20/2024 03:28:54 pm
That makes sense to me. Theft of your intellectual property is the worst thing.
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10/20/2024 05:06:31 pm
Yes, I Know My First Name Is Steven by Mike Echols. It has been a huge inspiration since I first saw the movie in 1989. A true story of a boy named Steven Stayner who went missing for seven years and his inspiring strength to save another boy from the same fate. It inspired me to remain strong, while being a reminder that childhoods once lived like myself, Steven Sayners and others; are never alone.
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Mark
10/21/2024 08:50:57 am
You have some good-sounding books there.
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10/21/2024 09:17:17 am
Yes, In the mid 1990s a book called A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer left me with a lot of questions. I wondered why he would write about a horrifying childhood, but skip over the reality of the actual abuse. I would then search my local library and book stores for memoirs written by abused children who grew into adulthood. I was baffled as to why the abuse was kept out of their books and why I had to remain in silence as a family secret. I knew then, that if I ever published my life story, that I would leave nothing out. Not so, people knew what I lived through, but so they know what my monstrous predator was capable of.
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Mark
10/21/2024 11:09:44 am
Reliving and writing about the abuse must have been extremely difficult and cathartic at the same time. I daresay you opened a long-closed door for others to share their experiences also.
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10/21/2024 02:38:11 pm
The one question I would ask is... Would you refer my books to your friends?
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Mark
10/21/2024 06:35:09 pm
That is the first time an author has listed that question. Most want to know what the reader thinks of the book.
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10/21/2024 07:36:02 pm
Thank you so much Mark! It has been a lot of fun and quite an adventure. I appreciate your incredible questions, helpful & informative links, and your friendship.
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Who am I?An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. Archives
January 2025
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"I'm very pleased with all your efforts. Twitter promotion and proofreading were beyond what I expected with a book review. Your suggestions throughout the process of refining both books helped me immensely. I look forward to working with you again." A.E.H Veenman “Dial QR for Murder” and “Prepped for the Kill”
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