So Runs The Water--A Book Review

Tom Mach, Kansas award winning author and poet, takes us on a delightful journey in his newest poetry book titled So Runs The Water, subtitled life's journey, in verse. 

We learned in school that water is one of the four elements of the world, the others being earth, air and fire. Mr. Mach explores water in numerous forms. The book appears to be one lengthy, free verse poem but has been divided into sections. Each section can stand on its own but relates to water and how it runs through his life and ours; thus it is a part of the whole book.

A few of the myriad sections are clouds, winter, children, a fountain of ideas, pieces of past, and what if? There are many more, all of which the reader can relate to. Each section can stand alone but is also a part of the greater work. All feature water in some way. 

The poetry is of the real world but also spiritual. It is chock full of fine sensory details, lovely word choices, and appealing phrases. Read a few of my favorites: 

   Words hunger for the touch of a pen/held by drifting minds of poets

   Water also takes on many roles/in many forms of running,/pounding rain, scorching steam/thundering waterfall, angry ocean/But peace and stillness is its best role.

Ten-year-old Tom, waiting on a pier/for sunrise and fish

...and pieces of his past/drifted before his eyes like leaves.

Mr. Mach has achieved simplicity but also power in the words he has chosen to relate what water means to our world, to him and to us. There are memory triggers sprinkled throughout along with bits of history and literary references. The poet does take us on a life's journey as the subtitle promises.

The cover of the book, front and back, made me want to read what is inside. It appeals with amazing color, the photo scene and the title. Check out the full front and back cover at the poet's website. 

You can order the book from Amazon. I know this is a book I will read multiple times.

A Writer's Memoir To Help Other Writers

           Tom Mach    


Since I've been posting about memoir writing recently, I'd like to feature a memoir written by an award winning writer who details his long and often-difficult journey as a writer. Tom Mach asked me to review his book for Amazon and GoodReads which I did just recently. Here is the review:

   In Persistence, Then Peace, a memoir aimed at writers, Tom Mach doesn’t sugarcoat his journey. His is an honest account of what appears to be a roller coaster ride as he moves from one area of writing to another, as he moves from one career job to another, as well, moving his mostly supportive wife and family around the country numerous times.

   When I read this memoir of a writer’s life, I felt as though the author and I were sitting across from one another at a table having a cup of coffee and a long chat. Mach’s writing style is informal and conversational.

    The early chapters deal with his growing-up years and may not have relevance for writers reading this book, but do stay with it. You’ll see how persistence pays off despite years of writing novels that never got published. You’ll learn that with each writing project, the author learned something more about the craft. You’ll find that writing advertising copy and commercials in his day jobs helped his writing career and helped him get articles published. He admits to mistakes made over the years—such as not rewriting some of the earlier novels and stories.

    After many years pursuing his love of writing, Mach wrote a trilogy of historical novels that required much research. He self-published and found satisfaction in the sales of the three novels and the multiple awards received.

    Those who are new writers or wannabe writers would benefit from this memoir. Instead of being discouraged over the long period of time Mach worked at his craft before finding a modem of success, the writer/reader should take heart in the persistence of the author, his patience and willingness to continue to learn the craft well and his constant growth as a writer. He recaps 10 life lessons learned, all of which would benefit other writers. Any writer/reader would also be impressed by the lengthy list of his publications, as well. Persistence did pay off as this author continued his passion for writing and achieved his own sense of peace.

Writers definitely benefit from reading about the journey of other writers. We look at what they achieved, how long it took to get there, what might benefit us as writers. Just as no two people are alike, neither are writers. We may all be writers but we are also individuals who approach life from different perspectives. When you read about Tom's long road to where he is today--an award winning writer--you might wonder how in the world he kept going for so long with so many obstacles. Passion for writing is a big part of the answer to that question. By the end of the book, one cannot help but admire this man who stayed with his dream of being a published author. We can all benefit from lessons he learned along the way. He lists the ten lessons toward the end  of the book. 

If you're interested, you can order the book here from Amazon. 

                                                                                               

An Opportunity To Share Your Memories

My friend, Tom Mach, is looking for some memories. Yours! Tom's website, appropriately titled Memories Are Forever, features a new story every month. He's putting out a call for submissions for all writers and those who aren't writers but have memories to share.

The featured story may very well also end up being published in print in the The Kaw Valley Senior Monthly newspaper which is distributed in the Topeka and Lawrence, KS area. My story Memories of My Chicago Childhood appears in both places this month. There is no pay involved but it is an opportunity to be published, both online and in print. All stories are not accepted. The editor will make the decision as to which stories will be featured.

Go to the home page of the Memories Are Forever website to get an idea of what Tom is looking for. The submission guidelines are found on the home page, as well. Remember to follow the few simple guidelines for the best chance of acceptance. 700 words or less, a photo that might illustrate the memory or show you at the age when the event took place. Include your full name, city and state. It's all pretty simple but always do a checklist before sending any submission. Ask yourself Did I.....? for each point in the guidelines. Tom may edit your story but only to make it more readable. 

You might be wondering who this Tom Mach is. Go to this page to learn more about this fine author. He's written 6 books, 3 of them form a trilogy that has received excellent reviews and some awards. He's also a short story writer and a poet. 

This memory website is relatively new so a general call for submissions is out. Need a few memory triggers to help you come up with a 700 word memory story? Here are just a few:

1. What was the worst day of your grade school years?

2. What kind of person was your favorite teacher?

3. How did you fool someone on April Fool's Day?

4. What was your town known for?

5. What happened in your growing-up years that you are most proud of? Most ashamed of?

6. What Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration stands out in your mind? 

Tom Mach's Historical Trilogy

A Pleasant Poetry Book

Tom Mach is an award winning novelist. He's also an award winning poet. He's also owner of his own press.

In addition, he has a website that promotes his work.

His most recent book of poetry, The Museum Muse, is a thought provoking, pleasant journey through the museums in our life. Tom contends that these museums are not all housed in buildings. We find the museums in our life in the arts, music, history, science and more. We carry these museums with us through life and look at them in different perspectives as we grow and age. 

In one passage, he says Life itself is an interweave of different museums, a moire of dissimilar fabrics of experience all woven together to produce the whole of who we really were, are, or want to be.

The book is a pleasant read and tends to stay with you. I found myself wanting to read it again. When I did, I found more in it than the first time around. I have no doubt that I'll read it again. It's a great book to enjoy while drinking a cup of tea or coffee. Illustrations scattered throughout add to the pleasure found within its covers. It's the kind of book that could become an old friend.

Another quote from the author as to why he wrote the book:
Actress Audrey Hepburn once said that “Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering—because you can’t take it in all at once.”

Order the book or kindle version on Amazon or from Hill Song Press directly $10 ppd. Send for it at Hill Song Press, PO Box 486, Lawrence, KS 66044

A Good News Week

I just finished a 'good news' week. Every now and then, my writing world showers me with blessings, and last week was one of them. Those good weeks do a lot to make up for the ones when rejections rain from the skies like leaves blown in a windstorm. And they serve as a wonderful incentive to keep writing. Every success pushes a writer into writing another story.

The first good thing that occurred was that my memoir piece about Easter was published at www.Heartwarmers.com.  It's an inspirational website that publishes on a sporadic schedule. You never know when it will pop up in your inbox. And that's the same way with what they accept or reject. You never know they have accepted your submission until it's published. Nor do you hear regarding a rejection, but that's the way it is and if you keep that in mind when you submit, it's not a problem. I've had several memoir stories published there. With this last one, I dropped them a little note to say thanks for publishing the story. In return, I received a lovely note from the editor thanking me for my contributions to Heartwarmers over the years. It's a no-pay, but I like the concept and the stories that appear there. With that small gesture from the editor, you can bet I will continue to submit to them.

Next, Tom Mach, a writer from Lawrence, KS, posted a request for haiku poems on a facebook posting. On a whim, I sent him a fun haiku I'd written after learning something new in the tech world. He posted it on his blog. You can read it at . http://tommach.tumblr.com/post/4457633623/a-fun-haiku  Tom writes historical novels and poetry, and he blogs about both.

The week ended with a message from an editor at Unsent Letters. I've posted about this paying website before so won't go into the details here. You can read all about them at www.ourunsentletters.com  I had submitted two letters for this interesting site. They are also compiling some of the letters as an anthology. The editor wrote to tell me that both my submissions were shortlisted and in the final cut process. She asked if they had been published previously, since only unpublished letters would go into the anthology. Previously published letters were to be in the blog only. I told her that both had been published previously but in a completely different form. Whether that counts or not remains to be seen. The pay is higher for the anthology than for the blog, but both are paying markets. Being thus encouraged, I submitted a third unsent letter to them last night, one I'd been working on and was ready to go. Do check out this site and read some of the letters to get an idea what kind of letters they seek.

When each new week begins, we have no idea what it will bring us. A friend learned this last week that she is to be a grandmother again, when she had no hopes of adding to her one and only grandchild. A lot of people dislike Mondays, but I don't. It's a new week, and maybe good things will happen. If they don't, there's always next Monday when we start all over again.

Wishing you all a very good week.