50 percent funded!!

Lovely Blog Followers.

I am now 50 percent funded with my novel, Blood On The Banana Leaf, on Unbound.  This is the same publisher who is responsible for the best-seller, ‘The Good Immigrant’.

Halfway there is a huge milestone and I would like to thank all of you who have supported my novel on Unbound or who support my writing by following this blog.

Pledge rewards have been lowered recently so you can have amazing stuff like a personalised, original poem written by me. You never know it might be worth a quid or two one day 🙂   You can click here to pledge and remember even at entry level your name or, if you choose, the name of a loved-one will be printed in the back of the book of every edition.

It would be marvellous to have some of you who follow my blog featured on the Patron page of the novel because you will accompanying me on this thrilling literary journey.

Recently Accepted Work

It has been a great couple of months for acceptances. My flash fiction, Plague Song, was accepted by Literally Stories. I’ve had poetry published in the Feminine Collective and will also be published in their new Chapbook in February.  A zombie story of mine will be published in Twister Sister mag soon.  I love the zombie genre and have a much neglected 8 chapters of a zombie novella, Light Crisis, on Wattpad.  Why don’t you have a look if you like zombie literature.  It’s unusual because there quite a bit of dark comedy written into it.  I’d love to know what you think!

Thats all for now but thank you so much for reading and think about pledging.

Love, Tabby x

Unbound Pledge Reward

One of the best things about being with Unbound is creating the rewards that supporters receive when they generously pledge.  For £150 pledgers receive not only their names in the back of the book, signed copies and tickets to the launch party but also a personalised poem written by me.  I love writing poetry so these challenges are really enjoyable.  I posted ‘Our Boy, Jack’ earlier and here is the second one written for a dear friend Johnny whose twin loves are South Africa and his sons.

I’d love to know what you think and please consider pledging for my novel if you haven’t already.  Just click on Unbound ^^^^^^ up there.   Thank you so much!  Tabby x

VAN DAAR HIER

When Africa was my dream, my heart

It’s red earth blistered beneath my feet

A hard lemon Sun blasted it’s radiance

And the veld was baked hard like copper.

The South spread out in waterless plains

And Fever trees blessed an endless sky.

Good wine settled deep in our blood.

The braai spit hot, the dogs panting

For meat, ears flattened for an easy hand.

 

Afrika still visits late some nights

When the fire is down to ash and

Memories cut me to my weary wick.

Reaching for the warm, dull glass

By my elbow. Breathing in the

Comfort of leather and the weight

of dog on my feet. I remember Connal’s

hair, whipping in the choppy wind.

Eyes fixed ever forward, loaded with

Spirit and a gift for light. More at home

With the bush lifting the lions song

Than the mechanical grind of the West.

 

Now the ripe, green pitches of Sussex

Stay my hand, as heads leans in for

The knock of leather on willow.

Two boys in whites delivering runs.

And wickets before a jammy tea.

My life means something here with

you. Your boyish sweat is sweet and

I will always be your guard, my soul

alive with the weight of fatherhood

A polished, eager stone in the shape

Of someone constant and perpetual.