Priscilla Bettis’s Review of “Lunar Gazing Haiku”

(Created on Canva by Dawn Pisturino.)

I’m thrilled to share Priscilla Bettis’s Amazon review of Lunar Gazing Haiku. Priscilla is a Christian author/poet who writes reviews (along with other authors) of Christian fiction at The Well Read Fish. Please visit their website to learn more about Christian fiction.

I discovered Priscilla through River Dixon’s Potter’s Grove Press (no longer extant) when she wrote the controversial novel, Dog Meat. I’ve followed her since on WordPress.

Thank you, Priscilla, for reading my book and writing such a lovely review!

Priscilla Bettis

5.0 out of 5 stars 

Satisfying Collection

Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2024

“I enjoyed this collection of haiku and senryu. Each observation by Pisturino, each turn of phrase, each surprise twist made these short poems a pleasure to read. Some of my favorites:

“‘Primordial Rocks’ because it shows how scary a hot, desolate desert can be.

“‘Comets’ because Pisturino illustrates our smallness and vulnerability in the universe.

“‘Dogs’ because it shows Pisturino’s sense of humor.

“Whether readers enjoy nature poems, lighthearted poems, poems that touch on spirituality, or poems about humankind’s nature, everyone will find something to love about this collection.”

Lunar Gazing Haiku is available on Amazon Kindle for $0.99 USD.

The Kindle app can be downloaded for free at the Amazon Kindle Store, Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and the Samsung Galaxy Store.

Have a blessed day!

Dawn Pisturino

Author, Lunar Gazing Haiku (2024) – #1 Amazon New Release in Asian and Contemporary Poetry, Japanese Poetry & Haiku, and 45-Minute Teen & Young Adult Short Reads

Author, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023

#1 Amazon Bestseller Author 2024

#1 Amazon Bestseller Co-Author 2022, 2023, 2024

Author of the Month for March 2024 on Spillwords Press

Co-Author, Cadence: Life’s Poetic Rhythms (2024)

Co-Author, Petals of Haiku: An Anthology (2024)

Co-Author, Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology (2023)

Co-Author, 2023 Arizona Literary Magazine

Co-Author, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women (2024)

Official Author Website: www.dawnpisturino.org

June 24, 2024

Copyright 2024 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Two Haiku from “Lunar Gazing Haiku”

(Created on Canva by Dawn Pisturino.)

My new digital chapbook, Lunar Gazing Haiku, reached #1 Amazon New Release in 45-Minute Teen & Young Adult Short Reads on Wednesday, which surprised me greatly. I want to thank everybody for their support. I couldn’t do it without you.

Purchase Link: https://a.co/d/1ZmeKB7

The Kindle app can be downloaded to your cell phone for free.

Here are two haiku from the chapter “Haiku for Summer”:

The Blues

monday morning blues

deep as a newborn sunrise

summer sings farewell

Sunflowers

sunflowers bob heads

up and down — turn with the sun —

a summer peepshow

~

For my birthday and Father’s Day, we’re driving to Las Vegas to visit with my sister-in-law and nephew. They have a friend playing in the World Series of Poker, which is pretty cool.

Enjoy your lovely June day! Can you believe that the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is next week, on June 20th? The year is flying by.

Dawn Pisturino

Author, Lunar Gazing Haiku (2024) – #1 Amazon New Release in Asian and Contemporary Poetry and 45-Minute Teen & Young Adult Short Reads

Author, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023

#1 Amazon Bestseller Author 2024

#1 Amazon Bestseller Co-Author 2022, 2023, 2024

Author of the Month for March 2024 on Spillwords Press

Co-Author, Petals of Haiku: An Anthology (2024)

Co-Author, Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology (2023)

Co-Author, 2023 Arizona Literary Magazine

Co-Author, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women (2024)

Official Author Website: www.dawnpisturino.org

June 14, 2024

Copyright 2024 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

#1 Top Release in Asian Poetry – “Lunar Gazing Haiku”

(Graphic created on Canva by Dawn Pisturino)

I had planned to launch my new digital chapbook, Lunar Gazing Haiku, tomorrow morning, June 12th, as promised, but when I checked on Amazon, the book had already reached #1 New Release in Asian Poetry, dropped down to #2, #1 in Contemporary Poetry, #3 in Japanese & Haiku Poetry, #3 in 45-Minute Teen and Young Adult Short Reads, and dropped to #7 in 45-Minute Teen and Young Adult Short Reads. This is beyond my wildest expectations! Thank you, thank you, thank you for following my blog, supporting my work, and purchasing this short E-book. I set the age range from 16 years old on up, in case you were wondering about the 16-18 reading age. The Kindle app can be downloaded to your cell phone for free.

There will be no paperback. This was my first time using Kindle Direct Publishing, and I wanted to make it easy on myself until I learned how to use it properly. Paperbacks require a lot more work, especially the cover. I also felt the book was too short for a paperback.

Lunar Gazing Haiku Book Blurb:

“In Japan, tsukimi (moon gazing) is an annual Harvest Moon Festival celebrated in September. Dating back centuries, when the noble classes composed music and poetry while viewing the full moon, the festival now includes everybody and marks the celebration of the autumn season. Looking for the ‘rabbit in the moon’ while picnicking under the stars, appreciating the moon’s sacred splendor, giving thanks for bounties received, and looking forward to a prosperous future make this a special event. The 62 haiku in this digital chapbook celebrate all seasons and all aspects of life, with the last chapter dedicated to moon gazing. Enjoy the fun!”

Purchasing links:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6LWR5GL/

https://a.co/d/1ZmeKB7

Have a blessed day!

Dawn Pisturino

Author, Lunar Gazing Haiku (2024) – #1 Amazon Top New Release in Asian and Contemporary Poetry

Author, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023

#1 Amazon Bestseller Author 2024

#1 Amazon Bestseller Co-Author 2022, 2023, 2024

Author of the Month for March 2024 on Spillwords Press

Co-Author, Petals of Haiku: An Anthology (2024)

Co-Author, Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology (2023)

Co-Author, 2023 Arizona Literary Magazine

Co-Author, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women (2024)

Official Author Website: www.dawnpisturino.org

June 11, 2024

Copyright 2024 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

New Release to Amazon Kindle on June 12th

(Created on Canva by Dawn Pisturino.)

See you then!

Dawn Pisturino

Author, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023

Author of the Month for March 2024 on Spillwords Press

Co-Author, Petals of Haiku: An Anthology

Co-Author, Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology

Co-Author, 2023 Arizona Literary Magazine

Co-Author, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

Official Author Website: www.dawnpisturino.org

June 7, 2024

Copyright 2024 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Two Haiku from “Petals of Haiku”

Hello!

Two of my haiku from the anthology Petals of Haiku are featured today on editor Gabriela Marie Milton’s website, Short Prose. Please click HERE to read them. Thank you, Gabriela, for including me!

Petals of Haiku: An Anthology, published by Literary Revelations Publishing House, is more than a book of poetry. It’s a work of art. It’s a keepsake that any poet and poet lover can treasure.

The book has reached magnificent heights on Amazon: #1 in Haiku and Japanese Poetry, Top New Release in Nature Poetry and Poetry Anthologies in the USA, #1 in Japan in Haiku and Japanese Poetry and Poetry Anthologies, and #1 in Top Releases in the UK. Gabriela and her team deserve all the accolades received because they worked hard to make this book a reality.

If you have not yet purchased your copy, here are the links. You will not regret it.

Amazon Paperback: https://a.co/d/iThsVbi

Amazon Kindle: https://a.co/d/cLmWcEC

This book would make a fabulous gift for Father’s Day, an anniversary, birthday, or other occasion.

Thank you!

Dawn Pisturino

Author, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023

Author of the Month for March 2024 on Spillwords Press

Co-Author, Petals of Haiku: An Anthology

Co-Author, Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology

Co-Author, 2023 Arizona Literary Magazine

Co-Author, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

Official Author Website: www.dawnpisturino.org

June 5, 2024

Copyright 2024 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

“Lunar Gazing Haiku” Launches June 12th!

(Cover created on Canva by Dawn Pisturino using art from the public domain.)

In honor of my June birthday, I’m releasing my new digital chapbook (called a pamphlet in the UK), Lunar Gazing Haiku, on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, for $0.99 USD on Amazon Kindle. The Kindle app can be downloaded to your cell phone for free.

Here’s the forward:

“Haiku is a Japanese poetic form that originated in the 17th century to simplify and perfect traditional literary poetry. Poets sought to stimulate emotional and mental reactions to nature themes in an abbreviated form using 17 syllables in a 5-7-5 pattern. Later, poets broadened their scope and introduced other themes. Famous haiku poets include Basho, Buson, and Issa.

“In Japan, tsukimi (moongazing) is an annual Harvest Moon Festival celebrated in September. Dating back centuries, when the noble classes composed music and poetry while viewing the full moon, the festival now includes everybody and marks the celebration of the autumn season. Looking for the ‘rabbit in the moon’ while picnicking under the stars, appreciating the moon’s sacred splendor, giving thanks for bounties received, and looking forward to a prosperous future make this a special event.

“In the United States, autumn celebrations include harvest festivals and craft fairs, Oktoberfest, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and events leading up to the Winter Solstice and Christmas.

“The 62 haiku in this chapbook celebrate all seasons and all aspects of life, with the last chapter dedicated to moongazing. Enjoy the fun!”

Clearly, moongazing is just as popular (if not more so) in the summer as in the fall. I love to sit on the deck at night and watch the full moon rise over the mountains and the stars appear one by one in the sky.

Most of all, this digital chapbook was meant to be fun to read.

Thanks for visiting!

Dawn Pisturino

Author, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023

Author of the Month for March 2024 on Spillwords Press

Co-Author, Petals of Haiku: An Anthology

Co-Author, Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology

Co-Author, 2023 Arizona Literary Magazine

Co-Author, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

Official Author Website: www.dawnpisturino.org

June 5, 2024

Copyright 2024 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

“Petals of Haiku” Acceptance

(Cover art by Hikari)

I’m pleased to announce that several of my haiku have been accepted for Petals of Haiku: An Anthology, edited by Gabriela Marie Milton and published by Literary Revelations Publishing House. The release is scheduled for May 30th. Gabriela’s books are always works of art, as evidenced by the cover, which was created from artwork painted by the Japanese artist, Hikari.

Petals of Haiku – Foreword

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“Literary Revelations invites you to immerse yourself in the captivating world of “Petals of Haiku: An Anthology.” This superb collection features the work of over 160 talented poets, each contributing four exquisite haiku, in just a few cases only three.

“Petals of Haiku is not just an anthology that Literary Revelations is proud to publish. It’s a masterpiece that encapsulates the essence of haiku poetry. The spectacular haiku writers featured in this collection bring to life the delicacy of seasons and the profound range of human emotions, from joy to grief, in a way that is both delightful and deeply moving.

“Haiku, the beloved Japanese poetic form, has the power to distill life’s fleeting moments into magical verses. Within the pages of “Petals of Haiku,” you’ll discover both traditional and nontraditional interpretations of this timeless art, each one a masterful display of precision and emotion.

“This anthology is a true feast for the senses, inviting you to pause, reflect, and savor the simple elegance of these poetic gems. Whether you’re a seasoned haiku enthusiast or new to the genre, “Petals of Haiku” will leave an indelible mark, inspiring you to see the world through fresh, enlightened eyes.

“We would be truly honored if you would immerse yourself in this captivating collection. Prepare to be transported, moved, and transformed by the “Petals of Haiku.”

“The art on the cover is done by the award-winning painter Hikari who sets the tone for what awaits inside – a world where words dance off the page and into your heart. The background photo belongs to award-winning Japanese photographer Naoki Kimura and adds another layer of beauty to this already exquisite collection; and the beautiful cover is designed by Iuliana Irimia, a wonderful Montreal artist.”

Gabriela Marie Milton,
Editor, Author, Publisher

Website: Literary Revelations Publishing House

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Have a great day!

Dawn Pisturino

Author, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023

Author of the Month for March 2024 on Spillwords Press

Co-Author, Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology

Co-Author, 2023 Arizona Literary Magazine

Co-Author, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women

May 16, 2024

Copyright 2024 Gabriela Marie Milton. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2024 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.