Selma’s Review of “Lunar Gazing Haiku”

(Created on Canva by Dawn Pisturino.)

I want to thank poet Selma Martin for reading and reviewing my new digital chapbook, Lunar Gazing Haiku on Amazon and Goodreads. Selma is a lovely woman who goes out of her way to support other authors. It’s critically important that small press and self-published authors support each other in this competitive industry. I’ve found that a lot of authors expect people to buy their books, give them positive reviews, and spread the word without ever returning the favor to other authors. The very purpose of a writing community is to mutually support one another. Nobody can afford to buy everybody’s book, including me. But if you read someone’s book, please do your part and write a review. Thank you.

Selma in Japan

5.0 out of 5 stars 

Perfect for your moon gazing nights

Reviewed in Japan on June 17, 2024

Verified Purchase

“I’m a haiku enthusiast and believe all haiku lovers will be smitten with the lines penned in this stellar Lunar Gazing Haiku Collection.

“Author Dawn Pisturino is who to seek out for timely haiku that resonate on any moon gazing night — for isn’t it then that our innermost thoughts come out like little haiku poems? I think so.

“I’m glad I purchased this book. Glad to add to my ever growing haiku collection. Satisfied customer in Japan.”

Thank you, Selma, for your stellar review!

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

Please visit Selma’s website and experience her beautiful and sensitive poetry! Check out her wonderful poetry collection, In the Shadow of Rainbows, on Amazon at https://a.co/d/e9m3XIe.

Have a beautiful and blessed June day! For some reason, we’ve had unseasonably cool weather for the last couple of days while the rest of the country is roasting. If you’re under the heat dome, drink plenty of water and stay as cool as you can.

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

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.

“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.