Book Description:

Variety is the Spice of Life is a collection of poetry and short stories about relationships with others, including pets and animals inhabiting the world around us. The connection with others brings love and friendship, excitement and sometimes surprises, danger, mystery and sometimes the unexpected.

The poetry explores human nature, the fears, desires, expectations and achievements. Nature offers a wonderful opportunity to observe animals both domesticated and wild. Even in a back garden you can observe a wide variety of creatures and the daily challenges to survive a harsh environment.

The short stories introduces you to a healer whose gift comes with danger, a neighbour determined to protect a friend, a woman on the run, an old couple whose love has endured, an elderly retired teacher who faces a life changing accident, a secret that has been carried for over 70 years and a village who must unite as they face devastating news.

My Review:

I read Sally Cronin’s Variety is the Spice of Life quite a while ago, and recently when ‘tidying up’ my kindle I was surprised and somewhat dismayed to see I’d made notes on this lovely collection of poetry and prose that encompasses such a variety of themes – and not reviewed it.

So here I’m rectifying that.

The poetry at the start of the book is almost a study of the world around us. It’s an invitation to look once more at nature, however small and seemingly insignificant, and is portrayed through wonderfully insightful and sensitive words, so evocative that each piece evokes an image. I remember how, the first time I saw the poems, I read each of them out loud, relishing the sounds, the rhymes, the rhythms. And I would invite any reader to do the same – they come alive in that way, as does all good poetry. Sally has a way of capturing emotions and sensitively showing the uniqueness of the world around us – and the many layers in human nature.

The theme of the individuality, the variety of actions and reactions we are all capable of, is repeated over and over again in many subtle, and sometimes overt ways, throughout her prose. I was tempted to quote, to unpick each of the eight short stories, to describe the core, the main premise that runs through them. But, sticking to my decision not to reveal any spoilers in my reviews, I would just urge any potential reader to discover them for themselves. All reveal the writer’s natural gift for storytelling, of capturing the essence of characters and the world they inhabit. Some stories brought chuckles and a wry smile, others the feelings of sadness, of sharing fears and loss. And tears. Writing a short piece of prose is not an easy task; wrapping up a scene or a journey into a package that reveals a whole plot to the reader in so few words requires a special intuition on the part of the author. Sally Cronin shows she has a talent for such an understanding.

I can do no more, having given Variety is the Spice of Life a second reading, than to stress how much I recommend this offering from Sally. You won’t be disappointed.

A last word on the cover – a brilliant spicy image of the promising within!!

About the author

Sally Cronin is the author of eighteen books including her memoir Size Matters: Especially when you weigh 330lb first published in 2001 which followed her weight loss of 150lbs and the programme she designed to achieve a healthy weight and regain her health. A programme she shared with her clients over her 26 year career as a nutritional therapist and on her blog. This has been followed by another seventeen books both fiction and non-fiction including multi-genre collections of short stories and poetry.

Her latest book Size Always Matters is an extended and updated version of her original book Size Matters and now includes the nutritional element to losing weight and some recipes with ingredients that provide the nutrients necessary for healthy weight loss and continued good health.

As an author she understands how important it is to have support in marketing books and offers a number of FREE promotional opportunities in the Café and Bookstore on her blog and across her social media.

After leading a nomadic existence exploring the world, she now lives with her husband on the coast of Southern Ireland enjoying the seasonal fluctuations in the temperature of the rain.

Find Sally through the following links:

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine: https://tinyurl.com/5xskmavn

LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/3tn378xb

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sally.cronin

X: https://x.com/sgc58