No Doves live Here – Annette Kalandros


Annette Kalandros, a retired teacher, living in New Mexico, is honored to have work featured in the following collections: As the World Burns: Writers and Artists Reflect on a World Gone Mad. Through The Looking Glass: Reflecting on Madness and Chaos Within. The Pinecone Review: Be Proud with Pride Edition and Survival Edition. Women Speak: The Women of Appalachia Project. SETU International Magazine and Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women. Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology. My debut collection is The Gift of Mercy.

You can read more of her write at Hearing the Mermaids Sing

Daily Creativity Prompt – A Sparrow Stirs its Wings

In honor of its 5th anniversary, Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless are teaming up this November to sponsor a series of 30 daily creativity prompts, comprised of the titles of our 25 published books and four upcoming titles, along with a couple fun phrases to round it out. We think our book titles are pretty damn cool and we hope they spark your creativity. You are welcome to respond to as many that inspire you.

There is only one rule to the prompt challenge: the book title or phrase should serve as the title of your piece OR all the words in the title should be integrated into your piece somehow.   

Note: Some of IB books have fabulous subtitles. Want an extra challenge? Try integrating the subtitle into your response

It is our honor and pleasure to publish your prompt responses on Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless . We welcome poetry, prose, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, and high-res original art inspired by the prompts.

How to Submit

  • Email your submission to indieblucollective@gmail.com
  • Writing can be submitted in the body of the email or as a separate Word document or PDF
  • If you are submitting writing, please include a suggested image to accompany your work. Unsplash and Pixabay are two of our favorite sites for royalty-free images.
  • Your email should include your name EXACTLY as you want it to appear on Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless, a short biography, and any links you want shared.

Indie Blu(e) Publishing was honored to republish Rachel Finch’s stunning debut book of poetry A Sparrow Stirs its Wings. Finch, the author of Conversations With My Higher Self, is the powerhouse behind the Bruised But Not Broken community on Facebook, which provides support and healing for trauma survivors. She is a symbol of hope and light throughout the world.

“Every now and then, when the world seems to be rocked in chaos and people are screaming without listening – vile words and cries for help climbing on top of and over each other – a single voice stands out, and that voice is pure in its truth and stunning in its wisdom. Rachel Finch, and her debut book, A Sparrow Stirs its Wings, is that voice right now. Turning her heartbreaking abuse into heart-wrenching prose, Finch writes her truth and gives her strength to every unnamed victim turned survivor.”

-Nicole Lyons, The Lithium Chronicle: Volume One and Two

“A mark of a great poet is the ability to make emotional connection with their audience, and Rachel Finch does exactly that.”

Faye K. Brown, Beautifully Damaged Things

To purchase A Sparrow Stirs its Wings, click here.

Publication Date: June 3, 2019

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1732800069

Rachel Finch is a UK-based writer who originally started using poetry as a way to accurately express herself after a number of traumatic experiences in her young life. She is the founder of the online community ‘Bruised But Not Broken’ which was started with the purpose to raise awareness of abuse and trauma as well as to provide a place of comfort and support throughout the healing process. She firmly believes that it was with the support of this community that she was able to recover from sexual abuse. Rachel is mother to four young children and dedicates her time to her family and to guiding others on their own healing journey.

Rachel’s titles include Conversation with My Higher SelfA Sparrow Stirs its Wings, and I am Draped in Soul, It is a Nakedness.

You can connect with Rachel on FacebookInstagram, and WordPress.

Indie Blu(e) Publishing 5th Anniversary International Giveaway

In honor of Indie Blu(e) Publishing’s 5th anniversary, we are giving away four bundles of IB titles to thank our loyal readers for their support and to welcome the new. We have previously posted three bundles: a bundle on Instagram, one on Facebook, and a third on our blog. We are happy to share this fourth special international bundle, which includes books from IB’s international authors. A winner will be randomly chosen on December 8th.

For a chance to win this bundle:

1. Like this post

2. Follow Indie Blu(e) on Instagram or Facebook @indiebluepublishing or on WordPress @indieblu.net

3. Comment on this post your favorite Indie Blu(e) Publishing book cover & tag a friend

Please note: This giveaway is open to international fans only. Please comment only once per post. Only comments under this original announcement post from Indie Blu(e) Publishing will be counted.

Conversations With My Higher Self – Georgiann Carlson

“Seriously?  EARTH?  What were we thinking?  And female?

AND at a time when the world is going insane?  And don’t give me any of 

that, it’s an exciting time to be alive, or, we came here to learn, get

experience, 

to do something we need to do!  You  know I don’t believe any of that

garbage.  

We must be psychotic to keep  coming back here.  How boring can it be

to be dead, that we need to come here?  

I think this is a prison planet, that’s one reason we can’t escape.  We’re too

violent, 

as a species, to be let loose in the universe.  The other lifeforms will blow us

up if 

we get too far past our bases on the moon.  That wouldn’t be a bad thing.  

Not really.  

Earth, the planet of lies.  And we’re here. ONE MORE TIME.

Think about it, Higher Self of mine, we have to learn from scratch, every

time we incarnate.  

Born completely helpless, we have to do the same things again and again,

and AGAIN.

And you know how much I hate repetition.  How many times can we learn to

read?

Tie our shoes, or WALK?  Talk about stupid, stupid, stupid.

And all of this, our bodies are a miracle, stuff, is just more lies.  We’re a bad

design from the start.

The only animal that’s helpless for years.  Can’t see, talk, run, or even sit up.

We are prey,

waiting for the lion to come along.  And we break, get sick, and die so

easily, it’s hardly worth talking 

about.  And as strong as we are, and as fast as we can heal, we are fragile.

One hit on the head

and it’s over.

So, BAD design.  Weak and helpless for far too long.  A giraffe falls out of her

mother, shakes

her head and gets up and runs.  We, can’t even turn over.  How is that a

miracle?  The giraffe, 

now that’s a miracle, us, NO.  Helpless to the point of insanity.

And then there’s the violence, all the emotions, and the fact that no one

understands anyone

else, at all.  Each individual lives in a different reality.  How is that a good

thing?  And all the hate

and misery.  Why did you let us come here?  Surely, you’re responsible for

half of the decision.

And exactly what do you do, while I’m squashed in this body?  Just ride

around in my consciousness, 

not feeling anything, just enjoying the ride?  You realize this entire thing is

so idiotic that it’s a waste of 

everyone’s time and if there is a thing in charge of it all, I want to have a

long talk with it before I set it 

on fire and watch it burn. 

Okay, I admit that we have had fun.  We’ve had a good life,  but still, I know I

could be doing

something else, like riding a unicorn, or working in a bookstore on a planet

that’s really cool, where

the books are alive and everyone loves to read.  But no, back on

earth, where people believe in

invisible gods that tell them to rape children and kill women.  Great choice.

What were we thinking

and how can we fix it so we NEVER come here again?

What do you mean you’re going to play bridge, so you have to leave?  

You’re playing cards with a unicorn

partner?  How is that fair?  And there’s cake?  See, this is why people hate

themselves.  What do you mean

you were the half that wore the body suit last time?  You mean I stayed on

the other side?  You have to stop

us from coming here.  We can’t do this again.  It’s old news.  It’s a bad play

with terrible actors.  I mean really

terrible actors, “D” list actors, who can’t remember their lines, or even know

they’re in a play.  Half the time no 

one shows up.  

Okay, yes, there are cats.  What do you mean we came back for the cats?  

Fine, go play bridge with the unicorn.  May all your hands be Grand Slams.  

I’m not doing this again, just so 

you know, and you better step up your game until this is over.  And stay

out of my dreams.

Don’t over bid your hand.  Yes, I know the unicorn is a good player.  I’m

never coming back here again.  Never.  I don’t

care if I said that before, I’m not coming back.  Never,  got it?  

NEVER!   Never, ever, ever, ever.  EVER!  EVER!

Photo:  Pixabay


I’m an artist, a writer, a vegetarian, an animal rights activist, and quite a few other things as well. I love books, cats, philosophy, good conversation, Chicago and the arts. So my blog is full of bits and pieces but it’s the bits and pieces that make life interesting to me. You can read more of my writing at Rethinking Life

Daily Creativity Prompt – Conversations With My Higher Self

In honor of its 5th anniversary, Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless are teaming up this November to sponsor a series of 30 daily creativity prompts, comprised of the titles of our 25 published books and four upcoming titles, along with a couple fun phrases to round it out. We think our book titles are pretty damn cool and we hope they spark your creativity. You are welcome to respond to as many that inspire you.

There is only one rule to the prompt challenge: the book title or phrase should serve as the title of your piece OR all the words in the title should be integrated into your piece somehow.   

Note: Some of IB books have fabulous subtitles. Want an extra challenge? Try integrating the subtitle into your response

It is our honor and pleasure to publish your prompt responses on Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless . We welcome poetry, prose, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, and high-res original art inspired by the prompts.

How to Submit

  • Email your submission to indieblucollective@gmail.com
  • Writing can be submitted in the body of the email or as a separate Word document or PDF
  • If you are submitting writing, please include a suggested image to accompany your work. Unsplash and Pixabay are two of our favorite sites for royalty-free images.
  • Your email should include your name EXACTLY as you want it to appear on Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless, a short biography, and any links you want shared.

British poet Rachel Finch is the powerhouse behind the Bruised But Not Broken community on Facebook, which provides support and healing for trauma survivors. She is a symbol of hope and light throughout the world. She returns a year after the release of her 5-star debut A Sparrow Stirs its Wings with her second book, Conversations With My Higher Self.

Conversations With My Higher Self recounts Finch’s personal experience with a near-death, out-of-body life-changing event during the delivery of her eldest daughter. Written in beautiful and mesmerizing verse, Conversations With My Higher Self is a provocative book. Honest, spiritual, and cathartic, Finch gives us a tantalizing glimpse of what is on the other side- transformation, light and love.

“This book is a book like none you’ve read before and that alone is a powerful testament to Finch’s artistic brilliance. She executes her near-death and resurrection experiences in such a way as to bring the reader with her to this incredible other-world. As Finch evolves, I felt myself evolving. “She is not quiet, the evolving is an unfolding and I am origami in the wind.” CWMHS has the power to change you, the reader, to change your mindset and see yourself and your life in an entirely different light. This book is a must-have for all lovers of poetry and anyone who has had or who has known someone with a near-death and out-of-body experience.”

-Melody Lee, author of Moon Gypsy, and Season of the Sorceress

To purchase Conversations With My Higher Self, click here

Publication Date: May 14, 2019

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1732800052

Rachel Finch is a UK-based writer who originally started using poetry as a way to accurately express herself after a number of traumatic experiences in her young life. She is the founder of the online community ‘Bruised But Not Broken’ which was started with the purpose to raise awareness of abuse and trauma as well as to provide a place of comfort and support throughout the healing process. She firmly believes that it was with the support of this community that she was able to recover from sexual abuse. Rachel is mother to four young children and dedicates her time to her family and to guiding others on their own healing journey.

Rachel’s titles include Conversation with My Higher SelfA Sparrow Stirs its Wings, and I am Draped in Soul, It is a Nakedness.

You can connect with Rachel on FacebookInstagram, and WordPress.