Magic in the Backyard

by Kellie Elmore

Growing up in a small town, Kellie Elmore learned of love and loss within her humble “backyard” surroundings. Weaving stories inspired by these emotions and the vast nature of the East Tennessee foothills has become her passion. You will feel the enchantment at the center of this collection of prose and poetry as you are completely taken in by the allure of Magic in the Backyard.

Genres: Poetry

132 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

Born in the city of Columbus, Ohio and relocated to a rural town in East Tennessee at an early age, Kellie Elmore is a self proclaimed Southerner at heart, and a writer who believes self-expression is most beautiful in its pure, raw and unedited form. She transforms the simplest words into something you can feel, often immersing her readers in a sense of nostalgia. Kellie finds inspiration in nature and in the humble surroundings of her “backyard” – Southeast Tennessee.

Through her charming prose and engrossing narratives, Kellie writes freely on many subjects both fiction and semi-autobiographical, penning her way through cherished and magical moments as well as tragic losses. Her goal is to take readers back, rekindle a memory or elicit a feeling.

Kellie’s debut collection was recently featured in Southern Writers Magazine and the reviews have been consistent, all agreeing that Magic in the Backyard is a must read. Her poetry was also selected and included in the Voice Your Verse project, an anthology titled “If the World Were Your Classroom” by shesthefirst.org, a cause which helps fund girls education.

Currently, Kellie is writing her first full length novel.

Reviews

[Natasha Head · Rating 5 out of 5]

April saw me collect a number of poetry books in honor of National Poetry Month. "Magic in the Backyard" was one poetry collection I could not put down until I had finished it. (Normally I skip back and forth) Kellie Elmore had me completely caught up with life in Tennessee! The poems are fantastic, and the prose you will fall into, waking on a veranda on a summer afternoon with the smell of the fields and a glass of sweet tea. She pulls you in, and she does not let you go. It's a wonderful collection, that brings to mind all those wonderful memories of a time that was a little bit slower, a little bit simpler. It touches your heart and invigorates your senses. A must read collection for readers of any genre...and for fans of poetry...this one's GOLD!

[Monty Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who says you can't go home again? Kellie Elmore takes one home. For anyone who's lived in the country or small town, she delivers you back there. . .if just for a little while. and for those who've never known the slowed down pace and laid back style? know it through Kellie's eyes. but don't think she's all pretty posies and fields of green. She explores human relations through family and that innocent first kiss to lasting love of mature relationships. watch for this, my favorite line, "my pen is slow and my pages weeping" that line will stay with me always.

Monty Wheeler

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kellie Elmore takes the reader on an enchanted journey through verse. There is truly magic in this book. Whenever I feel down I take Kellie's book and let its poetry lift my mood. If you are seeking some magic, spend a few moment's in her backyard.

[Nicholas Trandahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

MAGIC IN THE BACKYARD, what I believe is Kellie Elmore's debut poetry collection, is yet another phenomenal offering from the folks at Winter Goose Publishing. Herein are poems that take me back to sultry summers and citrus-colored skies, rural dirt roads and fresh romance. These poems are at the other end of the spectrum from the grim and honest poetic offerings of Raymond Carver or William Stratton. These poems are magical and benevolent, reminding me much of Mary Oliver's innocent observations. Elmore is a visual poet, descriptive of the colors and surroundings that she remembers, especially her beloved South. There's not really a grittiness to many of the poems. They are enchanting and bucolic, and they fill a reader with nostalgia as though these experiences and vistas that Elmore writes of were their own memories. A beautiful collection of poems that right away convinced me to check out Elmore's later works.

[Patrick]

Just getting started, hit the wrong button...

[Breath of Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review will be short and sweet.

First I have always had an interest in poetry. When I was in 7th grade one of my English Teachers had the class try our hand at writing poetry. I had fun trying to write in different ways and loved some of the different points in writing poetry. Mrs. Stone encouraged me to keep writing. I lost my note book from that class a:

To read more of my review: https://breathoflifebookreviews.blogs...

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kellie paints beautiful pictures with her poetry as she tells stories about how life unfolds around her. Switching between the perspectives of childhood and adulthood, she employs the senses, memory and emotion to immerse the reader in each experience. Nature is a motif that is used consistantly in the collection, often personifying it, and giving her poetry a fairytale-like quality. In some poems you really feel the magic that the author is trying to create.

The poems get better as you read and I enjoyed the fact that they didn't always use the same structure. Overall, I think what I liked best about "Magic in the Backyard" is the lightness in the collection. Even when poems are more somber they still find a way to shine. I can't really explain it and would suggest reading it yourself to see what I mean.

If you're looking for a collection with beautiful imagery that will probably make you smile, this is it. It isn't the type of poetry that leaves much to interpretation and has a way of making the reader feel right at home.