The Alchemy of Then – Review by Sharon Frame Gay

Greetings!

Many thanks go out to Sharon Frame Gay for this incredible review! I’m truly honored 🙂

“Jim Bates recalls moments in time with poems that lead you through the door of his imagination into such memories as summer mornings, classrooms, icy ponds and building model airplanes. From childhood loss, to adventure and joy, he explores emotions we have all experienced. Some life lessons are hard. Others are magical. Each poem stands on its own, yet when read all together, the author blends each piece into one another seamlessly. As he reflects upon baking oatmeal cookies with his mother, our own memory banks open and we withdraw events from long ago. We, too, want to help stir the cookie dough. We, too, reflect on the fine line between life and death when a young boy falls into a lake, and conjure up our own ghosts. And we, too, can enjoy a simple day cast in a simpler time. I did not want this book to end. Tonight I will pour a cup of tea, and remember…”The Alchemy of Then”. Alchemy indeed, as Jim Bates casts memories into gold.””

Published by Jim Bates

Here are Jim's publications: Resilience, a collection of twenty-seven short stories, was published through Bridge House Publishing in February of 2021. Periodic Stories, a collection of thirty-one stories, was published in March of 2021 by Impspired. Periodic Stories Volume Two, a collection of twenty-six stories, was published in July 2021 by Impspired. Short Stuff, a collection of thirty-two flash fiction and drabbles, was published July 2021, through Chapeltown Books. Something Better, a dystopian adventure novella, was published in July 2021, by Dark Myth Publications. Dreamers, a collection of thirty-six short stories was published in March 2022, by Clarendon House Publishing. Periodic Stories Volume Three - A Novel was published in May 2022, by Impspired. All of his publications are available on Amazon or through the respective publisher. View more posts