Books
Please read my newest poetry book and order on Amazon:
The Coffee Café – 2025
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Praise for The Coffee Café
Through these empathetic, lyric poems, Carla Joy Martin narrates a search for connection and community, a drive that is timeless, universal, and of direct relevance in these divisive times. These place-based meditations are both introspective and outward-looking, attentive to conversation and alternate ways of perceiving and experiencing the world. The Coffee Café succeeds in finding a seat at the table for each of us.
—Matthew Woodman, English Department,
California State University of Bakersfield
I enjoyed reading the poems by Carla Joy Martin. I felt I was with her at the coffee shops. She observes life; the details of the place, the people; and perhaps their feelings. And she shares her feelings and her musings. I imbibed the poems, slowly sipping the luscious words of Carla Joy Martin.
—Portia Choi, co-founder of Kern Poetry and a poet
Through her tender, perceptive poems in The Coffee Café, Carla Joy Martin revels in connection with others and discovery of their—and her own—humanity and vulnerability. From childhood to motherhood to “a gaggle of gray-haired grandmothers” and from strangers to lovers, she bears witness to lives fully lived.
—Annis Cassells, author of What the Country Wrought
Relax while reading The Coffee Cafe, a book of contemporary poems by Carla Joy Martin who takes her readers inside the coffee house culture and inside the psychological mystery of relationships from an outsider’s view. Martin’s use of verse matches her sometimes personal narrative and lyrical style while tantalizing us with vivid imagery and deep themes of private and public connections.
—Professor Jana Wong, author of Time on Monk’ s Hill
Through Carla Joy Martin’s thoughtful observances, we see many things: the conundrums of small-city life, the pain and joy of family, the necessity of connection. In the end, this little pearl of hers, written with great tenderness, candor, and a delightful love of language, is an authentic song from the heart—best enjoyed with a cappuccino and a corner table in your favorite cafe.
—Jill Egland, Kern Poetry Foundation, Writer, Musician.
Please read my poetry book and order on Amazon:
A Kaleidoscope of Love – July 31, 2020
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Feeling adventurous, Carla Martin went to an Open Mic Poetry Night at a local coffee café. After she bravely read her poems to the audience, a good-looking gentleman came up to her and said. “I enjoyed your poems, would you read some of mine?” Something about the serious look in his eyes intrigued her, and she said “yes.” As she read his poems alone that night, Carla discovered a kindred soul — someone who had experienced grief like she had yet had hope for the future. She emailed him kind comments on all his poems. He emailed her back, asking for more of hers. Gradually, as they shared their poetry, they fell in love.The poems in this book, written in chronological order, follow Carla’s romantic journey through unexpected turns. Intimate and honest, Carla’s colorful words capture her emotions during this time. Feelings of excite-ment, trepidation, wonder, grief, and gratitude paint a beautiful picture — a kaleidoscope of love.