Bundle up and have a wonderful week. ❤️

Hello, blog friends. 

If you live in the U.S.A., I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving. In Northern Arizona where I live, my husband and I enjoyed a feast with the fireplace blazing. It's gotten quite chilly here. Evenings dip below freezing, and the temps slowly rise to the high-forties in the afternoon. When the winds pick up, it's mighty cold.

I live at an elevation of 5,000 feet, and snow-capped mountains surround the area. The seasons are all distinct and beautiful. I mention this because writer Colleen Chesebro has sent forth an invitation to compose a poem focused on the current season - as experienced in our particular locale.

My contribution is a simple tanka (5-7-5-7-7). With my intro to this geographical area, I hope you'll have a special appreciation for what I try to convey in just a few words. Enjoy! 

Have a wonderful weekend and cuddle up! Winter is just around the corner. 😊

Hello, blog friends. 

Last week I promised to share a bit about the inspiration for writing The Gift with today's post.

The story takes place in the late 1940s and 1950s. World War II had ended. A young high schooler falls in love with a college student and becomes pregnant. With that development, the story begins. 

The Gift is fictional, but the inspiration emerged from real-life situations. I was conceived during the post-war celebrations in San Diego. Mom was nineteen, Catholic, and ashamed. When she told her father of the pregnancy, he embraced her and said, "Often the first baby arrives early, but all the rest arrive on time." She married my dad and had eight more children, and just as my grandfather had predicted, they were all on time.  

Fifty years later, while I was an administrator at Fairfield University in Connecticut, another nineteen-year-old gave birth. Because of her shame, she told no one of her situation and was found unconscious in the dormitory. The baby did not survive. Her mother came immediately and offered much love. Three years later, she graduated with honors. 

A year after the above tragedy, I received an anonymous phone call indicating that another freshman student was pregnant. I met with this child and took her to the doctor. Like the other student, she had received no care during the pregnancy. The doctor told her that she was due any day. After much urging, the student called her parents. Her mother arrived about an hour later and shouted her disapproval, yelling that she'd have a doctor induce labor, then they'd give the baby away, and no one would know of the pregnancy. The scene haunts me still. I don't know what happened to this very guilt-ridden young woman, because her mother withdrew her from the university immediately.

What about the fathers? The first young woman broke up with her boyfriend. The second never knew the father of her baby, because she had passed out at a party and had been raped. 

The Gift focuses on the power of love. It alone can release the tentacles of shame. In my novella, I tried to capture that dynamic by offering a contrast through the characters:  acceptance/rejection and tenderness/mercilessness. ❤️ It pleases me immensely to read your reviews and see that, in one way or another, love is underscored in the wintery Christmas story. A special gift is on its way to Priscilla Bettis for having identified the inspiration. 
​
​I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. We have much to be grateful for, and I hope you and your family find ways to celebrate this truth. 

Since most of us are busy with holiday preparations, I've closed the comments for today.  

I look forward to traveling to your blog and reading your poetry. Let's dream a bit and make it a wonderful week. Rain or shine, cold or warm, we've so much to be grateful for. 
​❤️

Hello, blog friends!
​
Today I have the extraordinary pleasure of welcoming author ​D. Wallace Peach to my blog. Her novella, The Seas of Time, is the fourth book in the Harbor Pointe series, and today is Release Day. I've already turned it's pages and can attest that this is an entrancing, 5-Star read. 

Most of you know Diana, but here's a few brief facts about her. She lives in an area much like the fictional town of Harbor Pointe. She and her husband reside in a log cabin, tucked away amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon's rainforest. They've befriended two owls, a horde of bats, and the occasional family of coyotes.

A long-time reader, best-selling author D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life when years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books. She was instantly hooked.

In addition to fantasy books, Peach’s publishing career includes participation in various anthologies featuring short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She’s an avid supporter of the arts in her local community, organizing and publishing annual anthologies of Oregon prose, poetry, and photography.

BLURB:

In 1858, a ship carrying ice from Alaska wrecked off the coast of California, and little does Taliah Keldan realize how that tragedy will impact her life in 1972.

When Tali decides to quit college and become a civil rights activist, her disappointed parents encourage her to think it over. What better spot for contemplation than at her aunt and uncle’s Harbor Pointe Inn, a charming seaside getaway with its own lighthouse? The place is under renovation and empty of guests. All she’ll have to deal with is the construction crew.

But the inn is far from peaceful.

Tali discovers an old Bible hidden in the lighthouse keeper’s cottage. Strange prayers angle down the margins, all but one ruined by the sea. When she deciphers the crude writing, a dark portal gapes open to a pre-civil war night when an escaped slave in a foundering ship prayed to his voodoo God. A winged creature emerges from the watery void, and her stay transforms into a nightmare.

With the aid of the construction foreman, Tali is determined to send the beast back through time, a choice that will risk their lives, test her convictions, and change her future.

If the above sounds exciting, I can assure you that it is. Below are a few links that will lead you to Diana and The Seas of Time: 


IMPORTANT LINKS:  AMAZON      WEBSITE      BLOG 

Hello blog friends,

My husband and I have been on the road this past week, visiting with his adult children in Southern California. It was delightful to reconnect and learn of all the developments in each family - new jobs, recent moves, fun projects, and much more. 

The drive to and from was a tad demanding (7 hours each way), and unfortunately, due to WiFi complications, I could not visit your blogs. BUT, I hope to catch up on sleep AND each of your posts this week. 😊

​On Saturday, we celebrated Veteran's Day with two of Larry's kids. He was all smiles and full of stories of time past, making the day one to remember.

I hope this past week blessed you with good health and plenty of laughter. I'll stop by for a visit sometime over these next few days. All the best to you and yours! 

Hello dear blog friends!

I hope you're keeping warm during this late autumn season. Temperatures in my area have dipped, and nights can be very cold. I often wrap a favorite quilt around me.  

With the season in mind, writer Colleen Chesebro invites us to select at least one descriptive word (Kigo) from her list to use in a poem. I've chosen long nights, autumn winds, and quilt.

Below is a simple tanka, with syllables of 5-7-5-7-7. I'd love to know if you relate to this seasonal experience. 

Have a wonderful week and bundle up! 

Blessings to all. ❤️

Hello, blog friends! 

Today I'm super excited to announce the release of the third book in the Harbor Pointe series: The Destination by D. L. Finn.

Denise hails from a remote area in the Sierra foothills of California, where she lives with her family, both two- and four-legged. In that rustic area, she writes through the genres. Surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity soars.

Each of Denise's books carries her signature love of the wilds, and this latest book is no exception. You'll find that nature abounds, as does intrigue. Below is the blurb. 

Happy reading! 

Hello blog friends,

I've another poem to share. This week, poet Colleen Chesebro asks participants to focus on the last breath of Autumn (October 22 - November 5). We are to use at least one kigo word (a Japanese word referring to the use of words that indicate the season) and any syllabic form. I've created two tankas. 

My kigo words are: winds, chilly, bare branches, and Hunter's moon. If you're unfamiliar with the Hunter's moon, it is officially full at 3:35 p.m. EST on October 28. Won't you please let me know if you watch it rise? 😊

Aspens abound in my area and often appear in my stories. Today, they take center stage in the poem below. I hope you enjoy it. 
​

Have an incredible week! I wish you clear night skies for viewing this special moon. 

All the best,
​Gwen

Dear blog friends,

I'm excited to share author Teri Polen's post with you today. Throughout this month, Teri interviewed writers about things scary and ordinary. It's been a fun experience for all, and today, I'm in the hot seat. 

If you have a chance, venture over to Teri's and say hello. You might find new friends and writers from all genres. 

If you're unfamiliar with Teri's writing, click on the image below to travel to Amazon. She's an amazing writer, and she's managed to scare more than a few of us. 🎃

Have a wonderful day! 

Hello blog friends,

I've a poem to share. Colleen Chesebro invites interested poets to create an autumn poem focused on the theme of Cold Dew. We are to use our local area as the stimulus. 

In the high desert of Arizona, autumn mornings can be very chilly. I bundle up to go outside. It hasn't snowed yet, but there's a bit of frost. 

My tanka offers a glimpse of the season, as experienced at an elevation of 5,000 feet. I hope you enjoy it.  😊

Maybe you have a poem to share? I'd love to read it if you do. Till next week, let's all find time to enjoy the change in seasons.  

Dear blog friends,

It's hard to believe that The Gift rolls off the press today - October 17th. I'm excited. Yay!

​The project began at the first of the year, when the eight women writers in Story Empire put their thoughts together and birthed a collective project. Ultimately, we decided on three elements to include in each story: the Hawthorne family, a Lighthouse, and the small town of Harbor Pointe. Each story is unique and is ordered by the story's timeline.

My novella is the second in the series and takes place in the late '40s and 50's. 

My fellow Harbor Pointe writers: 

Have a wonderful week! 

Hello, dear blog friends ~ 

Autumn has arrived in the high desert of Arizona. Chilly winds create trails of fallen leaves, while migrating birds say their brief hellos and fly south. Coats, hats, and gloves have replaced summer's light wear, and I wonder where time now hides.

Colleen Chesebro invites us to consider the season and submit a poem. The tanka below was easy to write. Seeing geese at the river's edge, I flew with them for a bit and with my poem, I tried to capture that movement. I hope you like it. 

My descriptive autumn words (Japanese Kigo) include - grey skies, fields golden, and geese at the river's edge. Maybe you'd like to offer a poem for this beautiful season? I'd love to read it. 

​Have a wonderful week, dear friends. ❤️

Hello blog friends,

I've arisen from a Covid slumber to share a poem. Colleen Chesebro asked her followers to write a seasonal poem using featured Kigo words. I couldn't resist her invitation and created a simple Haiku (5-7-5). I hope you enjoy it. 

I wish you well, and hope you avoid this latest Covid variant. It's a doozy. ❤️

For more information, check out Colleen's website: 24 Seasons – Tanka Tuesday 

Cold, windy, and mind-blowing. It's hard to describe the vastness of Alaska, but those three words capture the journey with my sisters along the Alaskan shores.

It was a blessed trip with ample time for shared stories and laughter, but it was wonderful to return to the Port of Seattle and step foot on solid ground. The high waves of 12' or more rocked the ship mercilessly every day of our trip. 

Upon disembarking, hubby and I headed to the Spokane area of Washington to visit with my brother and his family for a few days. I'm the eldest of the crew, and this brother is #5. Again, we shared stories, enjoyed their garden, and talked of a family reunion in 2025. If you haven't guessed, my extended family is the size of a small city, and we have to plan far in advance to arrange for accommodations.  😊

On a sad note, before leaving Spokane, we received word that one of my sisters tested positive for Covid. We felt fine, but by the time we arrived at our home, not so. We tested and sure enough, both my husband and I were positive for Covid. Then the next day, my brother tested positive. Bummer! 

We're all doing much better now, but this new variant is a demanding bugger, so take good care of yourselves.   ❤️ 

You might recall that my prior post introduced The Gift. It will be released in two weeks, though it's available for preorder now. I explained that this novella is a fictional Christmas story involving three families. To add to the festivity, I hid three presents under a tree for three readers who identify the inspiration for the story. 

Writers are inspired by almost anything. The smallest detail can capture our imagination and prompt a story. With The Gift, it was an emotion that sparked the story. That's my hint. 😊

Have a wonderful week, dear friends. I hope to visit your sites this week. ❤️

Hello, dear blog friends.

In just a few hours, I head north to Alaska with my three sisters. The four of us have talked about this journey for months, and finally, we're packed, ready, and super excited. The weather forecast is for rain every day and temps in the 40s. For this desert gal, that's a bit chilly--and wet. BUT we're equipped with hooded coats and sweaters, so we'll be fine. 

The purpose of our trip is to get to know each other better as adults. We've lived in different parts of the country, and though we've visited each other at funerals and weddings, we've not spent quality time together since we were kids. This is a reunion of the heart.  

Before I say goodbye, I've something to share. 

Earlier this year, the eight women writers in Story Empire embarked on a journey together. We decided to write a series in which each novella included three common threads: (1) the small fictional town of Harbor Pointe in northern California, (2) its prominent lighthouse, and (3) one or more members of the Hawthorne family. We chose our genre and the timeframe. As a consequence, each story is unique and a standalone. 

The first book of the series, The Price of Atonement by Mae Clair, takes place in the 1880s. It will be released on September 26th, and it is available for presale now.

My book, The Gift, is the second in the series, and it staggers the 1940s and 50s. It, too, is available for preorder and will be released on October 17th. ​

Hello dear blog friends,

On this beautiful early fall day, writer Colleen Chesebro presents us with another great poetry prompt. She invites us to use the photo below (taken by Terri Webster Schrandt) as our inspiration. Terri explains:

My response is a simple Tanka (5-7-5-7-7 syllables). I hope you enjoy it. 

Have a wonderful week, and let's all drift with the currents -- at least in our dreams. ❤️

Hello blog friends,

Today I'm delighted to welcome author D. L. Finn to help celebrate her New Release: Deep in the Forest Where Poetry Blooms.

Most of you know Denise well. Through her imaginative stories, we've traveled with her - into the forest and the ocean. She lives in the Sierra foothills of Northern California with her husband, dogs, and cats. Surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedar trees, it's no wonder Denise's books often include forest magic. When I asked her about this, she explained that, "Nature is where I feel most at peace. It’s why it shows up often in my poetry and fiction."

One of Denise's favorite expressions is embrace your inner child, and she takes this directive seriously. Besides hikes into the woods or dives into the sea, Denise often travels through the mountains and the countryside on her Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Her husband is always nearby on his cycle. Denise claims that the wind through her hair gives her life. Beautiful image, right?

Deep in the Forest Where Poetry Blooms, Book Two of Just Her Poetry, takes readers into Denise's magical world. My copy arrives today, and I'm looking forward to savoring each poem in the collection. Maybe you'd like to join me?

As a special treat, Denise offers a Giveaway. She writes, "To celebrate my latest release, I will randomly choose a winner from the comment section for one $5 Amazon Gift Card." 😊

From Fall

I feel moon's soft pull
the loving beams beckon me
to dance under stars
guided by the autumn gleam
on a carpet of red & gold

From Musings from the Back of a Harley

Memories

Clustered in the granite wall
Yellow and purple flowers thrived,
Tugging at my childhood memories,
Of a room so once decorated.
When purple gently soothed.
And yellow's cheerful brilliance.
Both offered hopeful innocence.
Wind caressed those sweet times,
Until happiness is released.

A rumble through my past.
Accented in a sparkling green comfort
Beneath the always watchful azure sky.
My inner child soars on the back of a Harley.

From Poetry Stories and Some Truth: Told through haibuns

Magic Pages

The magical gift sits next to my bed. Dressed in black leather, it holds the ideas of generations. I
gently open the promise of endless entertainment in the two hundred and thirty pages. I can
barely contain my joy with so many words that offer knowledge, insight, thrills, adventure,
heartbreak, or laughter. It may take more than one lifetime to explore. Yet, it's never full and always welcomes new editions onto its electronic shelves—even the bad ones. It is my paradise.

add to my Kindle
with the best of intentions…
to read every word

BOOKS

In the Tree's Shadow: Short Stories
A Voice in the Silence: Paranormal Romantic Thriller
Just Her Poetry: Free Verse Poems
The Destination: Historical Fiction

Angel & Evildwel Series
This Last Chance
The Button
This Second Chance

Hello, blog friends!

Today poet Colleen Chesebro provides a new challenge. We are invited to create a syllabic poem using synonyms for quiet and seek. Provocative, right?  

I've chosen to write two tanka. My words include peace, reverence, journey, travelers, pursue, guide, shepherd . . . hmm, it looks like I connect with seek. But don't we all? 

I hope you enjoy the poem, but more importantly, I hope your journey is especially kind to you today. Have a wonderful week! 😊
​

Hello, blog friends! 

I hope you've had a grand week. It's been a busy one for me, a bit of a blur. But today I pause and share a photo prompt from poet Colleen Chesebro. She invites all interested writers to create a syllabic Ekphrastic poem inspired by French artist Berthe Morisot. The oil painting is entitled, Eugene Manet on the Isle of Wight, and it is featured below.

My poem is a simple Tanka (syllables 5-7-5-7-7). I hope you enjoy it. 

Have a fantastic weekend, dear friends. In my area, we're expecting more storms, laced with hot gusts of desert winds. The monsoon often surprises us in August and September. Seeing today's prompt brought me back into Spring. It seems so long ago, doesn't it? 

Be well, and let's enjoy the surprises. 😊

Hello blog friends,​

I've been absent for the week, but I'm back home and looking forward to visiting your blogs.

This week Colleen Chesebro has a new prompt for those interested in writing poems. She asks that we use at least one of the seasonal words or phrases that she has listed on her site. I've included the following in my poem: summer groves, cumulous clouds, sundresses, and bare feet. And looking at the canva photo, I'd love to be walking there bare footed right now, wouldn't you?

My poem is a "Classic Etheree" of ten lines with a syllable count of 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10. I've entitled it, To Breathe. I hope you enjoy it.

Have a wonderful week, dear friends. Breathe deeply and soak in life. I'll meet you on your site. ❤️

Hello blog friends,

I've missed reading your posts this past week, because I've been away. I'll try to catch up - that's a promise. In the meanwhile here's a peek at where I've been - Carlsbad Beach in Southern California. I've been visiting with family and friends, and also sightseeing a bit.

You might remember a poem I wrote a while back. This beach inspired the tanka. I'm sharing it with you again, because it's a reminder of life's mercy.
​

I hope you've had a wonderful week. Hubby and I returned early from our travels because of Hilary. We went through an intense electrical storm in Arizona, but after an hour of driving in blinding rain, we emerged into sunlight. May you be as fortunate. 🌞

​Gwen

Hello dear friends,

This week Colleen Chesebro invites us to write a syllabic poem using a collective noun for a  gathering of a chosen animal. I've selected the pronghorn, because I see them every day. 

I live in the higher elevations of Arizona, just north of Prescott. It's an area of grassy plains and wild pronghorn. Herds of these magnificent animals grace the countryside. Though much like an antelope, they are not related to them. Rather, their closest relative is the giraffe. And since they run at speeds up to 60 miles an hour, only the cheetah can out pace them. 

My poem is a simple tanka, syllables of 5-7-5-7-7. I hope you enjoy it.  

If you've never seen a pronghorn, you might like to open this link to the National Wildlife Federation's post about these beautiful animals. 

Have a wonderful rest of your week, hopefully with cool breezes.🌞