Hello dear blog friends! It's been quite the year, hasn't it? If nothing else, 2021 prompted many of us to read more. I'm not a prolific reader, but this past year I enjoyed almost seventy books - non fiction and fiction. Today I'd like to share a few of these blessings with you. 

The first four books are ones that deeply touched my soul. Each involves choices, each deals with threat and fear, and importantly, each underscores the resilience of the human spirit. 

The Choice by Dr. Edith Eva Eger is a memoir of surviving Auschwitz. The circumstances are horrifying, but they bear relevance to today's embattled world and that is what grabbed my heart and wouldn't let go. This is a powerful and transformative book, one you will not forget. 

Simple by Anita Dawes is a very different story, but there are overlapping themes to The Choice. The setting is a backwoods family - a brutal and disfunctional family. Survival is tenuous at best. Dawes is masterful in drawing the reader into this complex situation. Her prose is almost poetic as she reveals a story of love and loss. 

​Telling Sonny by Elizabeth Gauffreau marks time through the pregnancy of the protagonist. This is heart-tugging story that again involves choices. There were no extremes, so startling revelations. Rather Gauffreau skillfully leads us to a decision that must be made. I was and am in awe of Gauffreau's beautiful writing ability. 

Maude by Donna Foley Mabry is a historical biography of the writer's grandmother. It is a captivating story of the early 1900s. The reader accompanies Maude through the Great Depression and the Pandemic of 1918 and follows her from her marriage at 14. The theme of choices is again prominant, even though often those choices were not freely made. 

These four books earned 5-stars from me and I highly recommend each of them. 

The next two books are collections of short stories. I enjoyed both tremendously and gave them 5-star reviews.

​Life Is Like A Bowl Of Cherries by Sally Cronin is a collection focused on the everyday miracles of life, those unseen moments when a person makes a selfless decison to reach out to another person. The characters are ordinary folks. They are approachable, relateable...they are like you and me. This is a beautiful book, even a preicous one. 

Things Old And Forgotten by Mae Clair spans genres. From whimsical to chilling and poignant to heartening, there's something for everyone. I appreciated the focus on choices made and choices regretted, as well, the glimpses into the reasons for those choices. 

​Both of these books are gems!

For the holiday season, I read uplifting Christmas novellas. Each of these short stories warmed my heart and I think they would yours as well. They also earned 5-star reviews from me. 

Oh Baubles by Harmony Kent is a love story between two struggling individuals, who in the process of finding love, also manage to heal their buried grief. Kent writes beautifully and powerfully. I found this book to be very life-affirming.

A Long Walk Home by D.L. Finn is a story of contrasts -- light and dark, good and evil, cold and warmth. Underlying it all is the theme of the book which is hope. If you love angels, magic, and tenderness, this one is for you. 

No Such Luck by Staci Troilo is a light romance involving a past attraction and a long-time childhood friend. This feel-good story is perfect for the holiday season, as you'll feel joyful at its conclusion. Well-written and beautifully crafted, this is a delightful read.

Mountain Laurel Christmas by Jan Sikes takes us through a lifetime of ups and downs, until  finally, there is a life-changing awakening. Hope abounds in this story, as we easily idenitify with the character and celebrate with him. 

2021 was a busy, demanding year but through its hurdles, we grew stronger - and we met new friends through the books we read. I'm deeply grateful for all of you and pray that all of us experience increased joy in the New Year of 2022.

Hello dear blog friends! It's been a busy few weeks, hasn't it? But, in just a couple days, it will be Christmas and life's pace will begin to slow. 

Today I've posted on Story Empire, and I hope you'll visit. I have a special message for all readers and writers. 

May your holidays be richly blessed with joy and good health. 'Till we meet each other again in the New Year, warmest regards, Gwen

Hello blog friends! It's Tanka Tuesday and author Colleen Chesebro invites poets to consider the holidays through our verse as we collectively move deep into winter. Days are shorter, the winds colder, but doesn't excitement warm our hearts? 

My poem is about gratitude - for great loves, for friends unseen, for the glimmers of hope unexpected. And I wish you a very happy week. 

Dear friends, if you've a moment, please join me at Story Empire today as I discuss "Canceled and/or Beloved." I think you'll meet some of your favorite writers ... 

​All the best, Gwen

Hello blog friends! Today I'm pleased to host writer C.S. Boyack. Craig is a friend and fellow member of the writers group, Story Empire. If you've read one of his books, you know he's got a great sense of humor and an even greater imagination.

An Idahoan who loves nature, Craig writes whenever he's got a free moment. Busy though he is, he makes time for writing. It's one of his great loves, as is obvious by his long list of top-notch publications.  

I've read four of Craig's books, and all have earned 5-stars from me. As you might suspect, I'm really looking forward to reading his latest.

Rather than me saying more, let's invite Craig to tell us about his book. Craig, it's all yours . . . 

Thanks for having me back today. I’m here to talk about Wreck of the Lanternfish. This is the
conclusion of my trilogy, and I want to tell you how it became a trilogy in the first place.

I wanted to write a gunpowder fantasy. These are not medieval in nature, like most fantasies.
Time marched on and gunpowder is part of the mix. This led me through a couple of ideas, but
pirates kept floating to the surface, and Voyage of the Lanternfish was born.

I’m kind of known for stand alone stories. My inner circle kept prodding me to write a series, and
I always take them seriously. After the first volume came out, I got a lot of comments and
correspondence asking for more. One even asked for a story solely about root monsters.

I thought I left it all on the page. I truly expected to move on to something else. Requests for
more are powerful things, and I couldn’t ignore that. I went through the idea that a series just
involves more stories in the existing environment. The world of Lanternfish is quite rich in lore,
creatures, and even monsters. Somehow, the idea of sailing somewhere else and taking on a
quest didn’t quite work for me.

Sales were going well, comments kept coming in. Then, one afternoon, Star Wars came on the
television. (As it so often does.) The Muse whispered in my ear and the idea of a classic trilogy
hit me.

Voyage of the Lanternfish involved several characters being exposed to something much
bigger than their ordinary lives. The country was on the verge of war. I already had a worthy
ship with more cannon than anything else at sea. How might it, under the guidance of it’s
captain, play a role in the coming war?

HMS Lanternfish followed, and in classic style there is kind of a beat down for our heroes.
Things don’t look too good for the outcome of the war. James determined to settle down on a
neutral continent, and live happily ever after with his wife.

The only problem was their royal houseguest. James and Bonnie couldn’t just abandon her to
her fate. She’s being hunted by their enemies and it’s only a matter of time before trouble finds
them, even half-a-world away from the turmoil. Time becomes a factor, but Bonnie and the
others should be safe for a while.

Thus, we come to Wreck of the Lanternfish. James takes his ship to sea once more to see if he can influence the outcome of the war. To pull this off, he’s going to have to grow and expand his horizons. There will be risk, loss, and changes he can’t unwind. To find out how this all turns out, pick up Wreck of the Lanternfish. It wraps up a classic trilogy, and I’m pleased with the way it all worked out.