Welcome to my corner of this wonderful community where I share my poetry, short stories, and occasional photos. My husband and I have been married for thirty-seven years, and we have two adult children. I have published four collections of poetry, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. I am working on another poetry collection and an early chapter children’s book. When you visit, I hope you find something to take with you, but that you also find something enticing enough to keep bringing you back. I truly appreciate your visit. Cheers, Lauren ❤️
“Dancing Queen” began playing on the Bluetooth speaker and my body made up its mind. I pushed back the chair, stood up, and enthusiastically, headed for the living room. And I danced, yes, like no one was watching, like I haven’t danced in decades. Fingers snapping, arms swinging! The steps and moves came naturally, and I could tell they’ve missed me – recalling days of long ago when dancing was as routine as brushing my teeth. The steps and moves and I had the best of times!
My heart beat to the magic of the music!
Then when pain arrived a couple days later, I thought, maybe I worked my back too hard. How can something feel so good, then turn out to be almost crippling?
Good health is wealth because over the years, our body’s mechanics will change either rapidly or subtly as though watching the graceful clouds travel in the sky.
That annoying pain made its entrance, caught my attention, but a few days later, I shooed it away!
Do I have regrets from my living room dancing?
Not at all!
Sometimes rules are meant to be broken, we’ve heard this before, so another moment like that moment when the music moved through me, when I felt alive and younger –
another moment like that moment will come again, I’m sure.
My lovely friend, Hazel at https://sevensisterslove.com, surprised me with a beautiful and heartfelt review of my book, King Copper, a poetic tribute to our beloved chocolate lab who received his angel wings in March of last year. It’s hard to believe he’s been gone that long; we miss him so much. But Matt and I haven’t brought another dog into our home yet; we’re just not ready. And yet, we know the time will come…
When I read Hazel’s post, I first saw her photo below. I loved it because I was reminded of our amazing camping and backpacking adventures where I always had a notebook and pen handy for when inspiration paid me a visit.
Photo credit to Hazel @ sevensisterslove.com
Now here is a snippet of her beautiful review:
A heartwarming poetry collection, Lauren Scott’s King Copper centers on the attachment bond and the memories it stirs.
Promptly, Scott’s family decided to adopt Copper after three days of thinking about it. He was a cherished dog who filled their home with so much love and joy, but life will always end.
Blending her poetry with a few adoring pictures, Scott enlivened the book with moving and poignant thoughts that pet-lover readers truly relate to.
For instance, the line, “His ears are like silk between our fingers; we can’t get enough,” certainly brings a soft giggle because it deeply reflects the affectionate treatment.
Moreover, the unique sense of redamancy captures the essence of this book, and every line of the poem illustrates this truth…
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Please visit Hazel and her wonderful post here to read the rest of her review. Thanks again, Hazel! Hugs ❤️
If you haven’t met Hazel, peruse her site and get to know her. She shares about her loving family and pets, and each time I leave her world, my heart is full all over again. 💕
By the way, if you haven’t read King Copper, it’s never too late and you can find this book in paperback and e-book versions on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (and most likely other sites). To make it easy for you, simply click on the image below for your Amazon purchase or click on Barnes & Noble above. 🥰
I’ll leave you with one of my poems for this season:
Thanks so much for stopping by, and I wish you all a warm and cozy November. ❤️🧡🩷
Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys the charm of small-town living in Northern California, where she shares life with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their daughter and son live out of state, but frequent visits and modern technology keep the family connected and close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has appeared as a guest on several podcasts, and her writing has been featured in eight anthologies. Her poetry and prose have also been published by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations, where she has received several honors. As a member of the Redwood Writers and Marin chapters of the California Writers Club, Lauren enjoys connecting with fellow writers. She is currently working on three new projects: a poetry collection, a short story collection, and an early chapter book for children. Whether writing poetry, sharing personal reflections, or creating stories for young readers, Lauren finds joy in the power of words to connect, inspire, and bring people together.
I hope you’re doing well around the globe! I’ve always loved autumn and recently bought this tree for another fun decoration. It’s so beautiful and adds ambience. I love it, so it’s the little things in life that bring joy.
To begin with, I have exciting news…my story “Resilience is her Saving Grace” is chosen as one of the top ten in the Flash Fiction category in the 2026 San Francisco Writers Conference contest!
I think I’m still in shock, a happy shock though. Honestly, I wasn’t planning on going to the SF Writers Conference next year unless I have something new ‘to bring to the table’ and now I do! If you remember, I’ve attended the last two years and had fabulous experiences both times. However, now that all winners will be recognized and in a group photo, of course, I’m going! The winning entries will also be in the SFWC 2026 anthology!
On another note, it’s wild that Octoberis coming to an end and trick-or-treaters will soon wander the streets, decked out in their cutest and ghoulish costumes in pursuit of candy! 👻
It’s also fun to reminisce through old photos. I miss those times, but I love ‘the now’ with our daughter and son (35 & 31). They’re the best, bias or not, they really are. ❤️
In view of the spooky night just around the corner, I’ll leave you with a poem from my upcoming poetry collection:
THE ARCHITECT
I could live without arachnids… how a dime-sized spider can rattle my nerves mystifies me. Do spiders jangle your nerves too, or do you study their artistic ways?
Walt Whitman wrote a poem, “A Noiseless Patient Spider” that reached me deeply. He compares a spider spinning its lovely web to a human soul, searching for a sense of belonging.
Aren’t we all searching for the same thing?
Spiders… such skilled architects. I respect the lines and angles in fascinating silky designs and Whitman’s poem spins a new perspective…
so when those eight legs cause my nerves to quiver, I will try to see beyond my fear to the architect spinning silk into possibility –
for perhaps we are all weaving our delicate webs, thread by thread, hoping to discover where we belong.
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Does the deeper meaning in my poem resonate? Do you share my same fear? If so, does this new perspective help you also?
Enjoy the beauty of this season, and have a safe and fun Halloween! 🧡🎃👻❤️🍁
Lauren Scott, a Pushcart Prize nominee, enjoys small-town living in Northern California with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their daughter and son live out of state, but with frequent visits and technology, the family stays close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in eight anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection, a short story collection, and an early chapter book for children.
If you’re an animal lover and haven’t read this collection, click on the image to purchase your copy. Copper will touch your heart. 🧡
It feels strange that I’m not around as much, but you are missed! I just don’t have the bandwidth to blog like I used to. Maybe this schedule will be my new normal – only time will tell. Life has been challenging since July, but we remain hopeful that things will improve soon; hence, October’s Optimism. I love this new season, but ironically, we’re having a heat wave. Sigh. Anyway, as you know, several projects have kept me busy, and while waiting to hear back regarding submissions, I’m working on a new poetry collection: An Invitation. If all goes smoothly, I’ll have a new book by the end of the year. Below, I’m sharing a micro poem from the collection.
May you be blessed with stunning sunrises! Thanks for visiting, and I’ll visit you soon! ❤️
My Lashes
I pull hope from my eyes, leaning into the positivity of my lashes.
Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in eight anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection, a short story collection, and an early chapter book for children.
Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in eight anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection, a short story collection, and an early chapter book for children.
Sunlight paints patterns across leaves and debris. Redwoods stand tall in a forest of dreams, a place for peace where water flows to the Pacific and birds sing on center stage, but children’s laughter joins their melody. A dog’s bark reminds me of our beloved lab. Kids on bikes bring visions of our son and daughter back then pedaling away on their two-wheelers, no electric switch, just good fun and exercise. Standing in a moment of tranquility, I listen… and then we enjoy charcuterie delight with sips of red and white – an afternoon of poetry.
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Redwoods seem to star in many of my poems, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop writing about them. Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful Wednesday! ❤️
Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in eight anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection, a short story collection, and an early chapter book for children.
Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in seven anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection, a short story collection, and an early chapter book for children.
I’m currently reading a beautiful book of syllabic poetry, Seasons and Crystals, by Balroop Singh. I’ve written syllabic poetry, but it’s not my go-to form like free verse. And yet, reading her poetry and the various forms inspired me. I thought about life in general, about the past events in our family, and about nature’s beauty right in front of us. So, the other evening, Hubby and I were enjoying our patio time and the weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold or windy. A cactus sits on our table that our daughter bought years ago. My husband gave it a drink, and I loved the water droplets on the tepals. So, I wrote some poetry in the form of American cinquain which consists of 5 lines and a syllable count on each line of 2-4-6-8-2. This form is also known as the Crapsey cinquain and was invented by American poet, Adelaide Crapsey.
Evening on the Patio
Pleasure, simple and free, birds sing from tree tops in the distance under vast blue sky – senses
Splendor
Beauty comes in many forms, colors, and textures – painful to fingertips or soft to touch
Living
Lovely life around us can be prickly at times but keep eyes open for when hope glistens
Layers
Secrets lie in layers – will they be publicized? time is the ultimate answer – patience
Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in seven anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection and an early chapter book for children.
