Hi Everyone,

I’m writing this post as Friday evening is upon us. The sun hasn’t dipped behind the trees yet, but the photo above is one of my favorite images from ‘our’ lake in the Sierra Mountains. I will never own enough photos of sunsets and sunrises. Do you feel the same? It’s parallel with never having too many photos of our kids and pets. 🙂

Anyway, here’s a little update for those who haven’t heard…I did not win 2023 Author of the Year at Spillwords. However, I am super happy for my friend, Cindy at Unique Times, who did walk away with this award. Way to go, Cindy! Please check out her post to read more! I always leave her site smiling! She exudes joy no matter what she writes about.

And thank you to those who voted for me. Your support means more than you know, and it encourages me to keep on writing! Not to mention, being nominated felt like winning in itself. So, Congrats again to Cindy, to all nominees, and to winners in all categories! 🎉

Now to change the subject! I read some wonderful books last year and wrote reviews that I’m late in sharing, so here are a couple :

Neema the Misfit Giraffe by Robbie and Michael Cheadle

Robbie and Michael Cheadle are a talented mother/son duo writing team who have published several children’s books. Neema the Misfit Giraffe is their latest accomplishment, but although this book was written for children ages 2-9 years old, adults will enjoy Neema’s touching tale. All ages will benefit from the lesson Robbie and Michael incorporate through easy-to-read rhyming verse. Neema doesn’t fit in with the crowd that she deems as normal. She looks different than the giraffes she wishes to befriend, but they don’t like her simply because of this difference. Instead of letting kindness lead, they allow prejudice to dictate their behavior.

The notion of judging a book by a cover is unending, but we know this isn’t fair to anyone. Everyone has a story that deserves to be heard. Not only is the cover gorgeous, but the story of Neema is accompanied with lovely photographs from the duo’s personal adventures, along with Robbie’s incredible artwork. Video footage is also included that will take you to You Tube to watch these graceful animals in their natural habitats. You’ll enjoy the giraffe fun facts at the end of the story which offer an educational element.

I bought the paperback because I’m in a book-collecting mode. But I also love the feel of the pages as I progress to the end. So, this lovely book comes highly recommended for children and adults who enjoy a good life lesson, a reminder of the wonderful ripple effect of showing kindness. And I highly recommend the paperback to fully appreciate the beauty of this book.

Locker by Michelle Ayon Navajas is a collection of 57 flash fiction stories with poetic ingredients sprinkled throughout the prose. I am familiar with the author’s beautiful and evocative poetry, so to read these fiction stories was truly a treat that enlightened me to the scope of her talent as a writer. Locker, the title of this collection, obviously infers a compartment where personal possessions are safely kept, and a key is required to unlock it. But the word locker can infer a variety of meanings, such as “the realization of another unlocked dream” as stated by Navajas in her introduction.

The stories can be read as stand-alone, but the commonality in each is the array of emotions the reader experiences that sometimes parallel with reality. Navajas touches on love, death, loss, betrayal, miscarriage, and abuse. As much as these fiction stories effortlessly drew me in, the Introduction alone was compelling. Navajas informs the reader that she is a dreamer, but her actions demonstrate that she’s not only a talker but a doer. And she is not afraid of a challenge; in fact, writing fiction was her subsequent dream following the writing of poetry. However, flash fiction is not as easy feat. The author must condense the essential storytelling elements into 1500 words or less. Navajas convincingly executes this requirement. And her desire to learn a new form of writing would inspire any author to do the same.

I read Locker over the course of several days, taking my time and savoring each combination of fiction and poetic elegance. Not to mention, I intend to reread this collection. When I love a good book or movie, I delight in those second readings or viewings for new takeaways, components that were possibly missed the first time around. Additionally, in most collections of poetry or fiction, I dog-ear the pieces that stand out, and this book with its vibrant, amazing cover is dog-eared from the beginning to the very last page. A few favorites are: “Kiss”, “Alone”, “Withering Heights”, “Photographs”, and “Growth”.

Locker is for anyone who doesn’t mind a soft nudge into revisiting their own ‘locker’ while realizing that they are not alone in feeling the emotions that encompass their hearts and minds. The uplifting tone also offers encouragement to move forward after enduring the challenges and heartbreaks that befall us. Slowly savoring this story collection is highly recommended!

And now I’ll leave you with a song that has a timeless message, and it just might transport you back a few years. 🙂

Happy Friday, have a lovely weekend, and thanks for stopping by! Cheers! ❤️🥂
P.S. More reviews of amazing books coming soon!

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.

A collection of poems about nature,
love, and the mysteries of life.
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