A Gallery of Art & Words

A few weeks ago, Matt and I were enjoying a lunch at a great Mexican restaurant, Flores, and this beautiful piece of art caught my eye. The artist’s name is in the lower right hand corner. I immediately thought of my good friend, Resa, at graffitiluxandmurals.com because she has an eye for stunning street art that she shares on her blog. I had to get some photos, so I pulled out my cell and took a few. Then I sent them to Resa, and she was thrilled to include them in a post last week. Since I was on a blogging break, I’m sharing her fabulous post today where she not only spotlights this gorgeous painting, but many other faces that will take your breath away.

Please click on over to Resa’s blog for more! She is an amazing seamstress, photographer, artist, and friend who raises the bar when it comes to supporting others. 💖

In addition to Resa’s blog post, if you saw mine from Monday, you’ll know that my haiku “The Reveal” was published on Gobblers by Masticadores. Well, Resa left a comment on Gobblers, and here’s one of her lines: “This Haiku is so pretty, I want it to be a longer poem.” Not only did she inspire me, but she challenged me too. I met the challenge head on, doing my best to create a series of six haiku – #1 is the original.

(1) The Reveal

in the night abyss
shimmering with white diamonds
hope winks with promise

(2)

optimism shines
through each gem pushing aside
sierra-sized ang
st

(3)

mystery flows from
one star to the next for our
steady pondering

(4)

wonder breathes beneath
darkness in its cluster of
bright luminaries

(5)

glimmers emit warmth
fulfilling souls longing for
pure enlightenment

(6)

peace sinks into hearts
entwined with a promise from
one momentous wink

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All available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Click on sidebar image for more info, and to
purchase for your holiday shopping! Thank you! ❤️

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
Author and poet, Lauren Scott, enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their adult son and daughter live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, the family of four remains close. Lauren has published four poetry collections, a memoir, and her first children’s book. Her latest poetry collection is a tribute to her family’s Chocolate Labrador who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in spring 2025. Lauren is a recent Pushcart Nominee and has been a guest on several podcasts. Her writing is featured on Spillwords Press where she was voted Author of the Month and garnered Publication of the Month awards. She is a contributing author in several anthologies, and her work is also shared on Gobblers and Masticadores. Her muse discovers inspiration from her family, spending time outdoors, reveling in simple things, and marveling at the mysteries of life.

Surprises happen when you take a blogging break!

‘Tis the season! Photo taken by my son last year.

Dear Friends,

Happy December! First of all, on the weekend, I tried to activate the snow effect on my blog, but it wasn’t working. Then this morning, it was snowing! A miracle? I don’t know, but I’ll take it as a good sign. ❄️ Now for those who celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope yours was beyond wonderful! We had a lovely time seeing our son and daughter, feeling grateful for everything, but not just on that special Thursday – every day is a day of gratitude. Then we decorated the house for Christmas and it looks beautiful and festive. We played Scrabble, watched movies, went for walks, talked about life, and guess what? Yesterday, I wrote book reviews! Yes, I was behind, so I carved out some time yesterday! I’ll share them this month. Anyway, I missed you all, but I hope you’ve had a great week! And I normally don’t like to add too much to a post simply to keep things simple, but on the day I ‘left’ for a break, I received incredible and unexpected news:

Pushcart Nomination Overview

The Pushcart nomination is a process in which literary magazines and small presses select outstanding works—poetry, essays, or fiction—from their publications for inclusion in the annual Pushcart Prize anthology. Editors submit their chosen pieces to the Pushcart Prize editors, who review all nominations and select the winners for publication.Your letters of nomination will go out before December 1, 2025! Congratulations and good luck!

If you have time (smile), please pay a visit to Gabriela and Manuela. They’ll appreciate your presence, and I’ll appreciate your support. I look forward to reading your posts again, and wish you all a dazzling December! ❄️🩵

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Thank you for coming by! I’m grateful for you all! ❤️

All available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Click on sidebar image for more info, and to
purchase for your holiday shopping!
Thank you! 🙏

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
Author and poet, Lauren Scott, enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their adult son and daughter live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, the family of four remains close. Lauren has published four poetry collections, a memoir, and her first children’s book. Her latest poetry collection is a tribute to her family’s Chocolate Labrador who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in spring 2025. Lauren is a recent Pushcart Nominee and has been a guest on several podcasts. Her writing is featured on Spillwords Press where she was voted Author of the Month and garnered Publication of the Month awards. She is a contributing author in several anthologies, and her work is shared bimonthly on Gobblers and Masticadores. Her muse discovers inspiration from her family, spending time outdoors, reveling in simple things, and marveling at the mysteries of life.

Leaving on a jet plane…

Dear Friends,

Matt and I are flying out tomorrow to visit our son, so I’ll be offline until sometime next week. Visiting our daughter and son is by far the best vacation. I don’t like missing posts, but there are times like this that it’s unavoidable. Please know that I appreciate you and your wonderful support throughout my Copper journey, and blogging journey, in general. WordPress tells me it’s been 15 years! But that’ll be another post! 🙂 Anyway, stay safe, and keep your creativity flowing. I’ve turned off comments, but I’ll see you next week!

I thought it would be nice to leave you with a few calming visuals…

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© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.

Click on my daughter’s image to order your copy! 🧡

Lauren Scott

Author – King Copper: Our dog’s life in poetry
Author – Cora’s Quest (a children’s book)
Author – Ever So Gently: A Collection of Poetry
Author – More than Coffee: Memories of Verse and Prose
Author – Finding a Balance: A Collection of Poetry
Author – New Day, New Dreams: A Collection of Poetry
Co-Author – Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku
Co-Author – Petals of Haiku: An Anthology
Co-Author – This Is How We Grow
Co-Author – Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships
Bi-Monthly Contributor on Gobblers by Masticadores
Spillwords Author of the Month May 2023
Spillwords Publication of the Month October 2024
Spillwords Publication of the Month June 2025

Gobblers by Masticadores welcomes King Copper!

A huge Thank You to Editor, Manuela Timofte, for sharing the initial post about my new release, King CopperA poetic account of the joy that arises when a lovable chocolate lab walks into your life and changes it forever. And the eventual heartache you feel when he crosses over the rainbow bridge thirteen years later and still too soon. I’m always honored to be featured on Manuela’s beautiful site along with many talented writers. 🙏

To read the entire post, please visit Gobblers, and if you haven’t subscribed, I hope you will. Manuela shares evocative poetry and stories from a myriad of talented authors. Thanks again, Manuela! ❤️

Image by Jacqui Murray
Photo by alleksana on Pexels.com

Thanks for dropping by, and I wish you a fabulous day! 🤎🧡❤️
Now that the blog tour has ended, I’m going to work on
finishing overdue reviews for some great books.
🙂

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© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.

Click on the image to order your copy! 🧡

Carol Anne shares her review of King Copper!

Copper came into our family a month after Mom passed.
But Dad was able to meet him, and they loved each other.

Another wonderful surprise was finding Carol Anne’s stunning review of King Copper on her blog. Carol Anne writes brilliant poetry, so if you haven’t met her yet, please take the time to get to know her. She’s a beautiful soul, very kind and supportive. Enjoy this peek into her review:

Here’s the touching cover of King Copper: Our Dog’s Life in Poetry by Lauren Scott—a poignant tribute rendered in rich, chocolatey tones that mirror the gentle, soulful nature of Copper the Labrador. Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author+1.

King Copper: Our Dog’s Life in Poetry is a heartfelt poetry collection published on August 6, 2025, by Baydreamer Writes. The collection is a loving homage to Copper, the author’s cherished chocolate Labrador-mix. Part memoir in verse, part exploration of grief and healing, it captures the bond between a family and their beloved canine companion.

Spanning 66 pages, the book offers both paperback ($14.99) and e-book ($5.99) editions, with the e-book available for pre-order across platforms like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.

What sets this collection apart is its variety of poetic forms—freestyle, tanka, limericks, micro-poetry, and haiku—all interwoven with color photographs that bring visual warmth to the written words. It begins with light-hearted, joyful verses celebrating Copper’s life and transitions into more reflective, grief-colored poems following his passing.

Short samples from the book carry profound emotional weight:

  • Tour De Force
    A vivid limerick:

Prancing on the left like a well-bred horse / … His character is a tour de force!” Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author

  • Showstopper
    A playful yet affectionate limerick:

“There once was a dog named Copper … Bit with love comes lots of slobber!” Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author

Thank you for stopping by today, and I hope your day is
peaceful, as well as the new week ahead!
❤️

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© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.

Click on the image to order your copy! 🧡

Maggie shares her review of King Copper!

A young Copper loving the beauty that life brings.

I’m thrilled to be featured at Maggie’s beautiful blog again. If you recall, she kicked off the tour on August 4th. What a wild two weeks it has been! She was also the first to review my book, and she shares her review today. Here’s a peek into her lovely words:

Anyone who has ever owned a pet knows
how heartbreaking it is when we lose them.
As Lauren so correctly says, “loss is loss, hearts still break,
tears fall until there are no more stages of grief”.
I smiled and I cried while reading this beautiful collection of poetry
written in tribute to Lauren’s Labrador, Copper.
I loved all the poems, particularly the ones signed ‘Love Copper’ and ‘Your Copper Boy.’
Lauren also included many lovely photographs of this handsome boy, on his own, and with members of her family.
..

To read Maggie’s full excellent review, please head over to her beautiful site.
I’ve turned off comments here, so she hopes to see you soon!

Before I close, I want to highlight Maggie’s recent book, Pieces of Me. Below is what Amazon says:

For more than a decade, I lived in a toxic/abusive environment.

I survived by learning when to keep my mouth shut.

Now, I have a voice by writing about my experience through poetry.

This is my story, no longer silenced.

I hope it gives you the courage to do the same!From the ashes, I rise.
Emerging from the dust and ruins
of the carnage you left behind,
wiping away the dirt from the words that
once left me unable to breathe.
As I lay gasping for air, you did not care.
You could have been my downfall, but I refused to die.
Now watch as I climb to the summit of my life,
no longer caught in your riptide.

I highly recommend this evocative poetry collection that I gladly gave 5 stars.

So, now you have two book ideas: Pieces of Me and King Copper. Please visit Maggie to read her full review, and to learn more about the collection of books she has published.

Thank you so much for stopping by!
I wish you a lovely weekend full of laughter,
love, and peace! I appreciate you very much! ❤️🙏

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© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.

Click on the image to order your copy! 🧡

Cora’s Quest is featured at Sally’s Smorgasbord Summer Book Fair 2025!

I was delightfully surprised to find Cora’s Quest included in Sally’s post with Sue Wickstead’s, Bus Rhymes and Playtimes, and Pamela S. Wight’s, Petey Wants Wings. I’m honored to be in the great company of these two talented children’s book authors! Thank you, Sally, for your generous heart that enjoys showcasing your fellow writers! You’re a rock star! 🌟

Comments are closed to nudge you over to Sally’s beautiful blog. Please give her some love while learning about these recommended children’s books. 🙏

Also, I don’t like to ask, but sometimes we have to do things that feel uncomfortable. So, if you enjoyed Cora’s Quest or King Copper, I hope you’ll consider leaving a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Thank you! ☺️

Lastly, what can I say? The last two weeks have been wild in a wonderful way! Like Balroop and Dawn said, Copper has become the darling of blogland, an overnight celebrity. Aww, Copper Boy, I’m teary-eyed as I type. I know he is romping around with pure joy, knowing that he is loved, and that other pet parents are relating to the sentiments in ‘his book.’ Thanks again to all of you who have offered your loving support throughout this journey, and also from the beginning after that fateful day in March. ❤️🤎❤️

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.

Top image credit to Sally Cronin.

Click on the image to order your copy! 🧡

#BlogTour – I’m at Dawn’s today as she continues the blog tour for King Copper!

I’m excited to spend time with Dawn today as the blog tour train moves forward. And I am touched that King Copper has achieved #1 Amazon New Release status! I’ve mentioned before, each post offers something different. If you’re a dog or cat parent, I’m sure my book will resonate with you. Dawn has already read it and shared her 5-star review as well. I’m so glad my poems touched her heart, which is my hope as others read through the collection. Comments will be turned off so you can head over to Dawn’s to learn more about the book and about what’s going on in her life. She’s a fabulous poet and writer of short stories, so acquaint yourself if you haven’t already. Thanks again, Dawn! ❤️

By the way, I am delighted to see 4 five-star reviews on Amazon with 3 five-star ratings! Knowing my poems about Copper are touching the hearts of everyone who picks up a copy is my wish come true. Thank you to those who have read about our love for Copper or who plan to read. And to those who have left beautiful reviews. Your words and support warm my heart. And I know as Copper romps around in green meadows with his friends, he’s smiling because of all the love he has received. 🤎🧡🤎

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Hugs, Lauren ❤️

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© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.

Click on the image to order your copy! 🧡

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