A Special Shout-Out, King Copper reviews, and Precious Artwork of Copper πŸ§‘

To begin with, I want to offer a SHOUT-OUT to my dear friend, Maggie Watson. She was voted Spillwords Author of the Month for August! You can find her on the Spillwords sidebar for the month of September. But she is not new to Spillwords. She has been awarded Publication of the Month as well, and had several pieces of her beautiful and evocative writing published. Congratulations, Maggie! You deserve this high honor! πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰

Secondly, I can’t help but share some fabulous King Copper reviews from friends who have posted them on their blogs. I’m combining all into this one post by including an excerpt and the link to their beautiful blogs. So, I invite you to visit their sites to read the rest of their lovely reviews – and to learn more about these amazing author friends. πŸ’–

Image credit to Dr. Vicki Atkinson

β€˜King Copper: Our Dog’s Life in Poetry’ is a heartwarming tribute to a pet whose love shines through Scott’s poems. This handsome guy looks stunning in the pictures that the poet has shared. I am not a dog lover, but I can understand how much love and understanding these furry friends hold in their hearts. Copper’s unconditional love has been beautifully expressed in memorable poetry by his mom.

No less than a celebrity, the poet tells us that Copper was a show-stopper, a hugger, and a kisser. His graceful gait, his charming smile, his slobbery kisses, and his dedication to guard his loving family made him an adorable golden boy. The warmth that radiates from his amber eyes reaches your heart if you look at his pictures. Most of the poems celebrate Scott’s love for Copper, but there are a few that tug at my heart as they bring out the poet’s grief when she hears β€œa dog barking in the distance” or misses the sounds like β€œnails clicking on the kitchen floor.”

β€˜Loss is Loss’ perfectly captures the emotions of those who grieve, a feeling which can only be understood by those who know that mourning seeps into our skin, a constant reminder that our loved one will never return. However, β€˜Rainbow Bridge’ breathes positivity and encourages acceptance…

Lauren has put together this tender collection in memory of her family’s Labrador, Copper. Each and every poem in this book feels like a precious gem and a keepsake, Lauren’s verse carrying along the joy of companionship, the ache of farewell and the warmth of cherished memories. The poems are also accompanied by cute photos, elegant too… of sweet handsome Copper, photogenically posing or playing with family and friends.

There are the funny and playful moments, the gentle ones, the nostalgia and the love, the warmth and the togetherness… all captured wonderfully by Lauren in her poems,so sweet… as is this endearingly cute memory she shares in “Copper Boy”,
β€œWhen he smiles, his white choppers
shine as if they’ve never caused
any commotion…never mind
the afternoon when he attempted
to eat the barbecue!”
or a reminder of the purity of unconditional love, and the way it can transform our life…

Anyone who’s ever loved a dog (or another furred or feathered family member) will be able to relate to this lovely collection of poetry about the author’s Chocolate Lab named Copper.

Copper’s transition over the Rainbow Bridge and the author’s immense grief provided the inspiration to chronicle the lab’s personality, relationships, and life in poetry. The poems are heartwarming, joyous, funny, loving, and sad. A few of them are written from Copper’s point of view. The style of poetry ranges from silly limericks to deeply emotional free-form pieces.

The collection is written in two parts, each beginning with a short section of prose. The first piece of prose describes adopting Copper, the love-at-first-sight experience of meeting the perfect pet. The second describes losing Copper after 13 years and the author’s devastating grief…

Lauren Scott’s beautiful new book, β€œKing Copper – Our Dog’s Life in Poetry” stole my heart. Sadly, one of the common denominators in life is loss. When those I care about – friends, family, clients, former students – reach out and share their grief about losing a pet, there’s often a sense of shame about the depth and capacity of the torment. β€œAfter all,” (a dear one said recently, speaking about the unexpected passing of her cat), β€œshe was just a pet”.

I saw what she was doing – attempting to minimize her pain with a reductive explanation. Self-talk intended to soothe, with words borrowed from a thoughtless one who used the phrase β€œjust a pet” to offer consolation. For many of us, our pets embody the qualities we long for in humans, especially those who disappoint us. Caring, loyal and loving, they ask only for those qualities in return – delighted by belly rubs and extra kibble now and then.

I was excited/nervous to read Lauren’s tribute to her beloved Copper. Excited because I know it was a labor of utmost love for Lauren. Nervous because I knew β€œKing Copper” would prompt tears. Lauren writes with powerful poignancy. I embraced every word…

King Copper: Our dog’s life in poetry is a beautiful tribute that deeply touched my heart. The words brought back memories I had of losing our sweet dog a couple of years back and of remembering the joy she brought us too. Our pets are such a gift, and this collection not only shows that but also offers comfort to all of us who have known the loss of a beloved pet. Here is an example of the depth of emotions: β€œA dog barks in the distance causing me to pause,/it sounds like Copper’s/ wild imagination longing for one more moment”—One More Moment. I can highly recommend this for all those who have loved and lost a pet family member.

Lastly, some friends years ago offered to draw or paint Copper using photos I provided, and I continue to be in awe of their extraordinary talent:

Barbara Soby
DM Denton
DM Denton
Resa McConaghy
Resa McConaghy

Hugs to you all! ❀️

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

Click on the image to order your copy! πŸ§‘

Saturday Smiles & A Lot Going On!

Do you feel like the world is out of control?
Do you need a smile?
I found an old poem that might just cheer you up…

Bananas

Swinging from the chandelier
I’m overwhelmed from toes to ear
I know it’s time to walk the frog

Can’t just sit, type, and blog
I’d love to dye my hair bright red
I’d love to go right back to bed
Reaching for the coffee cup
Time to fill and pet the pup
In the wind, I feel so free
Would you like a cup of tea?
I’d love to swim and read a book
It’s five o’clock, what shall I cook?
Staring at the vacuum cleaner
I wonder why the fish are meaner
Planets aren’t aligned at all
Let’s go shopping at the mall
Don’t be bothered by the styles
I could talk and talk for miles!

Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels.com

Are you smiling? I hope so!

Along with smiles and laughter, we need to remember that each day is a gift and worth celebrating. I was recently reminded of this when I visited Steve’s blog, Song of the Day, where he shares a new song each day, writes about its history, then shares his thoughts on the meaning of the lyrics. On a recent post, he reshared the 1971 hit song, β€œI Just Want to Celebrate,” by the American rock band Rare Earth. Steve asked, “Every day is a good day to celebrate something, right?”
When you listen to the song, you’ll definitely feel like getting outa your chair and groovin’ to the movin’ and celebrating! By the way, if you haven’t met Steve, pay him a visit. Not only is he a nice guy, but if you’re a music lover, you’ll enjoy learning about songs and bands you’ve never heard of or listening to your favorites again!

I can’t begin to thank enough the friends who have helped spread the word about my first children’s book – a collaboration with my amazing nephew, Chris, who created the enchanting, vibrant illustrations. So, this is where ‘a lot going on’ comes into play…below are several more examples of the awesome support I’ve received:

Carol Anne at therapybits.com blogs about her life, focusing on therapy and the process of going through psychotherapy. She is also a wonderful writer of poetry that touches the heart, and she was gracious to post about my book here to help with the promotion.

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Denise from dlfinn.com is the author of Miracles and Ghosts: A Christmas Collection which I highly recommend! A collection of short stories perfect for the holiday season. She included Cora’s Quest in her post: Books that Changed Me: 2024 Winter Edition where she highlights a fraction of the books that she enjoyed by sharing her beautiful reviews. The other fabulous authors spotlighted are Joan Hall, Staci Troilo, Jan Sikes, and Linda Broday.

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
D. L. Finn

Cora’s Quest is a sweet story about a deer’s family outing. Cora is enjoying the forest until things change quickly, and now she needs to find her courage. A fantastic story to read to your little ones or for young readers to enjoy. The illustrations are beautiful and full of color, and the story is woven into a lesson that will resonate with children and their families. Here is an engaging passage: β€œAn owl hoots/from its lofty perch./ The wind howls,/swirling around Cora./Grunts and growls/in the distance/steal her courage!/ They act like thieves!” I can easily recommend this story for young readers and those who read to them.

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Ebooks are now only 2.99 on Amazon

Paperback is 9.99 available on Amazon.

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Darlene at darlenefoster.wordpress.com is the author of the delightful Amanda Travel Series, and her recent book is Amanda in Scotland. I am almost finished and have truly enjoyed traveling to Scotland with Amanda. I’ve read a few of the other Amanda adventures, so I can highly recommend this series. She posted her 5-star review for Cora’s Quest on Amazon and Goodreads while celebrating the success of Amanda in Scotland.

Rating β­οΈβ­οΈβ­οΈβ­οΈβ­οΈ
Darlene Foster

An adorable book about a young deer who questions her courage. The illustrations are delightful and the story has a lovely message. A perfect gift for a little one in your life, one that would be fun to read together too. I can see a child wanting to read this story over and over.

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Dr. Vicki at victoriaponders.com is the author of Surviving Sue: An inspirational survivor’s story about a daughter and her life with a mother who was riddled with alcoholism, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, depression, and Munchausen’s. I have the paperback and look forward to reading this powerful and emotional story. I love Vicki’s writing and the way she thinks just by reading her blog posts, so I know her story will go straight to my heart. She recently wrote an inspirational blog post that is a balm to the soul. She wove her inspiring message into children’s literature in which she included my book, Cora’s Quest, and Goldie A. Poligee & the Three Bears by Joanie Becker Goldberg. Check out her blog post here!

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Dawn Pisturino at dawnpisturino.wordpress.com is the author of Sun Haiku: 365 Days of Sunshine, which I will begin to read soon. I’ve read several of Dawn’s books and love them all! Her evocative poetry draws her readers in deeply. She shared her beautiful review of Cora’s Quest here, so check it out, and you’ll also find out more about Dawn’s books!

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dawn Pisturino

This charming new children’s book by poet Lauren Scott tells the story of a little fawn who gets lost in the woods, finds herself vulnerable and alone, and discovers her inner strength and courage. Written for children ages 2 – 5 years old, this story teaches children the importance of remaining calm and focused when faced with uncertainty. The illustrations by Chris Mendez will delight any child. If your child or grandchild likes Bambi, he or she will adore this book.

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I mentioned Diana Wallace Peach at mythsofthemirror.com in this blog post because she read my book the day it was released and reviewed it right away, gifting Cora with a 5-star review! But I want to announce that she has a new book on preorder now which will go live on January 2nd: Tale of the Season’s Weaver. Diana writes incredible fantasy books, and she is the fantasy writer who converted me!

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All of the authors mentioned in this post are talented, beautiful, and amazing writers! They know how to weave words that appeal to all senses. I am honored to be included in the mix and to receive such warm support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! ❀️

I know this post is longer than usual, so if you’ve read from beginning to end, I appreciate you taking the time. I also encourage you to visit the posts I highlighted and peruse around the blogs I shared!

All of the blog links and anywhere you see ‘here’ are clickable. WP was acting snarky, but they all work. I conclude with a poem from my latest poetry collection, Ever So Gently, that ties in with gratitude:

7 am

The sun slowly opens
its sleepy eyes
The neighborhood
still breathes
soft breaths


Not a soul
Not a sound


We own this morning
this moment is ours


Tranquility flows
through our veins
We exhale gratitude
Another miracle
reveals itself
in the creation
of a new dawn.

πŸ”†πŸ”†πŸ”†

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I look forward to some quiet time with a cup of tea or coffee and diving into the wonderful books waiting to be read. What a great problem to have, too many books! πŸ’–

Β© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com – All rights reserved.

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