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
I’m not good at this. It’s a bit uncomfortable. However, it’s a vital part of an Indie Author package. So, the moment has come to do a promotional post for my book, Cora’s Quest. I don’t have the backing of a publisher (not yet), so every little ounce of promotion makes a difference. Are you still with me? I hope so! And just so you know, I don’t publish books for money. My expenses outweigh any profits. 😳
I publish books as my legacy for my family, but there’s another reason. ..Sharing my writing regardless of the genre gives you a glimpse into my heart and soul, while hoping that my experiences will touch you in some way.
“Courage is the most important of the virtues, because without it, no other virtue can be practiced consistently,” ~ Maya Angelou
We all have goals that we list in a journal or on our computers, and as we complete those goals, we check that box off which gives us a great feeling of accomplishment. So, publishing Cora’s story that has sat patiently on the back burner for years feels incredible! Currently, I’m working on another children’s story that I plan to submit to an agent or small kid-lit press mid year. Cheers to 2025 goals and meeting them! 👏🏼
Now, one tidbit of valuable information I learned at the San Francisco Writers Conference is that even if an author has an agent and a conventional publisher, the author is still expected to promote that amazing, best seller book! Thus, authors need to step out of their comfort zones to promote their own work!
“If you’re not getting outside of your comfort zone, then you’re not growing.”
“Life begins outside of our comfort zone.”
I’m writing this from the heart…if you have little ones, if you know someone who has young children ages 2-5, or if you’re a grandparent with grandkids in this age range, I hope you’ll consider inviting Cora into your family. Or if you’re an adult and the weight of the world is bogging you down and you need an uplifting quick read, Cora would love to spend time with you. 🥰
Click on image to purchase your copy!
I’m also thankful for the awesome 5-star reviews Cora has received on Amazon and Goodreads!! 🙏 I’m sharing a couple from D. L. Finn and Pete Springer to hopefully entice you. Please click on their names to visit their wonderful blogs and learn more about their books. Additional reviews can be found on my page, or on Amazon and Goodreads. D.L. Finn 5.0 out of 5 stars You’ll want to read this to your younger children! Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2024 Verified Purchase
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: “An 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.
Cora is a curious fawn who loves to explore but sometimes is easily distracted by things in nature. When she get separated from her parents, Cora is first overcome with fright. One’s imagination can play tricks and at first it’s hard for her to act. Even though Cora is lost, she remembers the lessons her parents taught her that size doesn’t determine anyone’s courage. It is the ability to keep a calm head and to be brave which allows the the fawn to find her parents.
Poet Lauren Scott has written a wonderful picture book with an excellent lesson reminding children to think clearly in a crisis and not to become prisoners of fear. Scott’s nephew, Chris Mendez, adds to Cora’s story with his delightful illustrations. There is an inspiring note in the illustrator’s notes about how he has used art therapy to help himself and others to overcome issues with anxiety.
Click on image to purchase your copy!
If you’re captivated by now and would like to purchase a copy, simply click on either the front or back cover image that will gently carry you over to Amazon. For another option, the B&N link is https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coras-quest-lauren-scott/1146540878?ean=9798218408756. I highly recommend the paperback so that your little ones can experience the full magic. 💖
And lastly, if you love Cora’s Quest, please consider sharing a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. You’ve heard it before, “Book reviews are like hugs to authors.” And who doesn’t like a hug? 🤗
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STOPPING BY, AND FOR SIMPLY SPENDING YOUR PRECIOUS TIME WITH MEAT BAYDREAMERWRITES, 💜 AND I WISH YOU A HAPPY MONTH OF MARCH! 🌻
For a fun Friday, I’m trying something new, and honestly, I’m not sure if my attempts are right! 🙂 I learned about Tautogram poetry on Luisa’s blog, Words and Music and Stories, and she suggested I give them a try. So I did…
The tautogram is best explained by its Greek root words of “tauto” meaning “the same” and “gramma” meaning “letter.” Basically, all words in the poem begin with the same letter.
Here we go! I inserted Friday inspiration and a little bit of Copper!
I hope you enjoyed these tautograms! They were fun and a bit challenging, but I’ll keep trying! 😂
By the way, I’ll be hanging out with hubby at our favorite lake in the Sierra Mountains next week, and beginning on Sunday, I’ll be off the grid. So, have a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead! And I always appreciate your visits and feedback. Hugs, Lauren ❤️
Over the past year, I have been collaborating with a very talented artist who happens to be my wonderful nephew. I presented the opportunity to Chris to illustrate my 1st children’s book and he was absolutely thrilled. The title is Cora’s Quest. Some of you may remember when I shared the story a while ago. Anyway, working with Chris has been delightful and amazing! The hardest part for both of us has been not sharing his progress on social media, and he just completed the final illustration page!!! He will be working on the cover and back cover next, and then the formatting begins for me! The release date is TBD, but I’m aiming for sometime in the spring. Cora has already come alive through Chris’ illustrations, and it is pure magic! 💖 Stay tuned for more information on Cora’s Quest, and I am excited to embark on this new adventure! ____________________________________________________________________________
Even though my blog break during the holidays was wonderful, while also toasting to my late Father-in-Law who passed in October, I have missed you all! I hope your holidays were filled with love, laughter, family and friends, along with good food and drink! When I was thinking about what I’d post for my return to the land of blogging, some prior content came to mind, so here we go again (a little revised)…
It seems time becomes more clever as we bid adieu to each year. Do the minutes and months feel more fleeting as we clink our bubbly-filled glasses on the last day of the year? Now that we’ve dipped our toes into 2024, is your list of resolutions hanging on your fridge by a favorite magnet? 😃
As I reminisce about last year’s glories and sorrows, I’ve concluded that resolutions may just be a thing of the past. This doesn’t mean that setting goals isn’t effective. It’s good to have projects to work on, to keep our brains stimulated, and it’s healthy to keep our bodies moving if goals include incorporating more physical activity or getting in better shape. So, as we ponder our new set of goals, let’s remember to reach for them at our own pace – don’t worry about what others are doing. Okay, let’s expand on this…
Here are a few words from the author, Kirsten Sevig:
“I decided to measure success in happiness, progress, wisdom, accumulating rejection and failure, resilience and determination, pride in my work, confidence, and comparing only to myself instead of to others.”
Since a new year is upon us, it’s logical to wonder if we’re on the right path to success. But define success. Do you measure success in dollar signs only? Have you compared your accomplishments to those of your friends or acquaintances then easily beat yourself up for not achieving as much? I’m not afraid to admit that I’m guilty of doing this because comparing is a common human behavior. But it’s not a healthy habit to continue. Comparing your success to others can cause a lack of self-esteem, and in severe cases, depression that can trigger a breakdown. I don’t compare anymore, and maybe with age comes wisdom, or perhaps, the notion of “I don’t give a sh*t!” Sometimes, we care too much about trivial things, so it’s up to us to shift our mindset – no one can do it for us – mind over matter, remember? Put your cares and energy into the right stuff!
I hope this wisdom enlightens your visions for this new year full of opportunities! And even though you and I may have read similar encouragement before, this affords us another chance to create a new year in our lives that will bring contentment and true happiness.
Below is a fun poem I wrote a few years back that I hope you enjoy again, or even for the first time, as we welcome a new class of 365 days:
There were… High points to celebrate Low points to tolerate Tears that flowed but eventually slowed Lessons to realize Adventures to feel alive Demons to fight Wrongs to right Goals completed Some deleted Yet, looking back we witness impact More time to forgive Another year to live Accelerate in high gear No invite for fear Pour the bubbles Forget your troubles Clink and Chime Celebrate Big Time!
KEEP ADVENTURE IN YOUR HEARTS!
It’s good to be back, and I look forward to reading your posts again! Happy New Year, and may 2024 be a good one for us all! 🥳🥂❤️
I’m thrilled to share the collaboration has begun with an amazing illustrator for my first children’s book!! The release date will be later this year, specifics TBD. This road is one I haven’t traveled before, so a learning curve is ever present. But the journey will be delightful as I watch my adorable character come to life in color on pages through beautiful illustrations. Not to mention, the important message included in the story for both children and adults. More information will follow throughout the year as progress moves forward, and I’m sporting a Big smile…
like this happy canine!
So, food for thought in haiku form…
visualize dreams transform into intentions rewards lie in wait
As I’ve mentioned in prior posts, the progress for my upcoming book, Ever So Gently, is slowly advancing. Life has interrupted at times, but the plan is to release it next month. For the cover, I wanted a minimalist design with soothing shades to complement the title and message I’m conveying. I may play around with the font and placing of the text, but below is a mock sample:
A snippet from the introduction:
“Ever So Gently expresses how I welcome nature’s offerings. The gentle way in which I should react to life’s challenges. The gentle grace in my heart that is full of gratitude for the love in my life, for being loved. For the support of my family and friends through every stumble and every celebration. When I greet a new day, I am reminded to breathe and live gently. We live in a world riddled with chaos and tragedy, but beauty surrounds us if we open our eyes. I may not always succeed in gentle, but if I slip up, I will try again. A variety of emotions is felt throughout the collection because life can be joyful, but it can also be messy. As to the style of poetry, most are free verse, but since I enjoy trying different forms, I’ve included syllabic poetry as well.
Style notwithstanding, the purpose of compiling this collection is for you, the reader, to discover at least one, but hopefully, a few poems that will evoke a special memory or remind you that you are not alone living with the emotions in your heart. Perhaps you’ll get a good laugh or experience an aha moment. Most importantly, when you turn the last page, I hope you discover the reward of living Ever So Gently.“
Thank you for reading and for your wonderful support in the past! Stay tuned for more information on both books in future posts. May your weekend be filled with adventure and big smiles! ❤️
The holiday break has been wonderful spending time with family, and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, as well. As we’re about to ring in and clink to a new year, I’m sharing some wisdom from an older post…thoughts to ponder as we decide what changes to make for the next twelve months. Are we going to do things the same way and expect different, better outcomes? Or are we going to make necessary changes so that the outcomes reveal the hopes we hold?
I haven’t made resolutions, but I am in the middle of working on a new poetry collection that will be released in the spring. And a few more book ideas simmer on the horizon, too. There’s nothing like creative projects to keep our minds busy in that feel-good mode. So, I will welcome 2023 with open arms, excited for new possibilities. Below is that wisdom I mentioned…it’s all about finding and keeping a balance…
BALANCE SHEET OF LIFE:
The most destructive habit………Worry
The greatest joy………………..Giving
The greatest loss….Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work…..Helping Others
The ugliest personality trait…..Selfishness
The greatest “shot in the arm”…….Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome……Fear
The most effective sleeping pill……..Peace of Mind
The most crippling failure disease……..Excuses
The most powerful force in life……….Love
The most dangerous act…..Gossip
The world’s most incredible computer….The Brain
The worst thing to be without…………Hope
The deadliest weapon………………………..The Tongue
The two most power-filled words………I Can!
The greatest asset………………….Faith
The most worthless emotion……….Self-pity
The most beautiful attire……………Smile
The most prized possession………………Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication…..Prayer
The most contagious spirit…………..Enthusiasm
LIFE ends when you stop DREAMING.
HOPE ends when you stop BELIEVING.
LOVE ends when you stop CARING.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ~ C.S. Lewis
Wishing you all a safe and fun celebration and a very Happy New Year!
Comments are closed, but I look forward to seeing you all in 2023! I’ll return some time in January.
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author 