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 October is 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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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, BaydreamerWrites.com

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.