It isn’t a sudden realization that fell from the sky like an unexpected deluge of rain – that she’s alone without him. But the insight flashes on every wall in the house like a persistent advertisement on television. Dodging its audacity staring her in the face is impossible. Its reflection glowers back at her in each mirror. And yet, don’t misconstrue, this share of vulnerability isn’t about loneliness. Her ‘me’ time is welcomed at the right time, but when he’s gone, there’s no pretending. Too many miles stretch in between her address and loved ones. Friendships reside in the past. Staring at the silent cell phone lying on the table, she wishes it to buzz and shimmy closer to her. The doorbell longs to chime in days of old. No one to laugh with, no one for idle conversation, no one to care. The only noise is the reassurance that she is alone, and it booms through her aching heart like a relentless bass beat.
life partner brings joy ‘me time’ brings satisfaction friends faded with time
I am thrilled to share Maggie’s lovely review of my book that is about 14 months old. The excitement began in July of last year, and I’m grateful to say that it’s continued. I am humbled to receive almost thirty 5-star reviews.
But first of all, let me introduce you to Maggie if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her:
I am Maggie Watson, an Indie Poet and Author from Scotland. My poetry journey began at the start of the pandemic in 2020. At that point, I had no idea it would then become such a big part of my life. We can all agree that those years were very difficult, and I found the "lockdowns" particularly hard. So I began putting pen to paper, merely to get my sense of isolation and frustration down on paper. Fast forward to December 2020 and "The Madness of Corona" was published (by a publishing house). As happy as I was seeing my name on an Amazon product page, I was embarrassed by the content ( but heh, we all started out at some point). I knew I wanted to do better, and knew I could do better, so I decided to try and self-publish as a goal to aim for. Self-Publishing is not difficult, only time-consuming. In February 2021 I released "Me and My Shadow" and later that year I also released "Once Upon a Time". Looking back though,I would say that I was going for the achievement factor and still not paying much attention to the quality of my writing! In 2021 I joined the Instagram writing Community. I will always be grateful for the love and support shown to me by my fellow writers (especially when my account was hacked). I would say being on there brought an improvement in my writing because the standard is so high, as it is here on WP! I recently took the decision to leave IG and this blog will now be my main platform. Last year(2022) my work was included in an Open Skies Anthology. I also had my work accepted by Glass Gates Publications and Gypsophila Zine (see my Other Publications Page) as well as releasing "A Jar of Stars" and "In the Shadow of My Pen : A Collection of Poetry and Prose. This year has been my most successful to date as far as submissions go,including Gypsophila Zine again and also Spillwords. My new Collection "Ephemeral Encounters (Her Book of Words) has also just been released. I write for the love of writing, and I always hope someone can take something from my words🙏.
I've read Ephemeral Encounters and loved it, but Maggie has just released another new collection of poetry:
You can pre-order Pieces of Me in e-book format, which will be released on October 7th, along with the paperback. Since I have a strong affinity for paperbacks, I’m holding out! But I love Maggie’s beautiful and evocative writing, so I know her new book will be another wonderful addition to my home library.
Now, I invite you to visit Maggie by clicking on the link below to read her full review of my collection of poetry, Ever So Gently.
These reviews are long overdue, but I enjoyed each book equally, all 5 glowing stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I will post my reviews soon on Amazon and Goodreads. 😁
The Contract by John W. Howell and Gwendolyn Plano is a story with romance interwoven between the elements of a thriller and a supernatural. Chapter One had me hooked! Peter and Teresa become Heaven’s representatives on earth to assume the bodies of deceased Brad, who was a Navy Seal, and Sarah, who was a teacher and married to an abusive husband. Together, they are assigned a colossal mission, which produces an action-packed and intriguing story. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I began second-guessing who Brad and Sarah should trust. A fun fact for me was the familiar settings of the town of Davis, San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Sausalito, all in my ‘backyard.’
I’m sure it isn’t easy coauthoring a book, but the authors did a fabulous job in making sure the writing flowed seamlessly. The thriller element will keep you turning the pages to the very end, and the love story and supernatural qualities will leave you feeling good. A highly recommended book that offers something for everyone!
I don’t normally read phycological thrillers, but when I ran across a blog post promoting Warning Signs by Carol Balawyder, I immediately paid a visit to Amazon. I was already familiar with Balawyder’s wonderful storytelling and was eager to dive into another one of her books. Once my copy arrived, I dove in and finished the book in two days! A definite page-turner! The story of Eugene, the main character, is horrific, but the author’s experience in Police Technology is apparent from beginning to end, which made my experience fascinating. Regarding Eugene’s criminality, Balawyder didn’t paint graphic scenes that would be disturbing. I appreciated this decision in writing the book. The reader learns the crime, can envision the scene, which is horrendous, but then the story progresses with believable supporting characters who attempt to fit the pieces together. They each carry their own baggage that enriches the tale. A twist took me by surprise, but the conclusion is superb. I’ve always loved a good mystery where the characters work diligently to solve a crime. So, I enjoyed this book for the different genre that it was, along with Balawyder’s brilliant writing. Highly recommended!
Ephemeral Encounters (Her Book of Words)by Maggie Watson is an exquisite collection of poems that speaks candidly from the heart. The melody of unrequited love plays throughout the pages. I cozied up with these lovely poems one evening and read from beginning to end. Watson’s language is both accessible and elegant. You’ll discover honesty, raw, yet beauty, throughout each poem – the emotions are palpable. Watson gently adds passion to this mix to keep the reader even more engaged.
Falling in love and being loved are elements of life that are vital to one’s desire to live. It is human nature to hunger for attachment, acceptance, and feeling special. When this love enters into our life, a poet feels inspired to write. And when the ache of a love not meant to be persistently throbs, a poet also feels inspired to write. Watson has compiled a touching, relatable, and profound collection. I have too many favorites to list, so I’ll share one of them that stood out, “Unfinished Symphony” (the first of three parts):
Don’t place flowers on my grave when I die. I am not there. I will be standing right beside you. I will be the wind in your hair. Or keep me in your heart. That is where I always wanted to be. I would have swum across an ocean to be in your arms. But you kept running, and I grew tired. In this world, we could not be lovers. Maybe in the next? You will always be my unfinished symphony.
I highly recommend this poetry book for anyone who has ever been in love or who has nursed a broken heart.
I’ve always been fascinated with packing imagery and emotions into just a few lines of poetry, and haiku is one form that delivers. Dawn Pisturino’s book, Lunar Gazing Haiku, is a beautiful collection of over sixty haiku touching on emotions, passion, spirituality, seasons, and of course, the spectacular moon. I immersed myself into these short yet meaningful poems one morning while enjoying a hot cup of coffee. In the beginning of the book, Pisturino includes the Introduction that offers history on this short Japanese poetry form which I found to be beneficial. Gaining more knowledge by reading enriches the experience while enjoying the content. This short chapbook is meant to be read more than once. Throughout its pages, there is an aspect of life for everyone that will resonate. Highly recommended for all poetry lovers. I enjoyed this entire lovely collection, but a few favorites are:
Fireflies
fireflies in the dark spur childhood imaginings fairy lanterns glow
Autumn
crisp red apples taste sweetest in pie and cider on brisk autumn nights
Healing
mooncakes and water capture moonlight’s silver rays powerful healing
I hope you won’t leave here empty-handed, but thank you for stopping by! Happy reading, Lauren ❤️
For those of you who have followed me through this series, I’m so grateful. But what makes me happy is that you’ve enjoyed the journey with Clay the Camper van at our favorite lake in the Sierra Mountains. I’m sure you can tell that each piece of writing is different from the last because I don’t want your eyes glazing over from repetition. 😁 And if you’ve missed the prior posts, you can click below:
On one of our hikes, as I made myself comfortable on a smooth slab of granite (Part 3), I fell deep into a lovely reflection about the man who I’m sharing this camper van journey with, not to mention, the phenomenal journey of life. And so, the poem below evolved. I hope you enjoythis touch of romance for a Monday…
Stunning marriage of lake and clouds.
Marinate
Let my words marinate… Did you feel unworthy of being loved? Maybe I felt the same. Perhaps, everyone does at some turn of the sun and waxing of the moon.
But you, my love, are deserving of all constellations. I’d reach high in the velvet sky and gently cup the brilliance in my hands, devoting all to you. The light in you coupled with their luminescence would be a spectacular collaboration.
We are not perfect. We are imperfectly perfect for each other. We ‘see’ each other. Never are we dismissed by words or actions. Never are we invisible like shade in the night.
Did you realize that together we have witnessed 13,140 sunrises and sunsets? It’s wild to envision the abundance of colors in our life!
Oh, gray managed to seep into some chapters, but our arms saved each of us from falling and surrendering. Why give darkness the spotlight when the light wishes to shine?
So, let my words marinate… I love you! Our love is as timeless as the pairing of wine and cheese. And I’m excited to witness by your side the wonder of more magic from the sun!
For with you, I have everything I need. I have no need to look beyond. For with you, I have won the golden ticket. ❤️
I am pleased to announce that my poem, “Reconnected” is published on Gobblers by Masticadores! A huge Thank you to Manuela Timofte for believing in me enough to share my work each month. I am truly grateful! 🙏🩷
A snippet of the poem…
He had just entered the world his body tiny and delicate a bundle needing to be loved His skin darker than theirs but this made no difference Joy danced in their hearts when he became family
but with each passing birthday the skin color confused him…
This poem is my sister and brother-in-law’s story. They were married 52 years ago, and when they wanted to start their family, they found out that they couldn’t have children. So, they adopted their two boys. This is the story of their first son, my nephew. It is a story of unconditional love and wanting to provide a loving, safe home for a precious baby who needed one. I would be thrilled if you visited Gobblers to show your love on their site and to read the full poem. You can find the poem here.
It was just another day at the county fair. Everything looked the same. Vendors gathered in their dedicated spots. The music venue sat under the white canopy by the pond that never changes location.
Henna ink has lightened – the faded hummingbird no longer reminds me of Mom, the wolf, incognito, but the memory shines like the glimmering pond…
Chatter and laughter echo around the zooming roller coasters, high-flying swings, and games that will eagerly take your dollar bills. Feathered spectators compete in the distance, but their melodies as faint as clouds drifting in the sky. Soft tacos satisfy our palates under a waterfall of sunshine as we observe parents walking by with their children wearing cotton candy smiles. Nothing brings more joy than cheering on the trio of piglets racing around the track. Their curly tails in view past the finish line!
What a delightful visual the lively grounds present from the revolving Ferris Wheel. I grab my cell for photos of him with the crowd’s energy buzzing in the background. He entertains me with these photo ops, knowing how much I love documenting precious moments. The ride pauses with our bucket at the top while others climb in below for their trip around the moon – our fingertips almost touch the vast blue. I am surprised by the vacancy of butterflies in my stomach.
It was just another day at the county fair. Everything looked the same, except… this day was time spent with my adult son – he would soon embark on a cross-country adventure. So, a Sunday of togetherness while enjoying the county fair landscape proved to be anything but the same, and was indeed different in the very best way – worth more than any materialistic possession I could ever own.
We’re all amazed at how fast time flies, and I continue to be…because it seems like yesterday when my book, Ever So Gently, was first published. This is my 4th book, and after one year has flown by, I’m celebrating with joy the 1st Anniversary of this poetry collection dear to my heart. Not to mention, the beautiful, soft cover painted by my son that paired perfectly with the title and the message within the pages. I want to thank everyone who has bought a copy! I feel so honored by the beautiful reviews I’ve received and all of them, 5-stars. A Big Thanks to you all! 🙏🙏
Reading Ms. Scott’s poetry is like roaming the pages of a spiritual book and you can feel a connection. Upon picking up this book I first read “Ever So Gently” and felt an instant connection, as I’ve lived such moments myself during bushcrafting adventures, connected to nature and all of creation. As I continue to read, each poem is equally as deep and reveals not only the writers soul, but my own. ~ Scott Mitchell, Photographer and Poet
A beautiful collection…
“Ever So Gently” is a beautiful collection of free verse and symbolic poetry. It is broken into three sections that cover nature, life’s moments, and some author insights. I love nature and I’m drawn to vivid images, but the emotions and insights explored in our shared experiences were equally intriguing. There was a peace within these pages that allowed me to drift off into a poetic slumber when I was done reading. Although I enjoyed the entire collection, here are a few lines that captured my heart. “Fresh raindrops/gently landed/on their wilted spirit/as I witnessed them lifting…”—Wilted Spirits, “You stowed dreams in the clouds,/imaginings rose higher than the heavens…”—First Breath, “Their presence graced my universe beautifully like an endless ceiling of bright blue sky. Then they were gone.”—Friendships Gone, and “Its glow will grow ever so gently/into a bright beacon of hope/rising with the golden sun/bringing clarity to our vision.”—Ever So Gently. A collection that I will be enjoying again and can highly recommend. ~ D. L. Finn, Author of Sounds in the Silence
Reads like an Impressionist painting looks…
This book of gentle poetry reinforces love of family, nature and the mysteries of life. Written in a free style, the poems are organized into 3 sections: The Wisdom of Nature, The Noise, The Laughter, The Chaos and The Loved Ones. Each section breaks from free style at its end and features syllabic poetry. This book is for lovers of poetry who look for words to savour, poems to read over and over and a book to treasure in their collection. Through her writing, Lauren Scott reveals a caring and gentle soul that lives up to the title of her book. ~ Resa McConaghy, Photographer and artist at https://graffitiluxandmurals.com. For Resa’s full review on her blog, visit https://graffitiluxandmurals.com/2023/08/20/ever-so-gently-by-lauren-scott/.
Read it slowly, and savor it long…
Ever So Gently–A collection of poems by Lauren Scott, a book of 126 pages, is a beautiful collection to savor more than once. In a combination of poetry forms like free verse, haiku and tanka, etheree, shadorma, and others, the Author celebrates family memories and present moments and reflections on where she is in her life today. Read it slowly and feel the words cause your own memories to float to the surface.
The book is divided into three parts: The Wisdom of Nature; The Noise, the Laughter, The Chaos, The Loved Ones; and Lost In Thought. In Part 2, there’s even a poem from the perspective of Copper, her Labrador—a clear indication of the different loves in the Author’s life. Undeniably you will find the words swell your heart with gratitude too.
I recommend Ever So Gently to anyone who knows how to tap into and make much of the happy moments in life. Because life is not always a bed of roses, yet beautiful things happen all the time. Any of the poems will have resonance. What, with language like these excerpts from the book:
“That this routine, though simple to some, would not be the same, would not provide the comforting experience if one of us was not present? I shudder to imagine such a scenario…” ~Toots and Circles
“the soil exhaled and my lantana sang “Hallelujah!” ~ October’s Miracle
“When I reminisce to these years, memories make me pause… to a time when I witnessed their laughter and tears,” ~The Tiny Town
“a little bit more. I’m sure she knows the amount of residence she claims in my heart. Then again, it is quite difficult to quantify.” ~A Little Bit More
“Then with the years your adolescence faded like my blue dye, but I stayed loyal.” ~The Blue Down Jacket
“Life is like a package wrapped in festive paper.” ~Darker Than The Deepest Sea
All the poems offered me a tender glimpse into Scott’s life. One calm evening to read through this poetry collection is all I needed to recognize how much I have in common with this Author. That she and her husband are empty nesters puts me right in her shoes. So the poem that will remain tucked safely in my happy place is the following:
“I find comfort in the clothes\ strewn on the floor\ soon to be dumped in the washer,\ wallet lying on the dresser,\ cell charging, bed comforter\ in shambles\because the messiness\ displays his presence.\ Now with air miles accumulated\ back in his time zone,\ the room shines in all its cleanliness,\ the neatness grating on my nerves,\ the silence, a cold shoulder.\ My hand pulls back the comforter,\ tousling, creating wrinkles\ in the navy fabric, then I pull\ some old shirts from the closet,\ tossing them on the floor.\ I can certainly pretend\ he’s just out with friends…”\\ The Mess, p.59
I hope you’re ready for just such a book, serene and enticing, that will speak ever so gently to your soul. I cannot wait to read more poetry like this from this Author. 5-star from a satisfied customer.~ Selma Martin, Author of In the Shadow of Rainbows
If you don’t own a copy of Ever So Gently yet, I hope you will soon. It’s never too late! But most of all, my wish is for you to find some poems that you can call your own – poems that resonate to the core. ❤️
I appreciate you joining me in this special celebration! 🎉💫
Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 💙🩵💚
To purchase your copy in paperback or e-book, click ‘Buy on Amazon’ or visit Barnes & Noble, and Kobo where Ever So Gently is also available.
HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY, AND THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY! HUGS & HAPPY READING, LAUREN 💜💜
I invite you to visit Rebecca’s blog to listen to our conversation on poetry. You can also find our podcast on Spotify, Facebook, SoundCloud, Instagram, and Mastodon.
Thank you so much, and I hope you enjoy the podcast!
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author & Poet 