“The Middle” published on Gobblers by Masticadores

On June 2, 2025June 2, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Gobblers by Masticadores, Poetry77 Comments

Dear Family and Friends,

I’m excited to share that my poem “The Middle” is live today on Gobblers by Masticadores! To give you a little back story, when I wrote this poem, life had changed tragically for a family member. Since then, there have been many improvements which I believe are miracles. But life still isn’t the same and a daunting question mark hangs in the future. Our family continues with positive thoughts and prayers. And I want to offer a huge thank you, as always, to Editor, Manuela Timofte, for featuring my writing.

The Middle

It doesn’t matter if we’re celebrating
the best thing that ever happened,
or staring at our heart lying on the floor
in millions of tiny pieces.
Time moves ahead (seemingly)
as if we pushed the fast forward button.
Those hands on the analog clock
have a mind of their own,
turning and turning, making our heads spin,
wondering where the hours have gone.
Where have the hours gone?
How does a decade ago feel like yesterday?
Why does my mind tell me I’m forty
when my driver’s license tells me I’m wrong?
Just yesterday, my daughter and son
played with Lego and Barbies.
Today they’re adulting, living with
bills that show up in the mailbox
on a monthly basis. Always prompt.
Just yesterday, I took my last photo
of our senior pup, not knowing
it would be the last photo
I would take of him...

To read the full poem, please visit Gobblers by clicking on the link below. Thank you so much, and I wish you a wonderful week in this new month of June. ❤️

The Middle

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com – All rights reserved.
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.
Photo of Mickey Mouse found from Google.

Available on Amazon, and Barnes & Noble,
but click on the image to purchase your
copy through Amazon. And a friendly nudge
to share a review online if you loved Cora’s Quest.
***Thanks so much!*** 💜

Gobblers by Masticadores Publishes “Who says miracles don’t happen?”

On November 3, 2024November 3, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Gobblers by Masticadores, Poetry

Thank you to Manuela Timofte for publishing this post about rainbows and miracles. Some of you may remember it from a few weeks ago. This week I’m praying for a miracle, so I’m grateful for the perfect timing! I’m closing comments because I invite you to visit Gobblers to offer Manuela support at her wonderful literary site. And after viewing the photos and reading my poem, “Darker than the Deepest Sea” I hope you’ll be inclined to leave a ‘like’ and maybe even a comment…🤗🌈

Who says miracles don’t happen?

As always, thanks SO much for visiting my corner of the blogging world.

I wish you a fabulous day and week ahead,
Lauren ❤️🤗

Website: baydreamerwrites.com
Author Of The Month, May 2023 Spillwords Press
Publication of the Month,
October 2024 “Treats only, Please!” Spillwords Press
Monthly Contributor, Gobbers-Masticadores Literary Website
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B08NCRH4MK
Author Latest Release Ever So Gently: A Collection of Poems
Author, More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose
Author, Finding a Balance: A Collection of Poems
Author, New Day, New Dreams: A Poetry Collection
Co-Author, Petals of Haiku
Co-Author, This is How We Grow
Co-Author, Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships
Cora’s Quest, A children’s book, coming soon!

***Click*** ***on the image*** ***to purchase your copy.***
***Thank you***! 🧡🍂🍁

Literary Revelations Journal features my poetry!

On October 30, 2024October 30, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry77 Comments

***Photo: credit to Literary Revelations Publishing House***

Dear Family and Friends!

I have more exciting news to share! I am grateful to Gabriela Marie Milton for the opportunity of being featured on her literary journal today – Literary Revelations! She has published two of my poems: “I Know This” and “Wild Emotions.” I am always in awe of her beautiful, evocative poetry and of the poetry she features of other talented writers. So, thank you, once again, Gabriela! I am on Cloud 9!! ❤️

Literary Revelations has published a myriad of beautiful books. The most recent are Full Moon Confessions by Tracey Anne and Petals of Haiku: An Anthology, in which the art on the cover is by award-winning painter Hikari. I am honored to be a part of this amazing anthology with over 160 poets.

For some reason, WordPress won’t allow me to add book images in the body of the post, so please visit Gabriela’s site here to peruse her wonderful books.

And now I offer you snippets of my poems:

I Know This

We do not live forever,
I know this,
just as sunlight and moonbeams
cannot shine simultaneously.
But sometimes I feel
he and I
will transcend the inevitable.
Imagining the opposite
is unimaginable…

Wild Emotions

No one listens, no one understands the version of me…
My spirit sinks to the bottom of the ocean floor.
My sky holds gray clouds with no sign of cerulean.
My body suffers heaviness as the hand of death.
My mind resides in a muddle of negativity
Like a dirge repeating loop after loop…
A shadowy corner in my room invites me for an extended stay.
Sun rays no longer peek through my curtains
Because even my sunken spirit has the sun feeling uncertain…

I hope you’ll visit Gabriela’s post to read the poems in their entirety. My heart would be full of gratitude! You can also click on the link below.

Thank you SO much for stopping by and for your continued support. Words can’t express how thankful I am for you! And I wish you a fabulous day, and a fun Halloween!🙏❤️

Featuring Lauren Scott’s beautiful poetry

Website: baydreamerwrites.com
Author Of The Month, May 2023 Spillwords Press
Monthly Contributor, Gobbers-Masticadores Literary Website
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B08NCRH4MK
Author Latest Release Ever So Gently: A Collection of Poems
Author, More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose
Author, Finding a Balance: A Collection of Poems
Author, New Day, New Dreams: A Poetry Collection
Co-Author, Petals of Haiku
Co-Author, This is How We Grow
Co-Author, Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships
Cora’s Quest, A children’s book, coming this fall!

“Treats only, Please!” is nominated for Publication of the Month by Spillwords Press!

On October 26, 2024October 28, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry82 Comments

Dear Family and Friends,

I am thrilled to share that my light-hearted, fun poem for Halloween “Treats only, Please!” has been nominated for Publication of the Month by Spillwords Press! This recognition means the world to me, and it is an honor to be in the company of so many talented writers (including a few great blogging buddies). Thank you to Dagmara, her team at Spillwords, and to the readers who offer the most wonderful support of my writing. The email that landed in my inbox today is..

Dear writers,

We are thrilled to extend our heartfelt congratulations to every one of you! Your exceptional pieces have been nominated due to popular demand for October’s Publication of The Month.

You have the power to decide the winner by casting your vote here: https://spillwords.com/vote/

We encourage you to share this link with your family, friends, and supporters, as their votes can make all the difference. Please note that voting will conclude on 10/30; soon after, we will reveal the well-deserved recipient of this prestigious title.

To vote, kindly register and/or log in to ensure your voice is heard.

The winning publication will be prominently featured on the Spillwords.com sidebar throughout the entire month of November, gaining well-deserved recognition from our global audience.

HERE ARE THE NOMINEES:

Good luck to all the nominees! Your contributions have enriched our platform, and we deeply appreciate your excellent collaboration and participation.

Warm regards,

Editing Team | Editing Department
editor@spillwords.com

Treats only, Please!

Creepy cackles from tall, looming trees
startle their jumpy heartbeats as they walk.
Shadows discreetly follow the echoes
while they timidly proceed down the block.

Young voices repeat with conviction,
“It’s just a night for entertainment.”
There’s no need for goosebumps and fear
as their eyes focus on the cracked pavement.

Undeniably sensing they’re not alone,
many follow in their hesitant footsteps,
eager to reach doors and push doorbells
but afraid of frightening special effects.

Broomstick witches in purple velvet capes,
eerie fog rolling in with white-gown ghosts,
superheroes from blockbuster movies,
owls hooting from high in their posts.

Some faces look like long lost relatives,
wrinkly and aged like dear old granny.
Ignoring the screeches, they focus only
on filling pillowcases with loads of candy!

I am thrilled that this fun take on Halloween received
142 ❤️s and 17 comments (including my replies)!
To those who flew over to Spillwords and hearted
and/or commented on my poem,
I offer my grandest Thank you!!!!
❤️🙏❤️

So, I ask you to vote! Log in or create an account (I know, another account, another password, all I can do is ask). 😃

You can offer your wonderful support by casting your vote here,
and again, voting will conclude on Wednesday, October 30th.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Thank you for your support that I don’t take lightly. I appreciate you so much!
Hugs, Lauren 💖🙏🤗👻

Photo by Monstera Production on Pexels.com

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Spillwords images and email courtesy of Spillwords Press.

Spillwords publishes “Treats only, Please!”

On October 24, 2024October 24, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry81 Comments

I don’t like scary movies! As a teenager, I saw my fill, and the movie that did me in was The Amityville Horror! I was housesitting with my best friend, Melissa, and why we thought going to see this movie was a good idea, I’ll never know. But into the night, every strange sound in the house just about ejected us from our beds! The toilet gurgling, the wind outside, the creaking of the house, the refrigerator whine, our imaginations! Now, as an adult, the news of world events and events in my own country are frightening enough! Who needs Jason, Michael, Chucky, or Freddie?!!! 👻

So, when I read about Spillwords asking for Halloween submissions, I thought, hmmm, scary isn’t my genre. Then I reminisced to the Halloween nights when our children went trick-or-treating in their cute costumes, and behold, a fun, light poem was born. 😁🎃 I’m thrilled that Spillwords liked it enough to publish it in their Halloween collection. My heart is filled with gratitude to Dagmara K. and her team for sharing my writing again within such a talented community.
And now for a snippet…

Treats only, Please

Creepy cackles from tall, looming trees
startle their jumpy heartbeats as they walk.
Shadows discreetly follow the echoes
as they timidly proceed down the block.

Young voices repeat with conviction,
“It’s just a night for entertainment”
There’s no need for…

To read the full poem, fly on over to Spillwords by clicking here, and I hope you’ll give it a 🧡 while you’re there! If you have any thoughts, don’t be shy, leave a comment! Does my backstory and poem resonate with you?
Thanks SO much for your support! 👻🎃

I appreciate your visit, and wish you a wonderful weekend ahead!
Stay well, happy, and safe! ❤️🍁

Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites ©2024 – All rights reserved.
Photos courtesy of Spillwords

A Sneak Peek!

On March 2, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Book Promotions, Books92 Comments

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!
____________________________________________________________________________

A collection of poems about nature, love, and the mysteries of life.
Click on the image to purchase your copy. Thank you! 💚

Thank you for dropping in and I wish you a lovely and peaceful weekend!
Lauren ❤️

Spillwords Press publishes “Toots and Circles”!!!

On May 24, 2023May 24, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry68 Comments

Dear Friends,

Spillwords Press has published my second poem today , “Toots and Circles” and I am honored to have my writing featured on their site again!

This poem evolved one morning when a friend in nature woke us up with its morning greeting just before our alarm sounded off…

Toots and Circles

Perhaps he was a Western Screech Owl
that I heard outside our bedroom window
in the early darkness before the sun
fashioned its glorious arrival.
I cannot say with conviction,
but it is certain he proclaimed his presence
with his high-pitched toots.

But what I really want to know…

You can read the entire poem here…

And I”ll be grateful if you head over to Spillwords and click on the heart to “like” the poem. 😁 I’d even do a happy dance if you’d leave a comment, but of course, you’ll need to create an account and log in. I won’t ask you to do this since we are all inundated with user names and passwords. One can hope though!
Please know your time and support is greatly appreciated if you choose one of these options.❤️

Thank you again to Dagmara K. and her team for accepting my submission. I am thrilled to the moon and truly gratified!

I hope you enjoyed my poem, and I wish you many miracles in nature! ❤️

Living Ever So Gently

On May 20, 2023May 20, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Book Promotions, Poetry98 Comments

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…

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! ❤️