Happy July! I am excited to announce that my poem “I Am From!” was voted Publication of the Month for June at Spillwords Press!!! 🎉
I am so excited to receive this award and recognition! Thank you to Dagmara K. and her team for providing a welcoming literary site for authors to share their emotions through words. It is truly an honor to be a part of the Spillwords Press community!
I offer my deepest gratitude to YOU for your ongoing support and vote, and for initially visiting Spillwords to read my poem, “https://spillwords.com/i-am-from/!”I am also humbled that my version of George Ella Lyon’s “Where I’m From” resonated with so many. And I’m grateful to Lori and Vicki for providing the writing inspiration. Please visit their beautiful blogs if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting them yet. They are amazingand talented women, whom I call friends in this warm community!
Reflections
“I Am From” is displayed on the sidebar at Spillwords.com for the month of July if you’d like to take a peek!
A little more mush, thanks again from the bottom of my heart! And I wish you a happy and peaceful month of July! ❤️
I hope you’re doing well! We’re enjoying our last weekend with our son before he returns to CO. I’ll try to contain the tears, but I have a feeling they’ll be the winners. The visit has been wonderful, but we raise our children to fly from the nest, to create their own lives, and ours have done just that to make us proud. Sigh.
On another note, I’ve renovated my blog, so if you notice, let me know what you think. Or if you have ideas to make it look better, please share them. I’m no webmaster! My goal was to create an author page with my blog as a separate tab. I did it, but it wasn’t an easy task. Thanks to the Gremlins for taking a lunch break while I diligently worked and followed directions online. 🙂 And if you check out my home page, feel free to click on the ‘like’ button. ❤️
And lastly, a long weekend in the U.S. arrives but not without a high price…
You may not know me the first time we meet I’m just another you see on the street But I am the reason you walk and breathe free I am the reason for your liberty
I AM A VETERAN
I work in the local factory all day I own the restaurant just down the way I sell you insurance, I start your IV I’ve got the best-looking grandkids you’ll ever see
I’m your grocer, your banker Your child’s schoolteacher I’m your plumber, your barber Your family’s preacher But there’s part of me you don’t know very well Just listen a moment, I’ve a story to tell
I AM A VETERAN
I joined the service while still in my teens I traded my prom dress for camouflage greens I’m the first in my family to do something like this I followed my father, like he followed his
Defying my fears and hiding my doubt I married my sweetheart before I shipped out I missed Christmas, then Easter The birth of my son But I knew I was doing what had to be done
I served on the battlefront, I served on the base I bound up the wounded And begged for God’s grace I gave orders to fire, I followed commands I marched into conflict in far distant lands
In the jungle, the desert, on mountains and shores In bunkers, in tents, on dank earthen floors While I fought on the ground, in the air, on the sea My family and friends were home praying for me
For the land of the free and the home of the brave I faced my demons in foxholes and caves Then one dreaded day, without drummer or fife I lost an arm, my buddy lost his life
I came home and moved on But forever was changed The perils of war in my memory remained I don’t really say much, I don’t feel like I can But I left home a child, and came home a man
There are thousands like me Thousands more who are gone But their legacy lives as time marches on White crosses in rows And names carved in queue Remind us of what these brave souls had to do
I’m part of a fellowship, a strong mighty band Of each man and each woman Who has served this great land And when Old Glory waves I stand proud, I stand tall I helped keep her flying over you, over all
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! 💜
I don’t know about you, but to me, this poem is moving beyond words. 💜
Thank you for stopping by, and I wish you all a safe Memorial Day Weekend. ❤️🇺🇸
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.
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.
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.
I am excited to share that my story “Resilience is Her Saving Grace” has been nominated for Publication of the Month by Spillwords Press. In the past, I’ve only submitted poetry, but I stepped out of the box and submitted this fiction short story that is reality for many, so I am thrilled with this nomination! This recognition means the world to me, and it is an honor to be in the company of so many amazing writers. 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 last night was…
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 May’s Publication of The Month.
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 5/29; 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 June, gaining well-deserved recognition from our global audience.
HERE ARE THE NOMINEES:
The Antiquarian by Steven Elvy
Crescendo by Alan David Gould
Resilience is Her Saving Grace by Lauren Scott
The Road Less Travelled by Vidya Venkataramanan
A Squirrel’s Front Teeth Never Stop Growing by Barbara Harris Leonhard
Sun Over Cadaqués by Kate Aranda Nye
The Dark Night of the Soul by Michael Balner
There Are Angels on Earth by Simona Prilogan
Passages – Last Sailing by Gerry Stefanson
(My) Night-Long Lament by Michelle Ayon Navajas
From The Land of Olives by Nada M. Sobhi
Turning Tables by Nova Loverro
In Memory of Harold Bloom by Jake Sheff
French Fry Etiquette by Judge Burdon
To all the nominees, good luck! Your contributions have enriched our platform, and we deeply appreciate your excellent collaboration and participation.
The tempest held its vigil on the horizon but continued to fool her. Devotion in his eyes mesmerized her whole being, awakened every pulse in her body. Eyes that spoke the language of love where their future glowed like an apricot dawn. She bestowed her heart permission to be swept into his pools of blue…
And yet, every day she anticipates the sting from his hand – the palm or back, makes no difference. The sting smarts like hell, but her heart secures the brunt of the damage. The slaps begin early each morning if she doesn’t move fast enough to appease his caffeine demands. And it’s ironic that he chose ‘chalet’ for his cell alarm because the calming tone contrasts to his horrific demeanor. After he walks through the front door following a day’s work, if she so much as smiles unknowingly to his disliking, his hand finds her cheek, and she feels the strike of skin even before impact. 5 p.m. on the mantel clock makes her heart pound as though trying to make a getaway.
The house that once was a home mirrors a prison. Cameras keep their eyes on her as he watches from his downtown office. Claustrophobia slithers down her spine. She struggles to quell the panic attacks. And her cell is meant only to reach him or to answer his calls. He tracks her like a wild animal. The ring on her finger stole all contact from the outside world – lost like a loved one’s passing. Grieving has no end, but she doesn’t dare misbehave because the pain is relentless.
She recalls the beautiful moments when his hands would send tingles from her neck down the map of her body. What did I do wrong? consumed her every thought when he transformed from loving husband to beast. Thoughts that became so tangled, she couldn’t ruminate until the truth stared her in the face. Her cheeks grew hot like asphalt in August from the realization that the monster had always existed.
Before the perfect couple whispered those two celebrated words on that breezy afternoon, signifying “You are my forever person,” he wore charm impeccably like a well-pressed dress shirt – his kisses intoxicating as jasmine, gentle like summer rain – respect enfolded in each embrace. Then donning satin and lace, the solitaire sparkled like her heart and soul, but true personas can take cover behind convincing eyes and smiles.
How could she have missed the signs? She ponders over and over.
Time – revelations, decisions, and strategies always take time. Her defense, submission, though she loathes appearing weak, and the agony tests her strength. But the path will wend its way, leading her to a door for a fresh start, caressing her bruised face and her body, his punching bag.
Gazing out the window, she watches courage whirl among the cottony clouds. Around the corner, freedom waits with intensity, as though motioning for her to come closer, excited for her new, safe beginning. She witnesses a glimpse of hope in the pink daisy pushing through the crack in the sidewalk.
But biding her time means life, and staying alive is her objective. She must bleed toughly. Resilience is her saving grace and not meant to be scattered on the floor, anymore. She must be smart to be free.
If you’d like, you canvisit the original post of “Resilience is Her Saving Grace” on Spillwords by clicking here.
Thank you for stopping by! Voting will conclude on Wednesday, May 29th, so I would greatly appreciate your vote here: https://spillwords.com/vote/If you don’t have an account, registering is required, and I know one more account and password is a lot to ask of you, but please know that I appreciate your time! And if you already have an account, simply log in and click on the circle next to my story. 💞🙏
I am thrilled to be featured on Spillwords Press as part of their ‘Spotlight on Writers’ Series and my interview is live right now! Thanks so much to Dagmara and her team for offering this amazing opportunity. It’s a wonderful feeling to be recognized and to have a platform such as Spillwords to showcase my poetry. I am truly honored and grateful! And now for a peek at the interview beginning with Question #1:
Where do you hail from?
I was born in Palo Alto located in Northern California. But since my parents shared an excitement for moving, when I was two years old, we relocated to Cypress in the southern part of the state. The neighborhood where I began kindergarten evokes memories of playing with tadpoles and a frog the size of a football that I named Sam. When I was eight years old, we moved to Anaheim with Disneyland in our backyard. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and the rest of his cohorts became friends. I met a girl who lived around the block, and our friendship remains to this day. She and I spent most of our time in the magic kingdom when ticket books existed, and e-ticket rides were the best! Three years later, my parents packed up the house again, but this time, traveled across state lines to New Mexico. We lived in a beautiful brick house where wintertime brought snow for our brown and white springer spaniel to romp around in. But after four years, back to Southern California we headed. Moving frequently in my childhood was difficult – changing schools, leaving old friends, and making new friends. But my parents had their reasons, so I didn’t harbor any resentment toward them. Fullerton became my high school home, and the last one before I moved out on my own. Who knew that in the future, I’d find my way back to the northern part of the state with my husband and children.
If your interest is piqued and you’d like to read the full interview, click here and you will gently be carried over to Spillwords. Or you can simply click on the Spillwords image below. And if you would be so kind to give me a friendly ❤️ while you’re over there, you won’t need an account. But if you’d like to leave a comment, you will need to log in, and of course, I’d love to read your thoughts! Either way, if you cheer me on, I’ll greatly appreciate it! 🙏
Voted Author of the Month for May 2023
Thank you so much for stopping by, and please know that I appreciate you! 🙏🩷
A collection of poems that speaks of nature’s healing touch, howlove shapes our lives, and the mysteries of life. Click on the image to purchase your copy. Thank you! 💚
What a surprise I discovered last night to find an email from Dagmara at Spillwords Pressinforming me that I have been nominated for Author of the Year for 2023!
The following nominees for Author of the Year are:
SmithaV Michelle Ayon Navajas Cindy Georgakas Lauren Scott Suman Pokhrel Verity Mason Nial Crowley Vidya Venkataramanan Caroline Ashley Adele Evershed Rob Wilcher Dawn DeBraal Ernie Stricsek
So, this is the time when I ask for your vote, and voting begins today and will end on Wednesday, January 31st. You will need to log in to vote, but all I can do is ask. You may cast your vote by clicking on this link: https://spillwords.com/vote/
I received this award, from Francina, seasonspoetry.com, and Renee, positiveboomer.net. Francina’s blog exudes elegance and adventure, through her beautiful photography and travel journals. Whether she shares her emotions through her own writing or through writing of another poet, her blog is a “must!” Renee’s blog offers a daily blast of healthy inspiration to go on your merry way. She emphasizes that it is never too late to get in shape and lead a healthy life! Pay them both a visit; you will not be disappointed. They are both lovely ladies and I am so glad they are in my “Sister Circle!” Thank you both very much! ♥
I hadn’t heard of this award before and am truly humbled to be part of the “Sisterhood!” And truthfully, if there were a Brotherhood Award, it would be my pleasure to hand it to those male bloggers whom I also follow!
The Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award.
One of the rules of the award is to tell people 7 things about yourself, hitherto not mentioned on your blog. I have shared some things about myself in previous awards, so I will try not to repeat myself or cause you to
Seven things about myself: 1. I am blessed to have met so many wonderful women through blogging. I feel as though I’ve known you for years! 2. Although, I have many great memories from the past, I wouldn’t want to go back in time. I’m comfortable and happy with my life right now. 3. It’s rewarding and fun having older kids (21 & 17), spending time with them as adults, but it’s still hard letting go. I’m not very good at it, but I’m definitely working on it! 4. I love the country and mountains the most. 5. I may be going back to school (still considering). 6. In January, my hubby and I will celebrate 24 years of marriage. 7. I visit our local library often to check out more books to read; it’s almost as good as visiting Sees Candy!
Instead of following through with 7 (as the rules state) or even more nominations, I’m going to break the rules, hoping the blog award police don’t come after me. Every woman who has visited and supported me in any way, please accept this Sisterhood Award. You may have simply stopped by for a brief look, or liked, commented or followed. It doesn’t matter…there are too many wonderful “sisters” to choose from and I can’t leave anyone out. So, if you are inclined, take this lovely award and pass it on. There is no pressure, of course, and if you choose not to accept, then I’m going to echo Francina’s words by saying “tuck it away somewhere as a token of my appreciation of your creativity.”
The Addictive Blog Award
The Addictive Blog Award was given to me also by Renee at: http://positiveboomer.wordpress.com. Renee is a warm and kind soul who shares an abundance of healthy tips, not to be missed! Please visit her and you will love her ongoing inspiration for a healthy life! I’m very appreciative, Renee, thank you so much for thinking of me for this award. Again, I hadn’t heard of this one and since my one year blogging anniversary is coming up, I suppose it is fitting! Although, I’d like to replace “Addictive” with “Passionate!” 🙂
The rules for this Award are as follows:
1. Thank the person who nominated you and link them back. Thanks so much, Renee!
2. Share a little bit about why you started blogging.
I had always loved to write poetry, but the nudging from my son to start this blog is how it all began. Being a novice in this new land of blogging, I wasn’t sure what to expect or what I really wanted to get out of it. I have been given so much more than I ever anticipated. Meeting people all over the world is beyond amazing, reading other’s poems is not only enjoyable, but a big part of learning. The friendships made are priceless, so there are many more facets to blogging than simply blogging in itself! It has been a most rewarding journey and I thank you all!
3. Copy and Paste the award onto your own blog.
4. Nominate up to 10 other bloggers you think are addictive enough to deserve the award.
It is so hard to choose and leave others out, so please check out my blogroll for some of my favorites. Again, I’m breaking the rules! However, just so you know my blogroll is an infinite list and needs updating! All of you are absolutely wonderful!
I would like to thank all of you wonderful bloggers who have nominated me for an award in the past several months. Some of these came during the time of my Mom’s illness and passing and some are more current. So I apologize for this delayed post…As I’ve said in the past, I am very humbled, grateful and still a bit stunned that my writing has touched so many others. I appreciate your time taken to visit my blog, click the “like” button or leave a lovely comment. Unfortunately, due to other time constraints, I won’t be able to follow through in the usual manner, however, I do want to acknowledge these amazing bloggers:
Renee: positiveboomer.wordpress.com: One Lovely Blog and Versatile Blogger
Archana: ravenousforlife.wordpress.com: Very Inspiring Blog
Cynthia: songsofseasons.wordpress.com: Commenter Award
Himanshu: bulletinamaelstrom.wordpress.com: Leibster Blog
Martha: inlovewiththelord.wordpress.com: One Lovely Blog
Sharon: figmentsandimagination.wordpress.com: Hug Award
Dianda: catsnco.wordpress.com: One Lovely Blog
Autumn & Gabby: autumnsunshineandgabrielleangel.wordpress.com: One Lovely Blog, Writing Award
Wendell: foreverpoetic.me: Hug Award, One Lovely Blog, Kreative Blogger, Reader Appreciation Award, Writing Award
Maribel:maribelskidneystory.wordpress.com:One Lovely Blog
Daoud: mmmluck.wordpress.com: One Lovely Blog
Tim: thecreativejuicer.com: One Lovely Blog, Very Inspiring Blog
Shalvika:shalvikap.wordpress.com: One Lovely Blog
Ahmad: a7madkhalifa.wordpress.com: Sunshine Award
Pauline: newfoundlandtraveller.wordpress.com: Reader Appreciation Award Red: mommasmoneymatters.com: Sparkly’s Comment Award
Many of these wonderful people, I consider my friends and many others, I’ve recently met and look forward to getting to know better. They offer beauty through writing and photography, sharing inspiration, motivation, spiritual guidance, love, smiles and laughter, heart tugging situations, love for Mother Earth, and so much more…I ask you to visit their sites, if you’re not already following them! 🙂
I also give my sincere “Thanks” to everyone else who stops by. I am truly moved by the response I’ve received since I started this blog eight months ago, from one who “writes from the heart.” ♥
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author 