Recently, I had the privilege to participate in an interview with Bold Journey Magazine thanks to my dear friend, Maggie Watson. And thank you to the team at Bold Journey for this wonderful opportunity. So, I invite you to click on the link below if you have a few minutes, and I hope you enjoy…
Now I offer you a little inspiration for today and every day that follows:
One Step Closer – An Acrostic
Overcome your fears that attempt to control you and Navigate your itinerary, giving yourself encouragement. Examine your expectations to dodge unnecessary pressure by Staying focused and not allowing your visions to become clouded. Turn your negativity into optimism, energizing your mindby Embracing what you ‘can do’ because ‘can’t do’ doesn’t deserve attention. Positive thinking makes for a healthier heart and mind. Combining your dreams with reality, stretching your thoughts Leaves your failed attempts buried in the forgiving past. Open your eyes to new, plausible, and stimulating opportunities while Supporting yourself to avoid preventable disappointments. Edge towards your much anticipated, thrilling finish lines, Remembering to view the cup half full; half empty will only deter you~
Thank you for stopping by, and a Huge Thanks to youwho have supported me with an abundance of love through my King Copper journey.I wish you all a wonderful weekend! ❤️
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
This positive potato is a tiny little guy with a big smile and round, black eyes. Have you seen him before around town or in a store? On a spring day is when we met, a moment I’ll never forget. He lifts spirits if they are low making things bright and all aglow. He’s a simple potato without complications, and he never asks for any explanations. I actually enjoy his company, his jolly, friendly vibe – better than any med a doctor would prescribe!
I was knocked off my feet from a flu bug since last weekend and am now slowly returning to the land of the living. With fever and fatigue, sleep was my only activity, so I’m sorry for missing your posts, but I’m trying to catch up a bit. In the meantime, I’m also late in sharing another friend’s review of my book, Ever So Gently. Pooja is so kind and her blog, Lifesfinewhine, offers a variety of topics for her readers such as lifestyle, travel, mental health, beauty, blogging advice, six word stories, poetry and inspirational posts along with other occasional posts. She also offers multiple services, so if you haven’t met Pooja, please pay her a visit. You will be glad you did!
And now for Pooja’s detailed amazing review:
Ever So Gently By Lauren Scott Review:
I was first introduced to Lauren Scott’s writing when I followed her WordPress blog. Even though I was new to her blog, I thoroughly enjoyed her writing. And I’m pretty sure I have read the vast majority of the blogs she has published since I followed her if not all the posts she has published since. A good number of her posts include poetry so I was used to her style of writing and knew that I enjoyed it. When I saw that she had published a poetry book recently, I was very excited to give it a read. And since I loved the book (spoiler alert lol!) I decided to share my review of Ever So Gently by Lauren Scott.
Overall Review
I generally like to start with what I liked about the book overall and then go into more detailed thoughts on it. As you must have guessed by now, Ever So Gently is a poetry book. And what I loved about the poems is that they were so vividly descriptive. The poems are inspired by the things around Lauren and her experiences. And her descriptions made me feel like I was there with her.
For the most part, her poems are quite light and beautiful. But some are darker and dive into darker themes. Although these poems are heavier, I still very much enjoyed them and found the emotionally raw poems to be really touching.
Ever So Gently is not trying to be like every other poetry book. It’s also not trying to be pretentious or trying too hard. It simply just is and as a reader I love that. There were moments I forgot I was reading because I got so into it and lost track of time. What was supposed to be a ten minute break turned into half an hour. And to me, that’s a sign of a great book and a great writer.
I rarely talk about book covers but I wanted to add that I really love the minimalistic book cover. I’m a big fan of minimalistic covers especially for poetry books. This one is so calming and it really captures what to expect from the book.
Specifics
My favourite poem from the book is called Unexpected. I don’t want to give away too much about the poem but it’s such an uplifting one. For those of you that know me, you know I suffer from depression and anxiety. This poem is about getting better and trying to see colour again when your life has been stained grey. Interestingly, I read it right before my therapy session as I waited outside my therapists office. The universe is funny like that sometimes. But I think that’s what made me really connect with the poem.
Even though I enjoyed all the poems, I think my favourite were actually the more heavy ones because they had so much emotion behind them. Such as “Things I Know, Believe, And Imagine.” I thought this poem was very relevant with how the world is at the moment. It’s a great reminder of how important love, acceptance, and kindness are in a world where we are so quick to turn to hate and violence.
Conclusion And Where To Buy “Ever So Gently”
Overall, Ever So Gently by Lauren Scott is a book I think is a must read. It’s really so well written that I think everyone would find it enjoyable and easy to follow even if you are not particularly a poetry fan. I would say this book can be enjoyed by both poetry lovers and those that don’t generally read poetry. The poems are largely uplifting but are still quite thought provoking and draw a lot of emotions from the reader. If you’re not sure what to read next or are looking for something to read, do consider this book. It won’t let you down.
You can find Ever So Gently By Lauren Scott on Amazon.
Thanks again, Pooja, for this amazing and thoughtful review of my book. To say that I’m grateful doesn’t justify how I feel, knowing the positive affect my poems had on you. ❤️ Click here to read Pooja’s post.
Please know that not all reviews of my book are on Amazon or Goodreads, so you can click here to visit my page for updates. Also, if you have read my book and were as touched by the collection as Pooja, please consider sharing your review. They are like hugs for Indie Authors, and who doesn’t like a hug? 🙂
Fun fact: My son offered to create the cover, but instead of doing it digitally, he painted it on canvas (a surprise to me) using colors I requested. I wanted minimalistic and gentle for this book and I’m so happy with the outcome.
Thank you for stopping by, and thanks to you who have bought my book! I hope you enjoy this collection where I prompt you to reminisce and reflect upon your past, present, and future. And what matters most is to love and live ever so gently.
It’s better to move on, if you can’t play. Don’t reside in self-pity. Its color isn’t your best shade, and it’s their loss. They have no idea what they’re missing – your compassion, your sincerity, your wit, and all the love you hold in your heart. Don’t be quick to belittle these qualities; not everyone is worthy of their presence. They can’t simply be attained or purchased with a hundred-dollar bill. They are innate in your DNA. They depict who you are – a person of integrity, a person who cares about the common good and cares less about false images. Your life is about the love you offer. Your smile and jolly laugh spread onto others, affording them a taste of happiness. Your past mistakes are not meant to haunt you into the present or future. Instead, allow them to make you wiser. If you invite them to ride along, misery will surely worm its way in. And who wants to experience life in a confining box of misery? It would be more rewarding to live in a bubble of joy, to watch it float into the universe, calming storms and designing sunrises, turning despair into hope and creating more smiles on the streets. Remember who you are – that you are worth every bit of love you receive and every spoonful of joy you feel.
This past Saturday was our son’s college graduation from UC Davis. He majored in Political Science and minored in Communications. We’re so proud of his accomplishments and can’t wait to see where his next adventure takes him. My husband and I are now proud parents of two UC Davis grads, and the college days have ended. 🙂
This leads me into sharing some wise quotes on chasing dreams and being true to yourself at the same time:
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Always believe in yourself and always stretch yourself beyond your limits. Your life is worth a lot more than you think because you are capable of accomplishing more than you know. You have more potential than you think, but you will never know your full potential unless you keep challenging yourself and pushing beyond your own self imposed limits.” ~ Roy T. Bennett
“Dreams become regrets when left in the mind, never planted in the soil of action.” ~ Auliq-Ice
“The point of dreams was never to be the affordable option, it was the one everyone else saw as a mistake and every creative person saw as an opportunity.” ~ Anastasia Bolinder
“Remember your dreams and fight for them. You must know what you want from life. There is just one thing that makes your dream become impossible: the fear of failure.” ~ Paulo Coelho
SO, CHEERS TO REACHING FOR THE STARS AND TOUCHING THAT FINISH LINE. BUT…CHEERS TO ALSO TRYING YOUR HARDEST, MAYBE FAILING, THEN HAVING THE COURAGE AND PERSEVERANCE TO GET BACK UP AGAIN! 🎉🎉🎉
Rain pours in droves clearing the drain to my unhappiness the air is fresh I inhale the fragrance of hope my heart resumes beating and my lips form a smile again
Do you ever feel like screaming? Your heart, mind
and soul are filled to capacity with frustration, ready for explosion You’re seeking
a solution to your equation but problem solving needs consideration and concentration to reach fruition What is your intention? To lose the connection or to move forward with full participation and determination? My suggestion is to assess the situation Dispose of this emotion Take action by using your Imagination bringing this discussion to completion