Letting Go – A Reflection on Sara Teasdale’s Poem, “Leaves” “One by one my leaves fall.As the wind wills I let them go.” So begins Sara Teasdale’s quietly powerful poem Leaves. With just two lines,…

In 15th-century Transylvania, a woman could heal by day and burn by night, revered as a savior, condemned as a witch with a single whisper.

It is with great exhale that I’m announcing my new release to the universe – About the Real Stages of Grief, available on all the Amazons. This book is what I’d call, a real labor…

Welcome to Poetry Day for Story Chat Digest 2025. We discuss these incredible poems just kindly and intensely as we do the short stories.

Walking With Beth: Conversations with My 100-Year-Old Friend by Merilyn Simonds (Random House, 2025) Reviewed by Elizabeth Hay “I approach each winter with dread, not for myself but for the p…

Today, Amanda and I are visiting Jacqui Murray on her blog, Word Dreams, the next stop in the blog tour. She discusses things she learned while reading Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bog, including some Irish dishes. Jacqui also includes her wonderful review of the book. Please check it out and leave her a comment. Thank you so much, Jacqui!

A fun stop on the next blog tour with Barb Taub. She provides great tips on how to be a kid detective, as well as a superb review of Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bog. Pop on over and be prepared to be entertained. Thank you so much, Barb! Barb Taub is an awesome humour writer. When I'm having a bad day, I read from one of her books, and my frown turns upside down.

It’s not easy being a kid detective. You can’t make a citizen’s arrest, you can’t beat up the villains, you can’t interrogate suspects. The usual cozy mystery detectiv…

The third stop on the blog tour is over at Yvette Prior's Priorhouse Blog. Yvette asks some great questions about the book, which she read with her niece, and features yummy Irish Coffee. Check out the post and leave Yvette a comment. Yvette Prior’s short bio: Yvette works as a university professor and conducts research. After earning a PhD in Industrial & Organizational Psychology, she poured into book projects and has not stopped writing since.

Have you ever felt like there may be someone – or something – else in the room with you even though you’re alone? This author’s encounter may send chills down your spine. Sh…

The next stop on the blog tour is at Sally Cronin's Smorgasbord New Book Spotlight. Sally has written a fabulous review for Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bog. Another gripping mystery featuring teenage sleuth Amanda set in the vibrant green landscape and key historical sites of Ireland, as she faces a family drama fraught with danger. Read more of the review…

Delighted to share the news of the latest release by Darlene Foster… and my review for this lovely episode in the Amanda travel stories…close to home. Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the…

Another BMR newbie today! He gives an unusual but sensible reason for choosing to spend the night in a coffin, and says he’s definitely not the guy who gets the hot chick in a horror movie. W…

We have a visitor today, and Liz is here to tell us all about her new book baby. (Notice how I dodged spelling her last name again. Polishes nails on shirt.) Liz is one of my Story Empire partners …

Collaborature, a journal of collaborative poetry and fiction

Delighted to share my review for the latest release by Terry Tyler…Served Cold: Book 1 of the Revenge Series About the book Revenge is a dish best served cold Two novellas in which vengeance …

Today, the first day of the blog tour, I am visiting Esther Chilton. Esther is a freelance writer, copywriter and writing tutor for The Writers Bureau. She has her own editing, proofreading and advice service. She writes amazing short stories and books on writing. Recently, under the name Esther Moonstomp, she has published The Secret Dragon, a book for children, featured…

At long last, launch day has arrived for The Weight of Snow and Regret! A big thank you to all who preordered the ebook; I greatly appreciate it. Ebook, paperback and hardback versions are now avai…

Here it is, the day I've been waiting for - release day for Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bog!! This is the 11th book in the Amanda Travels series. They do not have to be read in order. In fact, you can read the books in any order you like. I never in a million years thought, fifteen years ago when I released the first adventure, that I would eventually have eleven books published in the series.

Alloway is a village in Ayrshire, 45 minutes south of Glasgow. It’s where Robert Burns was born and lived until he was seven years old. During my recent visit, I enjoyed walking in the well-k…

Alloway is a village in Ayrshire, 45 minutes south of Glasgow. It's where Robert Burns was born and lived until he was seven years old. During my recent visit, I enjoyed walking in the well-known poet and lyricist's steps and envisioning him living there as a child. The cottage where Robert Burns was born, on January 25, 1759, was built by his father.

I don’t talk about this book often. I wrote The Bone Wall during the Iraq War when the US wiped out thousands of lives, based on fabrications about WMDs. The first assault was grotesquely nam…

I had an extra day in Scotland, so I decided to visit the village of Alloway in Ayrshire. Why Alloway? Because it is the birthplace of the Bard of Scotland, Robbie Burns! Here are a few doors from …

Today, I bring you two different books that are both fascinating in their very different ways. The first is The Alchemist and the Woman in Trousers by Teagan Riordain Geneviene which takes the read…

I had an extra day in Scotland, so I decided to visit the village of Alloway in Ayrshire. Why Alloway? Because it is the birthplace of the Bard of Scotland, Robbie Burns! Here are a few doors from this delightful village. This is the humble cottage where Robbie Burns was born and lived in until he was seven years old.