Between Judith Barrett Lawson’s clever wordplay, and the delightful
illustrations by Netta Jones, I Smile at the Sun will transport readers on a
whimsical journey through childhood — it’s joys, silly mishaps, and small
everyday wonders. Yet you don’t have to be a child to smile at I Smile at
the Sun.
In the Tradition of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, but in her own
unique voice, Lawson brings together lighthearted humor with heartfelt
insights, offering friendly wisdom on growing up, loss, and the importance
of dreams.
If you grew up reading Dr. Seuss and love fun tongue-twisting rhymes, then
you’ve come to the right place. Judith Barrett Lawson has written an amazing
poem book that is not only just for kids but also Misidentified Grown-ups.
Immerse yourself in I Smile at the Sun and relive treasured memories, share
its magic, and let Judith Barrett Lawson’s poetic enchantment illuminate
your day.
About the Author
Writer, screenwriter, playwright, and lyricist Judith Lawson worked in film
and television casting for 10 years. She is co-author of screenplay based on
award-winning author Kaye Gibbon’s novel Sights Unseen. She has recorded more than 35 song cuts, and her play of I Smile at the Sun has been
produced four times to stellar reviews.
Deadly
Curiositiesis
an action-packed thrill ride full of magic, restless ghosts, infernal
creatures, haunted places, dangerous curios, found family, loyal
friends, secret history, and plenty of adventure!
Deadly
Curiosities
Deadly
Curiosities Book 1
by
Gail Z. Martin
Genre:
Supernatural Mystery Adventure
Some
family heirlooms are to die for.
Welcome
to Trifles & Folly, a store with a secret. Proprietor Cassidy
Kincaide’s psychic gift lets her know the history and magic of an
object by touching it. Cassidy and her friends—including Weaver
witch Teag and her vampire business partner Sorren—save the world
from vengeful ghosts, dark magic, hidden monsters, and things that go
bump in the night.
When
a trip to a haunted hotel unearths a statue steeped in malevolent
power, and a string of murders leads to the abandoned old Navy yard,
Cassidy, Teag, and Sorren discover a diabolical plot to unleash a
supernatural onslaught on their city.
It’s
time for Cassidy and her team to handle the “deadly curiosities”
before it’s too late.
Deadly
Curiosities is
an action-packed thrill ride full of magic, restless ghosts, infernal
creatures, haunted places, dangerous curios, found family, loyal
friends, secret history, and plenty of adventure!
Sorren
has spent centuries shutting down the plans of powerful immortals,
dark warlocks, fallen angels, and supernatural creatures. He’s a
vampire working with paranormal allies to protect a world that
doesn’t know the dangers that prowl the shadows. Now an enemy from
his past is picking off everyone Sorren cares about, destroying his
sanctuaries, and making it clear that Sorren will be the final target
of a magic-fueled vendetta.
Cassidy
Kincaide runs Trifles & Folly in modern-day Charleston, an
antique and curio shop with a dangerous secret. Cassidy can read the
history of objects by touching them and along with her Weaver witch
friend Teag, Sorren, and their allies, they get rid of cursed objects
and keep Charleston and the world safe from supernatural threats.
The
clock is ticking. Old power stirs, the kind that hasn’t been seen
in centuries, waking from slumber and hungry for vengeance.
This
sort of evil can’t be destroyed—but it can be contained, and
that’s what Sorren and his allies did long ago. Now, the evil has
returned, even stronger and craftier than before. Cassidy, Teag, and
Trifles and Folly are in the crosshairs against an unknown enemy with
strong magic and significant resources and to win they’ll have to
put their lives—and souls—on the line. Can they help Sorren fight
a deathless foe from centuries past, or will they see everything they
love go down in flames?
Vendetta
is an action-packed thrill ride full of magic, restless ghosts,
infernal creatures, haunted places, found family, cursed paintings,
old Norse magic, demigods, vampire politics, fallen angels, loyal
friends, secret history, and plenty of adventure!
Zombies
rise in Charleston cemeteries, dead men fall from the sky, and the
whole city succumbs to the “grouch flu.”
Cassidy
Kincaide runs Trifles and Folly in Charleston, an antiques and curios
shop with a secret history of ridding the city of cursed objects and
keeping the world safe from supernatural threats.Cassidy’s magic
can read the history of an object with a single touch. Her best
friend Teag is a Weaver witch, and her boss, Sorren, is a 600
year-old vampire.
Now a vengeful dark witch is gunning for
Teag and planning to unleash an ancient horror.
Cassidy,
Teag, and Sorren—and all their supernatural allies—will need
magic, cunning, and the help of a Viking demi-goddess to survive the
battle with a malicious Weaver-witch and an ancient Norse warlock to
keep Charleston—and the whole East Coast—from becoming the prey
of the Master of the Hunt.
Tangled
Web is an action-packed thrill ride full of magic, restless ghosts,
infernal creatures, haunted places, found family, vampire politics,
old Norse magic, Wild Hunt, loyal friends, secret history and plenty
of adventure!
Book
Three in the Deadly Curiosities series.
“There
are plenty of spooks and magic to keep the action fresh. From page
one to the big finale, the plot gallops along at a good pace.”—Cats
Luv Coffee on Tangled Web
Stolen
magic. Infernal creatures. A cursed heir to a warlock dynasty.
Supernatural suspense.
Caribbean
ghosts terrorize Charleston and rack up a body count. Then Beckford
Pendlewood, the heir to a powerful family of dark warlocks, shows up
raving about a bound demon locked in a lost box and begs sanctuary.
Cassidy
Kincaide can read the history of objects by touching them. She and
her allies use magic and paranormal abilities to keep Charleston and
the world safe from supernatural threats.
Can Cassidy and her
friends find the demon box, stop the killer ghosts, and break the
Pendlewood curse before Beckford’s murderous cousins and the
vengeful demon destroy them all?
Inheritance
is an action-packed thrill ride full of dark magic, infernal
creatures, demons and demigods, haunted places, found family, witch
dynasty politics, loyal friends, Caribbean ghosts, secret history and
plenty of adventure!
Book
Four in the Deadly Curiosities series. A supernatural mystery
adventure.
“This
story starts out right in the thick of it with loads of action, and
doesn’t let up until the final pages.”—Drops of Ink on
Inheritance
A
dark witch dynasty. A malicious, immortal undersea place-spirit.
Eternal guardians who wagered their souls to protect Charleston.
Omens
of impending disaster have the city on edge. Tremors warn of
earthquake risk, while a potentially catastrophic storm gathers
strength over the ocean and heads for land.
A
last-man-standing promise among elderly veterans creates a dangerous
inheritance involving an imprisoned, wish-granting goblin. A sea
captain and a swashbuckler worked blood magic to protect Charleston
from an ancient evil with a spell that bound their souls and their
descendants to the task, but danger looms as its power fades. The
head of a witch family wants artifacts and secrets—and he’ll do
anything to get them.
Cassidy
Kincaide runs Trifles and Folly, an antique and curio store where her
touch magic helps get cursed and haunted objects out of the wrong
hands. More than once, she and her allies have saved the world from
supernatural threats.
The
clock is ticking for Cassidy and her friends to stop the dark
warlock, capture the goblin and restore the guardian spell before a
malevolent ancient entity takes its vengeance on Charleston and the
coast. It’s going to take all the magic, courage and quick thinking
they can muster—and for once, that might not be enough.
Legacy
is an action-packed urban fantasy paranormal thrill ride full of dark
magic, infernal creatures, goblins and demigods, haunted places,
pirate ghosts, found family, witch dynasties, loyal friends, Voudon
spirits, secret history and plenty of adventure.
Gail
Z. Martin writes urban fantasy, epic fantasy, steampunk and more for
Solaris Books, Orbit Books, Falstaff Books, SOL Publishing and
Darkwind Press. Urban fantasy series include Deadly Curiosities and
the Night Vigil (Sons of Darkness). Epic fantasy series include
Darkhurst, the Chronicles Of The Necromancer, the Fallen Kings Cycle,
the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga, and the Assassins of Landria.
Together
with Larry N. Martin, she is the co-author of Iron & Blood, Storm
& Fury (both Steampunk/alternate history), the Spells Salt and
Steel comedic horror series, the Roaring Twenties monster hunter Joe
Mack Shadow Council series, and the Wasteland Marshals near-future
post-apocalyptic series. As Morgan Brice, she writes urban fantasy MM
paranormal romance, with the Witchbane, Badlands, Treasure Trail,
Kings of the Mountain and Fox Hollow series. Gail is also a
con-runner for ConTinual, the online, ongoing multi-genre convention
that never ends.
Ever since Dexter and Dougal’s mom passed away, life has been
different—but things take a whole new turn when a shooting star turns
out to be a creature from outer space! Gobbledy is a fun-filled holiday
story that adds up to two brothers, three friends, unlimited jars of peanut
butter, a ketchup factory, and one little alien far, far from home.
Excerpt
“What do you think these things are?” she asks.
A loud wail comes from
the new jar full of dirt.
Slowly, I lift the jar
off the work table and unscrew the lid.
Fi and I look down at the
strange bug. The little thing wails. It’s not much bigger than the two
crickets standing on the sidelines, staring.
Fi looks at me with a
wild look in her eyes. “Does your dad know?”
I shake my head.
“Absolutely not. No. Dad will just make me take him back to the
forest.”
I pull the lid off. The
strange little bug opens his mouth really big.
“Okay, okay,”
I whisper. “I’ll feed you, but you have to be
quiet.”
He closes his mouth and
blinks. For a second, I think he might actually understand what I’m
saying.
There’s a bag of potato
chips on the counter in the kitchen. I drop chips into the jar one by one,
avoiding the crickets.
Chomp. Chomp.
Chomp.
“Where’s the
rock?” Fi asks.
Chomp. Chomp.
Chomp.
The back door opens.
Startled, Fi jerks upright abruptly, smacking her head on the slanted
ceiling. I try to grab her hand as it flies past my face. Her arms
flap wildly as she falls in a woozy, slow motion out into the hall.
“Fi?” I say
loudly.
Ka-thunk.
“Fi?” I
drop to the floor next to her and check her pulse, like I’ve seen people do
in movies. “Can you hear me?”
She undoubtedly
cannot. She does not move or answer.
The jar wobbles on the
wooden table.
“Excuse me,”
I quickly step over her limp body and grab the jar. I tighten my grip
as it jerks around in my arms. Hurky-jerky, it shifts against my
shirt. I hold tight and screw the lid back on.
“Dexter?”
Huh? “What are you
doing home, Dougal?” I yell.
“I live
here.”
“I know that, but
you’re early.”
“Not really. School
is out. Dad asked Fran to pick me up because you got in trouble again, and
he couldn’t leave work twice.”
“Umm…”
Fran walks into the hall
and says, “Oh my gosh, what happened?”
I look left, then
right. Up, then down. Over, then under. My eyes settle on
my backpack next to my work table. I shove the jar inside quick, listening
to the hurky-jerky sound of glass tapping against my notebooks. I
cover the jar with my jacket and step quickly into the hall.
Fran pulls her hand to
her mouth. “What happened to Fi?”
Fi is on the floor where
I left her.
“She was, ummm, we
were doing our science projects and then she fainted.”
“I thought you had
to turn those in today?”
“We did, but mine
got loose and she was …”
I stare at her limp,
oddly twisted body.
“Do you want me to
perform CPR until the emergency workers arrive?” Dougal asks.
Fran rolls Fiona over on
her back. “They’ll be no emergency workers. I got this,”
she says quietly, tapping Fi’s cheeks. “Fiona?”
Fi’s eyes pop open.
“Wha?”
“You passed out,
girl. Are you okay?”
“Huh?”
Fran helps Fi to her
feet. She sways, woozy, reaching for the wall.
Their cat, Sir
Shreds-A-Lot, scratches and howls at the back door.
“Don’t let that cat
in,” Dougal says. “He’s been sneaking up to the attic and
eating the villagers in Mom’s village.”
“What’s the last
thing you remember?” I ask Fi.
She rubs her
forehead. “Let me get an ice pack. I’ll answer that in a
minute.”
About the Author
Hailed as “an author with a genuine flair for originality” by
Midwest Book Review and “a loveable, engaging, original
voice…” by Publishers Weekly, Lis Anna-Langston was raised
along the winding current of the Mississippi River on a steady diet of
dog-eared books.
You can find her any day of the week in the wilds of South Carolina
plucking stories out of thin air.
Following a stay in an inpatient psychiatric facility, Olivia is enrolled
in a luxurious mental health recovery center to regain control of her mind
and get her life back on track. With seemingly endless amenities and a new
best friend as her roommate, has Olivia found a new personal heaven? Or is
there something more sinister lurking behind the glossy exterior?
About the Author
I am a New England based author and artist. I have written in a few
different genres; however, all of my stories have common elements of
suspense and dread. My background is a mix of engineering, architecture,studied and
studio art classes. I have been fortunate enough to find a balance in my
life where I can keep exploring the line between my technical and creative
interests.
I have a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
After WPI, I spent some time studying architecture at the BAC in Boston. I
have taken classes at the Currier Museum and New Hampshire Institute of Art
in Manchester, NH. I also studied reduction woodcut printmaking for a year
and a half at Piscataqua Fine Arts in Portsmouth, NH.
In 2019 I took my first foray into literature by writing a Sci-Fi thriller
novelette based around global warming called ‘Swan Song’.
My pandemic project, from early 2020 to August 2021 was a pair of books.
The first one, Bell’s Codex is an action adventure novel about solving a
book which has been encrypted in a secret code. The second one, my magnum
opus, is the ACTUAL encrypted book from the story. The puzzle is real and
you can solve it yourself.
In April of 2022 I released a suspense/thriller/horror novella entitled
“All Manner of Beast & Man.”
Journey into the charming town of Minglewood with Anjita (Anji) Jain’s
debut children’s book, Leo and the Magic Telescope. A vibrant and
heartwarming tale, this story is a must-have addition to any child’s
library.
Jain masterfully weaves a narrative that teaches valuable life lessons,
while keeping young readers engaged with whimsical illustrations and
enchanting storytelling. The story centers around Leo, a little lion who
discovers a magic telescope that provides him with enlightening insights
into his friends’ fears and feelings. Through his journey, Leo learns about
empathy, understanding, and the power of being uniquely himself.
Inspired by her own kids’ experiences in navigating friendships, Jain’s
story delicately addresses the challenges children often face in forming
relationships, providing them with gentle guidance and reassurance. She
transforms a relatable struggle into a magical and empowering adventure that
not only entertains but also encourages young readers to understand and
appreciate their own unique qualities and those of others around them.
Perfect for ages 4-8, this book serves as an essential tool for parents and
educators alike, initiating important conversations about friendship,
empathy, and self-esteem. Leo’s story will captivate young hearts while
fostering emotional growth, confidence, and understanding.
Leo and the Magic Telescope: The Adventure of Making Friends is a magical
journey of friendship and self-discovery, where young readers learn that,
just like the boundless cosmos, they too are full of endless possibilities
and magic. This book will surely become a treasured bedtime favorite,
inspiring children to be kind, understanding, and beautifully
themselves.
Join Leo in his heartwarming adventure and discover the magic that unfolds
when we view the world through a lens of empathy and understanding. Order
your copy today and embark on a magical journey with your young
reader!
About the Author
IT Professional by day and penning whimsical worlds by night, Anjita Jain
(Anji) masterfully bridges the realms of technology and tales. A mother of
two and a lover of nature’s wonders, her life is a tapestry of tech
insights, vibrant stories, and the simple joys of family and pets. Dive into
her journey, where modernity meets imagination, and every chapter unfolds a
new adventure.
Werewolf
Queen wasn’t on her middle aged bingo card…
In
the Midnight Hour
A
Midnight Madness Nightcreature Novel Book 3
by
Lori Handeland
Genre:
Paranormal Women’s Fiction
Just
when I thought it was safe to go home…
I’ve
been running too long. I’d gotten sloppy. Sloppy gets you captured.
But it turns out, the very one I thought I had to hide from, saved
me.
I just want to live peacefully. But happy family,
er, packreunions
don’t seem to be in my future. When my secret is used against me,
I’m forced to run again. This time, help comes from the most
unexpected source, the greatest werewolf hunter of all time, Edward
Mandenauer.
To get what we both want—the end of the
sadistic, yet sexy, werewolf Zane—Edward and I join forces. But
Zane isn’t working alone. Nor is he who or what he says he is. He’s
much, much more…
All I want is the life I believed I’d
lost, but at this rate, I’ll end up captured, imprisoned, enslaved
. . . or dead.
From
the voice of New
York Timesbestselling
author Lori Handeland, the final installment in the Midnight
Madness trilogy
takes you deep into her Nightcreature world, complete with the humor,
depth of characterization and fast-paced plot lines the author is
known for while showcasing her incredible range.
I
did what I had to. Try and kill my girl? I will end you faster than
you can say have
mercy.
Sure I broke a cardinal pack rule, which will get me executed by my
mate. If they find out. If they find me.
Saved from capture by
Zane, the sexiest of sexy werewolves, my rescue comes with a price.
Zane wants a favor, one that could cause an all-out pack war. The
last thing I need is to make more enemies, but lives are at stake if
I don’t make a stand. Not only that, but I have a secret. An
impossible secret that is going to turn the entire werewolf world
upside down.
From the voice of New
York Timesbestselling
author Lori Handeland, a new volume in her Nightcreature world,
complete with the humor, depth of characterization and fast-paced
plot lines she is known for while showcasing the author’s
incredible range.
They
say a mother will do anything for her child . . . I’m living
proof
This
nightmare began when I got the call every parent dreads. My daughter,
Jenna, was missing from her college campus. Of course, my mind went
to the worst place. After all, my late husband was a powerful
senator. Was this some political payback?
I call in a favor
and soon I’m partnered with an FBI sex trafficking agent. He tells
me local girls have been disappearing for some time now, and he
finally has a lead. But what we find at that abandoned warehouse is
something out of a horror movie.
Werewolves! Two rival packs,
their alphas fighting, winner take all––the pack and the
trafficked girls. The werewolves must replenish their breeders,
recently decimated by a virus that killed only the females.
But
Jenna’s been keeping a secret, which only makes two of us. Though I
should be angry, I know the lies I’ve told play a huge role in why
we’re here. I’ll do anything to make it right. No way is my girl
going to become a sacrificial mate for the greater good––even if
she is the ‘chosen one.’ So, I do what any mother would do, I
take her place, offering myself to Gideon, the winning alpha, as his
mate.
Gideon’s goal is to live in harmony with the human
world, but there are others who exist for the power, for the
violence, and they don’t plan to let peace prevail.
There’s
a civil werewolf war brewing and I am right in the middle of
it.
From the voice of New
York Timesbestselling
author Lori Handeland, a new volume in her Nightcreature world,
complete with the humor, depth of characterization and fast-paced
plot lines she is known for while showcasing the author’s
incredible range.
Lori
Handeland is a five-time nominee and two-time winner of the
prestigious RITA™ Award from Romance Writers of America, as well as
the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty
novels spanning the genres of paranormal romance, urban fantasy,
contemporary romance, historical romance, historical fantasy and
women’s fiction. Her novel Just Once received a coveted, starred
review from Library Journal and was optioned as a feature film by
Catalyst Global Media.
Lori
set her sight on being an author at the age of ten. She remembers
sitting at a typewriter before she knew how to type, pecking out a
story about a family who went into space. As an only child her
summers were spent with that typewriter, television, and, above all,
books. As a young adult, she got sidetracked by the need to make a
living. She worked as a waitress and later enrolled in college to
become a teacher.
Lori
lives in Southern Wisconsin with her husband of over thirty-five
years. In between writing and reading, she enjoys long walks with
their rescue mutt, Arnold, and visits from her two grown sons,
awesome daughter-in-law and perfectly adorable grandchildren.
Business Leadership, Company Culture, Inspiration, Leadership
Development
Date Published: June 1, 2023
At its core, servant leadership creates an environment where everyone works
together toward common goals without sacrificing individual values or
freedoms. The focus is on helping people grow through experiences and
providing support when necessary to ensure success for individuals and
organizations.
A successful servant leadership culture fosters a more effective and
compassionate leadership culture in your organization. In “8 Essential
Steps to Inspire Others & Build A Thriving Workforce,” author and
leadership expert Tenia Davis, Ph.D., outlines a proven process for creating
better leaders.
This practical guide includes everything leaders need to know to create an
environment that encourages employee engagement and drives organizational
success. The process includes identifying the right people for leadership
roles, providing ongoing training and development opportunities, and helping
team members internalize a servant leadership mindset that emphasizes
serving others over traditional power dynamics.
In organizations where the leadership team models servant leadership
principles, those leaders create an atmosphere where employees feel valued,
appreciated, and empowered. Servant leadership done well creates an
environment of trust where individuals are more likely to be engaged in
their work and motivated to achieve results that benefit everyone
involved.
Whether you’re looking for ways to transform your existing team or
build one from scratch, this book provides all the tools and information
necessary to develop strong leaders who embody servant leadership’s
spirit.
About the Author
Tenia Davis is an accomplished Human Resources and Recruitment professional
with a distinguished record of leadership in executive positions at top-tier
organizations such as Harpo Productions (The Oprah Winfrey Show), iManage,
Johnson Publishing Company, and Raise. With an exceptional track record of
driving operational excellence, Tenia has successfully managed complex
practices, standards, and regulations not only for talent acquisition and HR
but also for multiple departments of large international corporations while
managing day-to-day administration.
As the chief people officer at NORC at the University of Chicago, Tenia is
responsible for overseeing NORC’s People and Diversity Racial Equity,
Inclusion (DREI) functions. In this role, she brings her extensive
experience in change management, organizational development and training,
compensation and benefits, workplace planning and recruitment, HRIS,
employee and labor relations, and embedding diversity initiatives to lead
the organization towards success.
Tenia is a scholar as well as a leader, holding an MBA from Loyola
University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from Benedictine University’s Center
for Values-Driven Leadership. Her dissertation titled “The Influence
of Organizational Culture on the Display of Servant Leadership” is a
testament to her exceptional academic credentials. Furthermore, she is a
recognized community leader who demonstrates a particular care and interest
in mentoring the next generation of leaders and volunteers. Her efforts were
acknowledged by the United States Senate as she received Congressional
recognition for inspiring the world’s future leaders.
A
peaceful kingdom faces an invasion by an ancient enemy of
catastrophic proportions.
The
Dominion Trilogy
by
Chris R. Cloake
Genre:
Dark Epic Fantasy
Seventeen
centuries of peace in the dominion of Ordefima are shattered by the
return of an ancient enemy from the east, bent on revenge for the
wrongs of the past.
It
falls on Rupert, the youngest son of the Marquis, to meet the
challenge of this horror. With subversive forces operating from
within, he must try and hold his land, family and life, together. His
precious and only sister, Socha, holds a mysterious gift that brings
fertility and life. When invasion looms, he faces the desperate
consequences of greed and the ultimate price paid by those in love –
loss.
Can he, along with the beautiful Socha, survive the
seemingly insurmountable odds and find happines or will darker powers
and covetous enemies prevail? This unmissable fantasy trilogy is a
must for fans of legendary sagas, brooding menace, colourful
locations and vivid characters.
Buy
the Dominion Collection and experience the entire mythical odyssey.
Chris
Cloake was born in 1964 and began telling stories a couple of years
later. He grew up in Kent, England. He is motivated to write by a
deep interest in life, particularly the cruel, deeply flawed nature
of people contrasted with their incredible creativity and
inspiration. The power of the natural world is a common theme in his
work as a writer and professional photographer. He lives happily with
his wife, two children and a large collection of music, books and
board games.
More than night terrors keep Kari awake at night. Ari languishes beside
her, broken by the horrors Raven bestowed upon him.
She hopes he heals, and soon.
When a familiar presence and an unexplainable human with magic happen upon
their doorstep, Kari and Ari make a decision: leave Raziac Village in search
of answers and a new home.
But the heart eater waits for them.
About the Author
Valerie Storm was raised in Tucson, Arizona. Growing up, she fell in love
with everything fantasy. When she wasn’t playing video games, she was
writing. By age ten, she began to write her own stories as a way to escape
reality. When these stories became a full-length series, she considered the
path to sharing with other children & children-at/heart looking for a
place to call home.
Witness a love that transcends societal norms, and immerse yourself in this
poetic tale of love’s enduring power.
Unafraid and bare, as the autumn leaves fall over Brooklyn, a young woman
discovers a love that was, is, and will be. Orange September gives us a peek
into her heart as she navigates a budding union. Through lines brimming with
passion, romance, and a few giggles, each word paints a vivid portrait of
their love.
About the Author
I have always embraced the power and beauty of words. From my early years
as a bubbly and quiet church girl, I found solace and inspiration in
writing. With a pen in hand and my late grandmother’s memo pad as my canvas,
I began to weave stories and pour my heart into poetic expressions. Of
course, back then it was toddler scribbles and my mother would nod along as
I gave the best baby gibberish to relay my stories—anyway…
Poetry quickly became my niche, a medium through which I could explore the
depths of my emotions and connect with others… As a devoted bookworm and a
secret midnight snacker, I found myself immersed in the literary world,
drawing inspiration from the world around me, music and poets I looked up
to. The elders, who were solid storytellers, shaped my love for language and
storytelling.
Throughout my journey, I have six poetry collections, each representing a
chapter of my growth and self-expression. These collections have allowed me
to share my unique perspective with readers, delving into themes of love,
loss, de-conversion from Christianity, self-discovery, and the beauty of the
human experience. Additionally, I recently published my debut novel, marking
a significant milestone in my writing career. Still working on the second
installment.
Amidst my literary path, I stumbled into re-self-discovery that led me to
challenge and ultimately de-convert from Christianity. Graduating from a
Christian college, I found the courage to question my beliefs and embrace a
new path of authenticity and self-acceptance. This transformative experience
revealed profound aspects of my identity, including my late blooming
realization of being a lesbian, a revelation that holds immense significance
for someone who grew up in a strict fundamentalist Christian
background.
Today, I stand proud in my newfound self-awareness. Alongside my loving
spouse, our delightful cat named Aubry (She’s the ruler of our home.
She just lets us live with her. Which is nice and stuff), and a home filled
with random kitchen twerks to various genres of music, I embrace the vibrant
colors of life. As bland as it may sound to some, this represents a
monumental shift from the constraints of my past, and I celebrate every
aspect of my journey.
Outside of writing, I find joy in exploring the world through books,
traveling to new destinations, cherishing moments with loved ones, and
immersing myself in the magic of live theater (AKA a Broadway Heaux). These
experiences fuel my creativity and shape the stories I tell.
With the upcoming release of my poetry collection, “Orange
September,” in September of this year, I eagerly invite readers into a
world mushy love and poetic romance. I am also actively engaged in other
writing projects, constantly driven to explore new themes and genres, always
seeking to captivate and inspire my audience. Growing. Learning. One page at
a time, really.
Thank you for reading my about me page and stuff. I am grateful for the
opportunity to share my poems, stories and word vomits with you, and I hope
that my words touch your heart and ignite your own creative spirit.
M.C.V. EGAN ❧Defining Ways❧ 