The Voracious Reader

This is beautiful and perfectly of the moment.

“Holding Vigil” by Alison Luterman My cousin asks if I can describe this moment, the heaviness of it, like sitting outside the operating room while someone you love is in surgery and you’re on those awful plastic chairs eating…

My clever little goblins “Look Mom! Ghosts in a Box!” 🎃 ❤️

Even , no ESPECIALLY, if you’ve never Phone Banked before… give this a try! SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) is an extraordinary group … especially for phone bank novices like myself! They are super organized, compassionate and supportive… they make it easy and inspiring and fun! Try it!! You KNOW you want to DO SOMETHING!!

The Many over MAGA Phonebank: Call white voters with SURJ · Showing Up for Racial Justice # # # IMPORTANT NOTE *Starting Sunday, 10/13 we will be focusing the **majority of our phone banks on North Carolina.** North Carolina is key to winning the Presidential Election, AND we want to show up to support the folks impacted by Hurricane Helene. Our Care Calls into WNC will focus on checking o...

Rachel Jeffcoat, who I know from Instagram, is a wonderful poet from England who is funny, wise and extremely talented… AND she is offering a four part Zoom workshop beginning in Sept. I’ve already signed up as I KNOW it will be terrific! Sign up too (it’s very affordable!) and I’ll see you there!!

Your Anthology Misses You: A Poetry Salon For Beginners A gentle reintroduction to good poetry for those who miss their English lessons. Analyse and annotate poems, then try your hand at writing!

Life just flies by… if you’re lucky, the memories stay. Even the tough times remind you of the fortitude it took to get you here.

This looks intriguing. Says Kirkus: “a heady and heart-filled debut novel by an author whose first story collection was published when she was 80. “ How’s that for inspiration?

Someone ought to write a book about author Gary Golio!! He has created so many wonderful children’s books about people who have contributed so much to our knowledge and culture. And so many great artists have joined him ( including the extraordinary E.B. White as in this newest book). Children, all of us really, need inspiring role models to look up to and to give us hope. Gary Golio is becoming one of those as well. ❤️

SO excited to get this message from Waterstones Oxford today, telling me that Clover Stroud’s 4th memoir is on its way! Clover’s writing is so authentic and deeply felt … she brings herself and her life to the page in such a soul nourishing way. The bad news is, although she lives in the U.S. now, she’s not (yet!) published here, but her books are well worth a small shipping fee from the U.K. If I still had the store I’d be putting this in the hands of everyone!! ❤️

In honor of Independent Bookstore Day, a silly poem from a couple years ago when I felt the world needed some cheering up!

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Ooh a new book from the masterful Lois Lowry!! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Lois Lowry to Librarians: "There Is No One Whom I Admire More" Discussing her latest novel Tree. Table. Book. with SLJ, Lois Lowry explains how, from her first book to The Giver to now, she has always been intrigued with the concept of the gifts that age and youth can give to one another.

Rest in peace Faith Ringgold. We flew over the roofs with you in New York’s Children’s Museum again and again. Farewell to a great talent and activist!

I started my day with this beautiful substack from an internet friend from long ago. Her thoughts, inspirational; her voice, magical. Please consider following her! (It IS for subscribers only but if you scroll down, it is offered as a free gift)

Alchemical musings from my kitchen The silence of darkness

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This actually makes my heart ache, wishing I somehow still had little ones to bring here— not that that’s going to keep me from visiting anyway 😉

Once Upon a Time, the World of Picture Books Came to Life The tale behind a new museum of children’s literature is equal parts imagination, chutzpah and “The Little Engine That Could.”

Oh my! ❤️

This is a bunny.
His name is Nicholas.

Though he doesn’t have any chocolate or eggs, you can find him and at least 11 more bunnies at The Rabbit hOle on Easter. We’ll be open this Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Timed tickets at rabbitholekc.org/tickets.

📘: I Am A Bunny written by Ole Risom & illustrated by Richard Scarry (Random House Children's Books )

Wordle 979 2/6

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No idea how I did that :)

Well, , it seems my dog has outstanding taste in books! ❤️

I’m always looking for inspiring (and affordable ) writing classes. Laurie Wagner’s Wild Writing online course is fabulous! She offers prompts from poetry and then has you keep pen to paper for 15 minutes each day, welcoming whatever comes your way. She’s a warm, encouraging hippie type who says wonderful things like “Go! Write! Write badly… they already love you!” I found my creativity multiplying, my dreams intensifying and sitting to write was not only easy but looked forward to! Try it!

Coach, Teacher, Publisher | Laurie Wagner Coach, Teacher, Publisher, Laurie Wagner is also an author, mixed-media artist, fervent collage-maker, mother of two, one-time amateur racquetball champion.