In case you missed the news in my last post, I’m hoping to start a book club for all you readers in life’s next chapter. In other words, if you can read a novel, you’re invited!
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Even though the Northern Hemisphere’s summer solstice is a week away, I feel like summer began weeks ago. You too? Graduation season is wrapping up. Picnics and beach time are happening again. And strawberries are ripe for the picking!
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I stood on the sidewalk feeling like a forgotten pet, a lost child, a jilted lover. My husband had gone to find a free parking spot in busy downtown Grand Rapids, while I ran into the restaurant to check on the wait time. We had picked a special place to celebrate our 38th anniversary, and opted for a “walk-in” since reservation times were limited.
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May 15 marked one year since the release of Empty-Nest Joyride!
And what a ride it has been!
Like birds from a nest, this year has flown! As author Gretchen Rubin says, “the days are long but the years are short.”
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I just returned home from a long weekend in Charleston, South Carolina, with my daughters and daughter-in-law—Leah, Chloe, and Maddie. It was our first-ever girls’ trip (and likely not our last!). I hope to share a little more about the sights, sounds, and delicious tastes of Charleston in a future post, but for now, let me tell you about our first day.
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March is National Reading Month! So what could be better than bragging on my local libraries? We live on the border of Indiana and Michigan, so we’re members of libraries in both states.
Our Michigan library opened its brand new location last week and it is just beautiful! I can’t wait to spend more time there.
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Yesterday morning, Tom and I were out the door by 6:05 a.m.! Not our usual M.O., for sure. But when you are invited to your first grandchild’s awards assembly in which he is receiving his first award—for COURAGE—you must attend!
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If you’re reading this, you probably enjoy email newsletters, Substack posts, and news articles, like I do. Yet, the endless stream of information pouring into our phones, tablets, and laptops every day, is enough to sink the Titanic.
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As promised, this week I’m giving you a behind-the-scenes look at my Substack. For each newsletter/post I publish, I receive stats on the number of emails opened, views, clicks, likes, comments, etc. It’s fun for me to look back at the end of the year to see what resonated most with my readers. Perhaps you’re curious too, or you need a second chance to catch a trending post you may have missed.
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Before I get to my 2025 BestStack, I’ll share reviews of books I’ve read over the past two months. As usual, I have a mix of genres, but surprisingly, only one (and a half?) fiction book.
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It’s All Saints’ Day throughout the world—a day when Christians remember the saints that have gone before. Below, I share seven books that I’ve read recently, and it’s occured to me that each of my five-stars reads introduced me to characters who—though not saints in every sense—display a measure of saintliness that absolutely sets them apart.
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I recently had the opportunity to chat with Lisa Granger on her podcast/radio show, “A Woman’s Heart.” Lisa was so warm and welcoming that—although we’d never met before—it felt like I was talking with a longtime friend.
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The audiobooks on my drives to and from Minnesota, as well as books I’ve read for the “Sister Wolf” book club (at Beagle and Wolf Books in Park Rapids, MN), have been a welcome distraction from the excitement and stress of wedding planning. I’ve got some reviews and recommendations for you, so let’s get to it!
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While I get real satisfaction from turning real pages, I also really enjoy audiobooks. I love that I’m able to do other things (i.e. knit, clean house, and DRIVE!) while reading a book. I’m curious how common audiobooks are with my readers.
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Last Saturday, in nearly 90-degree heat (thankfully with a canopy for shade, a nice breeze, and lots of water), I attended my first local author fair, “3rd Street Festival” in Park Rapids, Minnesota. Since I call this up-north lake country “home” for much of the summer, I now qualify as a “local,” and I’m loving it!
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A guest post interview by my writer-friend, Michelle Rayburn. Michelle interviewed me about the release of my new book, Empty-Nest Joyride.
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This week, I discovered the secret ingredient to pulling off live video. Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with camera angle, although making sure your face is well-lighted and not silhouetted by a bright backlit window helps. And it’s not having a memorized script, although being familiar with your topic is a plus. It’s not even about your hair and makeup, but if that builds your confidence, go for it.
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Empty-Nest Joyride made her debut into the world today and she’s ready to fly! One thing I’ve learned is that launching a book is not for the faint of heart! There were a few times this week I thought my brain might explode with all the different tasks I was trying to juggle. But giving birth was never easy, was it?
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