My Favorite Books of 2017

Here are the books I enjoyed reading the most in the past year. They fall into various categories of fiction and non-fiction, old and new, and are listed in the order that I read them. The only thing they all have in common are that they are generally positive and upbeat! I Remember Nothing by … Continue reading My Favorite Books of 2017 →

He Lifts his Voice, the Earth Melts

One of my mom’s favorite verses of scripture is Psalm 46:6, so I decided that for Christmas I would make her a poster of the scripture that she could hang on her wall. I added my visual interpretation of the verse, using pictures that displayed the chaos and terrors of today’s world in contrast with … Continue reading He Lifts his Voice, the Earth Melts →

Snail-mailing kindness and hope

Although I love being able to text and email, there is really nothing like a card or letter to hold in your hand and a handwritten message inside. (I guess the only thing better is being there in person, but it isn't always possible, right?) I have been greatly inspired and encouraged to revive my … Continue reading Snail-mailing kindness and hope →

Sustainability Alberta Style

Alberta was formally declared a province of Canada on September 1, 1905. To celebrate the 112th birthday tomorrow of my province, and to celebrate the publication this month of my book, Respect Our World: Sustainability, I thought I’d share some of the ways that Albertans work toward sustainability. I admire the leadership Alberta has taken … Continue reading Sustainability Alberta Style →

August 1st publishing date for my book Respect Our World: Sustainabililty!

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. What a surprise I had yesterday, when I noticed stores are posting my children's educational book for pre-order! It all started last summer... I received my usual copy of the Children's Writer newsletter, produced by the Institute of Children's Literature (see my post about ICL here) The newsletter … Continue reading August 1st publishing date for my book Respect Our World: Sustainabililty! →

Oceanside Poetry

Art begets art. I usually try to escape the long, cold Calgary winter when I have time off for spring break, and if I'm not exploring I like to write. The warm relaxing climate and the inspiration of the ocean brings out the creativity in me, and judging from the freely-offered art and writing that I … Continue reading Oceanside Poetry →

Positive, uplifting, and humorous reads

I've just realized how much time I spend looking for good, upbeat, contemporary fiction. My friend said she doesn't want to read depressing books and did I have any to recommend, so I browsed my yearly lists of books read for happy fiction. I was surprised at how many serious titles were on there and … Continue reading Positive, uplifting, and humorous reads →

Buy books and support those in need at these great thrift stores in Calgary

Yes, there are still MANY places to buy books in Calgary! Although many book stores have gone out of business, there are still many places where we can get books to hold in our hands. Of course you can buy new books, but don't forget the "gently used" option! And best of all, buying from … Continue reading Buy books and support those in need at these great thrift stores in Calgary →

A Personal Celebration

Joy to the world! the Lord is come; let earth receive her king. –Isaac Watts, Joy to the World All week I’ve had this song in my mind. I’d start many days with it as a way to counter my early morning tangle of thoughts and concerns. It has been refreshing to correct my thinking … Continue reading A Personal Celebration →

Favorite posts from some great blogs

For a long time, I have wanted to introduce you to some great blogs and bloggers, by way of listing some of my favorite posts. A few of these have a similar focus to my own blog--books, writing, reviews--but some are completely different! To start with, here are two posts from Susan Bailey's blog on Louisa … Continue reading Favorite posts from some great blogs →