Month: February 2026

More Time to Write #MondayMusings #OpenBookBlogHop #WritingPrompts

Welcome to another Open Book Blog Hop. Here’s this week’s prompt:

***

Looking back at the Covid years, did that time impact your current writing?

***

Since I didn’t go out much during lock-down, I had more time to write. I don’t remember for sure, but I think I was working on my novel, Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me, during that time. It probably took less time to write it than it normally would. It was published in 2021.

Since I had more time back then, I should have  better organized my submission records but I didn’t. Without looking, I’m guessing I submitted more work to magazines than I usually do. No doubt some pieces were published and others rejected.

Would I want another pandemic, so I’d have more time to write? Certainly not.

***

If you’re an author, how did COVID19 impact your writing? You can answer in the comments or click below to join the conversation and see what others say. Thank you for reading.

 

InLinkz – Linkups & Link Parties for Bloggers

 


Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

New! Living Vicariously in Wyoming: Stories

Copyright 2025 by Abbie Johnson Taylor

Published independently with the help of DLD Books.

The scene shows an isolated barn off to the right in a snowy field, probably shortly after sunset. The foreground is a mixture of white, blue, and brown shades. Behind the barn is a line of dense, dark trees, many of them evergreens. The sky is the pink one sometimes sees at sunset, and a full moon hangs above the treetops to the left. The title is in plain black letters against the sky with a white glow behind them. The author’s name is in white letters near the bottom of the cover.

Image Description written by Leonore Dvorkin of DLD Books.

 

As defined in the first story, living vicariously means living your life through someone else’s. You’re invited to live vicariously through the lives of the people in these stories. There’s the lawyer who catches his wife in the act with a nun. A college student identifies with a character in a play. A young woman loses her mother and finds her father. And a high school student’s prudish English teacher strenuously objects to a single word in her paper.

In Wyoming, as in any other state, people fall in love, and sometimes relationships are shattered. Accidents, domestic violence, prejudice, and crimes all occur. Lives are torn apart, and people are reunited. Ordinary people deal with everyday and not–so–everyday situations.

The 25 stories in this collection, most of which are set in Wyoming, are about how the various characters resolve their conflicts—or not.

 

Click here for more information and ordering links.

 

About My Monthly Newsletter

 

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to News from My Corner by sending a blank email to:  newsfrommycorner+subscribe@groups.io .  You’ll receive a confirmation email. Reply to that with another blank message, and you should be good to go. Happy reading!

Winter Returns to Wyoming #SundaySunshine #Gratitude #Jottings

Each Sunday, I share something that made me thankful recently. This week’s gratitude is for a welcome change in the weather.

***

After weeks of unseasonably warm temperatures and little moisture, I finally awoke Thursday morning to a world of white. It was in the single digits and predicted to only reach 15.

The volunteer who delivered my lunch from the senior center that day estimated we got about three inches. There’s probably more in the mountains. I’m thankful for the bountiful moisture that I hope is bringing much-needed relief.

***

What were you thankful for this past week? Please tell us in the comments or on your blog with a link to this post. Thank you for reading and always be grateful.

 


Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

New! Living Vicariously in Wyoming: Stories

Copyright 2025 by Abbie Johnson Taylor

Published independently with the help of DLD Books.

The scene shows an isolated barn off to the right in a snowy field, probably shortly after sunset. The foreground is a mixture of white, blue, and brown shades. Behind the barn is a line of dense, dark trees, many of them evergreens. The sky is the pink one sometimes sees at sunset, and a full moon hangs above the treetops to the left. The title is in plain black letters against the sky with a white glow behind them. The author’s name is in white letters near the bottom of the cover.

Image Description written by Leonore Dvorkin of DLD Books.

 

As defined in the first story, living vicariously means living your life through someone else’s. You’re invited to live vicariously through the lives of the people in these stories. There’s the lawyer who catches his wife in the act with a nun. A college student identifies with a character in a play. A young woman loses her mother and finds her father. And a high school student’s prudish English teacher strenuously objects to a single word in her paper.

In Wyoming, as in any other state, people fall in love, and sometimes relationships are shattered. Accidents, domestic violence, prejudice, and crimes all occur. Lives are torn apart, and people are reunited. Ordinary people deal with everyday and not–so–everyday situations.

The 25 stories in this collection, most of which are set in Wyoming, are about how the various characters resolve their conflicts—or not.

 

Click here for more information and ordering links.

 

About My Monthly Newsletter

 

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to News from My Corner by sending a blank email to:  newsfrommycorner+subscribe@groups.io .  You’ll receive a confirmation email. Reply to that with another blank message, and you should be good to go. Happy reading!

 

From Bedside to Heart: My Review of The Ones Who Stayed with Me by Nurse Sammy #FantasticFridayReads #Memoir #Inspiration

From Amazon

 

Chronicles of the journey into the medical field as a young nurse and beyond, told with raw sensitivity and compassion. The Ones Who Stayed with Me offers small glimpses into the world of an L.P.N. put in difficult, often touching or humorous, situations—and Nurse Sammy’s courage, vulnerability, and insight are a gift to us all. In these pages, Nurse Sammy tells her story and that of those she met along the way.

 

Amazon.com: The Ones Who Stayed With Me: Raw Stories From the Bedside eBook : Sammy, Nurse: Kindle Store

 

My 5-Star Review

 

Having worked in the health care industry, I was intrigued when I read about this book on the WordCrafter Press blog. I’m glad I picked it up.

I like how Nurse Sammy starts with a chronological listing of all the places where she worked that includes how much she was paid, how long her shifts were, and other information plus her thoughts on each position. She then tells a touching story about how her great-grandmother, in a way, inspired her to become a nurse.

Like me, Nurse Sammy worked primarily with the geriatric population. Some of her stories reminded me of similar experiences I had as a registered music therapist with nursing home residents. Some pieces made me laugh while others made me mad. Those interested in a career in nursing will appreciate her tips on surviving nursing school at the end.

As a child, I wanted to be a nurse before realizing my visual impairment might be a problem and before I threw up after dissecting frogs in eighth grade science class. Though it can be rewarding, even for those with good eyes, nursing is a challenge not for the faint of heart. I like how Nurse Sammy helps readers understand this.

At age 64, I’m trying to avoid being a resident in a rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility. But if I end up in one of those places, I’d want someone like Nurse Sammy taking care of me. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys honest yet heartwarming stories by medical professionals.

 


Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

New! Living Vicariously in Wyoming: Stories

Copyright 2025 by Abbie Johnson Taylor

Published independently with the help of DLD Books.

The scene shows an isolated barn off to the right in a snowy field, probably shortly after sunset. The foreground is a mixture of white, blue, and brown shades. Behind the barn is a line of dense, dark trees, many of them evergreens. The sky is the pink one sometimes sees at sunset, and a full moon hangs above the treetops to the left. The title is in plain black letters against the sky with a white glow behind them. The author’s name is in white letters near the bottom of the cover.

Image Description written by Leonore Dvorkin of DLD Books.

 

As defined in the first story, living vicariously means living your life through someone else’s. You’re invited to live vicariously through the lives of the people in these stories. There’s the lawyer who catches his wife in the act with a nun. A college student identifies with a character in a play. A young woman loses her mother and finds her father. And a high school student’s prudish English teacher strenuously objects to a single word in her paper.

In Wyoming, as in any other state, people fall in love, and sometimes relationships are shattered. Accidents, domestic violence, prejudice, and crimes all occur. Lives are torn apart, and people are reunited. Ordinary people deal with everyday and not–so–everyday situations.

The 25 stories in this collection, most of which are set in Wyoming, are about how the various characters resolve their conflicts—or not.

 

Click here for more information and ordering links.

 

About My Monthly Newsletter

 

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to News from My Corner by sending a blank email to:  newsfrommycorner+subscribe@groups.io .  You’ll receive a confirmation email. Reply to that with another blank message, and you should be good to go. Happy reading!

Life After Loss #SixSentenceStoryThursdayLinkUp #Excerpts #WritingPrompts

I made myself toast and instant coffee and sat down at the kitchen table, where I stared out the window at the snow on the ground against the backdrop of the cloudless blue sky, where the sun shone as if nothing were wrong.

We’d received a dusting of snow overnight, and in the distance, I heard the swish of a broom as the few flakes that fell on somebody’s sidewalk were swept away. Much to my annoyance, Daryl had cleared our sidewalk earlier that morning before we left for the nursing home. I’d been anxious to see Mom for the last time, sure that Penny would call the funeral home if we didn’t show up right away. I knew now that I needn’t have worried.

After eating my toast, drinking my coffee, and taking in the surroundings, then cleaning up the kitchen, I turned my attention to the phone calls I needed to make.

***

Thanks to GirlieOnTheEdge for inspiring me to post the above excerpt from my novel, Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me, with this week’s six-sentence prompt in which the given word is “ground.” If you’d like to write exactly six sentences, using this word at least once, you can share in the comments or click below to join the fun and read other six-sentence creations. Thank you for stopping by.

 

InLinkz – Linkups & Link Parties for Bloggers

 


Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

New! Living Vicariously in Wyoming: Stories

Copyright 2025 by Abbie Johnson Taylor

Published independently with the help of DLD Books.

The scene shows an isolated barn off to the right in a snowy field, probably shortly after sunset. The foreground is a mixture of white, blue, and brown shades. Behind the barn is a line of dense, dark trees, many of them evergreens. The sky is the pink one sometimes sees at sunset, and a full moon hangs above the treetops to the left. The title is in plain black letters against the sky with a white glow behind them. The author’s name is in white letters near the bottom of the cover.

Image Description written by Leonore Dvorkin of DLD Books.

 

As defined in the first story, living vicariously means living your life through someone else’s. You’re invited to live vicariously through the lives of the people in these stories. There’s the lawyer who catches his wife in the act with a nun. A college student identifies with a character in a play. A young woman loses her mother and finds her father. And a high school student’s prudish English teacher strenuously objects to a single word in her paper.

In Wyoming, as in any other state, people fall in love, and sometimes relationships are shattered. Accidents, domestic violence, prejudice, and crimes all occur. Lives are torn apart, and people are reunited. Ordinary people deal with everyday and not–so–everyday situations.

The 25 stories in this collection, most of which are set in Wyoming, are about how the various characters resolve their conflicts—or not.

 

Click here for more information and ordering links.

 

About My Monthly Newsletter

 

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to News from My Corner by sending a blank email to:  newsfrommycorner+subscribe@groups.io .  You’ll receive a confirmation email. Reply to that with another blank message, and you should be good to go. Happy reading!

A Better Day Coming #MondayMusings #OpenBookBlogHop #WritingPrompts

Welcome to another Open Book Blog Hop. Here’s this week’s prompt.

***

What keeps you motivated on tough writing days, and is there a moment in your journey so far that completely surprised you?

***

A resident in the nursing home, where I worked for fifteen years as a registered music therapist, loved standing in the hall outside the smoking room, after he’d had a cigarette, and greeting people as they hurried by. One of his favorite expressions was, “Better day comin.”

That always brought smiles to our faces because he was right. No matter what kind of day you’re having, whether you’re a writer or caregiver, things will eventually get better. This realization surprised me in my journey.

***

If you’re an author, what keeps you motivated when you’re having a tough writing day? Can you think of anything that surprised you in your journey? You can answer in the comments or click below to join the conversation and read what others say. Thank you for stopping by. Always know that a better day is coming.

 

InLinkz – Linkups & Link Parties for Bloggers

 


Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

New! Living Vicariously in Wyoming: Stories

Copyright 2025 by Abbie Johnson Taylor

Published independently with the help of DLD Books.

The scene shows an isolated barn off to the right in a snowy field, probably shortly after sunset. The foreground is a mixture of white, blue, and brown shades. Behind the barn is a line of dense, dark trees, many of them evergreens. The sky is the pink one sometimes sees at sunset, and a full moon hangs above the treetops to the left. The title is in plain black letters against the sky with a white glow behind them. The author’s name is in white letters near the bottom of the cover.

Image Description written by Leonore Dvorkin of DLD Books.

 

As defined in the first story, living vicariously means living your life through someone else’s. You’re invited to live vicariously through the lives of the people in these stories. There’s the lawyer who catches his wife in the act with a nun. A college student identifies with a character in a play. A young woman loses her mother and finds her father. And a high school student’s prudish English teacher strenuously objects to a single word in her paper.

In Wyoming, as in any other state, people fall in love, and sometimes relationships are shattered. Accidents, domestic violence, prejudice, and crimes all occur. Lives are torn apart, and people are reunited. Ordinary people deal with everyday and not–so–everyday situations.

The 25 stories in this collection, most of which are set in Wyoming, are about how the various characters resolve their conflicts—or not.

 

Click here for more information and ordering links.

 

About My Monthly Newsletter

 

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to News from My Corner by sending a blank email to:  newsfrommycorner+subscribe@groups.io .  You’ll receive a confirmation email. Reply to that with another blank message, and you should be good to go. Happy reading!