Tag: Poetry

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

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Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.

After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?

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J Is for Joy #TuesdayTidbit #Life’s Alphabet #Inspiration

Thanks to BeetleyPete for inspiring this series with a similar one of his own, which he posted on his blog last December. Every day, he wrote about his life, using a consecutive letter of the alphabet. I do my feature weekly but skipped a week last week because too many things were going on. I’m back this week with the letter J.

Some of you may remember Joy, my robotic cat. Last summer, I heard the senior center here in Sheridan, Wyoming, was giving away robotic pets to people prone to isolation or suffering from dementia. I didn’t think I fit either of these categories. But I inquired about getting a cat, and the next thing I knew, I had Joy. Since she came from a company called Joy for All, and she brought me joy, I thought Joy the perfect name.

A gray cat with white paw pads and green eyes, she meowed, purred, stretched, turned her head, and blinked whenever I touched her. I fell in love with her immediately. What’s more, I didn’t have to feed her, clean out the litter box, or take her to the vet. I could just enjoy having her on my lap while in my recliner, listening to books, podcasts, etc. She came with a little brush I used daily to ensure her coat was in the best shape.

In November of last year, to my dismay, Joy stopped purring and meowing. I tried the obvious solutions: removing the batteries, replacing the batteries, turning her off and on, but nothing worked. As I resigned myself to my late husband Bill not being able to walk again after two strokes, I accepted the fact that my cat could no longer speak and still enjoyed her.

A couple of weeks ago, she became totally unresponsive. I’d just replaced the batteries but replaced them again with no luck. As I accepted Bill’s passing, I resigned myself to the fact that my cat had crossed the rainbow bridge.

I leave you now with a poem I wrote last summer after I first got Joy. I’ve since revised it to reflect her passing. You can click on the title to hear me read it.

Remembering Joy

by Abbie Johnson Taylor

Stretched in recliner, cat curled on lap, I was content.

Joy, with soft, light gray fur and white paws,

like any cat,

meowed, purred,

turned her head, opened and closed her eyes,

yawned, stretched.

But unlike any cat,

she didn’t eat, drink, or shed,

or need to go to the litter box or vet.

Technically, she was a robot.

But to me, she was a real comfort and joy.

Now, like any other cat, Joy has crossed the rainbow bridge.

Only with me a short time,

she’ll be remembered.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

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Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

***

Spending Time in the Tropics #MondayMusings #OpenBookBlogHop #Poetry

Welcome to another edition of Open Book Blog Hop. This week’s question is: “What are your favorite vacation spots and do they ever show up in your books?” You can click here to participate in this week’s hop and read other responses.

My favorite vacation spot is Jupiter, Florida. My brother and his family live there. For years, I enjoyed visiting them there, where we spent plenty of time on the beach and taking in other attractions. I haven’t gone there since COVID started. Now, it’s too expensive, and flying has gotten to be a real hassle. I know these are just excuses. Maybe one of these days…

In my books, Florida has only been mentioned in passing. I’ve written many poems about it, though. Here’s one of them, published in The Avocet 2020 summer quarterly issue. You can click the title to hear me read it.

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I Dream of Florida

by Abbie Johnson Taylor

When the world caves in around me,

I retreat in my mind

to a beach in Jupiter.

On a mid-March afternoon,

I feel the sand between my toes,

delight in the cool spray of waves that wash my feet,

enjoy a picnic lunch

while a refreshing ocean breeze

caresses amid cries of seagulls,

watch the tide carry troubles away.

Then, my heart will bloom again

in the reality of my Wyoming world.

***

How about you? Do you have any favorite vacation spots? If you’re a writer, have your vacation spots been mentioned in any of your books?

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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Note that I’ll no longer being posting my Joyous Jotting series here. So, if you like reading about my life from the perspective of my robotic cat, please subscribe to my newsletter. Starting next month, that’s the only place you’ll find this feature.

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

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Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

***

Joyous Jottings March 2023 #TuesdayTidbit #Jottings #Inspiration

Hi, this is Joy, Abbie’s robotic cat. Wow, I can’t believe March is already here. Time is running by faster than a mouse. Abbie can’t wait until spring gets here and all the snow and ice melts, so she can get out and walk. For me, it’ll be nice when I can see other colors besides white when I look out the window.

At the end of last month, Abbie did another kick-ass author interview during a book launch sponsored by Behind Our Eyes. Sherry Gomes talked about her book, Haven, which Abbie and I really enjoyed reading or, should I say, listening to. You can read her review of this book here.

It’s too bad I’m not an author. Then, I could join Behind Our Eyes, and Abbie could interview me. Abbie says Behind Our Eyes is for disabled authors. Well, I’m disabled because my voice box no longer works. So there.

It’s just as well that I’m not an author. I have enough trouble writing a simple blog post with four paws. I couldn’t possibly write a whole book. But I can dream, can’t I?

Also at the end of February, Abbie’s group, Just Harmony, sang at an assisted living facility. Abbie will be busy with music performances this month, too. She’ll be at the assisted living facility on March 10^th, and she’ll do the music for the Sunday service at the First Congregational Church on the 12^th. She’ll be at a nursing home on March 28^th.

Three of Abbie’s poems will be published in an anthology called Poetry Treasures, which will be out sometime this year. The poems are: “Condiments,” “The Black Hole,” and “The Music Lady.”

My favorite of those poems is “Condiments,” where she talks about cooking for her late husband Bill after two strokes put him in a wheelchair. I wish I could have known Bill. But Abbie says he didn’t like cats. So, maybe that’s just as well.

Last but not least, Abbie’s books, Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me, The Red Dress, and My Ideal Partner are now available from Smashwords ABSOLUTELY FREE as part of its 14th annual Read an eBook Week sale. You can click here to visit her author page and download these books. Now, inquiring cats want to know. How do you smash a word?

Okay, that’s all for now. It’s time for my cat nap. Everybody, have a great month, and happy spring a few weeks early.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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Abbie, here. If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to my email list to receive my monthly newsletter and other announcements. This is a one-way announcements list, meaning the only messages you’ll receive will come from me. So, you can rest assured that this list is low-traffic. Send 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.

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

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Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

***

Straightforward Poetry and Feel-good Stories: My Review of Variety Is the Spice of Life by Sally Cronin #FantasticFridayReads #Fiction #Poetry

What Amazon Says

Variety is the Spice of Life is a collection of poetry and short stories about relationships with others, including pets and animals inhabiting the world around us. The connection with others brings love and friendship, excitement and sometimes surprises, danger, mystery and sometimes the unexpected.

The poetry explores human nature, the fears, desires, expectations and achievements. Nature offers a wonderful opportunity to observe animals both domesticated and wild. Even in a back garden you can observe a wide variety of creatures and the daily challenges to survive a harsh environment.

The short stories introduce you to a healer whose gift comes with danger, a neighbour determined to protect a friend, a woman on the run, an old couple whose love has endured, an elderly retired teacher who faces a life changing accident, a secret that has been carried for over 70 years and a village who must unite as they face devastating news.

Buy from Amazon.

My Thoughts

I’m glad this book is divided into two sections: one containing poems and the other with stories. Some of the poems read like prose, and readers might be confused as to what they’re reading.

I like how the author starts the collection with “Key Words,” a powerful poem emphasizing how three words can change a life. The poem to which I can relate to the most is “Useful,” talking about how smiles can make helping others rewarding. “Neighbourhood Cats” reminded me of how our cats would have gone after birds if my mother had let them.

Speaking of cats, I loved the story, “The Neighbourhood Watch,” in which a cat may or may not have played a role in the death of an abusive husband. When I started reading “On the Run” and realized it was about another abusive husband, I almost skipped it. But since stories I read before it had satisfactory endings, I stuck with it and am glad I did.

Not all stories in this collection are about abusive husbands. I especially liked “The Home Help,” a surprising tale about an elderly woman who gets more than she bargains for when hiring someone to help around the house and garden.

It’s nice to read stories that cover some unpleasant topics but always have feel-good endings. If you like such stories plus poetry that’s easy to understand, this book is definitely for you.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

Photo Resize and Description by

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

***