Michele Lee Sefton's Blog, page 14

I am ready, I am

Writing this post feels like attempting to create a completed puzzle from three different puzzle boxes, scattered across my desk. Searching for all the corners first would be a well-tested start but this puzzle has too many corners, so I shall just begin and hopefully write myself to a sense of cohesion.

The “scattered” pieces offer an assortment of colors, patterns, and ideas, and yet each share the motif of writing. A creative passion and driving force in my life. It has always been, in one form or fashion, beginning with my first diary as a young girl. Dear Diary…

Or maybe it began when I was in kindergarten, with the thin alphabet books, one for each letter, an uppercase and lowercase on the cover. I was particularly fond of the book that had scented letters, and there was another that was soft to the touch. I also loved naptime. All that reading can make one sleepy! Then it was on to first grade, where I was frequently called upon to read aloud during story time. Still love doing that!

Books have long been a sanctuary of learning, comfort, and escape for me. Like my grandfather, “Your head is always in a book,” I was told. When I was in sixth grade, my teacher looked at me and said, “Someday I am going to pick up a book and see your name on it.” An encouraging message that felt more like an affirmation of what I already knew versus a surprising revelation. But the “someday” would take longer than planned or wished. That is how life goes sometimes, right?

Before I turn this into my life story, on to some writer news…
I recently revisited my second novella, Honeysuckle Heat , to polish up some formatting, giving the book more of a professional look. I will be doing the same for my first novella, Her Coastal Cottage – Where Truth and Love Rise . Both published under Tumbleweed Spirit Press with a third to be released next summer (2026). As previously mentioned, I am interested in hosting a discussion about the ending of Honeysuckle Heat, particularly to learn about reader perspectives regarding Jaqueline Fortin’s (main female character) choices and resulting consequences.

I will be offering two Zoom calls near the end of March: Tuesday, March 25th at 10 AM PST and Thursday March 27th at 4 PM PST to discuss the book. I would love to see you there! Please visit my Contact Page, if interested, and I will send you the link for attendance.

Editorial team member Khaya Ronkainen at Lit eZine recently reviewed Honeysuckle Heat, describing the story as a ‘‘A poignant, passionate, and thought-provoking tale of love and ambition.” I would be most honored if you would read Khaya’s review of my novella. Thank you and thanks to Khaya!Now on to my next bit of book news…

With my sharpened blade, I am ready to get to the point. I have made the decision to retain full creative control and ownership of my Jade’s Broken Bridge project and embark on the journey of bringing this story to its full potential under Tumbleweed Spirit Press. An undertaking that felt too challenging to pursue on “my own” due to the complexity of the story. I have not felt qualified or capable of leading and managing the many moving parts required to bring this “captivating and powerful”* story to readers. *Feedback from a recent beta reader, and others over the last few years, have responded in kind.

For a series of reasons, my mindset and belief in myself shifted this week, and of course as things go, the journey to get to this place of preparedness did not happen in a few days. One could say it has been a lifetime in the making. I also believe that the protagonist Jade has pushed her way to front and center, demanding to be heard. I am ready to give her the attention she deserves. Her plight, that is ultimately one of hope, has all the elements to make a difference in readers’ lives and there is no better time than now to begin making this happen.

Fall is my target release time, with many tasks to diligently and thoughtfully complete between now and then.

Although I have kept a Writing Journal, recording this project’s progress, I haven’t offered too many details. I will be doing more of that over the coming months and when I do, I will include (Jade’s Story) or some variation thereof in the post titles. The project-related posts will offer various content including poems, articles related to story subject matter, and updates. I considered creating a separate blog for this project but decided that is too much work and not necessary, choosing rather to a create a separate page on my website, that I will be revealing soon.

For those new to my blog (welcome!) ~ here is a brief description of my project:

Jade’s Broken Bridge is a work of literary fiction, based on true events, that blends edgy content, fabulism, dark humor, and features an intriguing female protagonist surviving in a seedy subculture that offers the message of overcoming adversity.

Thank you for visiting and reading! I really appreciate you reading to this point in my writer news, which includes a reminder and invitation for our next Creative Call, scheduled for Wednesday, February 12th at 10 am Pacific Standard Time. The discussion will focus on taking care of the creative brain. We have room for a few more creatives! If you’d like to join us, please send me a note though my Contact Page.

A few more generous people to thank… Adam Fenner for reviewing my Autumn Delivers poem, submitted to Dave Williams and included in his Joy is... initiative. Thanks to both Adam and Dave!

I would like to close this post offering gratitude to two beautiful humans and accomplished authors who have appeared in my life, at just the right time, offering encouragement and guidance. Thank you to Mary K. Doyle and John W. Howell.

featured photo of woman in business suit overlooking city at night by Sergey Nivens / flower and full moon photo by Jakkapan / young woman standing on misty bridge by FotoDuets / vibrant image of woman’s profile bursting with flowers and music (AI – not my creation)

2019-2025 myinspiredlife

Slaying some dragons

By the river, I’ve been
for how long, I can’t say exactly

Never realizing that through all the
observing, listening, tumbling, pondering, and learning
my ancestral blade was being sharpened
across stones, jagged and ancient

            with each drag and turn, guidance released

dipping the hot metal in calm water
to rinse the fragments and cool the friction
watching the hard steel create soft ripples
that multiply and extend

                                    far beyond my sight or reach

Been looking toward the heavens, counting birds
catching the rare feather that falls to earth

Been catching my reflection
in the polished sword, sometimes gasping
at the changes
            I see
my grandfather’s eyes
staring back at me
saying without words,
you’re ready, you’re ready

Not all battles are fought in a field
with bullets flying
many are fought within

For the journey ahead
purposeful and unpredictable
I am ready, I am

Thank you for visiting and reading! While working on a Saturday post, with some writer news to share, this poem (that began as a few tumbling lines yesterday) dropped in. You know how it is, dear writer and poet friends; best to let the words flow, like a healthy river, sustaining life, above and below. This poem feels like a prelude for an approaching quest, offering me courage as I gather my words. Best to you! [image error] Michele

featured photo is AI generated (that was fun to create and imagine!) / Waxing Gibbous moon photo taken during yesterday’s twilight (Feb. 6)

2019-2025 myinspiredlife

A light shines, soft and pink

Finding the soft pink
in the skies, in songs and words
Divine Feminine

Thank you for stopping by. I have some writing news to share, but I’ve decided to wait until my Saturday post, needing to keep today’s post as close to “Wordless Wednesday” as possible, for myself and everyone’s busy week. Hope your day is going well. Warm regards. [image error] Michele

my sunrise photos from a few weeks ago

2019-2025 myinspiredlife

Thank you, Dave!

Joy is watching my daughter walk her own path by Michele

Sending writer, Dave Williams a thank you for his “Joy is… ” initiative, spreading cheer and strengthening community. Delighted to join in! Thanks too to those who took the time to comment, on my contribution and others he has shared.

Sunday evening

To the sun above, the earth below, and water flowing
To the hands that plant and harvest, or operate machinery
To the hands that package, deliver, and sell
I thank you all, for this hearty meal

Frequent thoughts while cooking… thinking about everything required to bring food to tables, which for me is mostly fresh veggies. Fruit, veggies, and vegan protein powder smoothies in the morning and abundant veggies for dinner. I enjoy cooking, especially when not rushed and I can include music and dancing in the kitchen – the special ingredients that make meals healthier and yummier! Except for baking, I rarely follow a recipe; creating simple and substantive meals is my style and having leftovers is a goal. Organic and local are a preference and spices are essential. Preparing food can be an artform, igniting our senses and connecting us to our heritage. Foundationally it is the fuel that powers our (human) bodies and minds and fresh produce is a resource that should be readily available and accessible to everyone. Wishing you a wonderful week and remember to eat your veggies. Michele

Oh, if you’re wondering what my salad has in it: a bed of greens covered with sauteed mushrooms, carrots, tofu, garbanzo beans, leftover quinoa, pickled peppers (thank you cousin), unsalted sunflower seeds, shredded parmigiano*, (corn, green beans, and peas were frozen), and the top photo is sliced purple carrots (their interesting interior started this photo share).

*Dairy is limited because giving up dairy just before the pandemic eliminated my seasonal-turned-year-long allergies. I use plant-based dairy alternatives, moderately. Not telling anyone what to eat – just sharing my experience because it may be helpful to someone. Life-changing for me.

2019-2025 myinspiredlife

What awaits you, in the wings

she found the most brilliant sparkle
across the infinite wonder
just right for the cheerful dreamer
lighting her eyes with a twinkle

skipping her heart with potential
telling her body to follow
toward joy, away from sorrow
from her hand, eternal love springs
trusting her dreams will grow strong wings
offering a bright tomorrow

Thank you for visiting and reading! I was going to share a leaving Puerto Peñasco video, that I had started working on a few weeks ago, before deciding I wasn’t quite ready to “leave” the weekend trip taken with my cousin, with more photos to work through, including this precious collection of a little girl tossing a pebble or shell into the waves. One of the many things I love about photography is capturing details not noticed in the rush of a traveling moment.

Hope y’all had a pleasant week and are enjoying the weekend. My week had its share of challenges, triumphs too, having made it through. That’s (the blessing of) life, right? Waking to a gorgeous Sonoran sunrise this Saturday morning – a soft pink transformed into a brilliant orange, bursting across the land – taking my breath away and flooding my senses with the gift of a new day. Warm regards. Michele

My poem follows the Espinela form; a Spanish poetic form with two stanzas and four end rhymes across ten lines. It’s named after the poet Vincente Espinel, who is credited with inventing it. Here are the guidelines:
• First stanza has four lines
• Second stanza has six lines
• Eight syllables per line
• Rhyme scheme is abba/accddc

my photos of a little girl on the beach and a seagull flying overhead taken in Puerto Peñasco (late fall) / my updo window selfie (I really need a haircut but that’s what hair clips are for)

2019-2025 myinspiredlife

Preparing for a proper butterfly flight

At the start of each dance class, we form in a circle of yoga mats. Prior to stretching for thirty minutes, we are asked a question, usually casual in nature that serves as an icebreaker and community builder. It is a pleasant way to learn about each other, because during class we are focused on learning and practicing challenging moves, leaving little time for conversation.

During a special class that took place a few weeks ago, just before the new year, we were asked to share our “word for the year.” Fun, I thought, having once asked the same of my students, seniors embarking on their final year of high school. When it was my turn to answer the question in dance class, I said the first thing that came to mind: “transformation” which I’ve experienced on many levels over the past five years. None of it easy, as transformation (life) goes, but rewarding, revealing, and ongoing.

My response felt ok, but not quite right. At the end of the class, which involved a series of graceful movements and intentional writing and releasing with a fire burning, we revisited our “word for the year” question and were asked if we had a change of heart with our first choice. I did and I was glad to revisit the question.

Butterfly was my second response, surprising myself with its sweet simplicity, almost childlike. The question also had a “why” component. I chose butterfly as my word for the year, because they are both strong and delicate and they have an incredible ability to travel long distances alone, soldiering on through all kinds of weather, knowing when to protect their fragile wings when storms might threaten their ability to fly, and of course, they must transform in a cocoon before any of their feats are possible.

What I had not considered until writing this essay is that I used to collect butterfly things when I was a child, so I suppose the “childlike” tone is perfect.

After spending some time reading and replying this afternoon, I will be stepping away from WP for a few days, with a goal of returning Saturday, February 1st. I need to rest for all the romance I will be writing next month. Teasing! I need to hyperfocus on some tasky technical work. A challenge for me at this stage of my (mid)life when I’d rather be twirling and writing about butterflies. Take care and thank you for reading and connecting here. I treasure my creative friends in this space! Michele

If you missed my Saturday post, “Doyle’s beautiful book inspires a garden visit,” featuring author and blogger Mary Doyle’s poetry and photography collection, please give the share a visit. I know she would be most grateful and me too!

my butterfly photos, taken in 2020 (first time shared-today) / cell phone window selfie [image error]

2019-2025 myinspiredlife

Laundry day

A cock-a-doodle-doo
boasting
reminds the sun
it’s time to wake up
a neighborhood
snoring
after a late night
of celebrating
having made it
to a Saturday night
            laughter rising
            Rancheras blasting
            dust stirring
            bottles crashing
into the twilight
sounds fade

A hungry dog sniffs
an open can
searching
for anything
to sustain
doing its best
to survive
another day

Clothes drying
on the line
scented
with life’s
joy and pain

Thank you for stopping by! Hope life is treating you right. Warm regards. Michele

my photos of clothes drying on a rooftop line, a quiet street lined with parked cars at sunrise, and the morning light shining through a wrought iron ornamental fixture, taken in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico

2019-2025 myinspiredlife

Doyle’s beautiful book inspires a garden visit

Buildings, highways, and power lines have a purpose in large cities, but healthy living is nurtured by the greenscapes cared for within. The amount of land given for urban gardens need not be enormous to make a difference for residents, wildlife, and improved air quality. Being able to escape from the noise, pollution, and bustle of a densely populated city is wonderful but not everyone is able to do so and connecting with nature should happen every day, not just once in a while.

When we walk through nature, all our senses come alive. How can we not enjoy the fragrance of spring blossoms, summer wind gently tussling our hair, the rustling of leaves in the fall, or the crunch of the winter earth beneath our feet? ~ Mary K. Doyle, Tranquility, Transformation, Transcendence – The Enchanting Promises of Public Gardens

Bought as a gift for a friend, Mary K. Doyle’s book, Tranquility Transformation Transcendence – The Enchanting Promises of Public Gardens became so much more, inspiring a recent visit to the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix. A peaceful and invigorating afternoon was spent strolling through the 3.5-acre grounds. Completed in November of 1996, the city garden is a joint project between the City of Phoenix and Sister City Himeji, Japan. A popular attraction is the koi pond with over 300 colorful Koi fish.

Doyle’s elegantly crafted book, published in 2023, features her photographs of inspiring nature scenes from three different city gardens (listed on the cover of her book) along with a description of each location and paired poetry (haiku, cinquain, and free verse). A joy to read in any setting, however in a lush nature setting in the heart of a city heightened the experience. Doyle’s book is a beautifully presented tribute to public gardens and one I highly recommend as either a gift or for yourself, to treasure.

Mary K. Doyle is an award-winning author of twelve books including Inspired Caregiving: Weekly Morale Builders, Navigating Alzheimer’s: 12 Truths about Caring for your Loved One, and The Alzheimer’s Spouse: Finding the Grace to Keep the Promise. To learn more about the author (also a friendly and supportive blogger), and her creative works, please visit her blog: midwestmary.com

Thank you for visiting and for strolling through the garden. It has been a pleasure to spend time with Mary’s book and to learn more about her author background. A lovely weekend to you. Michele

Click here to learn more about The Japanese Friendship Garden

For those interested in walking in urban parks and gardens, you might appreciate this article, offered by the New York Central Park Conservancy: “A Walk in the Park: A Neuroscientist Explains the Benefits of Walking in Nature”

my photos of The Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix / Mary K. Doyle’s book

2019-2025 myinspiredlife

Waking to the possibilities

The morning light creates a blank page, an invitation to write. Just beyond my open blinds, I reach for the moon sliver and dip it in melted silver. My waking mind begins to fill in the lines.

Thank you for stopping by! Wishing you a Friday full of pleasant vibes and may your most dreamy possibilities become your waking realities. Warm regards. Michele

my twilight photos

2019-2025 myinspiredlife