Month: January 2026

#TankaTuesday #Poetry #Challenge No. 49 #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity #poem #tanka #nature

It’s been a while since I’ve participated in a Tanka Tuesday Challenge. This week, Yvette Calleiro challenges us to write a syllabic poem that focuses on mental wellness. I wrote a tanka thinking about why I needed to take my healing river walk last weekend. Yes, it helped!

It doesn’t matter where the walk is. It can be by the river, the ocean, the woods, the desert, your neighborhood, a rose garden, or a park. Just as long as you find some peace, nature, and a place to heal.

soul-numbing images
leaving behind scars and pain
poison-infused words
overwhelm my well-being
I head to the woods—to heal

From Finn’s Forest #24 #writingcommunity #nature #authorlife

It’s been a while since I’ve done a From Finn’s Forest post—last April. While the rest of the country has gotten hit with that huge icy storm, we are warm and dry. Neither extremes are good. I’m hoping for rain to return here and more normal weather across not only the states but globally. Right now, Mother Nature seems out of sorts.

Last weekend, hubby and I took a walk that we normally take in April at the river. It was a beautiful day there, and I even saw a couple of people dipping their feet in the icy, dangerous waters. That is a river you don’t want to swim in until June or later. I stayed away from the river’s water edge but enjoyed the views above it.

On my favorite walking trail that I have shared here before, I was surprised to see not only some budding plants but a few flowers blooming. The bigger surprise was the couple of little yellow butterflies.  Definitely not the time of year for that. At home, my daffodils are blooming a couple of months early, and my apple tree has some buds. I worry for them if winter visits. We aren’t out of the snow months through spring, but so far it has been a warm winter.

The walk was very healing for my weary soul. Hopefully, it will offer some inspiration to my dormant muse.

Here are some pictures from our pretend spring day.

This leaf floated around for a while. It reminded me of a boat fairies might use to cross the water.
I usually look for hearts in nature. Here’s one.
I’ve been taking pictures of what used to be a clear smiley face on this lichen. The smile and eyes are harder to see, but the new mustache is taking form.
The little creek above the river, we usually stop and hydrate 🙂

Embrace that inner child by reading a good book or enjoying the nature around you. D. L. Finn (Denise)

 

#NewRelease! “Silverhills’ Rescue” by #SandraCox #writingcommunity #whattoread #mustread

I’m thrilled to have Sandra Cox here today to share her latest book, “Silverhills’ Rescue!” It’s an amazing addition to the Silverhills stories, and my review is included.

Blurb

A marker is called in.

Brandon comes home from a trail drive to find his wife on her way to Mexico to help the mission folk that took her in. Putting herself in danger. Crossing perilous terrain, where not only the weather kills, but Comancheros and bandoleros as well. He climbs back into the saddle and heads out after her. Both of them now embarked on separate journeys that involves killers, flooded arroyos and narrow divides where one misstep means a plunge to certain death. And, if that’s not enough to challenge them, at journey’s end they’ll face the most dangerous situation of all.“This book contains plenty of grit and gunfire, but no graphic violence or explicit scenes.”

Excerpt

July, 1874

The sun hit a blood-red horizon and shot upward in a crown of tangerine brilliance, hurting the eyes, lighting the trail from the top of the canyon to the ranch house like a beacon thrown across the sea.

The early July morning a warm one.

Dust rose as a horse trotted up. Jonas, a young cowhand, reined in his sorrel gelding beside the woman who stood on the veranda. “Rider coming.”

“Is it Brandon?” Hand over her eyes, Alexandria O’Malley Wade strained to make out the narrow trail at the top of the foothill that her husband and their men would come galloping over when they returned from the trail drive. Her tan split-skirt rustled as she leaned against the smooth white-painted railing, trying to get a better view.

Jonas pushed up in his stirrups. Worn leather boots peeping from canvas chaps. “Can’t tell.”

The speck at the top of the canyon grew as it came tumbling down the trail. Her heart thumped and her breath lodged in her throat. Her fingers tingled, her excitement rose.

The speck shifted into a rider.

Anticipation heightened.

Then shriveled. It wasn’t her husband.

The horse was a pinto not the big roan Brandon rode. And even from this distance, she’d know her husband with every fiber of her being.

She heaved a deep breath and waited.

As the rider trotted closer, she slid her hand to the worn wooden handle of her 4.75-inch barrel, single-action, six-cylinder Peacemaker.

Jonas did the same.

She frowned. The pinto looked familiar, but it wasn’t one of theirs.  And instead of a cowboy hat and chaps, the rider wore a sombrero along with a brightly-colored poncho.

Spying her, he yanked the sombrero off his head and waved it.

She recognized the rider and the horse at the same time. Her breath caught then whished out on a mile-wide smile.

“It’s okay, Jonas. I know him.”

Now sure there was no trouble brewing, he nodded, raised his hand to the approaching rider, and putting heels to his horse’s ribs, galloped off.

“Manuel.” She jumped off the porch and ran toward the boy who’d went in search of Brandon when she’d holed up at the mission awaiting the birth of the twins.

He leaped off his horse and grabbed her in a bearhug.

The term boy no longer applied. He was muscled and lean. A man.  A young man, but still a man.

“What are you doing here? Is your family well? Sisters Sarah and Marie? Father Jon?” The questions tumbled over each other.

The smile on his face fell away.

Something was wrong. Dreadfully wrong. Stomach knotting, she took a step back and waited, dread seeping through her pores.

My Five-Star Review
I have loved the Silverhills series and was excited to see a new story. All the familiar characters are back. When someone from the past arrives seeking help, Alexandra is ready to jump in and assist. Brandon is still away tending cattle, but there are many to watch their twins. She sets out with Manuel and a hand, Charlie, to help the people at the mission who helped her. It’s a long journey, and it doesn’t always go smoothly. I love these characters, and especially Alex. She is strong, kind, stubborn, and willing to put her life on the line for those she cares for. The setting is so beautifully described that it makes me feel like I’m riding along with them. The pace is fast as they go from one situation to another. There was more than once when I thought: Oh no, how will they survive this? Plus, there was a lovesick horse and a desperate puma in the mix. This well-written western was hard to put down, and I can highly recommend it.

Amazon Purchase Link

Author Bio

Sandra, who writes as both S. Cox and Sandra Cox, is an animal lover and avid gardener. She spent a number of years in the Midwest chasing down good Southern BBQ. By the time she moved to North Carolina where Southern BBQ is practically a staple, she’d become a vegetarian.

She and her husband are ruled by four cats and a dog. An award-winning author, her stories consist of all things Western and more.

Sandra can be found at http://www.sandracoxwriter.com

OR http://www.cowboytrivia.blogspot.com

OR https://sandracox.blogspot.com

OR https://www.pinterest.com/scoxauthor/

OR https://www.bsky.app @scoxauthor

OR Amazon.com: Sandra Cox: books, biography, latest update

January Book Reviews! #sandracox#YvetteCalleiro #ColleenChesebro #RobbieCheadle #mustread #writingcommunity

Here are the books I read and reviewed in December that are four stars or higher. Plus, included are the 76 books read in 2025!

Silverhills’ Rescue

By Sandra Cox

I have loved the Silverhills series and was excited to see a new edition. All the familiar characters are back. When someone from the past arrives looking for help, Alexandra is ready to jump in and help. Brandon is still away tending cattle, but there are many to watch their twins. She sets out with Manuel and a hand, Charlie, to help the people at the mission who helped her. It’s a long journey, and it doesn’t always go smoothly. I love these characters, and especially Alex. She is strong, kind, stubborn, and willing to put her life on the line for those she cares for. The setting is so beautifully described that it makes me feel like I’m riding along with them. The pace is fast as they go from one situation to another. There was more than once when I thought: Oh no, how will they survive this? Plus, there was a lovesick horse and a desperate puma in the mix. This well-written western was hard to put down, and I can highly recommend it.

The One Redeemed (Chronicles of the Diasodz)

By Yvette M Calleiro

I have read and loved the entire Diasodz series and was thrilled to find out there would be a new addition to it. I was immediately drawn into Drake’s journey in the afterlife, which reminded me of the many chances in life that I might not have taken, although not to the same level as Drake did. “The One Redeemed” made it easy to empathize with a cruel and heartless character in the past and root for his soul’s current success. Redemption, love, and taking responsibility were the intended outcomes, but first Drake had to work through jealousy, power, lies, ruthlessness, and vengeance. Although this is a solo path for Drake to walk, he has a guide, and the Goddess was there for him, along with his past. I love the surprise twist at the end and the choices made. This is a unique story that is not only well-written and engaging but also has a beautiful spiritual message woven into it.  It is not necessary to have read the rest of the series, as the reflections recap how Drake got to the point he did, but having read the series, it was great to revisit the Diasodz world. I can highly recommend this entertaining and thought-provoking tale!

Sunflower Tanka: A 2025 Anthology of Tanka, Tanka Prose, & Experimental Tanka

By editors & poets: Colleen M. Chesebro, Robbie Cheadle, and other contributors

This is the second edition of the Sunflower Tanka, and this year’s theme was dreams. Normally, I would list all the poets, but this year there were an amazing fifty-four, and too many to include. I am a fan of symbolic poetry and the tanka format. A favorite is tanka prose, but in reading this, I fell in love with the garland tanka and will be giving it a try. I enjoyed meeting each poet, some I knew, others were new to me. They were from all around the world and really added to the depth and perspective of this collection. There is no way I could narrow it down to just a couple of my favorites or outstanding examples; everything I read was good. I loved the different takes on dreams that wove through my emotions as I read. There were many I’d have to stop and reread to appreciate the beautiful images created. This could easily be one of my favorite collections, showcasing so many poetic voices. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves poetry!

Note: I took a small break from reading in December, and then I decided to reread a couple of books. One was my usual holiday read, “A Christmas Carol,” and the other was “The Stand.” Both are very worthy of another read!

2025 Books Read:

        

 

Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L Finn (Denise)