Around December 18, 2022, my book Nature Calls Outside My Window, A Collection of Poems and Stories, will be released by Kelsay Books. Check out their bookstore at http://www.kelsaybooks.com and Amazon http://www.amazon.com. Anyone who loves nature’s creatures will enjoy the poems and personal stories.
3rd Place Winner! On November 17, 2022, Proverse Hong Kong, https://www.proversepublishing.com/, announced that my poem, “Haven Among Trees,” was a 3rd place winner for their 2022 International Poetry Prize. My poem will be included in their anthology, Mingled Voices #7, which will be released in late April, 2023. I’m honored and delighted.
In late 2022, my hybrid book, Nature Calls Outside My Window, A Collection of Poems and Stories, will be released by Kelsay Books. The book contains 67 poems and 12 stories/essays focusing on animal encounters. The content is suitable for all ages. This will be a wonderful gift for all nature lovers, especially creature lovers. For example, did you know groundhogs can climb trees? Stay posted for the future publication release date.
As of May 31, 2022, Botany of Gaia, a nature inspired anthology of poems, stories, and essays published by Quillkeepers Press, is available at https://www.amazon.com. The anthology includes my nonfiction story, “Up a Tree,” and five poems: “Precision Pilots,” “Murmuration,” “Woodland Discoveries,” “Remnants,” and “Solitary Walk.”
As of December 22, 2021, Snowdrifts, a winter anthology that includes my short story “Ice Hole” and five poems: “Rhythmic Journey,” “Lake Dancers,” “Wintry Banquet,” “Ice Storm,” and “Temporary Traces,” published by Quillkeepers Press, is available at https://amazon.com. It’s a lovely collection of stories, poems, and colorful illustrations.
As of July 15, 2021, my third poetry chapbook, Scarred Resilience is available at http://Kelsaybooks.com and at http://Amazon.com. It is a collection of 40 poems that I hope you will find uplifting. A key message is that people, despite their physical and/or emotional scars, can empower themselves and move forward with their lives. Our daughter, Sara, took the cover photograph, which is well suited for the title and content. Scarred Resilience would make a wonderful gift, and I would appreciate your support.
Three micro-fiction stories: “Over the Edge,” “whirln’ twirl,” and “In Plane View” were posted on the online July 28, 2021 issue of Nailpolish Stories, A Tiny and Colorful Literary Journal.
My poem, “Harmonious Healer,” is one of the third place winners of the 2021 Poetry Contest for the Dancing Poetry Festival sponsored by the Artists Embassy International.
My third poetry chapbook, Scarred Resilience, will be released in later summer, 2021.
My second poetry chapbook, Gifts of the Seasons, Spring and Summer, has been released by Kelsay Books and is available at their online bookstore, as well as on Amazon. Gifts of the Seasons, Spring and Summer contains 40 pages of my poetry accessible to readers of all ages. January, 2021
My poem, “Cast Iron Mother” about the resiliency of single mothers, has been selected for the Proverse Hong Kong Anthology, Mingled Voices #5. The judges designated my poem as highly commendable. The announcement was made on November 19, 2020. The anticipated release of the anthology on Amazon will be in late April, 2021.
On October 23, 2020, a recording of me reading two of my poems: “Dancing Leaves” and “Rhythmic Journey” from my poetry chapbook, Gifts of the Seasons, Autumn and Winter, will air on the radio program, “Monsoon Down the Radio” with Tim, the Tater, Staley on the Las Cruces, NM Community Radio Station, KTAL-LP. The local broadcasting station serves about 150,00 homes in the Mesilla Valley. Thanks go to my good friend Paul Dulin for making this possible.
My collaborative project, painting “Morning Promise” and poem “Morning Splendor”, with my Delta Zeta Sorority sister, Jenny McKinnon Wright, was published in the 2020 fall issue of The Broken Plate, the literary journal of Ball State U., Muncie, IN. Jenny is a talented plein air artist, who painted a beautiful sunrise over Wrightsville Beach, NC. In response to her painting, I wrote a poem with her input.
“Ghost Harbingers” and Other Poems: “Out of Time,” “Celestial Clutter,” “Worm-ridden Republic,” and “Danger Below” were published online at https://literaryyard.com/2020/09/17/ghost-harbingers-and-other-poems-by-suzanne-cottrell/ on September 17, 2020. These poems address current concerns in regard to the climatic and political environments. I hope my poems will give readers food for thought. Even better, I hope they spur many to take constructive actions. Readers have free access to my poems and the works of other writers at Literary Yard. https://literaryyard.com
July 29, 2020, my companion poetry chapbook, Gifts of the Seasons, Spring and Summer, will be published by Kelsay Books. I’m delighted as they did a beautiful job with my first poetry chapbook and were wonderful to work with. I do not have a tentative publication date yet. I’m busy choosing possible photos for the book cover and editing my manuscript. More information will be forthcoming.
My flash fiction story, “Tea Time,” was posted online at Flash Fiction Magazine July 27, 2020. It’s a quick read about a touching friendship. I hope you enjoy it and will consider posting a brief, favorable comment.
Exciting news– My debut poetry chapbook, Gifts of the Seasons, Autumn and Winter, is now available at Kelsay Books and Amazon. The cost is $16.00. It is a collection of 36 poems suitable for all ages. I hope you enjoy the imagery and experience the beauty of autumn and winter scenery and activities.
My poem, “Farewell,” is included in Pain and Renewal, a poetry anthology, published by Vita Brevis. I wrote the poem as I reflected on my last visit with Lori Fleming, a close friend and my yoga instructor, who lost her battle to cancer on June 30, 2016. I am honored to have “Farewell” included in this anthology. As of January 12, 2020, the anthology is available on Amazon for a very reasonable price. This collection of poems would make a wonderful gift.
My poem, “Mermaid Tears” about sea glass and the NC coast, has been selected for the Proverse Hong Kong Anthology, Mingled Voices #4. The announcement was made on November 21, 2019. The anticipated release of the anthology on Amazon will be in late April, 2020.
Later in December, 2019, five of my poems: “Provider,” “Survivor,” Oppressive Night Drive,” “Resilient Reflection,” and “Web of Lies” will be posted online at Scarlet Leaf Review. Also, my skinny poem,”Hour Glass,” will be included in the first anthology dedicated to the form of skinny poems.
For the month of October, 2019, my poem, “Precision Pilots,” about hummingbirds will be in storefront displays in New Bern and Winston-Salem, NC as part of Poetry in Plain Sight, a statewide poetry initiative.
For the month of September, 2019, my poem, “Autumn Acrobats,” about autumn leaves will be in storefront displays in New Bern and Winston-Salem, NC as part of Poetry in Plain Sight, a statewide poetry initiative.
As of September 1, 2019, my poem, “Waning Time” is now posted online at Twist in Time Literary Magazine.
As of July 1, 2019, my personal narrative, “Roaming in Yellowstone,” is now posted online at Twist in Time Literary Magazine.
Two of my personal narratives: “Aerial Adventure” and “Thundering Hooves in the Land of the Giants” are included in the anthology Exploring, which is available on Amazon.
My personal narrative, “Unexpected Visitors,” is now posted online at Parks and Points, Southwest region tab. My narrative is about Bob’s and my trip to Palo Duro Canyon State Park many, many years ago. I hope you’ll read it to discover who our unexpected visitors were. If you’re ever in the Texas Panhandle, make it a point to visit Palo Duro Canyon State Park. It’s the second largest canyon in the United States. The views are breath-taking. When the sun rises and sets, you’ll see an amazing light show on the canyon walls.
The Women Speak Project will be on display at the Frank Gallery in Chapel Hill March 8th- 10th, 2019. The exhibit consists of paintings from Nancy Smith’s Women’s Series along with corresponding writers’ poems and essays. My poem, “Altered Silhouette,” will be featured with Nancy Smith’s painting “Twilight Reflection”. Sunday, March 10, 2019, from 2-4 PM writers, including me, will read their poems and essays. The event is free and open to the public. I hope you will come see the beautiful visual and literary art on display.
“Follow Your Passion and My Writing Journey” was presented to the Beta Omicron Chapter of NC Alpha Delta Kappa on Tuesday, January 15, 2019.
Suzanne's Words 