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A Memory of Gratitude by Carol L. Wright

November 13, 2025 by in category From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group tagged as , , , ,

The other day, I was thinking about how this regular “A Slice of Orange” column by members of the Bethlehem Writers Group (BWG) came about. It all began when one of our members, Sally W. Paradysz, wrote a monthly memoir/meditation from her “Cabin in the Woods” of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. When she started her regular contributions, she had already been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, but she didn’t waste her precious remaining time bemoaning her condition. Instead, she found many things for which to be grateful.

Sal at a book signing

Bethlehem Writers Group was one thing she was thankful for until the end of her life. She was one of our founding members and grew as a writer during her years among us while helping other members to grow as well. I have always been grateful for Sal’s friendship and the time we had together.

After Sal’s passing in 2017 at the age of 77, other BWG members began writing their own thoughts for “A Slice of Orange” to fill the vacancy she left behind. You’ve seen us write original fiction, advice on writing, and thoughts on life.

Now, in the season for thankfulness, I want to honor Sal and share some of the many things that she appreciated most about this season–things that gave her life joy, love, and purpose. Below is a list of ten things I remember Sal being grateful for in this Thanksgiving season.

10. The fall palette that enhances Pennsylvania’s hills and woodlands, painting the trees in oranges, reds, yellows, browns, and greens against a clear blue sky in a natural masterpiece.

9. The scent of autumn after leaves have fallen when the air is crisp. It provokes a sense of anticipation of the changes to come: the bite of cold, a peaceful snowfall, and the contentment of being at home, snuggled under a blanket, stroking a cat, and reading a favorite book.

8. The trees that fell to give Sal a source of warmth through the colder months. Sal heated her house with a wood stove which gave a glow and fragrance that enriched the feeling of home. She thanked the trees for that gift.

7. The harvest that enhanced Sal’s vegetarian diet with fall flavors of squash and other vegetables that warmed the body and the heart.

6. The farewell honking of geese as they flew south for the winter. The songbirds that sang their gratitude for the many birdfeeders she filled as winter approached and food sources became increasingly scarce.

5. Deer and other wildlife, wearing their winter camouflage, that frequented her land, giving her a glimpse of stillness and beauty before disappearing into the gray-brown woods. Sal often wrote about the deer that eventually learned to trust her instead of fleeing from her presence.

4. The pets that owned her. Sal loved her gigantic Maine Coon cats. These long-haired beauties are friendly, vocal, loyal, and affectionate, even if they can be a lot to pick up and carry very far. They sometimes weigh in at over twenty pounds each.

3. The innumerable friends that shared parts of her journey, helping each other through the highs and lows, brightening joys and lightening sorrows. Sal’s heart was big enough to welcome friends wherever she went.

2. Family. Sal adored her children and grandchildren, appreciating each for their unique specialness. And, after a difficult marriage that ended in divorce, Sal found a true partner with whom to share the rest of her life. She was so very grateful for these much beloved people.

1. The blessing of a long life, affording opportunities to develop into her best self, to learn and grow, to become the published author she aspired to be . . . and to share these blessings with her readers from her cabin in the woods.

More of Sal’s Books

More of Carol’s Books

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‘No Plan at All’ Book Birthday

November 12, 2025 by in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as , , ,

I have a book birthday! Well my book does. This month is release month for my next book, No Plan at All. So it is No Plan at All’s book birthday!

This is a prequel novella to my Best-laid Plans series and features Sarah (who is the woman who runs from Luke in book 1) and Alex, a Scottish lord who is hiding out as a peddler and an alias in California.

You can check out my blog on my website to learn a bit more about Alex (Meet My Scottish Hero)

My novella No Plan At All is having a book birthday this month

It’s 1867. Two years before When Plans Go Awry.

No Plan at All is the book that I mentioned in my blog post about my writing research trip to England and Scotland. (All while launching book 2 in this series, A Slight Change of Plans).

I captured several ideas for a new series about Alex’s family while on this trip. But that will have to come after I finish this series. And I still have several stories left to write!

About No Plan at All

The theme verse for the book is Psalm 33:11. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

No Plan at All theme Bible Verse Psalm 33:11

My series is named the Best-laid Plans series and is all about how the Lord’s plans are better than our own, so you will see this theme weaved throughout. I chose this verse because God has a purpose for every single one of us, for now, for our future, and for future generations. Alex is a heir and so the two tie in nicely together.

Book quote for No Plan at All about highland cows
Book birthday graphic for No Plan at All
No Plan at All book cover with tropes all around including hidden identity, strangers to lovers, forced proximity

No Plan At All hits these tropes:

Romance Tropes

  • Strangers to Lovers
  • Forced Proximity / Traveling Together
  • Hidden Identity / Secret Nobleman
  • Protective Hero
  • Wounded Heroine
  • Slow Burn Romance

Inspirational / Christian Fiction Tropes

  • God’s Plan vs. Human Plans
  • Redemption / Healing through Love and Faith
  • Providence in Unexpected Places
  • Self-Sacrifice / Service

Historical Romance Tropes

  • Road Romance / Journey Romance
  • Escape & Reinvention
  • Cross-Class Romance
  • Found Family

If you adore secret identities, runaway brides, and love stories woven with faith, this book is for you.

No Plan at All is available on Kindle Unlimited and e-book from Amazon and in print form from Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, and Walmart.com

No Plan at All Book Blurb

Two strangers. One journey. A love neither expected.

Sarah Anne Baker never wanted to be anyone’s burden. But hours after losing the Godmother who raised her, she faces an impossible choice: marry her late fiancé’s brother—or flee. With fear of being trapped her driving force, she places her trust in the one man leaving town that night—the enigmatic traveling peddler known only as Mr. Smith.

Alexander Sinclair walked away from his noble title in Scotland to live a quiet, hidden life. Peddling wares from town to town has given him peace, free from the weight of expectation. Until a desperate young woman crosses his path. He can’t turn her away… no matter the cost.

Together, Sarah and Alex set out on a journey through loss, healing, and a bond neither expected to find. But as secrets surface and choices demand to be made, both must decide: cling to the lives they planned—or risk everything to embrace the future God has written for them.

A tender tale of courage, redemption, and love strong enough to change the course of two hearts forever.

Sometimes the best life is the one we never planned.

Marketing Plans for No Plan at All Book Birthday Month

For No Plan at All’s book birthday month I have a reviewer tour going on through JustReads. A few have posted already and they have been positive.

No Plan at All reviewer tour graphic

I also did a YouTube video interview with my publisher

YouTube video interview graphic for No Plan at All book birthday

I also offered a Goodreads giveaway during the last week leading up to release day. It was neat to offer something to my readers.

No Plan at All GoodReads giveaway graphic

This month I will continue to celebrate No Plan at All’s book birthday month with blog posts, interviews, and more behind the scenes tidbits. I’m also working on the edits for the next book which is scheduled to be released in May 2026.

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Veterans Day and The Stolen Children of War and the Paris Circus with a secret by Jina Bacarr

November 11, 2025 by in category Jina’s Book Chat tagged as , , ,

When Jewish mothers arrived at Auschwitz holding tight onto their children, they had no idea their little ones would be ‘stolen’ from them and murdered after the selection. Innocent babes with chubby cheeks and big eyes along with young boys still in short pants and shy little girls in pigtails.

It’s a fate too horrible to think about… yet it happened.

I shall take a moment. Reflect on what I wrote. I have no clever phrases to make you smile as I’m wont to do in my posts… only the truth.

Children died during the Holocaust. No one knows exactly how many, but the estimate is around one and half million Jewish children. I feel the sorrow of loss every time I see the sepia photo of a Jewish child bathed in innocence who never had the chance to breathe the air of freedom again once they were huddled into a cattle car and sent to a camp. Who died alone without their mother’s arms around them, her gentle voice whispering in their ear.

That’s when I remind myself I’m so lucky to have grown up a happy child with my books and my dolls and wonderful parents. Today is Veterans Day and we honor our servicemen and women who wore the uniform and fought for freedom and still do in our world. So instead of a witty poem or funny story, my heart is heavy and I ask you not to forget these children even as we honor our soldiers.

Hug your children tight today. Even if they tower over you and aren’t babies anymore. Because somewhere in the world, a mother can’t do that. Her tears have dried, but not the pain in her heart. That’s what we’re still fighting for. To save the children. God help us.

Jina

‘The Stolen Children of War’

A story told in Book 1 of this 2 book series about children hidden in plain sight in Occupied Paris 1943. In the circus.

If it’s not horrible enough my heroine Lia de Montieri, Queen of the Trapeze, has to fight the Nazis and a despicable Gestapo man in 1943 Occupied Paris, she also comes up against a depraved creature known as ‘The Magician’ because of his amazing ability to restore a woman’s face…

He lurks in the shadows only coming out to threaten what Lia holds most dear…

‘The Stolen Children of War’ is the story of a mother’s sacrifice, make that ‘mothers’, when Lia helps a Jewish woman about to be deported by helping her little girl and young boy escape.

And oh, there’s an adorable baby elephant, too.

‘The Stolen Children of War’
Amazon Kindle:
US: https://a.co/d/7iR9Xar
UK: https://amzn.eu/d/9RF8E77

It is 1943 in Nazi-occupied Paris, and nobody is safe. Nobody, except perhaps one small group of people, who’ve always existed outside the law… in the circus.
Boldwood Books

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Do You Have Time to Write? by Kitty Bucholtz

November 9, 2025 by in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz, Writing tagged as , , , ,

I’ve always been one of those people who’s trying to get more done, looking for ways to be more efficient so I can do more in the same amount of time. I even taught a time management class for writers for over ten years, sharing everything I learned so people could try new ways to get more writing done. It worked delightfully well for me for years.

Until it didn’t.

Stress and burnout and perimenopause collided a few years ago, and it felt like I got hit by a train. I struggled to get writing work done while I tried to realign my health. Now on a good day, I’m working for 4-6 hours (down from 10-14 five years ago); a bad day might give me 30 minutes. It can be depressing, and that adds to the stress, which messes with my hormones, which clouds my brain even more.

But I’m still the same Kitty, wanting to share what I learn so that I can help others. So I’m writing two nonfiction books right now. One is on perimenopause and menopause for writers. I’m taking everything I’ve learned and all my resources and compiling it all, aimed at writers. I’d love to add more stories from other women writers who have gone through mental and physical health issues, especially related to menopause. Please contact me if you’d like to share your story (kitty at kittybucholtz dot com, and put “Menopause for Writers” in the subject line).

The other book is called Going the Distance: Time and Project Management for Writers. I’ve taken ten years’ worth of my lectures and broken them down into the core elements, and then I’m updating all of the material as well as adding new tips. I’ll start blogging about it soon, but I just finished the outline and I wanted to share it with you.

The 10-chapter book will include the following topics:

  • Chapter 1: Your Story — Looking at the successes in your past, how does your brain create the best environment for writing?
  • Chapter 2: Mastering Self-Talk and Cultivating Joy — Creating attitude habits that increase your creativity.
  • Chapter 3: Dreams, Goals, and the SMART System — Turning goals into dreams is more than just will power; it requires systems to make it happen.
  • Chapter 4: Prioritizing to Conquer Fear — What to do first and what to do next seems easy at the beginning of the day, but how do we keep working on what’s truly important to us while living in the real world?
  • Chapter 5: Finding Your Available Days — One aspect of reality is that for most of us the answer to “How many days do I have to write this year?” is not 365. So how many days do you have?
  • Chapter 6: Translating Goals into Word Counts — This is where we take the real number of writing days and figure out how much we can write or, vice-versa, figure out how much we need to write to hit our goal for the year.
  • Chapter 7: Habits and Rhythms — All of us have our good days; it’s the rest of the time that gets us down. So how can we create an environment for more good days?
  • Chapter 8: Flow and Energy Management — So many things can help us get more done in a shorter amount of time! We’ll look at commitment, daydreaming and white space, physical and mental health, distractions, prewriting, and more.
  • Chapter 9: Organizing Your Writing and Your Workspace — The crucial organization needed to avoid stress and wasted time.
  • Chapter 10: Progress, Rewards, and Reassessment — Sustainability is the name of the game here! What’s the perfect amount of writing work that keeps you moving forward long-term without burning you out?

If this sounds interesting and helpful to you, let me know! In my post here in December, I’ll start sharing some of my tips and ideas so you can plan for a good writing year in 2026. It’ll be worth it!

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Writers Against Hunger Has Raised $17,685

November 7, 2025 by in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley tagged as , , ,

Long time friend and one of my favorite writers, Lyssa Kay Adams, has organized Writers Against Hunger, and I am happy to participate.

Stories feed the soul. Food feeds the body.
This fall, writers across the country are coming together to do both.

Writers Against Hunger is a nationwide write-a-thon uniting storytellers, poets, novelists, journalists, and anyone who believes words have power. As SNAP benefits end and food insecurity rises, we’re using our creative energy to help fill plates across America.

From Nov. 1-24, writers will set personal writing goals ( from finishing a chapter to drafting an entire novel)  and invite friends, readers, and fellow creators to sponsor their efforts. Every dollar raised goes directly to Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization.

Together, our words can do more than build worlds. They can build hope.

How it works:

If you’re a reader, fan, friend, family:

We hope you will donate to our team through out the month. You can do a one time donation, or find an author who is accepting pledges. Here is our team page:

https://teamfeed.feedingamerica.org/teams/7574 .

I’m not taking pledges, but would be grateful if you made a donation to MY page. The link is here:

https://teamfeed.feedingamerica.org/participants/Marianne-Donley.

If you’re writer:

  1. Join the Write-a-thon.
    Sign up to be part of Writers Against Hunger. Whether you’re a published author, a blogger, or journaling for the first time, you’re welcome here.
  2. Set Your Writing Goal.
    Commit to writing for a set number of hours or words during the event. Share your goal on social media to inspire others. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #WritersAgainstHunger
  3. Ask for Pledges.
    Invite your friends, family, and followers to pledge a donation for every page, word, or hour you write—or to give a flat donation to Feeding America through our official campaign page. Don’t forget to donate yourself, too!
  4. Write to Feed.
    During the event, check in, share your progress, and celebrate every milestone. Every word you write helps put food on someone’s table.
  5. Don’t want to write but still want to contribute? Make a direct donation! 

You can join the team or make a donation at this link: https://teamfeed.feedingamerica.org/teams/7574

All month I’ll be working on my short story The Confession of George Mullins. I’ll post my update on both the story and the Write-a-thon.

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I’m 100% complete on The Confession of George Mullins for the first week of November. Six days remain until my second deadline.

Writers Against Hunger has already raised over $17,685 for Feeding America.

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