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Recent Posts
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- Snake Signs
- In Search of the Pacific Crest Trail
- Up the Angeles Crest, After the Fire
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Category Archives: books
Honoring Childhood Heroes
Who was your hero when you were a child? If you could do something to honor that childhood hero, what would you do? When I was a little girl, my family used to make an annual migration to the East … Continue reading
Snake Signs
We’ve been having a rough time here at the cottage recently. Creatively, I’ve been stymied. It isn’t that I don’t want to write, have writer’s block, or that I don’t know where I’m going with my newest Work in Progress … Continue reading
Up the Angeles Crest, After the Fire
In many indigenous cultures, owls are harbingers of death. My southern grandmother was a firm believer, and no amount of coaxing from her then maybe seven-year-old granddaughter—that would be me—could convince her otherwise. Fortunately, I’ve never bought into that piece … Continue reading
Posted in blogging, books, Earth, environmental writing, memoir, nature, nature photography, nature writing, photography, reading, Uncategorized, writers, writing
Tagged Angeles Crest Highway, Angeles National Forest, IBird Pro 2, Kindle Fire, Observations of an Earth Mage, San Gabriel Mountains, Scott Zeidel, Sitting in the Woods, Station Fire, Trails, Vanilla Heart Publishing
20 Comments
My Banned Book
Last week, the American Library Association (ALA) released it’s annual list of “most challenged” books—their banned book list. None of my novels had the privilege of making the ALA list, yet I still have a story to tell. Redeeming Grace—re-released … Continue reading
Posted in banned books, blogging, books, bookstore, eBooks, memoir, novel writing, Uncategorized, words, writers, writing
Tagged American Library Association, banned books, Redeeming Grace, Roald Dahl
18 Comments
Redeeming Grace—Special Edition is Released
Persecution and terrorism come under many guises. But what if the man persecuting and terrorizing you is your own father, and he’s doing it in the name of God? It is with pride and pleasure that Vanilla Heart Publishing and … Continue reading
An Earth Week Giveaway
It’s Earth Week! The week set aside to celebrate and honor our Mother Planet—and to educate people about how we are damaging Her, and what we can do to heal the wounds we’ve inflicted. Damaging Her. I feel kind of … Continue reading
Posted in Activism, blogging, books, Current News, Earth, eBooks, environmental writing, giveaways, good causes, memoir, nature photography, nature writing, photography, reading, social activism, social media, Uncategorized, words, writers, writing
Tagged Anthologies, Earth Day, Earth Week, Malcolm R. Campbell, Observations of an Earth Mage, Trails, Vanilla Heart Publishing
1 Comment
What Price Beauty? Guest Post by Scott Zeidel
After only a wee bit of prodding, I convinced Scott–my husband, my soul mate, and co-author of my latest book, Trails–to write a guest post for Smoky Talks …. Scott is such a fabulous writer in his own right, and his … Continue reading
Posted in art making, blogging, books, creativity, Earth, earth spirituality, inspiration, memoir, musicians, nature photography, nature writing, photography, Uncategorized, writers, writing
Tagged beauty, Big Sur Buddhism, music, Scott Zeidel, Shambhala Sun, Smoky Zeidel, Trails, ugliness
23 Comments
The Elephant Seals of Big Sur
There’s something magical about leaving on an explore when the skies are still inky and the rest of the world sleeps. On this early Saturday morning, even the few cars on the road in LA move at a halcyon pace … Continue reading
Posted in blogging, books, Earth, environmental writing, inspiration, memoir, nature photography, nature writing, photography, Uncategorized, writers, writing
Tagged Big Sur, Carmel, elephant seals, Marine Mammal Center, Piedras Blancas elephant seal rookery, Scott Zeidel, Smoky Zeidel, Trails
11 Comments
