This image is a collaboration between Rebekah Marshall & Lyra (my ChatGPT assistant.)
The hero of Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas is one of the most refreshing characters I’ve met in a long while. She is honest, kind, straightforward, and spunky. She knows her world view is limited and narrow and is trying to do something about it. She doesn’t play games, leave words unspoken, or have any regrets whatsoever. It is unusual to find a character completely lacking in guile that is both enjoyable and still has room to grow. Sara Rose is charming and innocent, lacking the vices of many in the seedy underbelly of London, who she has come to “research.” She is a writer bent on shedding light on the less fortunate and has earned a bit of fame for a novel called Mathilda about a prostitute.
Her entanglement with the owner of a gambling establishment begins a cascade of events that are certain to broaden her perspectives and maybe even teach her a thing or two about love. She finds herself at the center of a murder, kidnapping, a riot, secret passageways, danger, sexual assault, stalking, multiple engagements, scandal, and new friendships. Her courage in the face of such dramatic changes, and the way she stays true to herself and her heart, make this a poignant story of love and feminism way ahead of its time. Set in 1825, this regency era novel is a true delight and a satisfying sequel to Then Came You.
Kleypas, Lisa. Dreaming of You, Avon Books, 1994.
image created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompt using AI on Gencraft.com website.
All images created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompts using AI on Gencraft.com website.
I am reading Hafiz’s Little Book of Life, poetry by Hafiz-e Shirazi. He is challenging me to become more comfortable with ambiguity. I will share his poem and some of my thoughts on his poem (sometimes with the help of experts when the concepts are too hard for me), followed by a poem and some art inspired by his poem.
Hafiz’s Poem 42:
Doing good work There’s no room For hesitation
Some thoughts:
I like the simplicity of this poem. It reminds me of the AA saying to do the next right thing or do the next thing right. If there is work to be done, do it. Don’t procrastinate, let fear stand in the way, second-guess yourself, doubt. Do what needs to be done, whatever that may be. Create that piece of art, write that song, clean that closet, give that gift, send that letter, make that phone call, speak that kindness. There is no point delaying the goodness that can flow from the blessing you can be.
My Poem 42:
Cleaning the cat box should not require such extreme exertion of will, but I find myself psyching current me up with pep talks, giving little motivational speeches, calling my own name in my mind, reminding present me that future me will be grateful the chore is done.
Hafiz. Hafiz’s Little Book of Life. Translated by Erfan Mojib and Gary Gach, Hampton Roads Publishing, 2023.
Red dress images created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompts using AI on Gencraft.com website.
I love romances that contain the enemies to lovers trope, with a splash of danger, dramatic irony, and breaking of social conventions. Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas delivers on each of these qualities and more. There is gambling, kidnapping, bear rescues, fox hunts, and a scheming heroine who defies as many social conventions as she can as she fights to save her family.
There are more steamy scenes than I was expecting for a piece of historical fiction set in 1820s London, that’s for sure. But I was fascinated by the fickle gossip that could make or break reputations, ruin lives, and restore order in the uber-rich circles of the aristocratic elite, as seen in Regency-era novels and shows like Bridgerton. This is the first of 23 books and stories in this world and/or family lineage that I plan to read by this author. I was excited to discover Ms. Kleypas through a BookToker/ fellow reader/ TikTok account I follow.
Some parts of the story felt a bit reminiscent of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, but there were even more layers, with our “shrew” Lily having her own complicated past to manage. Plus, she is a much more likeable character from start to finish than that of Kat in Taming of the Shrew. I could totally see this as a fabulous movie with Holly Earl playing Lily and someone like Charlie Hunnam or Theo James as the love interest. And I can’t wait to read the next book because I bet it is going to focus on the owner of the casino, who we only get brief glimpses of in this novel, but is obviously a multi-faceted character with an ocean’s deep story ready for the telling.
The Book of Delights, essays by Ross Gay, is a “delightful” read. He is a bit of a rambler, as far as his writing style and sounds like he does quite a bit of happy ambling in other areas of his life, as well. He shares musings, observations, and anecdotes about the little things that bring him joy, like unexpected laughter, birthdays, gardening, and good music. Even his essay titles are a delight. “My Birthday, Kinda,” “Joy Is Such a Human Madness,” “Tomato on Board,” and “The Do-Over,” to name a few. I, myself, am a huge fan of the do-over in life. I share in that delight, unless I am the one winning the game and think the other person does not deserve a do-over.
I love his comparison between all that we are and all that we love and all that makes up our experience to a healthy forest where “the roots” reach down into “the earth below” and in that place “there exists a constant communication between those roots and mycelium, where often the ill or weak or stressed are supported by the strong and surplused.” In another essay he discusses his love of finding delightful things and then the immediate desire he has to share that delight with anyone nearby. This impulse to share seems to be universal, “the urge to elbow your neighbor, who maybe was not even your neighbor until the bird flew between you.” He suggests that this urge might be because “our delight grows as we share it.
An example of his beautifully descriptive writing is this about bees. “There is a kind of flowering bush, new to me, that I’ve been studying on my walks in Marfa. On that bush, whose blooms exude a curtain of syrupy fragrance, a beckoning of it, there are always a few thumb-size all-black bumblebees. Their wings appear, when the light hits them right, metallic blue-green. I have never seen anything so beautiful.” His delight and description of these beautiful black bees inspired me to make some AI art about black bees with iridescent other-worldly wings, an example of contagious delight spreading beyond the observation to the page to the reader to AI to many platforms where I post my art.
Whether it is recording sweet hellos, feeling the wind from a hummingbird wing, a cup of good coffee, or a nap in the rain, Mr. Gay delights in sharing his special moments with us, and for that, I am grateful. I should warn that nothing is off limits in Mr. Gay’s writing. Inappropriate dreams, aging private body parts, bowel movements, peeing his pants, etc., are all fodder for pondering and finding delight, even if the joy is simply in the crisis being over. I am inspired to begin jotting down moments in my day that bring me joy. I have begun journals of this very same type of writing many times. I think it is time again, thanks to being reminded how delightful our little lives are at times.
Gay, Ross. The Book of Delights, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2022.
This week’s art challenges have been fun. The discord community has been very welcoming and the ideas for art are non-stop.
The first challenge of the week was in honor of Pride month. I wanted something elegant, but simple. People were doing really over-the-top bright colors and such. I tried really hard to make a cake topper with two brides, but AI could not figure it out.
6/1/26 “Pride Love”
The next challenge was to create a single image using two dominant colors to create contrast, emotion, or meaning. I chose the contrast of red and purple. And I thought she turned out lovely. I got the most votes on this one, so it was my first time to win a challenge! That meant I got to pick the challenge for the next day.
6/2/26 “Red-eye Beauty
I decided to name my challenge “Unexpected Embrace.” The idea was for it to be a hug between two different beings. People were so creative. There were people hugging magical creatures, a Republican embracing a Democrat, people hugging birds, cats, zebras, and a cheetah hugging a zebra. But the winning image (by a landslide) was a boa constrictor hugging a bird very, very tightly. It should have been named “The Hug of Death.” But it was unique.
6/3/26 “Unexpected Embrace”
The next day, I got to participate again. It was a really fun challenge to create the Worst Super Villain ever. It could either be a Super Villain who was terrible at their job or possibly a Super Villain whose powers are silly, pointless, or unimpressive. There were some really funny ones, including a villain who likes to go around and tilt every picture frame so they are slightly crooked, an evil genius who extracts caffeine from coffee, a sock snatcher, a villain who tries to lure children away by offering veggies (spectacular failure), and a really bad sketch artist called Bad Sketch Girl. I went with Spine Breaker and wrote this little blurb with it:
Spine Breaker is the bane of bibliophiles. She has the power to crack hardcovers, dog-ear pages, mis-shelve multiple books at once, and summon mysterious coffee stains. She leaves devastation wherever books are cherished. Though banned from every library in the world, she continues to sneak in and wreak havoc. Her most notorious crimes include refusing to whisper and telling every reader, “You should just watch the movie,” at full conversational volume.
6/4/26 “Spine Breaker”
The next day was all about “Thresholds”, both boundary and beginning, that moment between before and after, what was and what could be. There were many different directions this one could go, but I decided to focus on the mystical realm between awake and dreaming. it is made with dots (pointillism.)
6/5/26 “Dream Threshold”
The next challenge went with the theme of the “Outcast.” I wanted to do something with overweight people shunning a thin person because that would be the opposite of how things often work in our society, but I decided it might offend someone. I tweaked it a little and used the same idea, but with aliens. It was well received.
6/6/26 “Alien Outcast”
The last one of the week required a ton of thought because it was about storytelling. It was titled “Moments Before Disaster” and was meant to show that moment right before everything will go terribly wrong. I worked through many scenarios but settled on campers unaware that they had pitched their tents somewhere very precarious indeed.
6/7/26 “The Giant Wakes”
And here are some of the honorable mentions that I did not submit, but still published on my art website:
I had the lovely experience of going to Bass Concert Hall and listening to Matthew McConaughey share poetry, while his good friend John Batiste played piano. They had conversations on stage, shared musings, ideas on faith, doubt, life, and death, and entertained us like we were in their living room with a personal intimacy that is hard to create in crowds that size. Both of those men are very talented and charismatic, so it was a night to remember. With the purchase of the ticket, we were handed a copy of Mr. McConaughey’s book Poems & Prayers. I have been reading it in little bite-size chunks since that evening many months ago.
I am always pleased to support local artists and writers and have always felt that Mr. McConaughey’s southern charm feels comfortable and known. I like that nothing is off limits in his poetry. He is vulnerable, disarming, and honest. He likes to rhyme, isn’t afraid to cuss, talk about sex, drugs, and rock & roll, and tell on himself. There are pithy proverbs, notes on what was happening in his life when he wrote some of the poems, and little life lessons he learned along the way. His middle ground views are just radical enough that leftists could find concepts to love. And they are just conservative enough that people on the right can say, “He’s one of us.” But he refuses to commit to a lane and instead calls on everyone to love, have integrity, and believe in something.
His faith is not too preachy. Here’s an example of his faith poetry:
I believe that faith is the answer in the end.
But for now all I know is that it helps on the way there.
Until then. Amen.
I would argue that Mr. McConaughey is a better actor than poet or preacher, but if clever rhymes, simple meter, and faith-filled/recovery poetry sound appealing, this book is worth a read. Poems & Prayers has found a place in my poetry collection on my shelf of local writers.
McConaughey, Matthew Poems & Prayers, Crown Publishing, 2025.
All images created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompts using AI on Gencraft.com website.
I am reading Hafiz’s Little Book of Life, poetry by Hafiz-e Shirazi. He is challenging me to become more comfortable with ambiguity. I will share his poem and some of my thoughts on his poem (sometimes with the help of experts when the concepts are too hard for me), followed by a poem and some art inspired by his poem.
Hafiz’s Poem 41:
The sanctuary of the heart is no place For the company of antagonists
Where a demon departs An angel arrives
Some thoughts:
This one is lovely. The imagery is that of simply letting go of negativity to make space for the beauty and love that will naturally flow into the vacuum created. We don’t have to do anything special to fill ourselves with goodness. We simply must make room. Remove bitterness and compassion can enter. Release antagonistic thoughts and peace has a place. Let go of prideful arrogance and humility will naturally make a home inside us. Release fear and love can breathe easily. There is no demon to fight, no dragon to slay, no war to be waged. They are simply not invited in, like vampires whose welcome has been rescinded. We would not walk into a sacred temple and spit on the floor. Our hearts deserve as much respect.
What are we allowing to dwell in our inner sanctuaries? Is it time for some hangers-on to be evicted? Our heart is not supposed to house every wound, fear, resentment, and lie we have ever been told. When harm finally leaves, healing can walk in quietly and take up occupancy. Instead of having to vanquish foes, we must merely open a window and allow pain to exit so holiness can enter. Time to do some inner house cleaning.
My Poem 41:
Sweep out the house. Dirt belongs outside, not in our hearts. Throw back the curtains and open the windows.
The stale air must exit, so a fresh breeze, sweet with spring scents, can fill our space. Then healing can begin.
Hafiz. Hafiz’s Little Book of Life. Translated by Erfan Mojib and Gary Gach, Hampton Roads Publishing, 2023.
All the rest of these images created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompts using AI on Gencraft.com website.
Thinking is the beginning and end of suffering. So says Joseph Nguyen in his book Don’t Believe Everything You Think. His basic philosophy is that we will be happier and more content if we spend more time in the flow state of experience rather than thinking or ruminating endlessly. Accepting reality as it is without judgment and layering of meaning via our perception of reality does not create as many negative feelings that derail us.
Christine Evangelou said, “A crowded mind leaves no space for a peaceful heart.” And Dostoyevsky said something about thinking too much being a disease. I think that is true. Not being able to turn off the mind, enter peace, creativity, flow, and just rest sounds terrible to me. Nguyen’s little book offers practical advice about how to quiet the thinking, stop judging ourselves and others so much, follow our intuition more, and develop unconditional love. He teaches the PAUSE method, which is a mnemonic for Pause with deep breathing, Ask yourself if your thinking is making you feel the way you way, Understand that you have the choice to let go, Say that thinking is the root of suffering, and Experience emotions fully without judgment.
And the back of the book is full of resources, journaling ideas, inner and outer work, practice suggestions, intentions, and reflections. I found the short chapters easy to read, helpful, and very beneficial to my peace of mind.
Nguyen, Joseph. Don’t Believe Everything You Think, Authors Equity, 2024.
All images created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompts using AI on Gencraft.com website.
I am reading Hafiz’s Little Book of Life, poetry by Hafiz-e Shirazi. He is challenging me to become more comfortable with ambiguity. I will share his poem and some of my thoughts on his poem (sometimes with the help of experts when the concepts are too hard for me), followed by a poem and some art inspired by his poem.
Hafiz’s Poem 39:
Peace in both realms Depends on your interpretation Of these two utterances
“Be merciful with friends”
“Be tolerant of foes”
Some thoughts:
I’m not sure what two realms Hafiz is conceptualizing in this poem. There are so many options including: private life v. public life; religious life v. secular life; inner existence v. outer existence; human/earthly realm v. spiritual/divine realm; etc. I am going to keep it simple and consider the two realms “those who think like us” v. “those who do not think like us” as a simple way of saying “friend” or “foe.” That could apply to a number of different realms and is certainly relevant in current society where so much seems to balance on scales of dichotomy. Liberal v. Conservative; Rich v. Poor; Science v. Religion; Nature v. Progress; etc. We tend to be painted into black and white corners in nearly every conversation we enter.
I think Hafiz is suggesting that true peace depends on the way we perceive the gray areas that are not so easy to navigate. Can we be friends with someone who fails us? Those we love often hurt us the most because we care about their opinions and count on them. Can we be soft and loving to maintain relationships with those closest to us, even during the tough times? They are only human. And with our foes, can we allow for complexity and seek to understand without dehumanizing, othering, and judging too harshly? They are only human.
We will never have peace if we demand our way is the only way and there can be no other. Yes, we should have ideals, but then we must be merciful, tolerant, and gentle in our application of those principles as regards others. Can we hold compassion for those close to us and restraint toward those who oppose us? Will our differences and our interactions expand our hearts or harden them? The way we interpret these concepts holds the key to lasting peace.
My Poem 40:
Loving another means accepting that they are human, with all that entails, including: lateness, forgetfulness, distraction, fear, ailments, impatience, frustration, weakness, faults, arguments, disappointment, and the list could go on…
The other we love may be friend or foe. Both are in the same category of human, with all that entails, including: beating heart, breathing lungs, thoughts, opinions, feet to walk away, mouths that open, hands that ball up into fists and clasp in prayer, and the list could go on…
Hafiz. Hafiz’s Little Book of Life. Translated by Erfan Mojib and Gary Gach, Hampton Roads Publishing, 2023.
All the rest of these images created by Rebekah Marshall’s prompts using AI on Gencraft.com website.
Ava Caldwell’s debut novel The Birds Don’t Care If You’re Pretty is a story of community, friendship, tragedy, and redemption. The fact that the main characters are members of a magical coven in an idyllic setting cranks up the friction and suspense quite a few notches. Teen bullying, romantic rivalries, and risk taking all become tinged with the potential for life and death consequences when dangerous magic is involved.
How far will the characters go to be included, to get their way, to feel love, or to get revenge? Who can be trusted? How does one cope if their magic is taken away from them? And what happens when the reality becomes clear that no one is coming to save them from fate? This story has surprising twists, satisfying character development, and could totally be a movie or tv series. It is a standalone novel, but I would love to read follow up stories or books about the characters because I came to admire some of them and only felt like I was beginning to know their real selves by the end of the book.
I look forward to more from this author if this is only the beginning of her novel-writing career. I’m ready for more!
Caldwell, Ava. The Birds Don’t Care If You’re Pretty, 2024.
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