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“Reading! Now!” I find myself barking, again, at my pandemic-weary 16 year old, waking them up from yet another nap. “Book!” reminding them about their assigned Accelerated Reader book, the due-in-three-days book, the didn’t-you-miss-the-last-deadline book. “Now!” I nag, “Reading!” as I find them once again distracted by a screen, seeking solace in digital art projects […]

In “Song of a Second April,” poet Edna St. Vincent Millay writes: After the difficult year 2020 wrought, we find ourselves enduring a second April in the throes of the pandemic. Yet hope is on the horizon. Cases of the virus are beginning to decline in many areas, and vaccinations are starting to turn the […]

For each issue of Literary Mama, Literary Reflections shares a writing prompt, inviting our readers to respond. Our editors provide feedback on the responses we receive, and we post our favorites on the blog. This month’s writing prompt is inspired by Erin Lyn Bodin’s Even In Winter. ~~~~~ In her Literary Reflections essay, “Even In Winter,” […]

When my daughter was in the fifth grade, she’d often exit the car at school drop-off with a book snuggled securely under her arm. At some point during my drive home, I would realize she’d forgotten her lunch. I’d finagle a U-turn and brave LA morning traffic—again—to leave the meal with the school secretary. Although […]

Last month, we invited readers to share their responses to a writing prompt inspired by Kendra Stanton Lee’s Are You There Judy? It’s Me, Kendra. We asked, “Did an author’s work expose you to subject matter, whether personal or societal, that increased your awareness and left an impact?” Below is the response we received from Shannon Sims. […]

I’ve always felt that reading is balsam für die Seele, meaning “balm for the soul,” a phrase I learned from a friend who’s wondrously fluent in German. Immersion in the universe of a book is a form of escapism from real world concerns, causing the heart rate to slow, the breath to deepen. It’s easy […]

Each page of my crisp, new reading log contains space for thoughts about the books I plan to read this year, along with room to jot down noteworthy quotes and award ratings for plot, characters, and overall enjoyability. Strangely, this will be my first time keeping such a journal. As a devoted, enthusiastic reader, one […]

As a child, if I was disappointed about something, my mom would encourage me to look at the bright side. She would then proceed to take me on a cheery, verbal trip to said bright side, explaining and enumerating its advantages. With all the suffering that exists, excavating the advantages of this time can be […]

Last month, we invited readers to respond to a writing prompt inspired by Susannah Q. Pratt’s essay, “Get in the Car!” At work on her memoir, Kaye Curren feels like a kindergartener whose clothes just won’t behave.

Last month, we invited readers to respond to a writing prompt inspired by Susannah Q. Pratt’s essay, “Get in the Car!” Ashlee Laielli’s essay explores how parenting has shown her what it is to be a seeker.