Susan’s Newest Book!
What’s in a Name? Everything!
When the World Wore Masks: Life and Love in the Days of COVID-19
When the World Wore Masks: Life and Love in the Days of COVID-19 — Not since World War II has a single long-term event so impacted the health of the people of the world. And since most of us alive today did not experience life during that war, we were even less prepared for the upheaval that this pandemic has brought.
Virtually every foundation of human life was shaken. Not only did many of us lose friends and loved ones and all of us face the very real prospect of our own serious illness and death, but our deep-down bedrock values were challenged. Was it a sign of love to be with your loved ones — to share the crisis together with your family — or did the mark of love and concern become staying away from them? (And if you stayed away, how would you ever get those years back?)
What’s in a Name? Everything!
What’s in a name? Actually, quite a bit. Since they’re the first thing we own – and not easy to unload – our names play a huge role in our lives, for better or for worse. Often a name represents heritage. Sometimes it reflects whimsy or an intent to be clever or unique. Other times it carries special meaning.
Though most people are content with the names they have, some change them for reasons ranging from convenience to self-preservation. Others can only wish they’d had a chance to change their names.
As you might expect, a majority of the 53 authors in this book either really love or really hate their names . . . for good reasons. Some share why for the very first time.
Angels in Disguise?
Kindness from a stranger can change our view of the day or even our lives, especially in trying times. If that stranger has given up something in order to be kind, we might even think of that person as an angel sent from God. Because at various times in their lives, each of our writers has acted with great kindness — even toward strangers — it was very challenging for them to switch their focus to what someone else has done for them. Yet their stories in this book are a reminder of the way God shows up in unexpected places and through unexpected people in our unpredictable world.
Short and Sweet’s Humili8ing Tales We Wish Weren’t True
Humiliating moments. We’ve all had them. Yet today’s embarrassing experience is often tomorrow’s funny story. What goes best with humble pie is a dollop of humor, the ability to laugh at our mortifying moments. While it can be a challenge to writer about those experiences — especially in words of one syllable — these 42 talented authors invite you to laugh with them as they share some of their most cringe-worthy stories. read more…
Short and Sweet – A Different Beat
Who are they, these people we will never forget? And what is it about them that makes them so memorable? Whether they are friends, family members, or acquaintances, they make an impact because they’re true originals. One-of-a-kind. They’re also the people we love to tell others about. read more…
Short and Sweet’s Family Album
In this book, the sixth in the Short and Sweet series, you’ll find a collection of stories with special emphasis on mothers, fathers, and grandparents. As in the other books in the series, with few exceptions each piece is written using only
one-syllable words or words of fewer than six letters. read more…
Short and Sweet Takes the Fifth
In this book, the fifth in the Short and Sweet series, you’ll find a collection of stories, much like the other books in the series. With few exceptions (listed in the Introduction) each is written using only one-syllable words or words of fewer than six letters. The difference in this book? These 45 authors challenge you to decide whether their stories are fiction or non-fiction. Discover why it’s often a great idea to keep it Short and Sweet. read more…
Short and Sweet Goes Fourth
Have you ever thought that great writers need to use long, fancy words in order to tell a story? If so, you’d be wrong. The truth is, too many words, and words that are not familiar to the average person, just get in the way. Short words are powerful because they are easy to read, easy to grasp, and easy to recall. In this book, the fourth in the series, these authors prove just how effective it can be to keep it Short and Sweet — whether it’s fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. read more…
The Short and Sweet of It: When the Right Word Is a Short Word
How do we say more with less? Can short, simple words make what we write so clear that the reader gets it? Or will it remind them of reading a child’s board book?
The truth is, short words bring power because they are easy to read, easy to grasp, and easy to recall. For instance:
Once upon a time… read more…
Short and Sweet Too: More Small Words for Big Thoughts
Can you say more with less? If you use short, simple words, will what you write turn out so real and so clear that your reader will taste it, see it, hear it, touch it, smell it…live it?
Or will it sound like The Cat in the Hat or Dick and Jane?
The truth is, short words bring power to what you say. And, that’s good news for those of us who want another person to hear us, to understand us. read more…
Short and Sweet: Small Words for Big Thoughts
“My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.” ~ Ernest Hemingway.
We writers love words, and we love to use the long, impressive words. But when we use too many of them, and ones that aren’t familiar and comfortable to the average person, then words just get in the way.
The words we really should be using most of the time are already known to us. Crisp, clear, accessible words in our writing bring joy to the readers even if they may not know why. read more…