Spotlight: Closer to Closure by Drew Walker

Closer to Closure is Drew Walker’s second poetry book, following Confines of a Free Spirit (2020). This collection reflects on the everyday joys and sorrows that shape us, exploring love, loss, relationships, and awe-filled moments with honesty and lyrical contemplations.

Walker’s poems invite readers to slow down, feel deeply, and discover new layers of connection within themselves.

More than a book of poetry, Closer to Closure is a work of art. Each poem was originally typed on handmade, recycled paper—botanically embedded and naturally dyed—then faithfully reproduced, giving every page a tactile sense of honesty and care. From cover to cover, the collection radiates intimacy, creativity, and the universal desire to live fully and authentically.

Excerpt

In Your Dreams 

You've been dreaming of me

Of a light, easy love

My hair wisps smoothly

As rays of sunlight find their way through

Gently, golden strands, flowing

As soft comfort overcomes you

When I look into your eyes

A knowing

That it’s more than just a look

An understanding, appreciation

Of a shared existence

Even if only in dreams

This love pours into my wake

It does not dull with the passing of time

My heart has softened, delicately beating

Hope - of a life alongside you

Wonder - in the potential of a love that’s true

Physically, we couldn't be further away

Spiritually, I feel you every second, every day

Escape with me behind your eyes while you sleep

In this dream world, you're the company I keep

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About the Author

Born and raised in Edmonton, Canada, Walker has spent her young adulthood striving to obtain wealth in experiences. International travel, deep connection to nature, and the navigation of complex relationships inspire Walker’s poetry. Outside of her writing, Walker is a professional Landscape Designer, Beekeeper, and community steward. Drew’s poems are a glimpse into her personal journals, sharing honest contemplations, unexpressed feelings, and messages to lovers past.

Since the release of her debut collection, Confines of a Free Spirit (2020), Walker has performed at several spoken word events. She is also the creator of Real Talker with Drew Walker, a podcast which features an inside look at the stories and inspiration behind her poems.

Spotlight: A Cozy Holiday by Kels & Denise Stone

One grumpy city veterinarian. One hot single dad. And a winter cabin full of naughty decisions just waiting to happen, in this holiday novella by bestselling authors Kels & Denise Stone.

After walking in on her boyfriend mid-thrust with someone who wasn’t her, Joy Winters is labeled an emotionally unavailable workaholic. One too many wines later, she drunkenly books a last-minute getaway as far from New York City as her dignity will take her. The reindeer sanctuary on the property needs a veterinarian. Joy is desperate for a distraction.

Enter Jamie Wilder: mustache-haver, reindeer wrangler, and Joy’s host in Cranberry Hollow, Maine. He’s just trying to keep the sanctuary running and his twins happy through another chaotic holiday season—not fall for the snappy city vet. But as Joy throws herself into helping his animals, Jamie starts to feel that warm feeling he hasn’t felt in his heart (or other places) for a very long time.

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Spotlight: Stage of Fools by Sean Pauzauskie

Pauzauskie’s new novel STAGE OF FOOLS (High Frequency Press) tells the story of Steven Levinson, a San Francisco billionaire left unresponsive in a hospital bed after a boating accident in which he nearly drowns. In an homage to Shakespeare's King Lear, Levinson witnesses his family scheme for his fortune from his bed in the ICU, helpless to intervene. Stuck in the stillness of a coma, he is forced to grapple with the choices that brought him to this moment. Levinson's coma allows for frequent soliloquy in the stage-like setting of a hospital room: Levinson (as with Lear) has his whole lifetime of lived experiences to consider, and it's his intense rumination on his compromised judgment that literally drives him mad. In the book, Pauzauskie explores the Jungian notion that “those who look outward, dream; while those who look inward, awaken.” The novel is an unforgettable portrait of what follows when the powerful are rendered powerless and when emerging technology makes the unthinkable possible.

Filled with family intrigue and profound personal development, STAGE OF FOOLS tells a contemporary story in a classic way. In our world of billionaires and oligarchs, seeing if a contemporary 'King Lear' can learn from his mistakes poses the question: does anything truly change, or does the same old story hold in modern times?

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About the Author

Dr. Sean Pauzauskie is a practicing hospital neurologist in the University of Colorado system, where he conducts clinical research employing neurotechnology, primarily for the optimization of epilepsy management. He is the medical director of the NeuroRights Foundation, an active member of the American Academy of Neurology and The American Medical Association, and his research experience includes time at The National Institute of Mental Health, The Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Kaufmann Foundation for entrepreneurship. Born in Alaska and raised in Topeka, Kansas, Dr. Pauzauskie was mentored by and wrote his literature thesis with Stephen Jan Parker, a favorite pupil of Vladimir Nabokov. He lives with his wife and Siberian husky in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. His literacy scholarship has been presented at the International Nabokov Society Conference in Montreux, Switzerland, and elsewhere. Stage of Fools is his debut novel. More at seanpauzauskie.com.

Spotlight: Confirm Humanity by Kim Mannix

The poems in Confirm Humanity are often juxtapositions between life’s joyful moments and the inevitably sorrowful.

With a background in journalism, Mannix’s perspective frequently comes from a place of observation; asking why people do the maddening things they do, and what, if anything, is the solution? The writing touches on the darkness of humanity, and the ways we—as citizens, women, mothers—learn to endure and persevere in light. There is awe for the natural world, but also cynicism and grief about how humans interact with the earth and one another.

Like the box on a website that asks you to click to confirm you are human, these poems collectively ask their reader to consider the complexity of human emotion and action in this mysterious, maddening, and ultimately beautiful world.

Excerpt

Disturbing the Peace

It’s hard to keep your muscles loose, your teeth unclenched.

Hard to hear the news over and over and over—insert

city, number of dead here. Painting layer after layer of

rage on top of you. It’s a wonder you’re not shellacked in

place, fist up and mouth open, mid-anger shriek. How do

you stay soft? How do you keep from popping your Ps on

impossible words like prayer, peace, protection? How do

you say you’re a pacifist and mean it? It used to be so easy.

Remember raising two fingers, like you saw the long-haired

rock stars do on the covers of your dad’s records? There’s

a plaque you still have in your living room, PEACE, LIKE

CHARITY, BEGINS AT HOME. You’ve believed it for a

long time. But lately you worry it ends there too. Praise,

to all the brave souls, who still turn on the TV, refresh the

newsfeed, open the front door, wave to a neighbour—their

bodies as supple as a yogi’s. Belief cushioning their red, red

hearts.

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About the Author

Kim Mannix (she/her) is a journalist, poet and short fiction writer who lives and creates on Treaty Six territory in Sherwood Park, Alberta.

Born and raised in Saskatoon, she is a graduate of both the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina and has lived and worked across Canada. Her passion for climate justice issues, the importance of art, feminism and parenthood intersect in both her creative and professional pursuits.

Mannix is a contributing editor of Watch Your Head, a climate crisis anthology, and a freelance entertainment and lifestyle writer. She currently serves as the Vice President of the Edmonton Poetry Festival and is an avid believer that everyone, everywhere has a little poetry in their soul.

Her poetry and prose have appeared in numerous Canadian and American journals and anthologies. Confirm Humanity is her first book of poetry.

Spotlight: The Christmas Wish in Twinkle Falls by Freda Ann

(A Twinkle Falls Novel, #6)

Publication date: November 21st 2025

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance

After my husband died overseas in an ambush, our kids became my world. He was my one and only—I could never meet anyone who makes me feel the way he did.

(Rochelle)

Needing a fresh start last year, I took my kids to Twinkle Falls for Christmas, but meeting Jesse was never part of my plan. When my best friend introduced us, this retired police officer’s charm and infectious smile started breaking down my walls.

Me and the kids agreed to make Twinkle Falls our forever home at the end of our three month break—but something went horribly wrong after returning home to pack up our things.

(Jesse)

After losing touch with Rochelle once she stopped all communication with me, I knew I’d been ghosted. Roe was the one person I could imagine a future with when my ex left me once I became an amputee.

With my buddies trying to fix me up, I decide it’s time to move on from the past.

(Rochelle)

Nine months after our planned move, me and the kids arrive in Twinkle Falls with everything we own after purchasing a home. Feeling horrible the way I left things with Jesse, our friends agree to let me be the one to tell him we’re here once me and the kids get settled.

Now ready to share the news, I texted Jesse asking if we can talk, but days go by with no response.

While having lunch with my friends I glance around the restaurant and my jaw drops. I see why Jesse didn’t respond to my message—he’s found another woman—the one whose hands are all over him.

Can a Christmas wish intervene and seal this couple’s fate?

This is a feel good, clean, faith-based Christmas romance featuring the charm of small town life, insta-love, and a Christmas miracle with a happily ever after.

It’s book 6 of an ongoing holiday themed sweet romance series, Hallmark style.

Excerpt

“Kids, you better get downstairs, Jesse will be here any minute to pick us up.” I holler from the foyer.

As feet quickly pound the steps, Lilly proclaims, “We’re getting our tree today!”

“Yay, we’re getting our tree!” Ty says when I hear the crunching of tires coming up the driveway.

The grandparents went in town for brunch at the Twinkle Falls Inn before watching the kids this afternoon when me and Trace go downtown.

Before Jesse knocks on the door I pull it open to his amazing smile as he scans the kids saying, “There’s two of my favorite kids.” They smile while all sharing a hug.

“Who wants to get a Christmas tree?” He asks full of enthusiasm.

They both scream while jumping up and down. “We do, we do!”

“Okay then, let’s get going.” He says leading Ty out to the truck so he doesn’t slide on the patches of ice while I hold Lilly’s hand walking carefully.

While Jesse looks for a parking spot Ty asks, “Mommy, is Mr. Kris really Santa Claus?”

Cutting my eyes to Jesse, my mouth opens then closes when I shrug at him and say, “Well, I can’t say for sure, but there are a lot of people that have lived here for a long time who kind of think so. Then again, why would Santa be working at a tree lot?”

Lilly matter-of-factly states. “Because he gets to talk to the parents and see which kids are naughty and nice.”

Giving me a brief sideways glance, Jesse cackles. “I think you might be onto something Lilly.”

After parking, I grab Ty’s hand so Jesse can have some time with Lilly. “Come on little man, let’s find the perfect tree.”

“Not if we find one first.” Jesse states while holding Lilly’s hand as they go to the left while I lead Ty to the right.

A while later we show each other the trees we like the most when Jesse suggests, “How about we flip a coin to see which one to take home?”

The kids look at each other and Ty shrugs, “Alright, can I flip it?”

Peeking at Lilly, she nods at me so I answer, “That sounds good to us, but we get heads.”

Whispering in Ty’s ear, my son says, “Okay,” before Jesse gives him a quarter which he quickly flips.

The coin bounces on the ground and lands on tails. “We won Mr. Jesse, we won!” Ty jumps up and down giggling and getting someone’s attention.

“That was a wonderful coin flip Tyler.” Kris bends over sharing his usual jolly smile with my son.

Ty’s jaw sinks down while staring at him for a minute then turns to me. “Mom, it’s Santa—I mean Mr. Kris.”

“Can you say hello to Mr. Kris?” I coax him.

Beaming, he looks him in the eyes and says, “Hi Mr. Kris. Are you really Santa Claus?”

Looking at Jesse, my face feels like it’s on fire. Sighing, I say, “I’m sorry Kris.”

“Oh it’s alright. I get that all the time. We do rather resemble each other, don’t we?” He lets out a long belly laugh while holding his round belly.

“How are you young lady?” He asks turning to Lilly.

Smiling, she says, “I’m good Mr. Kris.”

“That’s great to hear Lilly.” Her brows raise when he says her name.

He looks at Ty. “Have you been a good boy this year young man?”

Nodding, my son says, “Uh-huh.”

“That’s wonderful to hear. It looks like you’ve found the perfect Christmas tree. Well, let me get someone to help you take it to your car.”

As he walks away, the kids yell, “Bye Mr. Kris.” He chuckles and waves his hand through the air.

On the drive to our house the kids talk mostly amongst themselves about Mr. Kris, debating whether he is really Santa Claus or not while me and Jesse muffle our laughs.

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About the Author

Freda Ann is fondly known for her sweet/clean, HEA RomComs. Her loyal fans and reviewers have compared several of her books to Hallmark movies. Many have hit #1 in multiple categories after release.

She writes relatable, faith and family based love stories which include kids and adorable dogs. Her writing style appeals to people of all ages. Her books will take you on an emotional journey with likable characters, and dreamy settings you'll wish you could visit.

After retiring from a career in the law enforcement field, Freda feels blessed to be able to write and self-publish her stories for everyone to read. She adores her large family, 5 children and 9 grandchildren, and hosts monthly family gatherings.

To hear about new releases, please follow her on Amazon and also on Goodreads.

Connect:

https://fredaannwriter.com/

https://www.instagram.com/fredaannwriter/

https://www.facebook.com/fredaannwriter/

https://x.com/FredaAnn1663599

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17264005.Freda_Ann

Spotlight: Coyote Snow by Laurie Lynn Muirhead

Step into the wild and sacred landscape of North Central Saskatchewan through Laurie Lynn Muirhead’s emotionally charged poetry collection, Coyote Snow.

With exquisite lyricism and a reverent eye, Muirhead captures the fierce beauty and fragile rhythms of a life entwined with the land, animals, and elemental forces. These poems are both a meditation and a reckoning—where cold meets spirit, survival meets grace, and readers find themselves transformed by the quiet miracles of the natural world. Don your winter boots and prepare to journey through the frosty, organic terrain of Coyote Snow.

Laurie Lynn Muirhead’s poetry shines as a rising star in the constellation of rural Canadian literature.

Excerpt

Regrettably

the time-loss of sharing gathers me unaware

that it is snowing now and I am cold

the coyotes are quiet and the colour is gone

my porch light, a small beacon of welcome

appeals to me

and I leave the secrets of this night where they belong

tomorrow I am assured

there will be two sets of tracks

in the coyote snow

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About the Author

Laurie Lynn Muirhead lives in beautiful North East Saskatchewan and is a creator of poetry and children’s literature. She writes what she lives and is especially inspired by the extreme simplicity of the natural world about her. Her work has appeared in numerous periodicals such as The New Quarterly and The Society and has been broadcast on CBC Radio. Her first collection of poetry, Bone Sense, was selected for Thistledown’s New Leaf Series and a children’s book, Lullaby Lilly, published with YNWP.

Laurie Lynn is a long-standing member with sans nom poetry group, is a Creative Writing Coach for youth and a current member with the Saskatchewan Writer’s Guild. She enjoys sharing her work at themed poetry readings, poetic gatherings and creative writing workshops. Besides writing, she works part time as a librarian at the Shellbrook Elementary Public School, and helps out on the family ranch in the rural area of Wild Rose.