It’s been said that “To love is to suffer. To avoid suffering one must not love. But then one suffers from not loving.” Truer words have never been spoken.

This is the essence of Joanne Sherry Mitchell’s latest collection of contemporary poetry, "The Pain We Call Love," in which Mitchell digs into the harsh realities of love.

Love is ...Read more

The first chest pain hit Heather Bardeleben as she pored over a spreadsheet while working late into the evening at her suburban Chicago home.

When her husband, Bill Bardeleben, suggested she lie down, she brushed off the pain with "I'll be fine."

But throughout the evening and night, Heather noticed her arms felt heavy. Meanwhile, the pulse ...Read more

Kathleen Somers’ "Barely Visible: Mothering a Son Through His Misunderstood Autism" is a deeply moving memoir that chronicles one mother’s emotional journey through grief, motherhood and the challenges of raising a neurodivergent child. With unflinching honesty, Somers invites readers into the most intimate corners of her life, offering a ...Read more

I have come to the realization that I do not have the time nor patience for all the high-tech innovations designed to make my life more marvelous. I have all the marvelous I can handle right now.

This morning, I replaced a burned-out kitchen light bulb. It was 9:16 when I started the process. Replacing the old bulb took less than a minute, ...Read more

Joanne Henning’s "Deceptive Images" is a beautifully crafted novel that blends romance, self-discovery and artistic passion into a compelling narrative. Set against the backdrop of the dance world, the story follows Rosa, a determined and talented woman navigating the complexities of her career, relationships and personal growth.

Henning’s ...Read more

With "Another Fine Mess" upon us, now is the perfect time to revisit Lindy Ryan’s chilling Southern horror series. If you haven’t yet stepped into the eerie world of the Evans family, you’re in for a fun, unputdownable experience. These novels are more than ghost stories — they’re a reckoning with history, grief and the ties that ...Read more

Nearly nine months pregnant, Nefertari Nelson-Williams sunk into her sofa after a long Sunday caring for her four kids. She clicked on the TV and flipped to her favorite show of late, TLC's "A Baby Story."

Although she was an experienced mom, watching episodes of pregnancy complications was a good reminder that every birth and baby are ...Read more

A real estate broker, an auctioneer and a columnist walk into a bar. Not really, but the setup is similar. I was standing with two friends, a man who sells real estate and a woman who appraises art and manages auctions. The three of us have known one another and one another’s families for years.

The man immigrated to the U.S. from Central ...Read more

Who killed the duke? Long the most popular hottie in the ballrooms of English historical romance, there’s a rumor running through Romancelandia that his demise is imminent.

For decades, historical romance has been the backbone of the romance genre. Whether you mark historical romance as beginning with the social comedies of Jane Austen (...Read more

Sheron Lee insisted she couldn't fit any sort of exercise into her busy day.

A systems accountant for the federal government, she often put work above everything, sometimes even skipping family vacations. Even getting to work took commitment; she commuted an hour each way between her home in Hammond, Louisiana, and her office in New Orleans.

...Read more

D. Allen Henry has a passion for genius, the kind that stands the test of time. He also has a passion for inventing fiction that not only brings geniuses to life but also their legacies to bear in the modern-day era. Adding to his existing set of mysteries surrounding luminaries such as Galileo, Da Vinci and Dante comes his new novel, "And the ...Read more