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So here we are in the month of December, and tomorrow being the feast of St. Nicholas, I was reminiscing about what this day meant to me growing up. Eastern Europeans and their ancestors celebrate this saint’s feast day in a variety of ways. (I read a newsclip about a parade in the Czech Republic…
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Well, it’s been an interesting end of 2021 and a new beginning in a fun year word to say, 2022. The day after Christmas, my life took a left turn. I fell and broke my arm. In my bathroom. Doing nothing other than walking across the floor to grab something. (honestly, I was going too…
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I’m pleased to announce that my story “Cioci Claire’s Surprise” was published in the July 2026 edition of Little Thoughts Press, Issue Fourteen, Traditions and Rituals. “Cioci Claire’s Surprise” is the heartwarming story of a girl and her aunt learning the art of Polish paper cutting, called Wycinanki. You can order copies of Traditions and…
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On the #KidLitChat on Bluesky this past Tuesday, we were challenged to use one word to describe our life in 2026. My word was ‘journey’. My journey is multitiered. I am beginning my final year of full time employment, with an anticipated retirement date in July. I have worked in one capacity or another since…
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As these warm summer days and evening sunlight will soon end, I won’t be sitting outside writing for much longer. I thought I’d take inventory before I’m back to writing indoors. Some things I did this summer: I listened to a free series of writing webinars called Children’s Book Mastery recently, and was pleasantly surprised…
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It’s snowing lightly in Toledo, enough to have canceled our plans, and so I hunkered down in the cold to write. I finished a poem I’m entering in a Valentine writing contest next week. It came easy at first, earlier in the week, then a trickle of inspiration here and there, and then hard to…
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In her annual 12 Days of Christmas for Writers, author Julie Hedlund asks us to celebrate our surprises and successes as we reflect on the past year. I thought about these words as the holidays came to an end and the new year loomed. Some of my successes and surprises have intersected and some have…
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Day One: Vacationing in November is something new for me. Usually, I’m up to my ears in holiday to-do lists, trips to the park or the gym, and in years past, volleyball practices, games, and tournaments with my younger daughter. Not this year- so we took a week long trip out west. I have always…
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margaret.r.zotkiewicz 