When 13 years ago life events kept tugging "chapter ones" from my soul, I knew it was time to put the day job behind me and turn to chapter two. Non-fiction articles and reviews in magazines, newspapers and online, over 100 of them, eight years of food columns and short stories in many venues have filled my full-time work at the keyboard and brought much satisfaction and pleasure.

Now the longer tales of people who overcome adversity, especially strong women, have tapped my creative juices. People and their struggles to belong and believe have magical stories to tell me, and when their worlds take shape at my fingertips I have to ask myself: what more fascinating and wondrous work could anyone ask for?

THE MASTER BEDROOM~~~~~~~~~Never let dark fall without having asked for forgiveness or offering forgiveness of your loved one. We find those final moments before sleep can be fruitful time for assessing how or whether we've hurt one another in any way--a mispoken word, a half-truth, a sharp tone of voice. Even when we don't intend to wound, we often do.

How much easier to fall to sleep with peace in our hearts and comfort in our relationship. It makes "Goodnight" such a sweet word!

THE KITCHEN--See below for a great new recipe, one I'll include in my upcoming Seasons of Love cookbook for sure!

THE WRITERS' DEN---------Professional organizations can help develop a writer's craft and keep us in touch with industry trends. For that reason I belong to two fine chapters of the Romance Writers of America, The CTRWA (Southbury, CT) chapter, and the CORW, (Charter-Oak in Hartford) chapter. Both groups are made up of diligent writers who stay on top of professional news and their own publishing opportunities, as well as encouraging one another.Each has a fine workshop coming up in May.

CORW presents well-known author Deb Dixon for a presentation on "Goal, Motivation and Conflict" in your fiction writing. She'll appear at Hamilton Heights Living Center (The old Mount st. Joseph Academy--my alma mater) in West Hartford, CT on May 7. Contact CORW president Helen Radjewski helered@juno.com)for more info.

The Southbury chapter (CTRWA) will hold a multi-author workshop on getting published--"from Query to Published Novel"--on Sat., May 14 at a hotel in New Haven, CT. Contact chapter president Lori Yetke (Loranwd@aol.com) for more information. Do come, and good luck with your own writing!

THE FAMILY ROOM~~~~~~~When an editor advised me to write the story of our family's 25 years trying to live as an intentional community, I balked. How could I reveal all those personal ups and downs~~life with teenagers, trying to simplify our lives, becoming grandparents and still maintaining solid if sometimes wobbly relationships with our children, even sickness, death and other sorrows? When reflection and prayer made me realize everyone faces the same challenges in family life, and that possibly even one family could be inspired to work harder at the important things in life like faith and family, I realized I had to do it. In fact, the writing helped me work harder at family life, too!

The result is SEASONS OF LOVE: A JOURNEY OF FAITH: FAMILY AND COMMUNITY, and now the book is out from Paulist Press and available online and in bookstores under my maiden name, Eleanor Sampeck. A snippet from the first review I've received says "Seasons of Love is a book to savor and pass on and should appeal to a wide range of people - memoir lovers like myself as well as those looking for a story about spiritual, communal family life, or just a plain, good read....a well-written and intriguing book that has much to say about an alternatative... lifestyle that really works." (Joanne Blair, The American Catholic)

MORE BOOK NEWS~~~~~~~~~~~A YEAR IN POUGHKEEPSIE took second place for the 2003 Treble Heart Books Annual Award for Contemporary Romance, and received a beautiful certificate for being a 2004 "Eppie" Award nominee.

POUGHKEEPSIE is now available at Wild Geese and Broadway Spirits in Colchester, CT, and at Merritt Books, Millbrook and Red Hook, NY, at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck and Millertown,NY, at The Book Cove in Pawling, NY, and Three R Books in Poughkeepsie,NY, across from Vassar College, as well as at the area vineyards, Adair, Benmarl, and Millbrook.

Other ordering information for all my books: SEASONS OF LOVE: A JOURNEY OF FAITH, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY is available at online booksellers (Amazon, B&N, etc., as are most of the other books)as well as at relgious bookstores (The Catholic Bookstore, Hfd.)and many B&Ns and Borders, as well as www.PaulistPress.com. THE MOONRAKERS and WINGING IT IN THE KITCHEN, are at www.Wings-press.com; THE EMERALD EYE and A YEAR IN POUGHKEEPSIE--at www.trebleheartbooks.com (see links below)and LET US NOT FORGET:A Tribute to America's 20th C. Veterans VOl. 1 (anthology)--at www.Iuniverse.com--or order any from me by email.

UPCOMING APPEARANCES~~~~~~On Monday, April 11 at 7 p.m. I'll be speaking about "Seasons of Love," and how it all started, and signing books at St. Andrew Church in Colchester, for the Women's Guild of the parish. All are welcome. Contact the church for more information: 537-2355.

FRONT PORCH--From this home location we set out on travels, near and far, to enrich our lives and enjoy each moment to the full. Last year's trip to England, France and Italy was the greatest. Watch this spot for future notes on places to stay and visit, things to do, and great dining spots in those countries. And keep your bags packed. We do!