Recommended by Chicken Scratch by Elizabeth Beggins
Ramona isn't here to generate hype. She's no-nonsense and her ideas are time-tested. For serious writers, this is good stuff.
Rebecca is utterly endearing as a person, decidedly captivating as a writer, and wildly talented as a mixed media artist. There's so much good stuff going on here that you have to believe getting lost all the time is just her way of making new discoveries.
A seasoned wordsmith and a woman who has lived long enough to know a thing or three, Ramona Grigg is a voice of wisdom, wit, and wonder. Mona is not afraid to tell you how she really feels. Fellow writers will also enjoy "Writer Everlasting," her other Substack publication.
In an effort to be her most authentic self, Nan Tepper holds almost nothing back. She's witty, sharp, irreverent, and a great example of what happens when you start believing in your own self-worth.
I'm convinced that Ruby-the-van and Holly-the-writer-editor are here to make sure none of us gets utterly stuck. Even if you're not traveling, these essays will take you to places you long to go. And remarkably, thanks to Holly's amazing gift with words, you'll discover you were there all along.
Switter's World offers an irresistible blend of pragmatism, wry humor and hope. He might be a grumpy curmudgeon if he didn't have such a kind heart. There's wisdom there.
Reading Everyone Else is Taken feels like being let in on a smart, funny, and humane conversationâclear-eyed about lifeâs absurdities, generous with its pleasures.
Amy is a gifted illustrator, her pages overflowing with colors, shapes, lines, words. But the expansive and honest way she puts words to her days invites reflection without the burden of too much opinion. Amy explores beyond destinations, questions without expectations, and invites curiosity along the way.
Karen Hill Anton writes with clarity, humility, and a deep sense of lived experience. Her essays, shaped by decades in Japan and a career bridging cultures, are thoughtful, grounded, and refreshingly free of pretense. Whether reflecting on family, work, or writing, her voice is steady, insightful, and compelling.
Anyone who has ever considered taking to the water, or the open road, will appreciate the observations and experiences here. This is the real deal, not the romanticized version of this way of living, and it's delightful.
This is not Eileen's first rodeo. Her authenticity and wry humor are relatable for those of us who've been hanging around this planet for awhile (and have maybe lost a bit of patience in the process). Enjoy!





















