Tag: nature

Autumn Leaves

As I lay awake listening to the sounds of Sacramento at 4 AM (yelling, doors slamming, trucks rumbling), I had the urge to get back in my car, slam the door, rumble down the road, and yell “good-bye.” And that’s just what I did.

My travels thus far on the two-week trip had been decent bordering on great, but this one experience changed my life. I love the open road. I love seeing all Mother Nature has to offer. I even love finding functioning payphones at random rest stops across the country. But who can afford pricey hotel rooms? Better yet, who can afford to lay awake at 4 AM waiting for the other shoe to drop?

While exploring Northern California, I saw a lot of RVs traveling up and down Route 1. I’ve never camped. I’ve worked in the same place for 20 years. I’ve taken three vacations in my adult life. But on that trip, something clicked. Traveling the continent would be perfect if I could do it in my own clean and quiet space!

I wrote those paragraphs almost two years ago. Today, I am in my own clean and quiet space, a 2024 Leisure Travel Van. I have been on the open road. I have seen only a fraction of what Mother Nature has to offer. I have yet to find any functioning payphones on this trip. So far, it has been worth all the blood, sweat, tears, allergies, and trips to the mechanic (definitely get the extended warranties).

I told many people that I won’t be blogging about my adventures, and that is mostly true. A girl does have to hold her cards close to her vest. I am taking this time to finally get back to writing and publishing, so I thought I would share a little about what’s going on just so that my very few fans would know that I haven’t died. Just be grateful I don’t write series (yet) and haven’t left you hanging with the fates of well-beloved characters.

I can’t provide ETAs, but here are three projects in the works that will hopefully hit shelves sometime in 2026:
–Full Circle by Kathryn Wilson I know, that’s not me. Nope, not a pen name. Guess you’ll just have to wait and see. Here’s the elevator pitch for you: the world is dying, resources are limited, and the fate of humanity rests on the shoulders of a plucky group still trying to figure out what’s happening.
–Crazy in Love by yes, me This collection of short stories examines all the ways love makes us mad.
–E.M. Sanchez and the Empty Eggs That’s right, E.M. and Web will return!

So, off I go to make good on my promises. I’ll leave you with a few morsels of my travels. Enjoy!


Travels with Clancy

One week from tomorrow, Travels with Clancy: Poetry from Coast to Coast hits bookshelves everywhere! Earlier this year, I took a road trip from New Hampshire to Northern California and back. While the trip was intended to be 10% relaxation, 40% hiking, and 50% writing a new collection of short stories, it ended up being 35% hiking, 10% talking to animals, 0% writing any short stories, 5% writing poetry, and 1050% falling in love with the open road. The math works, I promise.

To all those who were expecting another collection of short stories, you’re just going to have to wait! Another promise I’ll make though is that this collection of poetry is chock-full of stories short and long. I hope you’ll pick up a copy of Travels with Clancy from your local bookseller or bookshop.org and take a little journey of your own.

E.M. Sanchez and the Broken Bird Feeder

Mysteries and tuna are two of P.I. Sanchez’s favorite things, but not necessarily in that order. Teamed up with her partner Web, the famous yellow bird, there isn’t a case in nature these two can’t solve. In the first of this new children’s series, the duo take on a case of a broken bird feeder in the community. Can they solve the mystery and still find enough time for E.M. Sanchez to nap? Find out November 23, 2021! Pre-order at your local bookstore today!

She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

With the start of a new year, I am happy to announce that I’ve got several projects in the works. While a few may take years, others may be out in 2021! It all depends on how busy I remain at my back-up job of bookselling. The first book that might make it to the shelves this year will be another collection of poetry called She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not. This is a poem that will be in the collection and to be honest, one of my favorites so far. Enjoy!

Mother Nature’s Divorce

She’s hopeless, you know.
How many times has She
tried to kick him out now?
He keeps saying he’ll change,
the lying drunk,
the destructive fuck.

“I’ll do better,
You’ll see.
I’ll clean up my act,
I’ll plant a tree.”

His flowery language
sure to wilt
by the last breath
of his drastic lilt.

She got mad, sure.
She threw it all at him,
the vase, the heat,
the viral masterpiece.
He dodged left, then right,
then finally brought to his knees,
his face, a mask, of death,
uttered words to please.

“I love You, it’s true,
I couldn’t live without You.”

I keep hoping She’ll change
because I know without a doubt,
She could be surprised
at what She can live without.

©Autumn Siders 2020

#tbt

I like the grass,
but I don’t want to fertilize it.
Some other corpse
can do the job.

Me, I’d rather burn
than take up any more space
on this overpopulated sphere.

But for now,
I’m here,
so I best help the grass from above
while this future corpse
still contains some love.

© Autumn SIders 2017