New Lenses, New Stories: What Travel Taught Me About Light, Libraries, and Creative Renewal

 

New Lenses, New Stories

What Travel Taught Me About Light, Libraries, and Creative Renewal

Travel invites a particular kind of tension; the pull between wanting to take everything in and simply being in it. You want to see it all, remember it all, photograph it all. But there’s no way to hold everything. Eventually, you learn that the act of seeing—truly seeing—requires presence more than proof.

Sometimes, it takes new lenses—real or metaphorical—to notice what’s right in front of you.

Five years ago, I put down my DSLR. It wasn’t just about simplifying what I carried. It was something deeper, harder to name. I had been a photographer nearly all my life, even professionally for nearly a decade. But during that season, I was struggling. My mental health was in a dark place. I couldn’t create. I couldn’t see anything clearly—not through the lens, not even through my own eyes. So I made a choice. I would strip photography back to its simplest form. One camera. One tool. My phone.

What began as a creative constraint became a kind of quiet restoration. With no settings to manage, no gear to distract, I started noticing again—light, shadow, reflection, shape. Slowly, I returned to the practice not as a photographer chasing the perfect shot, but as a person learning how to see the world again, through simpler tools and, in a way, through new lenses.

A bit of the historic section of Dubai.

This trip to the UAE—my third, and possibly my last—felt different. Erica came with me this time. We traveled with intention, knowing how fleeting and rare this kind of journey is. I moved through the cities with care, trying to hold space for both of us to take it in. I saw so many mosques, each more stunning than the last—graceful arches, geometric domes, calligraphic lines reaching skyward. We never entered one, but they called to me all the same: an invitation to reverence, even from afar.

The Al Noor Mosque in Sharjah, UAE.

While the trip gave me space to reflect, it also gave me purpose. I had the honor of presenting at the inaugural Sharjah School Librarians Conference, representing the Winnetka Public Schools, where I’ve spent nearly all of my 33 years as an educator. My session explored how new tools—like audiobooks, interactive platforms, and AI-powered supports—can help re-engage dormant readers and expand access to inclusive literacy.

Libraries are about welcome. They are spaces of connection, wherever you are.

This is the biggest LCD screen I've ever presented on!

I shared the stage with passionate, thoughtful educators from around the world. But the most memorable moment came later—a quiet, private tour of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Dubai, offered by a generous librarian on her own time. That gesture reminded me that librarianship transcends language, borders, and architecture. At its best, it is an act of hospitality.

Shatha, the children's librarian at Mohammed Bin Rashid Library.

It wasn’t just where we went; it was who I got to share it with. Erica and I moved through each day slowly, choosing moments over checklists. We missed plenty, but saw more than enough. And somewhere in the quiet between scheduled presentations and wandering through museums and souks, something in me reopened.

Part of a gorgeous mural I saw while wandering.

Maybe it was the light. Maybe it was the warmth of unexpected kindness. Maybe it was the rhythm of the call to prayer echoing across the rooftops. But when I came home, I came home ready. I’ve been working—really working—on projects I’d nearly forgotten or set aside. Stories are flowing. Ideas are waking up.

I didn’t leave the UAE with souvenirs. I left with momentum.

My wife and I on our first full day in the UAE.

What Remains

I didn’t expect this trip to change me, but it did. Not loudly, not all at once. It offered stillness, light, and the chance to see through new lenses. It reminded me that sometimes, the best way to move forward creatively is to step outside your routine, out into the world, and let it press gently against your senses.

A 'tiny planet' made from the view from the plane.

Travel won’t hand you a story. But if you let it, it will change the way you see. It will hand you new lenses: light, attention, and wonder.

And when you return, the stories waiting inside you might look a little different, too.

This hung on the wall in our hotel. 

This is the zoomed in version of the lens. "Tell Your Story!"

If you're interested in more reflections from this journey—including the moments of stillness, symbolism, and light that shaped it—you’re warmly invited to read the full series on my Substack: “Where Imagination Takes Flight.”

Catch of the Day: A SEASON FOR FISHIN': A FISH FRY TRADITION with Pam Courtney by Kathy Halsey

Imagine Pam Courtney and I having a sit down on our virtual porch in Louisiana looking at the Cane River as we chat about her debut book, family, and fishin’. I've known Pam for about 15 years as a friend and  critique partner, and I’ve manifested this day since her debut book was a small fry! It is a thrill to be able to share Pam’s story with you all after all these years. Settle in for awhile and share your family tradtions with us in the comments!

Book Review: A SEASON FOR FISHIN': A FISH FRY TRADITION

I have on my librarian-teacher hat to share my thoughts on this picture book that I’ve known through many iterations as one of Pam’s critique partners.I might be a bit biased, but  A SEASON FOR FISHIN’ is a delight, from illustrator Toni D. Chambers’ engaging illustrations to the thoughtful backmatter author Pam has provided a dictionary of terms of endearment from Louisiana parishes. 

The fresh, active illustrations married to Pam’s poetic, unique Louisiana-influenced words make this the perfect book for a new season, summer and fish fry Fridays.

Main character Cher is excited to become part of her family tradition as she joins her Papere on the Ol’ Cane River along with uncles and a desire to bring in a mess of bream for her Mamere to fry up. 

Young readers will identify with that desire to “measure up” to a family ritual . . . are they ready, can they do it?  All readers will feel immersed in the loving family fun inspired by Pam’s Louisiana upbringing. Educators and librarians will appreciate this joyful read aloud with oodles of onomatopoeia and fresh phrases. As Cher would say, “Howwwwweee, get you a copy of this book and some crispy bream now!

Craft Chat with Pam Courtney

Kathy: Pam, I'm interested in the origin story for this wonderful debut picture book. Please share where this story came from, how it's changed, and what you've learned from “catching this big fish” of a book!

Pam: Actually, this story started as a poem in Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab class in 2014, or maybe 2015. Anyway, it was initially called Fish Fry Friday. Then Fish Fry Friday, A Cane River Upbringing. Then Fish Fry Friday, A Cane River Tale until it had to be changed.

It was initially being groomed for a NIV. It was Renee who nudged me and said, “Why not think about a young protagonist, cut some words, and make this a picture book?” I didn’t want to but I got feedback from other kidlit professionals that were certain this would make a better picture book. 

But as you know, it is a page out of my own childhood. I didn’t go fishing often. Actually, I can count on one hand the number of times I actually fished. I just like going, being with family and friends; eating the snacks that were packed. Like my Uncle Teddy Boy’s home-roasted peanuts. There were a few versions of Fish Fry.

Kathy: Lucky us! Pam’s sharing a few stanzas of an early version!  

Fish Fry on Fridays? 

Let Grand-mere tell it, down on the Cane River,

everybody fries fish on Fridays.

Matter of fact, just travel down any

dirt road in any rural town in

Louisiana on any Friday and

everybody who’s anybody worth

their weight in mudbug is cleaning,

frying, and eating fish. Buffalo fish.

Alligator Garfish. On special

Fridays, Redhorse. 

Fish Fry onFridays?

That’s bayou upbringing

not catholic upbringing.

Down on this river, people been

criss-crossin, speakin and livin like

ta’ otherin forever." says Grand-mere. 

Down on Cane River is the

safe place, the birthplace of my

Grand-mere, my Pa-ran, my Na-nan, 

and my Tante'. 

Yessir. Lot of mystery 

in the history down the road, 

down on Cane River.

Kathy: Oh, I love the roll and rhythm of this language. I can feel your setting and picture the characters! Thanks, Pam!

How did your hometown, Natchitoches, LA, inspire your story? I know you share poignant childhood memories in your author's note. (Readers make sure to check out the Author's Note when you get this book.) What makes Natchitoches unique?

Pam: The story takes place on Ol’ Cane River. Cane River is actually a man-made lake and it runs smack through the middle of our town. Nearly all of our outdoor events happen on that riverfront. Cane River is also a place within Natchitoches, where the most interesting and complicated history resides. I went fishing down on Cane River. Everyone did. You’d find people casting lines off of the bridge or wrangling for their prized spot on the riverfront. 

But the Friday fish fries is where the magic of my childhood lives. Folks would leave out early morning, return late afternoon with their catch. By early Friday evening everyone was out front in their yard scaling, cleaning fish, and frying fish. Our entire street was perfumed with the aroma!! Oh and the music that accompanied this scene! While I grew up with Prince and Funkadelic, the adults in control of the music had Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and, of course, gospel music rang out. Howweeee, what memories I have of that time.

Kathy: So what's the best way to cook up a mess of fish and why bream? 

Pam: Well, bream is my mom’s favorite fish. I can’t tell you the number of times our doorbell rings and someone has dropped off freshly caught bream. What’s even sweeter, they’ll also clean and filet them for my mom. But that’s just our way down here in the boot. As for the best way to fry bream. I cheat. I use Zatarain’s fish fry season to coat our fish. It’s the spice in that breading for me. I pan fry. So only quality oil will do. I test the temperature of my oil by sticking the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If it bubbles immediately, the temperature is just right for frying up a batch of bream.

Kathy: Yum! I’m hungry now. And to think I grew up with fish sticks as a Catholic! What's the best way for you to cook up a story? Can you share a bit of your process?

Pam: A story idea springs from anywhere. The idea for A Season For Fishin’ came from a specific childhood experience. Anything can inspire an idea. Once I have an idea for my story, it lives in my head (longer than it should) as I think about the “promise of the premise.”  

It takes me an awfully long time to get the idea on paper. I sit at my mom’s dining room table, aka my office, and stare out the glass patio doors smiling at the wildlife that entertain themselves in the backyard. I consider why I’m choosing to share this particular story or experience with readers. 

When inspiration hits me to pull out the laptop I ask myself, what will be the intimate moments that moves my story forward? For that matter, what moves my character to respond as they do? I’m all about creating intimacy in a scene. For me, it’s important to create specific emotional incidents that set up the reader’s relationship with my main character and the people who’ll share the character’s stage. 

In each scene, I consider the purpose of pacing because I want to, on purpose, use language, rhythm, and sentence length to hold a reader in a moment. I’m still in the process of accurate pacing. In a lesson I learned from an amazing teacher on pacing, if it’s done well, it informs tempo, encouraging that effective page turn. 

And yes, I do all of this in my first draft. THIS is why it takes me so very, very long to get my first draft down. I’m learning y’all.

Kathy: You talk a lot about being a good critique partner. How does that skill enhance your own writing and ability to create new stories.

Pam: I’ve had the GREAT fortune to be in the company of some amazing writers in my critique groups. The idea for new stories is always front and center each session whether we actively discuss story ideas or not. Someone will say something that sparks an idea, or someone will have an idea they think is perfect for your brand of storytelling. This is just one small part of a great critique group. 

Being able to look at a story and ask its creator what exactly is their intent for their story is something I always ask. I ask more questions rather than give advice. However, I’m the oldest sibling and we think we know everything, so being slow to offer feedback is still a work in progress. 

What I find is the more questions I ask, out of genuine curiosity for the “promise of the premise,” the more everyone is able to hear specifics about the writer’s intentions for their stories. Many times I’ll ask the writer about their story’s promise. I’ll then ask, “Show me where that lives on the pages of your story?” 

It might be that I’ve completely missed it, or the writer might visualize a scene or moment in their head and that is where it lives. These questions inform how I move through the pages of my story. Though it is much harder questioning your writing strategies than others. LOL

Kathy: Pam, that is a juicy piece of advice about how to critique. Folks, I’ve been a recipient of Pam’s skillful critiques for years! Blessed by it. 

Where can we find you online, on podcast, on blogs as you celebrate this season of your debut book? 

Pam: You can find me on the following artist’s blogs: Susanna Leonard Hill, Sara Holly-Ackerman, Black Voices, and KidLit Works.

Find Pam on the River or Here: Social Media Contacts

 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pam_is_mylmnop/

Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/pamismylmnop.bsky.social

Threads https://www.threads.com/@pam_is_mylmnop

Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@pam_is_mylmnop?lang=en

Now join Pam and me on our virtual porch and share YOUR family tradition in the comments! Mine has to do with my Hungarian grandmother, Otelia Wolslagel and her spicy sausage and paprika. My mouth is burning now!

 

 

 

Happy Poetry Month! Haiku Musings from Kathy Halsey

 

Haiku helps me see

  through this world into others

  unknown until now

Why Haiku? Why not? Haiku rescued me when I was told by an editor that I didn't tell stories, I wrote stage directions.

 FULL. STOP. I stopped writing for a few months. I sat on the back porch that I'm on right now, looking at clematis and told myself, "You can write haiku." After all, it's just three lines, 17 syllables, and a small contained easy package. However, as I delve into the craft of haiku and started to understand the Japanese version, read more, and participate in podcasts like Poetry Pea, I know what looks simple is much more complex. Haiku is what is said, but even more what is not said. The writer and reader engage in making new meaning through the space haiku opens in us.

That was three years ago. I'm sitting on my porch now instead of cleaning, washing clothes or getting ready for company. Why? Because poetry makes me stop  ordinary life and just be. And when I'm using my senses to just see what's around me, I relax and I open  myself up to new possibilities.

Haiku makes me anticipate the spark nature brings every week. Knowing I'll  write haiku every Saturday, I hunt for moments during the week that bring me solace, peace, and take me to other worlds. With my haiku practice, I meet new people and have been published in poetry journals.  In fact, my first book, Be A Rainbow by KiwiCo Press came from a poem that was an extended metaphor. Haiku taught me that.

All poetry makes us pause, linger, see life magnified in all its beauty and complexities. It allows us to wonder and wander, compose images and create art through words. Poetry allows us to play with words, create new words, compose word songs that can be sung with rhyme, rhythm, beat, and a healthy mix of risk-taking and pleasing oneself first. 

Read and write some haiku or poetry every day or join us at #HaikuSautrday w/host Susan Morhar Andrews, @AndrewsSusanM on X and Bluesky. It's our little sunshine spot on X that sheds light and resistance through our ability to connect and create better worlds.

Here's an image that I took in Lansing, Michigan when Bob and I hiked on a dreary day and found this beautiful park tucked away. Be with this image. Create your own poetry. Please share your haiku or any other poetry in the comments. Happy Haiku and Poetry month to you!

The Fifth Annual GROG Arthropod Roundtable

hosted by Sue Heavenrich

Welcome to the Fifth Annual Arthropod Roundtable! Grab your cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and please help me welcome our guests. Christine Van Zandt’s book Milkweed for Monarchs fluttered off the shelves last year. Sara Levine’s Watching and Waiting: What Hatches from Nature’s Nurseries hatched out just a couple weeks ago. Penny Parker Klostermann’s newest book, The Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid World War II Army will be weaving it’s magic when it releases in a couple weeks. And Susan Edwards Richmond’s third book in the Community Science Counts series, The Great Pollinator Count, just released yesterday.

Some of you may know that insects are my passion. But they weren’t always. In fact, when I was a kid I was terrified of cockroaches. This could be because I could hear them skitter about in the air ducts, and occasionally a couple would drop out and land on me. The ultimate irony: my graduate research was on the behavior of … you guessed it – cockroaches!

That got me wondering whether arthropods were ever “scary” or “creepy-crawly” to other folks? So I asked a few:

Christine with monarch wings

Christine: I was that kid who picked up bugs. I didn’t really understand why kids (or adults!) would scream when, for example, they saw a spider. My parents deserve credit for that since they let me play outside in our large yards. In the back, we had an area that was an ivy “tunnel”—and who knows what lived in there—but it was my favorite place to read books.

Sara: Mostly not.  When I was growing up, I was the one in my family who came to the rescue for bugs found inside the house. When my sister would find a spider, she would yell, “Come and get it! I’m going to kill it!” and that was my cue to come running. I would carefully cover the bug with a glass, slide a piece of paper underneath and escort the arthropod safely outside

Susan:  The only arthropod  I’ve ever really had an ambivalent relationship with is the spider. (Well, and ticks, after we got a dog!) I’ve appreciated spiders’ skills and their niche in nature, but, in the past, preferred to view them with a little distance. I’ve definitely gotten  more drawn to insects and arthropods as a group, however, since I’ve been teaching nature preschool.  In addition to having fascinating life cycles, these animals are easy for young children to discover and observe up close in their environment.

Penny: Interestingly enough, spiders were the only arthropods that were scary to me. And they were very scary to me.  My arachnophobia slowly changed to respect as I did hours and hours of research on spiders to better understand Nan Songer's work. I learned that they avoid humans, whereas before I had the unfounded fear that they might come after me. I was fascinated by the many ways they use their silk and the different ways they hunt or capture prey.  Now, when a spider is nearby, I don't feel the need to flee or stomp. (Yes. Sorry! In my pre-respect past, stomping out of fear definitely happened.)

Me: I totally understand the stomping-out-of-fear response, and am happy that you and your local spiders are now in a relationship of respect. So what made you realize that you HAD to write this book?

Penny

Penny: When I first learned about Nan Songer, I immediately scoured the web (Ha! Couldn't resist.) to see if there was a children’s book about her. I was shocked to find there wasn't a book for children or adults. Besides being shocked, I'll admit that I was also thrilled that I could be the one to share her story. I felt like I'd struck gold in terms of an unsung hero. Her story is unusual and riveting! In order to harvest enough silk needed for crosshairs in scopes during World War II, she kept up to ten thousand spiders in a room in her home! That deserves ten thousand exclamation points instead of just one, right?  Even though my work on this book started in 2017, I've never lost enthusiasm about Nan's contribution to the war effort. I HAD to write this book to share Nan's story and due to my certainty that others would find her work as a home front hero as compelling as I do.

Susan: My passion for children participating in community science has continued to grow since the 2019 release of my first picture book, BIRD COUNT.  Young children are eager to explore their environment and are natural scientists, with their keen focus and propensity for questions.  But many children—and adults as well—are instilled with a fear of bees and other stinging insects, while often celebrating butterflies.  Respect and caution are healthy, but I wanted my readers to gain the same appreciation for all of our insect pollinators

When I learned that Georgia conducted an annual insect pollinator census, which includes schoolchildren, I knew this would be my gateway!  In founder and coordinator University of Georgia Extension’s Becky Griffin, I found the perfect mentor.  She was super knowledgeable and enthusiastic about a book that would engage young participants in the census. Becky and I are pairing up for two weeks of launch events following the book’s April 15 release. The Great Southeast Pollinator Census has now expanded to include four more states—North and South Carolina, Florida, and, most recently, Alabama.  May this notion of promoting a healthy pollinator population continue to grow!      

Sara: A number of things came together. Invertebrate eggs, egg cases, and galls are fascinating, but there is so little on this topic in picture books. I especially wanted to share information about galls, which are bumps formed from the tissue of a plant in which young insects or mites develop. These unique nurseries grow when a mother insect or mite puts down chemicals on the plant while she is laying her eggs. How cool is that?!  Galls come in interesting and unique shapes, and they are easy to find and identify once you know where to look.  The book includes beautiful photographs to introduce children to galls, as well as eggs and egg cases, and to what animals are growing inside of them.

I also wanted to write a lyrical book that emphasized an empathetic approach to learning about animals. Scientific learning is often taught with a focus on taking things apart to see what is inside and how things work. But what if we wait instead and see what happens?

Christine: When I found out that the western monarch was nearly extinct, I knew I had to do something about it. I grew up going to the California coast with my parents in the winter to see millions of monarchs overwintering in the trees. It was amazing. In 2020, there were fewer than 2000 butterflies; in 2024, only about 9000. That may not be enough individuals to sustain the population.

We’ve lost so many animals already and losing the monarch seems preventable if people plant milkweed. Like pandas or koalas, monarch caterpillars can only eat one kind of food: milkweed. There’s not much of found in nature anymore because we’ve cleared land for homes or farms. Home gardeners are reluctant to grow plants that aren’t perfect even though munched leaves mean caterpillars may make it into forming a chrysalis. Also, pesticide use harms a wide range of insects.

Me: What do you hope readers take away from reading your book?

Sara

Sara: I hope readers will come away with an excitement about insect eggs, egg cases, and galls, and that they head outside to search for them. And when they find them, I hope they will be patient and kind enough to observe them over time to see what hatches out.

Christine: I hope they want to help save this amazing animal and encourage their parents, schools, and neighborhoods to plant milkweed. If that’s not possible, then I hope kids share this information so that others, who can plant milkweed, may help out.

Penny: Nan's interest in insects and spiders began when she was a child and continued into her adult years. As an adult, she continued to call her research a "hobby" but, ultimately, her skills and knowledge led to a career that she enjoyed and that also contributed to the war effort. I hope young readers will realize that childhood hobbies and interests are not only enjoyable, but important. They impact their future by nurturing creativity, helping to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills and learning about time management. Who knows, a hobby or interest might even lead to a career, just as it did for Nan Songer.

Susan:   I hope that young children and their families will develop a fascination with the tremendous diversity of these insects—and that THE GREAT POLLINATOR COUNT will inspire them to go outside and observe their own local pollinators.  Another of my hopes is that this book will help people draw connections among all living things, and realize how important each one is to the health of our planet, and, consequently, ourselves.  Maybe readers will want to plant their own pollinator gardens at school or at home, contribute data to local and regional counts, or nurture a desire to learn more on the path to becoming stewards of their environment.  

Me:  As someone who’s been counting pollinators for the past 16 years with the Great Sunflower Project, I agree! I know that counting bees has made me more aware of the need to plant more pollinator flowers.

So … what can we do this Earth Day and every day to help make our world a better place for bugs?

Susan

Susan: Earth Day is the perfect time to launch an initiative with your children, whether you are a teacher, librarian, parent, or other educator or caregiver.  It’s never too early to start developing habits of observation and care that can continue all year and  throughout a lifetime.  Growing and observing the life cycle of a garden or a garden insect, conducting counts, developing research projects or presentations, or writing letters to advocate for local conservation efforts are all wonderful ways to honor our friends the arthropods and improve all of our lives.  

Christine: Hearing bad news isn’t fun, but if we take a moment to realize our impact on the planet then, maybe, we will do one thing to help out the animals and plants we share our world with. Delving into this kind of information can be overwhelming and saddening. I tell myself that I can’t change everything but I can change something.

Penny: Learning what arthropods contribute to our environment is a good first step. In the case of spiders, eating insects is their main contribution. Did you know that spiders eat four hundred million to eight hundred million tons of insects each year and that a single spider eats around two thousand insects a year! By controlling the insect population, spiders reduce the need for chemical pesticides. Spiders also minimize the spread of disease since many of the insects they eat carry diseases that are harmful to humans and animals. 

This Earth Day, make your yard spider-friendly by planting tall sturdy plants to give them a place to spin. Provide a water source such as a bird bath. A thin layer of mulch, leaves or grass clippings will help protect them from the elements. These tips will also attract other insects that contribute to the environment and  will provide plenty of meals for the spiders.

Sara:  Please don’t use pesticides on your yard. Encourage native plants to grow, which provide food and shelter for native bugs. And when you see a bug inside you can’t live with, don’t kill it. Instead, go get a glass and a piece of paper to help safely bring it outside. 

Me: I know I could talk bugs all day long, but my coffee cup is empty. Please drop by our websites and blogs, and remember to go outside and get to know some awesome arthropods.

Flutter over to Christine Van Zandt website at christinevanzandt.com 

Penny Parker Klostermann has spun her website at  pennyklostermann.com  

Sara Levine nurtures stories and more at www.saralevinebooks.com

Susan E. Richmond counts bees at www.susanedwardsrichmond.com

I hang my bug net over at www.sueheavenrich.com