Rebecca M. Douglass, Author

This book is part of my "series" of books about walking.   Title: Wanderers: A History of Women Walking Author: Kerri Andrews Publication info : 2020, Reaktion Books, 288 pages Source: Library Publisher's Blurb (Goodreads): Offering a beguiling view of the history of walking, Wanderers guides us through the different ways of seeing—of being—articulated by ten pathfinding women writers. “A wild portrayal of the passion and spirit of female walkers and the deep sense of ‘knowing’ that they found along the path.”—Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path   “I opened this book and instantly found that I was part of a conversation I didn't want to leave. A dazzling, inspirational history.”—Helen Mort, author of No Map Could Show Them This is a book about ten women over the past three hundred years who have found walking essential to their sense of themselves, as people and as writers. Wanderers traces their footsteps, from eighteenth-century parson’s daughter Eliz...

I'll be a bit AWOL for a couple of weeks, as I restore my soul with a bit of wilderness. You'll get a photo post somewhere in here, but mostly I'll see you on June 3 for the next IWSG post!    ☕ Buy me a coffee--or buy my ebooks     ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2026  As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated. 
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I first wrote and shared this story in 2016. You can draw your own conclusions about those seven brothers ;)   Blanche and the Seven Brothers   Blanche looked around the dingy cottage and nodded. It was as it should be. Just like in the stories. She’d be all right there.   Blanche had made her escape from the usual home problems. Pa was all right, mostly, but Marjorie—no way was Blanche ever going to call that woman “Ma”—was a real piece of work, and Pa was too weak to stop her. Whatever went on in this cottage, it would be better than staying with her. And the cottage was really rather charming under the dirt. It just needed the touch of a good woman to straighten things up, like the stories said.   The occupants would be laborers, of course. They always were. And there would be seven of them. Always seven—a lot to take care of but Blanche was used to hard work. It wouldn’t be bad at all, if they treated her well. And they would, because that was the ...

I'm posting this morning with the Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays blog hop. The hop is sponsored by  Greg Pattridge of Always in the Middle . Check out Greg's blog for a list of additional middle grade reviews.    I plucked a copy of Paint the Wind out of one of the dozen or so Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood, mostly because I have read other books by Ryan and liked them, and also because I was in the mood for a good horse story. Title: Paint the Wind Author: Pam Muñoz Ryan Publication Info : 2007, Scholastic. 328 pages (paperback). Source: Little Free Library Publisher's Blurb (from Goodreads) : This epic horse story, in the tradition of BLACK STALLION, marks exciting new territory for one of our most treasured and celebrated novelists. A puzzling photograph, a box filled with faded toy horses, and a single fractured memory are all that Maya has left of her mother. In Grandmother house, she lives like a captive, tethered by rules... until a shocking e...

Well, last weekend I got confused and gave you both photos and fiction ! (I also forgot the title!). This is what happens when I try to get things ready ahead of time, and you can consider it advance payment for the posts I'm going to miss later this month while I'm out hiking. I'd forgotten that after hiking to Laguna Torres, the next day we hiked to a viewpoint overlooking the same lake (Loma del Pliegue Tumbado). It was an incredibly windy day; I remember feeling like I needed to hang onto someone or something to avoid being blown off the summit. We started the day with the fantastic sunrise that features in a number of photos I've already shared. Once the sunrise was over, we raced to the trailhead to get going on the day's hike, which was nearly 12 miles and almost 4000' of gain and loss. I believe we took the next day off! Here are some highlights, again all are Dave's photos: Patagonia has some interesting plants. Dave identified these as Calceolaria...

  It's the first Wednesday of the month again already, and time for my IWSG post!    Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds (and come on, we're all insecure in some way)! Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to the IWSG page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! Otherwise, whe...

I'm posting this morning with the Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays blog hop. The hop is sponsored by  Greg Pattridge of Always in the Middle . Check out Greg's blog for a list of additional middle grade reviews.    After winning a copy of Kelly's  The Blue Hearts  in a giveaway, I have gone down the rabbit hole, reading my way through her opus. This one comes before the events in  The Secret Language of Birds , and there is some character overlap.   Title : Song for a Whale Author : Lynne Kelly Publication Info: Delacourt, 2019. 320 pages. Source : Library Publisher's Blurb:  From fixing the class computer to repairing old radios, twelve-year-old Iris is a tech genius. But she’s the only deaf person in her school, so people often treat her like she’s not very smart. If you’ve ever felt like no one was listening to you, then you know how hard that can be. When she learns about Blue 55, a real whale who is unable to speak to other whales, Ir...