fiction – Prolific Pulse Blog

From Classroom to Children’s Books — An Interview with Emma L. Sembly

For Emma L. Sembly, every story teaches a lesson, and every life is a story.

Emma is a life-long storyteller and lover of stories. As a child, Emma loved telling fantastical tales, starting with a captive audience consisting of her little sister. After she grew up, Emma continued to create stories that her students loved.

With a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Elmhurst College and a master’s degree in reading from Johns Hopkins University, Emma set out on a thirty-seven-year journey as an educator in the Baltimore City Public School System, where she taught children with different abilities on both elementary and high school levels. During that time, she also created stories for her own daughter and niece, then for her grandchildren and great nieces.

Now, Emma creates stories for children of all ages, especially the young at heart.

Emma also has a podcast, Just Folks: Conversations with Emma, in which she provides a platform where regular, everyday humans can share their own stories with listeners of all persuasions. Life lessons shared.

Drawing and writing poetry are among Emma’s favorite things to do. She also enjoys planting red flowers around her home. And when she’s not chatting it up with her kitty of thirteen years, she’s having a blast with both of her Favorite Number One Grandchildren.

“What I have learned as a writer and podcaster, is that our stories, our bedtime stories, our fables, are the gateways to life’s lessons,” Emma says, “and we all have a story to tell.”

https://emmaleesembly.com/
https://www.prolificpulse.com/emmalsembly

In a meadow full of chirping, squawking, climbing, crawling creatures, Mr. Krippet is the most industrious, well-mannered, and well-respected of them all. Known for his magnificent tenor voice and his skill as a shoemaker for the ants, he’s spent all summer singing, working, and making friends. But winter is coming — and Mr. Krippet has nowhere to live and nothing stored away to eat. Will he make the baker’s acquaintance — and earn a place by the fire — before the first snow falls? Written by veteran educator Emma L. Sembly and illustrated by Lesley Scoble, with a foreword by celebrated poet Zaneta V. Johns, Mr. Krippet is a gentle, richly imagined tale about dedication, preparation, and friendship. It’s a natural companion to classic fable-and-fall stories about industriousness and community — perfect for bedtime, classroom read-alouds, and quiet corner adventures. Author: Emma L. Sembly – Illustrator: Lesley Scoble – Foreword: Zaneta V. Johns

Get the book: https://www.prolificpulse.com/emmalsembly #MrKrippet #ChildrensBooks #ReadAloud #BedtimeStory #KidsBooks

Announcements, Book Announcements, book launch, Book Reviews, Celebrations, novella, Short Fiction, short story

Echoes of Destiny – Short Stories of the Unexpected by Glennie Moore is Now Released!

May 31, 2026May 31, 2026 Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld

About the Author

Glennie Moore is a semi-retired substitute teacher who enjoys writing Christian fiction, weaving elements of the gospel in every story. She holds a B.A. in English from North Carolina State University and a Master of Divinity in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She enjoys teaching Sunday School and Bible study as well as family gatherings, photography and observing nature.

About the Book

In Echoes of Destiny – Short Stories of the Unexpected, nothing is as it appears and everything changes once destiny arrives – unannounced. This collection of short stories and a novella explore what happens when life takes an irreversible turn and it’s the stranger we meet, the enemy we fear or the unseen spirits who guide us toward our destiny. Journey through time where the past collides with the present and the ordinary with the extraordinary.

In Inside the Flame, a woman escaping an abusive marriage seeks refuge in a cabin by the lake until an intruder on the property shatters her peace. But the stranger she holds at gunpoint rekindles a love she thought was lost forever.

In Unlikely Allies, two feuding coworkers are stranded on a desolate country road only to be “rescued” by a dangerous hate group. Can they put aside their grievances and trust one another in what becomes a literal fight for their lives.

In Picture Perfect, travel photographer, Kayla, on assignment in the beautiful Bahamas meets a grieving widower with his young daughter and finds unexpected love. But his heart is lost in the past until a benevolent spirit reveals the love they secretly share – in the perfect picture.

In The Unquiet Guest, Shoney Harris, owner of a bed and breakfast restored from an old plantation home, is visited by the ghost of an enslaved man seeking justice for a centuries old murder he never committed. Only Shoney can free him from the hidden lies of the past.

In Echoes of Destiny, the title novella, two infants who miraculously survive a tragic accident capture the townspeople in a cultic devotion and a prophecy declaring them bound by divine intervention. Decades later, their paths unexpectedly cross and they discover the destiny the townspeople spoke over them. Feeling the heavy mantle of expectation placed upon their heads, they must decide if their undeniable connection is one of true love or the lingering echoes of a past that won’t let go.

In this collection, stories of mystery, revelation, love, and the twist of fate, takes us on a journey that proves it is the unexpected that truly defines us.

What Others Have to Say

In Echoes of Destiny by Glennie Moore, strangers become lifelines, enemies become allies, and lives collide in unexpected ways when ordinary people face extraordinary moments. A woman frightened of an abusive marriage finds unexpected comfort beside a lonely lake. Two rivals trapped in a nightmare must depend on each other to survive. Mysterious prophecy binds two souls across decades. Filled with suspense, romance, heartbreak, and hope, this collection will leave readers questioning whether destiny is written or created by the choices we make.

Munmun Samanta author of Yellow Chrysanthemum

Echoes of Destiny by Glennie Moore is aptly named. As you read each story, you recognize a crossing of the future into the present. Each character has a specific purpose of revealing the secrets of the past and showing how they affect the present and the future. Each story shows the supernatural part of life that is out of our control. The collection of short stories and the novella will keep the lover of a love story tuned in.

G. Elaine Sneed – Customer Contact Specialist

These short stories are exceptionally well written, and the way suspense is built is breathtaking. Each story is phenomenal in its own right. Which one was my favorite? Honestly, I don’t know. Every time I finished one, I was convinced it was my favorite… until I read the next. Each story brought something fresh and compelling that made it hard to choose just one. Scripture was woven in perfectly.

What stood out most to me is how these stories highlight the value of relationships. They remind us not to minimize their importance. When relationships begin with strain, they can only get better. And when they begin well, they establish a standard for what greatness in relationships can look like. These stories beautifully echo what Glennie Moore says: “It is the unexpected that truly defines us.” That idea lingers long after the stories end. It causes me to reflect on my own relationships. I found myself asking: What will I do when the unexpected brings me joy? And how will I respond when my relationships bring unexpected sorrow?

Lori Jones Moss – Author of My Heavenly Father’s Eyes: A Relationship-Building Study, Mental Health and Professional Life Coach

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Announcements, Book Announcements, Podcasts, Poets & Events, writing

ANNOUNCEMENT! “Cancer Courts My Mother” by LindaAnn LoSchiavo is Now Available

November 5, 2025 Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld

Defying expectations, a caregiver’s journey is told as a story of adultery.
   In "Cancer Courts My Mother" by LindaAnn LoSchiavo, disease becomes a Casanova.
Book Awards:
Winner of . . . .
Award nomination: The Brew Awards, nominee, The Chrysalis BREW Project
Award nomination: CLMP’s Firecracker Award

In "Cancer Courts My Mother," a daughter becomes caregiver to her
abusive, soul-scorching mother, discovering that tending to the dying can unexpectedly
heal the living. In this intimate drama, cancer plays Casanova—a relentless suitor
determined to steal a mother from her family.
Essence: Defying expectations, a caregiver’s journey is told as a story of adultery.
In "Cancer Courts My Mother" by LindaAnn LoSchiavo, disease becomes a
Casanova.
Death ends a life but memories hang on.

Haiku Summary:

Cancer’s intrusions
cannot prevent lifelong wounds
from healing

Advanced Acclaim:

When an adult child becomes caretaker for a parent with cancer, family dynamics shift
profoundly. In “Cancer Courts My Mother,” LindaAnn LoSchiavo captures this complex
journey through poetry that balances tenderness with brutal honesty. She navigates
caregiving’s challenges with grace, inviting readers to witness the delicate interplay of
love and fear while portraying her mother as a fully realized, complex human being. The
journey isn’t pretty—sometimes the words are fierce—but this collection digs deep into
universal experiences of loss and care.
― Kellie Scott Reed, Poetry Editor, Roi Fainéant(USA)

In “Cancer Courts My Mother,” LindaAnn LoSchiavo chronicles an emotional journey
through varied poetic forms. She weaves a metaphor of nurturing plants back to life
while her mother finds remission, then faces cancer’s return. The collection reconciles
memories of a difficult mother with the current, vulnerable one—”Bad memories are
cadavers that refuse burial.” As both subject and narrator, LoSchiavo illuminates the
delicate balance between personal autonomy and familial duty.
― Karen Cline-Tardiff, poet and Editor-in-Chief of Gnashing Teeth Publishing
(USA)

Real and harried, purposeful and comprehensive, when understanding is sought and
reason is not always kind, “Cancer Courts My Mother” provides readers with great
measures of meaning.
― Matt Potter, Editor-in-Chief of Pure Slush Publishing (Australia) and
author of “Hamburgers and Berliners”

Peter Mladinic’s Review

Remembering Remission Christmas

They’d bickered over her like two suitors:
Vitality, her birthright, who had known
My mother well before her married life,
And Cancer, who’d mapped out his own terrain,
Unravelled secret strands of resistance,
Until oncologists chased him away.

Remission Christmas reunited us,
Our joy like steam escaping after frost.

I shipped my gifts to Florida ahead:
Biscotti, pignola cookies, torrone
From Little Italy, fine leather goods,
And for her green thumb, a red amaryllis.

But Safety Harbor’s Gulf of Mexico,
Producing Christmastime’s Cancerian
Heat in December, had confused this bulb.

Amidst the presents and nativity,
Its empty cradle strewn with straw, green life
Ripped up gay mummy wrapping, and tore loose,
Unhampered by its ground like Lazarus
Unbound. My parents, unprepared for ghosts
Of miracles, became unnerved by sounds
Newborn right by their crèche, the fir tree’s base,
Invisible and inexplicable
Like faith. Or like remission. After Mass,
They found a determined amaryllis, force
Which sleeps but cannot die, that mother took to heart.

LindaAnn LoSchiavo

Order Your Copy Today

While you are waiting for your copy to arrive, enjoy this interview with the lovely LindaAnn LoSchiavo

Announcements, Book Announcements, children's books

ANNOUNCEMENT! It’s Book Release Day for Ellen Kolman’s “Crabby Abby the Decorator Crab’s Big Heart”

October 30, 2025 Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld

We are excited to share this new release of Crabby Abby the Decorator Crab’s Big Heart!

Crabby Abby is a decorator crab who literally looks like a sparkly boutique on ten legs! Abby’s clothing choices are unusual but so is Abby. Decorator crabs use whatever materials are nearby to camouflage themselves from predators. Abby is not worried about her safety; she just wants to pile on all the clothing and accessories she can because she loves them all!

Get yours now!

What Reviewers Say:

Crabby Abby the Decorator Crab’s Big Heart by Ellen Kolman is a colorful story about friendship, forgiveness and God’s love. When Abby the Crab starts a new school she struggles to fit in because she’s different and many of her classmates make fun of her. But there is one kind sea animal who comes alongside her and teaches Abby an important lesson from John 3:16 that helps her to forgive those who have hurt her. In the end, Abby shows kindness to her classmates even when it’s hard and she makes many new friends! This book delivers an important message that will make an eternal impact on young readers!

Karen Ferguson, author of the Questions for Kids series and Podcast Host of 5-Minute Parenting

This story was lovely. We enjoyed the different characters and how well you described them. We loved the journey Crabby Abby went on and the lovely message the book had – I personally loved the way it pointed to Jesus.

Kayley Bernhardt, Durban, South Africa

Mom of two girls ages 5 &; 7

I really liked this story! I liked how Abby had first day of school jitters, because it reminded me of my first day of school and how I was nervous. I also love how the characters are sea creatures, because those are my favorite animals. Lastly, I liked how Abby forgives Gabby by giving her a tiara. Friendship and forgiveness are a great thing.I rate this book 5 stars!

Logan Kish, Madison, Ohio

Age 11

Check out this interview with Ellen Kolman. We had a lot of fun!

About Ellen Kolman, Author:

Ohio native, Ellen Kolman is an award winning author driven by a passion to teach children the love of Jesus. She has been teaching and entertaining children in the church and Christian school settings for more than 35 years. Her young students inspired her to write stories to help them understand kindness, forgiveness, empathy, and friendship. Seeds of Sunshine, (2024 Firebird Book Award Winner), is her first published book. The vision for Ellen’s books is to provide Christian families with sweet engaging stories about sharing Jesus’ love and forgiveness with those around usEllen and her husband Andy have five adult children and three grandchildren. Learn more at EllenKolman.com

About Kaelen Felix, Illustrator:

Kaelen Felix is a children’s book illustrator, graphic artist, and poet from the Saint Louis, Missouri area, where she also currently resides as a freelancer who has been specializing in this field since 2018. Ms. Felix is a graduate of Memphis College of Art where she obtained her BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in Illustration and has been professionally creating children’s books for clients that can be seen on Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Books-A-Million, Bookshop, Booktopia, Goodreads, Walmart, plus more. Learn ore at KaelenFelix.com

How would you like a Coloring Book with Crabby Abby? Here you go!

Enjoy the fun of coloring the characters from Crabby Abby, the Decorator Crab. A lovely companion or standalone book, this coloring and activity book offers opportunotes to encourage imagination and creativity. There are several pages with characters from the Crabby Abby story plus challenges to draw and color the characters. Have fun with your child and become their coloring companion. You can even read Crabby Abby the Decorator Crab’s Big Heart while children color. What great family fun!

By now, you surely want to get copies of this sweet book and companion coloring book…

Here’s the link to get yours! And, take a gander at the discount when you buy direct.

Crabby Abby Purchase Links and More

Book Reviews, short story

Peter Mladinic’s “The Light of Day,” a review of “Yellow Chrysanthemum”

August 2, 2025 Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld

The Light of Day, a review of Yellow Chrysanthemum by Munmun Samanta. Prolific Pulse LLC. Raleigh, North Carolina. 2025.

In “Sia’s Dream of Dawn” a woman is alone in a garden, thinking, and very attuned to her surroundings. Readers at first think she may be an artist and she’s going to paint the sky. As the story unfolds, readers learn she’s a writer, and it’s as if she’s giving the sky a story, with characters, a plot, a conflict to be developed, heightened, and resolved. And she is. And the sky’s story, like clouds in a river, mirrors the writers. It’s original, poetic, and well worth reading again. Yellow Chrysanthemum as a collection is a story of struggle. Sia “loves this part of the garden. But more than that she loves this confluence of light and shadow.” A struggle to be honest with herself. The collection comprises a struggle for freedom as an artist; for freedom as a wife, daughter, mother, sibling; and for freedom as a person, for equality. “But conventional society never teaches a woman to strike back,” the narrator says in “Written in Blood.”

The stories that depict artists, and scholars are: “Peacock’s Feather,” “Sia’s Dream of Dawn,” “Come Back Somlata,” “Long-forgotten Line,” “A Girl Made of Darkness,” which also involves an individual’s struggle to overcome a society’s prejudice; “Lullaby,” as it invokes the bonding of mother and daughter through song; and “Mad Woman in the Attic,” the story of a woman married to a man who is a successful writer and an emotionally cold, distant husband. His books show empathy for others, but the women in his books reject the woman, just as he does, so she burns his books (his women), and feels at peace.

Stories that involve the struggle of women as members of families are: “Mother India,” “The Caged Bird,” “The Scar,” “Beast of Burden,” “Bright Big Bananas,” “Written in Blood,” and “Uproot.” “Mother India,” the first story in the collection is about hunger and poverty, a mother’s plight to feed herself and her children. It is very visceral; readers feel the hunger in it, and the mother’s desperation. “Uproot,” also about a mother, is contemplative. Should the protagonist stay where she is, or give into her married son’s wish that she leave her home, her job of teaching very young children, and go far away to live with him and his wife? Like “Sia’s Dream …” “Uproot” is a garden story. It begins with Sumita telling the children how a monkey-gardener uprooted trees, to analyze how much water they needed. The children are as delighted with their teacher as she is them, and in the end the story comes back to the garden.

While “Special Dish” has shades of scholastic research, it is primarily a story of the bonding of two women from different classes in society. “A Home of One’s Own,” while it involves family, depicts the plight of women in society at large, a society that says in its morays and traditions that women have no home, the home is the man’s. And in this story, there’s this wonderful sentence: “People say many things, but things are different.” Other stories that involve a woman’s struggle for equality are: “Uma,” “The Kitten and Cleopatra,” and “The Shut Door.” In all these, the plight of one woman is the plight of many.

In “The Shut Door” the narrator says, “It happens sometimes you cannot recognize yourself.” All twenty stories have the unstated adage “be honest with yourself.” Each is an attempt to arrive at some truth. Some stories seem sketched in gray pencils, others in dark blue ink. The light of day is the page on which the story appears. Labels limit. The struggle of the artist, the wife and mother, and the individual all intersect, or seem to, many of them. But in each the author, Munmun Samanta has made a thing of beauty, from her imagination, her vision, and her skill with words. These are stories that ring true; stories of India, of women, of lived lives.

Open her book and see for yourself. You’ll be rewarded. ProlificPulse.com

Peter Mladinic‘s most recent book of poems, Maiden Rock is available from UnCollected Press. An animal rights advocate, he lives in Hobbs, New Mexico, United States.

Maiden Rock: Mladinic, Peter: 9798990558557: Amazon.com: Books