Discussion
Reflections on Life by Donna Fox (HKB) in Review
Since I started my journey on Vocal and found poetry, I have referred to myself as an accidental poet. It was never my intention when joining this platform, but then it took my soul captive and put a gun to its head. I fear it may shoot some day if I ever decide not to pen something poetic. That's something to look forward to, eh?
By Paul Stewart3 months ago in BookClub
The Music Box That Played Lives
A music box played a different tune for each listener. A widow heard her wedding song. A child heard a lullaby never sung to him. A traveler heard footsteps on gravel—the rhythm of every place he’d wandered. When the box broke, silence filled the room. Then, from within the silence, came a single note that belonged to everyone. People realized the box had not broken; it had completed its final symphony: the shared music of being alive.
By GoldenSpeech3 months ago in BookClub
The Orchard of Sleepless Trees
A small village had an orchard whose trees never slept. They rustled and shifted even on windless nights. Locals believed the trees were nourished by dreams: every time someone hoped sincerely, a new blossom appeared. During a difficult winter, hope dwindled and branches grew bare. A girl climbed one tree and whispered all the dreams she was too afraid to say aloud. By morning the orchard was heavy with fruit — warm, glowing, fragrant. Villagers ate from the branches, each fruit holding a dream of its own. They realized hope never disappears; it only waits for someone brave enough to feed it again.
By GoldenSpeech3 months ago in BookClub
book review: Trail of the Lost by Andrea Lankford
There is a lot to be (positively) said about “Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail” by Andrea Lankford, which is jammed with information, readable, and tackles the tangled complexity that is searching for lost people in the wilderness. There are no neat answers because this is not a neat situation. While this can be frustrating to some, it’s reality and reality is sometimes very frustrating and uncooperative; which is well reflected in the text. If you’re interested in nature, true crime, and/or wilderness rescue, this is a good read satisfying in its thoroughness without being winded or dry. It’s not your usual true crime or hiking book which is its strength; the biggest strength being the author’s ability to not be constrained to any singular field and in the connections she makes.
By Chaia Levi3 months ago in BookClub
Is it Ethical to Use Bookstores as a Showroom?. Top Story - November 2025.
There is nothing quite like the joy of wandering around a bookstore. I love digging through the shelves and finding a hidden gem. I love the smell of the worn paper and the background noise of other customers flipping through pages.
By Kera Hollow3 months ago in BookClub
Writing Beyond the Paycheck:
In the modern digital world, creative writing is often measured by the number of views, reads, and comments, among other metrics, which can overlook the joy of writing. Most writers focused on publishing pieces on platforms like Vocals, hoping to reach readers and earn a little income. Yet, writing is something far more than money, as it is a sense of creativity, exploration, and unique thinking that cannot be monetized.
By Wathsala Rathnayaka3 months ago in BookClub
