---
title: Weekend Bookshelf- If You Think It, You Can Ink It
description: "Explore The Maple Staple’s Spotlight Shelf: poetry, memoir and children’s stories that nurture mindfulness, emotional wellbeing and everyday imagination."
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2025-11-21T13:55:48.000Z
updated: 2026-02-26T15:52:06.416Z
canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/weekend-bookshelf-if-you-think-it-you-can-ink-it
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/weekend-bookshelf-2.jpg
categories: Books
content_type: Book Review
region: Global
publication: Rich Woman Magazine
---

Some books feel like old friends, the kind that offer comfort without asking too much, nudge you to see the world differently and leave you with something to think about long after you’ve closed the cover. These are the books you recommend without hesitation, the ones that somehow capture what it means to pay attention to the small, tender details of daily life.

## Your Real Story Matters Now

Weekend Bookshelf showcases exactly this sort of creative work: a thoughtful collection that blends heartfelt memoirs with friendship tales, poetry that celebrates the everyday and children’s stories that sparkle with imagination. Each title shows how the most profound connections often come from the most ordinary encounters—whether that’s a walk through a cemetery, a year spent watching a garden turtle or the simple act of rescuing a puppy.

In a cultural moment increasingly drawn to [quiet, contemplative reading experiences](https://bookriot.com/book-trends-2024/), there’s something deeply appealing about books that invite us to slow down and notice. Recent literary trends show readers seeking [emotional respite through introspective works](https://www.newyorker.com/best-books-2025) that emphasise personal reflection over fast-paced narratives.

The common thread running through these selections isn’t just their gentle tone, but their authors’ remarkable ability to find meaning in moments others might miss entirely. [Poetry and memoir encourage mindfulness and presence](https://www.everyday-mindfulness.org/the-healing-power-of-poetry-a-key-to-contemplation-and-tranquillity/), helping readers process emotions and find solace in ordinary experiences. Rather than offering escapism, they invite us to pay closer attention to what’s actually here.

### Beauty in Unexpected Places

[Vincent J. Tomeo’s ‘My Cemetery Friends](https://amzn.to/3LOBzX3): A Garden of Encounters at Mount Saint Mary in Queens, New York’ turns what many would consider an unlikely setting into something unexpectedly moving. Born and raised in Corona, Queens, Tomeo has travelled the globe—from South Korea to Morocco—but found his most contemplative material in the cemetery walks that became a meditation on life, nature and human connection.

His poetry has earned recognition including Best Overall Free Verse from United Poets Laureate International, and one of his works was even sculpted in marble in Italy. In ‘My Cemetery Friends’, Tomeo shows his particular gift for converting overlooked moments into profound experiences. Each walk becomes a conversation with stories seldom told—veterans whose sacrifices are forgotten, names lost to time—yet beauty, gratitude and regeneration emerge even in spaces associated with endings.

### Finding Joy in the Everyday

After 25 years as a business consultant, strategic adviser and executive coach, Karen Rae Taylor Ritzer brings that same observational sharpness to ‘[Poetically Speaking: Karen’s Rays of Thoughts and Observations on Life](https://amzn.to/4a2k8ft)‘. Her collection captures both life’s big milestones and its smaller daily joys—retirement musings, travel memories, love letters to ordinary moments that make life remarkable.

What makes her work especially engaging is how she weaves together poetry with personal stories, adding two original songs that give her storytelling a lyrical quality. Her warm humour ensures that even the simplest moments shine, creating the sort of book you keep nearby for those times when you need reminding that beauty often hides in the everyday. Like other [gentle stories that celebrate quiet moments](https://richwoman.co/article/gentle-stories-are-the-bedtime-favourites-exciting-adventures-of-whiskers-and-tails-is-out), her work nurtures emotional wellbeing through careful attention to life’s details.

### A Year of Patient Observation

Perhaps no story better shows the magic of paying attention than [Audrey Addi-McNeil’s ‘365 Days in the Life of PG’](https://amzn.to/44nyAuO). What began as a brief encounter with a garden turtle named Pauline-George became a year-long relationship documented through daily journal entries. Born in Jamaica and now residing in Atlanta, Addi-McNeil spent nearly 40 years as a nurse before retirement—experience that shows in her compassionate, patient approach to observation.

The book goes beyond simple nature writing to become a meditation on finding joy in unassuming places. Her writing, infused with lifelong faith and compassion, turns an ordinary garden journal into something deeper—a study of love, patience and the importance of caring for all living things. Readers often find themselves smiling and perhaps motivated to notice the quiet lives unfolding in their own backyards.

### Hope Through Hardship

Charlotte J. Shanley draws on 25 years as a schoolteacher, Sunday school teacher, mother and grandmother for [‘Mellea’](https://amzn.to/3LYoIRY)—the true story of a mixed brindle boxer puppy who survives hardship alongside her brother Max. The narrative weaves together themes of kindness, care and divine providence, with Mellea finding new life through a woman whose own story includes surviving a near-death experience.

Anchored by the message from Jeremiah 29:11 that God’s plans always include hope and a future, this story offers children an encouraging example of resilience, trust and love’s healing power. [Faith-driven storytelling](https://richwoman.co/article/brenda-helton-and-the-quiet-power-of-faithful-storytelling-at-the-la-times-festival-of-books) like Shanley’s provides children with authentic narratives about grace and spiritual growth. Her deep understanding of how children process difficult emotions shines through every page.

### Secrets of the Magic Portal

Born in Mendoza, Argentina and raised in the United States, Mariela Tragash brings her multicultural perspective to ‘[Secrets of the Magic Portal’](https://amzn.to/489GBVg). Her middle-grade fantasy follows eleven-year-old Benet as he discovers a mysterious attic in a centuries-old Tuscan villa, where paintings become gateways to adventures featuring pirates, ancient kingdoms and hidden histories.

As a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, with a background in communication, acting and public speaking, Tragash combines heart-pounding adventure with meaningful themes of friendship, bravery and discovery. Her passion for art, history and storytelling creates a tale that feels both thrilling and thoughtfully grounded. Like other [children’s books that celebrate family life and emotional growth](https://richwoman.co/article/barb-taylor-s-children-books-finding-joy-in-the-little-moments-with-family), her work guides young readers through important developmental moments.

In our sister publications like Rich Books Magazine, we offer more selections that featured diverse genres and independent authors, covering themes of faith, personal narratives, courage, family, imagination and cultural understanding while highlighting underrepresented voices. Each month, one title receives prime placement both in-store and online, including banner display on the landing page. This curatorial approach recognises something important: books that explore empathy and personal experience help readers feel seen and understood by addressing shared emotions like joy, frustration and resilience.

For those ready to explore more captivating titles, The Weekend Bookshelf’s Digital Spotlight Shelf and Digital PR in the Quantum of Light Magazine, offer easy access to works that inspire reflection, spark imagination and celebrate life’s full spectrum of experiences.

## If You Think it, You Can Ink It

These authors share something beyond literary skill—they possess the curiosity to notice what others might dismiss. Tomeo finds stories among forgotten grave markers. Addi-McNeil discovers companionship in a garden turtle’s daily habits. Ritzer turns retirement observations into celebration. Shanley sees hope in a rescue puppy’s journey. Tragash weaves history and adventure into childhood wonder.

The real magic isn’t in the subject matter but in the energy they put into their writing, the way they have learned to see ordinary moments as worthy of contemplation, worthy of sharing, worthy of turning into something that might comfort or inspire someone else. [Literature helps readers find solace](https://medium.com/@chloeegbukwu/finding-solace-and-comfort-in-literature-dabc7545bcd9) by portraying human connections and experiences, encouraging us to embrace life’s complexities. Many people struggle to listen to their own thoughts because the week fills their minds with existing commitments and noise.

They convince themselves that their ideas are not worthy, that their dreams are unrealistic, or that their voices are too small to matter. The Weekend Bookshelf gently challenges those assumptions. It reminds you that every thought carries value and that every idea deserves a chance to live on the page.

Perhaps that’s what makes these books feel like friends you can trust: they model a way of moving through the world with eyes wide open, hearts receptive to surprise, ready to find meaning in the most unexpected encounters. In a time when so much demands our attention, they offer something rarer, an invitation to notice the small details already surrounding us, waiting to be discovered. For readers seeking [authentic self-discovery and mindful approaches to wellbeing](https://richwoman.co/article/why-the-art-of-self-therapy-speaks-to-women-tired-of-shortcuts-real-stories-real-healing), these stories provide gentle pathways to reflection and growth.

The weekend often arrives like an unwrapped gift at the end of a long, demanding week. It brings a pause that many of us desperately need but rarely allow ourselves to embrace. When the noise settles and the world slows down, you could finally hear the thoughts that have been waiting beneath the surface. Sometimes, a book can help you find unspoken words… This is a chance to step out of the pressure of daily race and into your inner world.
