Over the last year I have read and reviewed three multi-author anthologies and found them intriguing and also relatable in many ways. Anthologies is a wonderful way to introduce new writers, offer bloggers an opportunity to be published and offers a varied and interesting opportunity to discover a fresh perspective on life.
The first anthology edited by Yvette Prior who also shares her own contribution is This is How We Work Stories, Memoirs and Poems about the Social Dimensions of Work.
Yvette Prior Contributing Editor andJoseph Jerome Dwyer, PhD, Sherri Matthews, Mabel Kwong, Brieuc Martin-Onraet, Mike. F. Martelli, PhD, Kelvin M. Knight, Geetashree Chatterjee, Chad Prior, Marsha Ingrao, Robbie Cheadle’ Frank Prem and Jeffrey D. Simmons
About the anthology
This anthology offers a thoughtful exploration of the social dimensions of work, bringing together a diverse collection of voices through memoir, fiction, and poetry. The contributors share their unique experiences of labor, identity, and motivation, revealing the complex interplay between cultural expectations, relationships, and personal growth in the workplace.
Beyond the practicalities of pay and productivity, this volume illuminates how work shapes our sense of self and community. Whether paid or unpaid, each chapter invites readers to reflect on the meaning and impact of their own work lives, fostering empathy and deeper understanding in a rapidly changing world.
Perfect for anyone interested in the real stories behind work, this book offers rich perspectives that will resonate with readers from all walks of life.
Memoir
- 2 Tech Teacher’s Transformation by Joseph Dwyer
- 3 Quiet Work of Love by Sherri Matthews
- 4 Not So Dreamy Dream Job by Mabel Kwong
- 5 Will to Work by Geetashree Chatterjee
- 6 The Paperknife Incident by Brieuc Martin-Onraet
- 7 Work Across My Career by Mike F. Martelli
Fiction
- 8 Her Promotion by Kelvin M. Knight
- 9 The Saddle of It by Kelvin M. Knight
- 10 Analog Echoes by Chad Prior
- 11 Eighty-Five Degrees for Me by Marsha Ingrao
Poetry
- 12 Behind the Glass & Steel by : Robbie Cheadle
- 13 Asylum Ghosts by Frank Prem
- 14 Just a Moment by Jeffrey Simmons
- 15 Work to Do by Yvette Prior
My review for the anthology
The contributors to this anthology, including eminent scientists, teachers, business executives, writers and poets, offer a realistic and thought provoking perspective on our working lives. For most of us work is a necessity to earn money and provide for our families. However, there are so many other elements involved as you will discover.
In my 70s I can look back at my career of over 50 years across a number of industries, and latterly as a therapist, and relate to many of the chapters in this anthology. It made for a fascinating read, and it encouraged me to reflect on some of my many career decisions over the years. And this is true, not just for the excellent chapters on work in an academic field, industry, school or business environment, but also when that labour is a personal commitment.
Having been a full- time carer for my mother for her last years, I could empathise with Sherri Matthews and her contribution “The Quiet Work of Love”.
“The truth is, I’ve been a full-time caregiver to my mother for years now. What started as gentle support gradually turned into full-time management of her well-being. Caregiving doesn’t start with one big event; it creeps in, reshaping your days slowly, almost invisibly”.
Mabel Kwong addresses the stress involved when you are being paid to be creative, where your own choices come second to the message those paying you want to project.
Kelvin Knight offers two stories with a cycling theme. The first demonstrating that going that extra mile to impress may well be a case of careful what you wish for…
Marsha Ingrao shares the challenge facing a young teacher whose young students are suffering during a heat wave, to the point when their health is severely compromised. This becomes an effective teaching moment as the class research and plan a strategy to get the problem noticed by the right people and resolved.
I can definitely relate to Robbie Cheadle’s poetry which touches on a woman’s place in the management hierarchy and what she considers to be true leadership qualities. Also how as a wife and mother, a balance must be found which rarely faces men in the same position, particularly in relation to promotion.
I’m a modern woman
I make my own choices
I didn’t have a family
To spend all my time
Trapped in board rooms
Eating biscuits and drinking coffee
While discussing old issues
Rehashed to look new
I have many hobbies
Work one of many interests
So, I stay on the second floor
They call me when they need me
Yvette Prior shares her thoughts in verse and this short extract, sums up life and work very effectively.
Life’s a dash, a vapor, a flame.
You leave a funeral not quite the same
Titles fade, so does your name
A funeral seat gives a wider view
Of life’s work and all we do.
Legacy stays behind,
God’s design, keep this in mind.
So work and live with love and grace
Because one day, we all leave this place
All the chapters offer a different perspective and if you are still working for a living, are self-employed, or retired you will find this an opportunity to reflect on your own experiences and choices. And perhaps discover some changes you can apply to your own current situation. A recommended read.
Buy the anthology: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
This was followed by the next in the This is How series This is How We Eat with many authors from the writing community you will be familiar with…
About the anthology
Food is never just nourishment; it is a lens through which we experience connection, culture, memory, emotions, and growth. The content in This is How We Eat highlights topics like special meals, everyday dishes, family recipes, baked goods, airplane food, feasts, snacks, solitary dining, communal gatherings, food interventions, and signature dishes. We also see how stressors are linked to foods, early priming, and social messages. The foods we consume and the ways we take our meals carry deep meaning. Seventeen authors came together to contribute their voices, blending fiction and nonfiction to explore the many ways food shapes our lives.
- Some stories focus on the small, intimate moments in the kitchen: the comforting ritual of making pancakes on a quiet morning, the satisfaction of slicing into a potato casserole, the making of Mum’s apple pie and learning about different types of flour, or the simple pleasure of jams, scones, and cookies. Even minor mishaps, like burnt toast or over-salted soup, become opportunities for reflection, gratitude, and insight, showing how the act of preparing and sharing food shapes our experience. Napkin folds, table arrangements, food preparation, and the careful presentation of meals highlight how food can express care, creativity, and intention.
- Other stories examine how food intersects with health, body image, and personal well-being. Experiences with vegetable dishes, indulgent red meats, and airplane meals depict social pressures and the ways personal choice influences our relationship with food. Through mindful routines and intentional meals, eating becomes a practice of self-care, reflection, learning, and emotional grounding.
- The anthology also explores the cultural and social dimensions of food: dining out alone, imagining a meal fit for a king, almost dropping a turkey while receiving shocking news, fasting for ten days, feeling unsure about what counts as a healthy diet, or preparing traditional family meals. Food carries stories across generations, marks celebrations and transitions, and reflects identity in ways that can lift us up, weigh us down, or anchor us in who we truly are. Every bite—from scones to casseroles, pancakes to apple pie, red meat to vegan dishes, or other culturally distinct foods—reveals how eating holds memory, identity, and the full complexity of human experience.
Join us as we share both fictional and nonfictional experiences about food to discover how eating brings meaning, insight, and connection to everyday life. As you read, you may feel textures under your fingers, imagine the smells of freshly baked treats, taste flavors in your mind, and maybe even lick your chops at stories about food and recipes. You might need tissues for heart-tugging moments or feel tension from social dynamics.
Contributing Authors.
- Marnie Birch (here)
- Robbie Cheadle (here)
- Donna Connolly (here)
- Joseph J. Dwyer (here)
- Nancy Franz ( here)
- Cindy Georgakas (here)
- Miriam Hurdle (here)
- Marsha Ingrao (here)
- Kelvin M. Knight (here)
- Mabel Kwong (here)
- Ana Linden (here)
- Sherri Matthews (here)
- Frank Prem (here)
- Pete Springer (here)
- Carol Ann Taylor (here)
- Gary A. Wilson (here)
My review for the anthology
There is no doubt that anyone reading this collection will relate to one or more of the stories since the theme is food. Human beings require food to survive, but those of us lucky enough to have an abundance of produce at our disposal, do not just recognise the physical requirement, but often an emotional connection, associated with the people and events in our lives.
In these stories we are invited into the lives of the writers to experience their memories, attachments to certain foods, moments when something as simple as burning a piece of toast evokes a memory of a very lucky escape. How very different Christmas in Romania was in the 1980s, when oranges were rationed and getting one as a gift was precious.
I enjoyed reading all the stories and applaud their authors for writing about their lives and their association to food with such honesty and often emotion. Clearly the concept evoked times in their lives when food brought families together, falling in love and moving a continent away or a classroom of young students baking cookies with mathematical precision. I could certainly relate to Cindy Georgakas exploration of the obsession with dieting and how it developed from the 1800s when curves were the fashion. She also shares some effective strategies for the childhood years helping children find a healthy way to relate to food that will stand them in good stead in later years.
Robbie Cheadle’s personal story demonstrates how not finding that healthy way to relate to food and exercise can result in an obsessive approach to dieting and intense exercise which she candidly shares with us. Thankfully Robbie’s approach changed dramatically when something very special changed her perspective.
Marsha Ingrao shares her cancer journey and the dieting variations she was encouraged to follow despite her sugar addiction, something many of us suffer from. At the end of the day it is a daunting challenge to stick to a very restrictive regimen, and is more likely to lead to relapses that are tough to come back from. This is mirrored by Miriam Hurdle who found financial awareness was a way to evaluate the cost of buying commercial coffee and muffins versus making her own, reaping the benefits in both income and health. This led to not one major change but small incremental ones over many years leading to a freedom most will never attain.
Yvette Prior shares her A-Z of foods and nutrients that are tried and tested over the years and it is a comprehensive list, which form a strong foundation of physical, emotional and mental health.
The literary table offers the reader a fictionalised perspective on food and Gary Wilson’s story certainly got me thinking about long haul flights I have taken and the people I met as we endured hours of static sitting. I recall often this resulted people taking the opportunity to share more personal information than usual, perhaps due to the knowledge this would be a brief encounter before going separate ways
What are also highly enjoyable are the recipes attached to the stories associated with family and memories of childhood. I will certainly be trying Donna Connolly’s Nancy Franz’s Potatoes, Marnie Birch’s Granny Mac’s Scones, Carol Taylor’s apple pies and certainly admired Gary Wilson’s creative way of getting his children to eat more vegetables. Cindy Georgakas shares a wonderful lentil soup and Robbie Cheadle’s oxtail with red wine are winter winners.
As an addition to the stories at the end of the collection, Yvette Prior shares her thoughts on each of them and awards them an appropriate Limerick which are a joy in themselves.
Food is an essential component of all our lives and this collection is a reminder of how it also bonds people together in a very special way. I also appreciate all the work that went into bringing these talented writers together to make such a compelling read. I can highly recommend.
Read the reviews and buy the collection: Amazon US– And: Amazon CA – And: Amazon UK
And the last anthology is the Story Chat Digest with many authors and poets from our writing community… Marsha Ingrao is the editor and also contributor to the stories and poetry.
Contributing authors are:
Marian Allen – Nigel Byng – Cathy Cade – Robbie Cheadle – Esther Chilton – Diana Coombs – Philip Cumberland – Miram Elen – Grant P. Ferguson – Amanda Forestwood – Darlene Foster – Cindy Georgakas – Marsha Ingrao – Doug Jacquier – Geoff Lepard – Jules Paige – Yvette Prior – Hugh W. Roberts – Sadje – Lauren Scott – J. T. Twissel – Smitha Vishwanath – Maggie Watson – Gary A. Wilson
About Story Chat Digest Where Stories Meet An Anthology of Short Stories and Poems
Story Chat Digest Where Stories Meet brings together a vibrant collection of short fiction and contemporary poetry from writers across continents. Each piece stands on its own, yet together they form a thoughtful conversation about life’s moments—large and small, joyful and difficult, humorous and reflective.
Within these pages, you’ll encounter stories that linger like candlelit conversations and poems that capture the quiet textures of everyday life. Mystery, memory, family, resilience, faith, and friendship all find their place in this rich and varied collection.
The anthology grew out of the Story Chat community—an international group of writers and readers who share a love of storytelling and the discussions stories inspire. Throughout the book, readers will find Book Club Questions and Story Chat reflections designed to encourage conversation and deeper engagement.
Whether you are reading alone or with friends, this anthology invites you to pause, reflect, and enjoy the power of stories shared across cultures and experiences.
Story Chat Digest Where Stories Meet is more than a collection of writing—it is an invitation to join the circle where stories meet, and conversations begin.
My review for the anthology
This is a multi-genre anthology with stories and poems that explore and capture the many different sides to life and its impact on us.
This is not just a collection of stories, as the reader is also invited into a book club chat room where the short stories and poetry are discussed, offering a more intimate inclusion for a reader as they are introduced to the contributing writers. All the stories are to be celebrated but I have selected a few to highlight.
Certainly the stories will keep you fully engaged from the first page where Cathy Cade, kicks the collection off with ‘But Is It Poetry?’, exploring the departure from rhyming poetry to free verse…which she achieved with great skill. As she did in a following ‘Acrostic’ poem…Another poem which was thought provoking was Robbie Cheadle’s ‘Invisible’ which was a reminder of how grateful we should be for all we have.
This is followed by the story ‘All About Sophia’ by Nigel Byng and her ambitions in life, which certainly resulted in some interesting interactions with others, which served to showcase her creative thinking. This resulted in quite the discussion between the members of the book club and I can understand why..
The stories vary in length and it was in the Flash Fiction where you will find some compelling gems. ‘The Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse’ by Doug Jacquier captured the devastation caused by fire. And if you are in the habit of talking to your domestic helpers, then you will relate to Marsha Ingrao’s ‘Creative Snow Removal’.
There are some stories which will break your heart such as ‘Going Home’ by Esther Chilton. As does Geoff LePard’s poem ‘How Do I Love You’ and Darlene Foster’s mystery ‘The Right Wrong Man’ will keep you guessing right to the end. As does The ‘Shrew of Termagant Court’ by Gary A. Wilson.
Hugh Roberts offers a masterclass in the art of Flash Fiction… a tricky form of storytelling but very satisfying when done with skill. As you will discover when you read the examples the writers share in the collection.
Yvette Prior contributes a mystery that has you turning the pages as you learn the fate of Uncle Ted, and Limerick in tribute to a form colleague.
I particularly related to ‘I Walk in Circles’ by Cindy Georgakas as I am sure all readers will. And I loved ‘If Not For That Old Tower’ by Gary A. Wilson…have tissues to hand. And intrigued by Grant Ferguson’s story ‘Countdown’.
Unforgettable is the original artwork and poem by Robbie Cheadle in the ‘Cape Buffalo of Black Death’… chilling as well as beautiful.
Geoff Le Pard features a number of times in the collection and one of his pieces shares a poem by his father Desmond called ‘Our Garden’ and it is a celebration of love as well as nature.
I was very taken with Doug Jacquier’s ‘Bear Air’ and the exploration of the future of air travel… intriguing and rather disturbing but since modern air travel is equally disturbing these days… who knows it might be an improvement. And a tissue alert for ‘Jenny’ by Philip Cumberland and it if doesn’t put you in the Christmas spirit nothing will.
I can highly recommend this anthology for its creativity and originality.
Read the reviews and buy the anthology: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will explore these fascinating anthologies and enjoy them as much as I did.
Popular fish varieties include Rohu, Mahseer (national fish), The Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora), often referred to as the “King of Himalayan Fishes,” is the national fish of Pakistan. Found in the cold, fast-flowing rivers of the Himalayan region, this large freshwater fish is a popular sport fish renowned for its fighting ability and distinctive golden-red scales. and Kingfish, typically seasoned with carom seeds (ajwain), red chili, turmeric, and ginger-garlic paste.
Popular choices for celebrations include Ras Malai, Sohan Halwa, and Falooda. These sweets are typically flavored with cardamom, saffron, and nuts… Those dough balls have caught my eye I love syrupy desserts…and these flavours sing to me …
My next review was for this riveting psychological thriller by 
Smorgasbord Blog Magazine 
