Book Review: Sharing the Light by Monique Gray Smith

Sharing the Light by Monique Gray Smith can be used as a journal writing prompt or as a guide for a discussion group.

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Sharing the Light: Stories and Reflections
by Monique Gray Smith

Published by Ambrosia

an imprint of House of Anansi

2026

Book Jacket by Alysis Shewschuck

Jacke Artwork by Dragonfly by Betty Albert

Buy this book

Collected under the themes of gratitude, love, joy, happiness, and hope, Sharing the Light inspires a positive life. It teaches the reader how to create positive energy for themselves and those who share their life. I especially enjoyed reading "Letter from Love." Simply reading it filled my heart with light. I hope it does the same for you. What will be your favourite part of this book?

What will you read third?

I'm all for 

reading Canadian authors first

and second,

for that matter.

But after that?

What are you going to read then?

What are you going to read third, eh?

Well, in my humble opinion...

Read Douglas Adams.

Why?

Well, because Douglas Adams is funny.

And who couldn't do with a little more laughter?

No one.

That's who.

He's so funny,

in fact,

that he could have been Canadian.

He wasn't.

But he could have been.

What am I planning to read third?

This...

(Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams)

photo by ldyck

On this blog in June

Sunday, June 28

"My Aunt's Kitchen" (short memoir)

New content is published

each Sunday

at approximately 4:40 PM PT.

Spelling Bee (short memoir) by Leanne Dyck

Some children like the challenge of spelling bees. Some children enjoy testing their abilities against others. Some children enjoy spelling bees. Me?

photo by ldyck

Spelling Bee

"Class," my teacher says, "line up in front of the blackboard. We are going to have a spelling bee."

I find my spot at the end of the line. I stand there with my head down. Trying to disappear. 

"Tom, spell..."

Tom easily spells the word.

The teacher smiles.

Tom stands taller.

"Sally spell..."

Student after student is tested and remains standing.

"Leanne, spell..."

My heart pounds in my chest. But I hear the word. The problem isn't with my hearing. My challenge is identifying the letters in the word and putting them in the correct order.

I'm the first...to sit down.

My classmates snicker.

My teacher frowns.

Isn't that fun?

photo by ldyck

On this blog in June

Sunday, June 21

Sharing the Light by Monique Gray Smith (book review)

Sunday, June 28

"My Aunt's Kitchen" (short memoir)

New content is published

each Sunday

at approximately 4:40 PM PT.

Flare for writing (short story) by Leanne Dyck

What did your parent think about your plans to become a writer?

photo by ldyck

 Flare for writing

A fashion magazine lay on our kitchen table. I reached for Flare, and something fell out.

"What's that?" Mom asked.

I kept my eyes on the magazine, on the dresses, and on other distractions. "I don't know."

"It's a career planner," Mom told me. "Occupations for the women of today, along with the education you require to obtain them."

What I was going to do after grade school weighed heavy in my seventeen-year-old brain. It crushed me.

"This is what you should do." She spread the pamphlet out in front of me.

"Writer? I can't be a writer."

"I would believe you if I didn't know that you write all the time."

"What publisher is going to want a writer who can't spell and doesn't know the rules about grammar or punctuation or—"

"Well, something in the publishing industry then."

"Yeah, I could be an editor and teach everyone how to spell the dyslexic way—backward and upside down."

Mom didn't laugh. She didn't even argue. She was stuck in my fantastical future.

But I knew better. I knew that some dreams, no matter how alluring, will never come true.

photo by ldyck

On this blog in June

Sunday, June 14

"Spelling Bee" (short memoir)

Sunday, June 21

Sharing the Light by Monique Gray Smith (book review)

Sunday, June 28

"My Aunt's Kitchen" (short memoir)

New content is published

each Sunday

at approximately 4:40 PM PT.