Books & Writing

Words are my imagination’s native language, as well as my profession. I’ve published fiction and nonfiction books and a variety of other work.

Do you speak the same language? Find useful resources for other writers here, too.

Available now! A YA historical fantasy that’s “full of surprises”

Book cover with review blurb
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A would-be actress, a good-looking gravedigger, and a cemetery haunted by an invisible power collide with the unintended consequences of a curse.  

In a weak moment, 17-year-old Gethsemane casts a dramatic curse against someone who wronged her. In 1909 Ohio, buzzing with modern machines, she never expects it to work. But when the spirit of the Wind delivers her curse and expects a high price in return, she has to escape its unwanted attention or give up the chance to ever be loved.

“Sensel’s gorgeous prose takes flight… A quietly thoughtful and romantic bildungsroman.”

Kirkus Reviews

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Out earlier this year: a piece of my heart

Book cover with wild rose petals
Cover reveal!

[Sensel] is a captivating writer, articulate and mystical, without the usual preachiness, which makes her work accessible to a broad audience of those seeking comfort . . . A poignant, engaging guide to healing that’s infused with valuable insights into dealing with grief.

—Kirkus Reviews

“A tribute to Sensel’s love affair as well as a spiritual exploration, the book navigates the process of mourning in intriguing ways . . . lively and upbeat, even though it is handling the painful subject of Sensel’s grief..”

—Foreword

Finely-paced. The emotions that teem onto the page are never allowed to blur her admirably controlled prose; nor, indeed, her sense of humour.”

—Patrick Harpur, acclaimed author of The Secret Tradition of the Soul and many others

Find more reviews and details here or order your copy now.

Essays

Grief, intuition, and spirituality are topics I tackle frequently in essays in magazines such as Spirituality & Health or published on Medium. Popular recently:

Gifts for the Departed

Heal Grief with Aimless Creativity (Even If You Don’t Feel Creative)

Bright Splinters of Heart: How colored glass helps me cope with grief

What Dogs Know: Sniffing out insights through intuition

Spirituality and the Imagination: Listening for insights from the gods

The Embodiment of Your Imagination: How peak creativity requires your heart and body, not just your mind

Novels

Travel along on a quest, defend a tenth-century abbey, or meet a zany secret agent. My fantasies for young readers earned awards from the Junior Library Guild and Bank Street College of Education, among others. Still available online as ebooks—or contact me for a hardcover.

Picture books

Watch out for growling neighbors—and monsters! Great illustrations helped earn a Henry Bergh Honor from the ASPCA. Download a parent/teacher guide for The Garbage Monster or Bears Barge In, or watch as I read of The Garbage Monster to you!

Nonfiction books & corporate writing

The histories of paper mills, public utilities, and construction companies are more interesting than you might expect! I write routinely for Fortune 100 companies with smaller projects, as well as anniversary books.

Poetry

Nothing fancy. Writing poems has become a mindfulness practice for me, a way to get a grip on slippery feelings. And sharing such work can help us all appreciate nature, our emotions, and each other. Here are a few of my favorites:

Undaunted: A Lyric to the Lowly

Moss,
Rather low on the ladder of life,
Defies good sense and logic,
Sprouts in unlikely places.
A splash of green, it enlivens
Concrete and asphalt,
Undaunted by either
A rock or a hard place.
While I, a bit taller
But so often daunted,
Fancy myself nearer the gods.
Fall leaves
Leavings: A Eulogy for Fall Color
Phenomenon: A Poem of Crystalline Joy & Loss
Crescent, Ascendant: An Ode to Skinny Moons (Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay.)

Useful resources for writers 

My top recommendation: Join an organization for the type of writing you want to do. They can help you find instruction, critique partners, and marketing advice. A few of my favorites:

A few tips are handy when you’re first learning to give and receive critiques.

When it comes to everything else, from how to write dialogue to manuscript formatting, Google is your friend. Want a shortcut? Try this this creative writing glossary and links suggested by a young writer and fan named Jaymee.