{"id":10,"date":"2020-01-30T22:36:49","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T22:36:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jonisensel.com\/?page_id=10"},"modified":"2025-10-16T19:38:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T19:38:05","slug":"writing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/writing\/","title":{"rendered":"Books &#038; Writing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/WritingHeader.jpg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29\" style=\"width:604px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:30% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Wildly-Inspired-Creative-Power-Nature\/dp\/0970119577\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"499\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WildInspiredFrontCoverSmall-1.jpeg?resize=400%2C499&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-582 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WildInspiredFrontCoverSmall-1.jpeg?w=400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WildInspiredFrontCoverSmall-1.jpeg?resize=240%2C300&amp;ssl=1 240w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Now available!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-95d31dcd6507a62171825e145299bbff\" style=\"color:#810a0a\">&#8220;A spirited and inspiring book for anyone struggling with creative blocks.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1602e2197d1856c63906721f7bbba4b6\" style=\"color:#810a0a\">\u2014 <em>Kirkus Reviews<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Structured around the four seasons,&nbsp;<em>Wildly Inspired: Tap the Creative Power of Nature<\/em>&nbsp;contains 50 nature-based activities and dozens of prompts for writers, storytellers, and other creatives. It can help you find new inspiration, push projects forward, and strengthen your creative practice\u2014and your relationship with nature .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Boost creativity and enliven your work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Solve creative challenges with tools you can use again and again.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Build a creative practice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Reduce stress and have fun.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c46fe69f9a9ea2382f14fd320ecf3a65\" style=\"color:#19621f\">Get your copy today:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/wildly-inspired-tap-the-creative-power-of-nature-joni-jay-sensel\/1a9b50f5bc635169\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bookshop.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/wildly-inspired-joni-jay-sensel\/1148447600\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Barnes &amp; Noble online<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Wildly-Inspired-Creative-Power-Nature\/dp\/0970119577\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Already have the book or ebook? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wildly-inspired-resources\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"449\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Find related meditations and other resources<\/a>.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"is-style-wide wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More reviews<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d089d795e6b26dd1a6e38d76775ba089\" style=\"color:#195b1a;font-size:18px\">&#8220;Connect your creative spirit to nature and to the changing seasons with Joni Sensel&#8217;s new book Wildly Inspired. Highly recommended!&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5517638dddd52bea8b33d62b2494c442\" style=\"color:#195b1a\">\u2014Eric Maisel, <em>Brave New Mind<\/em> and 60+ books<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-657f669befa03d6be3f21f2f62998df7\" style=\"color:#810a0a\">&#8220;Any reader seeking a deeper connection with their own creative power will find this encouraging, accessible, and appealing.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-66c62ddbcf500bc377a7d560f8d647be\" style=\"color:#810a0a\">\u2014 BookLife Review<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7bee36140f61a85318ad69e5e5b8dffb\" style=\"color:#195b1a;font-size:18px\">&#8220;In\u00a0<em>Wildly Inspired<\/em>, Joni Sensel takes readers deep inside their\u00a0creative selves to partner with the power of nature. Sensel\u2019s clear and simple guidance leads creative seekers to unearth brand new territory holding fresh perspectives and original material. Joni Sensel\u2019s book is invaluable to anyone aiming for excellence in their creative expression. So get the book and be <em>Wildly Inspired<\/em> yourself.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0cf3ac5e0835e95ca87c32832fc61a8e\" style=\"color:#195b1a;font-size:18px\">\u2014Tina Welling,&nbsp;author of&nbsp;<em>Writing Wild<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-cbdcad08a4871c87e0b7f0ed31914789\" style=\"color:#810a0a\">&#8220;I LOVE this book\u2014wow, what a great offering to the world. \u00a0It is a great workbook and DIY retreat with great value for those just starting to explore their creativity and connection to natural world <em>and<\/em> for those with long-held creative practices.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-fd6dd016110b696a1fc61b31bcf09609\" style=\"color:#810a0a\">\u2014 Heather Sullivan, executive director and co-founder, Balanced Rock<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b357f0745ad1e82c2d8af6aba6b05d81\" style=\"color:#195b1a\">&#8220;An original and fascinating way of expanding creativity through our experiences in the natural world, complete with detailed explanations and multiple guided exercises. Highly recommended for writers seeking new avenues, via the natural world, to reach creative insight, both for personal artistic growth and for enriching specific writing projects.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-715a8ac84b71eb14bc55e6a0cc774852\" style=\"color:#195b1a\">\u2014Janet Fox, award-winning author and writing coach<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3080a233506e40fd7c678797d1a8e6a7\" style=\"color:#810a0a\">&#8220;I am over the moon about Wildly Inspired! Imagine dazzling sunshine awakening your creativity from a deep winter into an unexpected spring. Joni Sensel is our worthy mentor in this fresh-and-ancient, wildly inspiring guide that lives up to its name.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b0c56e2345ac9acdb595ea1662f14113\" style=\"color:#810a0a\">\u2014Deb Lund, creativity coach, author, and environmental educator<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"is-style-wide wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background\" style=\"background-color:#276734;color:#276734\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My most recent novel: a YA historical fantasy <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Wind.webp?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-438\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>A would-be actress, a good-looking gravedigger, and a cemetery haunted by an invisible power collide with the unintended consequences of a curse. &nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"is-style-default has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"\">&#8220;Sensel\u2019s gorgeous prose takes flight&#8230; A quietly thoughtful and romantic bildungsroman.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>\u2014<em>Kirkus Reviews<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/books\/a-curse-on-the-wind\/9781509242825\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Order your copy<\/a> now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"is-style-wide wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background\" style=\"background-color:#2b2363;color:#2b2363\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My memoir: A piece of my heart<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:30% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"623\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/FeelingFateFinalFrontCoverSMALLER.webp?resize=400%2C623&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-584 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/FeelingFateFinalFrontCoverSMALLER.webp?w=400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/FeelingFateFinalFrontCoverSMALLER.webp?resize=193%2C300&amp;ssl=1 193w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"\">\u201c<strong>[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\u2019s infused with valuable insights into dealing with grief.<\/strong>&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">\u2014 Kirkus Reviews<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"is-style-default has-black-color has-text-color wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"is-style-default wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"\"><strong><span style=\"color:#156d2f\" class=\"has-inline-color\">\u201cA tribute to Sensel\u2019s love affair as well as a spiritual exploration, the book navigates the process of mourning in intriguing ways . . .&nbsp;lively and upbeat, even though it is handling the painful subject of Sensel\u2019s grief..&#8221;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<cite><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><span style=\"color:#156d2f\" class=\"has-inline-color\">\u2014Foreword<\/span><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"is-style-default wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"\">\u201c<strong>Finely-paced. The emotions that teem onto the page are never allowed to blur her admirably controlled prose; nor, indeed, her sense of humour<\/strong>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">\u2014Patrick Harpur, acclaimed author of<em>&nbsp;The Secret Tradition of the Soul&nbsp;<\/em>and many others<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Find more reviews and details <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/feeling-fate\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"284\">here<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/bookshop.org\/books\/feeling-fate-a-memoir-of-love-intuition-and-spirit\/9781647423391\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"bookshop.org\/books\/feeling-fate-a-memoir-of-love-intuition-and-spirit\/9781647423391\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">order your copy now<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Essays<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Grief, intuition, and spirituality are topics I tackle frequently in essays in magazines such as <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spiritualityhealth.com\/gifts-from-the-departed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spirituality &amp; Health<\/a><\/em> or <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"published on Medium (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@jonisensel\" target=\"_blank\">published on Medium<\/a>. Popular recently:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spiritualityhealth.com\/gifts-from-the-departed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gifts for the Departed<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spiritualityhealth.com\/heal-grief-with-aimless-creativity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Heal Grief with Aimless Creativity (Even If You Don&#8217;t Feel Creative)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/psiloveyou.xyz\/bright-splinters-of-heart-8a59dcc40c4d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Bright Splinters of Heart: How colored glass helps me cope with grief (opens in a new tab)\">Bright Splinters of Heart: How colored glass helps me cope with grief<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"What Dogs Know: Sniffing out insights through intuition (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/psiloveyou.xyz\/what-dogs-know-dd7868366b38\" target=\"_blank\">What Dogs Know: Sniffing out insights through intuition<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/the-creative-mind\/spirituality-and-the-imagination-a742a1498c1f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Spirituality and the Imagination: Listening for insights from the gods (opens in a new tab)\">Spirituality and the Imagination: Listening for insights from the gods<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"The Embodiment of Your Imagination: How peak creativity requires your heart and body, not just your mind (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/the-creative-mind\/the-embodiment-of-your-imagination-ba5547d66358\" target=\"_blank\">The Embodiment of Your Imagination: How peak creativity requires your heart and body, not just your mind<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More Novels<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"31\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/FWQCover2.jpg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-31\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"is-style-default wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"32\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/TKMCover2.jpeg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-32\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"is-style-default wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"33\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/TSKcover2.jpeg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"is-style-default wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"35\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/humming2.jpeg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-35\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"is-style-default wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"43\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/RealityLeak2-1.jpeg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">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\u2014or contact me for a hardcover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Picture books<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"36\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/GMcover2.jpeg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-36\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"is-style-default wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"37\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BearsCover2.jpeg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-37\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Watch out for growling neighbors\u2014and monsters! Great illustrations helped earn a Henry Bergh Honor from the ASPCA. Download a parent\/teacher guide for <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"The Garbage Monster (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/18slpeq9qUVmm5lT-y3GOKx2-VrpIxEHk\/view?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\">The Garbage Monster<\/a> or <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Bears Barge In (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1_WzhA-X26LXFiSaSHC10LV34caXYQJaO\/view?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\">Bears Barge In<\/a>, or watch as I read of The Garbage Monster to you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\"><\/figure>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SjuLkzdCZog\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Nonfiction books &amp; corporate writing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/CorpBooks.jpg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">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.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Poetry<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">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:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Moss.jpg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Close up of moss on a road\" class=\"wp-image-39\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\"><strong>Undaunted: A Lyric to the Lowly<\/strong><br><br>Moss,<br>Rather low on the ladder of life,<br>Defies good sense and logic,<br>Sprouts in unlikely places.<br>A splash of green, it enlivens<br>Concrete and asphalt,<br>Undaunted by either<br>A rock or a hard place.<br>While I, a bit taller<br>But so often daunted,<br>Fancy myself nearer the gods.<br><\/pre>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/LeavesHeader.jpg?w=960&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"colorful autumn leaves\" class=\"wp-image-53\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/soul-sea\/leavings-eaf2d286c33a\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"95\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Leavings: A Eulogy for Fall Color<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"444\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Moon1200.jpg?resize=960%2C444&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-604\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Moon1200.jpg?resize=1024%2C474&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Moon1200.jpg?resize=300%2C139&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Moon1200.jpg?resize=768%2C355&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Moon1200.jpg?resize=1140%2C527&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Moon1200.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/soul-sea\/crescent-ascendant-b1e868bb3cef\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Crescent, Ascendant: An Ode to Skinny Moons <\/a>(Image by Free-Photos from Pixaby)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"288\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hairice.webp?resize=960%2C288&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hairice.webp?resize=1024%2C307&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hairice.webp?resize=300%2C90&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hairice.webp?resize=768%2C230&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hairice.webp?resize=1140%2C342&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hairice.webp?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/soul-sea\/phenomenon-fa52eb40fdb8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Phenomenon: A Poem of Crystalline Joy &amp; Loss<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Useful resources for writers&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><a aria-label=\"The Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.scbwi.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Society for Children&#8217;s Book Writers and Illustrators<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pnwa.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Pacific Northwest Writers Association<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hugohouse.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hugo House (Seattle)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.authorsguild.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Author&#8217;s Guild<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1g5zznqKFB6HG_pacoXlShtnBsF9ZHEVe\/view?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"A few tips (opens in a new tab)\">A few tips<\/a> are handy when you&#8217;re first learning to give and receive critiques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">When it comes to everything else, from how to write dialogue to manuscript formatting, Google is your friend. Want a shortcut? Try this <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/crossword-solver.io\/creative-writing-glossary\/\" target=\"_blank\">this creative writing glossary and links<\/a> suggested by a young writer and fan named Jaymee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Get your copy today: Bookshop.org Barnes &amp; Noble online Amazon Already have the book or ebook? Find related meditations and other resources. More reviews &#8220;Connect your creative spirit to nature and to the changing seasons with Joni Sensel&#8217;s new book Wildly Inspired. Highly recommended!&#8221; \u2014Eric Maisel, Brave New Mind and 60+ books &#8220;Any reader seeking a deeper connection with their own creative power will find this encouraging, accessible, and appealing.&#8221; \u2014 BookLife Review &#8220;In\u00a0Wildly Inspired, Joni Sensel takes readers deep inside their\u00a0creative selves to partner with the power of nature. Sensel\u2019s clear and simple guidance leads creative seekers to unearth brand new territory holding fresh perspectives and original material. Joni Sensel\u2019s book is invaluable to anyone aiming for excellence in their creative expression. So get the book and be Wildly Inspired yourself.&#8221; \u2014Tina Welling,&nbsp;author of&nbsp;Writing Wild &#8220;I LOVE this book\u2014wow, what a great offering to the world. \u00a0It is a great workbook and DIY retreat with great value for those just starting to explore their creativity and connection to natural world and for those with long-held creative practices.&#8221; \u2014 Heather Sullivan, executive director and co-founder, Balanced Rock &#8220;An original and fascinating way of expanding creativity through our experiences in the natural world, complete with detailed explanations and multiple guided exercises. Highly recommended for writers seeking new avenues, via the natural world, to reach creative insight, both for personal artistic growth and for enriching specific writing projects.&#8221; \u2014Janet Fox, award-winning author and writing coach &#8220;I am over the moon about Wildly Inspired! Imagine dazzling sunshine awakening your creativity from a deep winter into an unexpected spring. Joni Sensel is our worthy mentor in this fresh-and-ancient, wildly inspiring guide that lives up to its name.&#8221; \u2014Deb Lund, creativity coach, author, and environmental educator My most recent novel: a YA historical fantasy A would-be actress, a good-looking gravedigger, and a cemetery haunted by an invisible power collide with the unintended consequences of a curse. &nbsp; 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. &#8220;Sensel\u2019s gorgeous prose takes flight&#8230; A quietly thoughtful and romantic bildungsroman.&#8221; \u2014Kirkus Reviews Order your copy now. My memoir: A piece of my heart \u201c[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\u2019s infused with valuable insights into dealing with grief.&#8221; \u2014 Kirkus Reviews \u201cA tribute to Sensel\u2019s love affair as well as a spiritual exploration, the book navigates the process of mourning in intriguing ways . . .&nbsp;lively and upbeat, even though it is handling the painful subject of Sensel\u2019s grief..&#8221; \u2014Foreword \u201cFinely-paced. The emotions that teem onto the page are never allowed to blur her admirably controlled prose; nor, indeed, her sense of humour.&#8221; \u2014Patrick Harpur, acclaimed author of&nbsp;The Secret Tradition of the Soul&nbsp;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 &amp; Health or published on Medium. Popular recently: Gifts for the Departed Heal Grief with Aimless Creativity (Even If You Don&#8217;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 More 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\u2014or contact me for a hardcover. Picture books Watch out for growling neighbors\u2014and 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 &amp; 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 LowlyMoss,Rather low on the ladder of life,Defies good sense and logic,Sprouts in unlikely places.A splash of green, it enlivensConcrete and asphalt,Undaunted by eitherA rock or a hard place.While I, a bit tallerBut so often daunted,Fancy myself nearer the gods. Leavings: A Eulogy for Fall Color Crescent, Ascendant: An Ode to Skinny Moons (Image by Free-Photos from Pixaby) Phenomenon: A Poem of Crystalline Joy &amp; Loss Useful resources for writers&nbsp; 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&#8217;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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10"}],"version-history":[{"count":56,"href":"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":657,"href":"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10\/revisions\/657"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jonisensel.com\/wordpress1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}