ArcaMax

With the new year comes a new sense of hope. I can think of no better time to embrace the beauty of poetry, especially in works such as Cynthia Schumacher’s seventh collection, "Soul Flowers."

In this timeless collection, Schumacher explores with gifted verse those universal human emotions and experiences that unite us. Her poetry encourages ...Read more

Q. Should I send a Valentine to my ex? What’s good ex-etiquette?

A. Each year I am asked this by literally hundreds of readers. I’m not sure why because the answer seems clear to me — but humans seem to be programmed by Hallmark, even if they don’t watch the channel. So, around about Feb. 14, we get nostalgic or romantic or both, and if...Read more

'HEART EYES'

Rated R for strong violence and gore, language and some sexual content.

What it’s about: A rom-com slasher about a killer targeting happy couples on Valentine's Day.

The kid attractor factor: Teens will be drawn to the horror genre and gore.

Good lessons/bad lessons: There's no denying chemistry.

Violence: Extreme bloody ...Read more

The scope of the Los Angeles fires is so vast that they have touched many lives that are far, far from California.

I live in Lanesboro, Minnesota, but my grandson’s wife, Holly Horazdovsky, taught in a school in the Palisades that burned to the ground. She is now teaching in a new space. Their school was evacuated, and many children lost ...Read more

You may have heard that there’s a generation of older adults in grief because their kids decided against having children of their own. More Americans are opting out of a traditional family path, and in doing so, crushing their parents' desperate wishes for grandchildren.

This topic became a front-page article in the New York Times a few ...Read more

Q. My son’s father has only come back into our son’s life in the last year. Prior to that he lived in another state. Our son likes to talk to his friends in a social media chat room site, but I do not want him online unmonitored. I believe he is too young and when he does go online, I require him to give me all his passwords so I can monitor...Read more

In case you hadn’t heard, the Pantone color of the year is Mocha Mousse. Mocha Mousse is a scrumptious light milk chocolate. I’m not sure I could have it on the walls and resist a deep dive into my dessert cookbooks.

Mocha Mousse is encouraging because, for years, the chosen colors primarily have been neutrals. There was Drift of Mist (gray...Read more

There’s a point early on in James Gilbert’s "Reunion by the Lake" when Grace, entering the twilight of her life as she and her husband Richard confront his terminal illness, loses her grip of a glass in the kitchen, and it breaks in the sink into long sharp slivers.

The moment is the perfect metaphor for the book’s primary storyline.

“...Read more

At a recent gathering of my book club, the conversation turned to our pregnancy and delivery stories. This was prompted by the difficult delivery that the host’s daughter-in-law had just been through. Some stories were truly “scary” and even horrifying, while others were not quite as bad — but no one said it was a wonderful and special ...Read more

In today’s fast-paced world, where work, packed schedules and endless digital distractions compete for our focus, children sometimes struggle to get the attention they need. Although your child probably won’t say it directly, they often signal it through other behaviors.

“Whether a child admits it or not, parents are the center of a child...Read more

My wife and I have been married for almost 40 years. In all that time, I can count on one hand how many weekend afternoons we have spent together. She goes in one direction (shopping, show, friends) and I go in another (house projects, the dog, watching sports). I don’t want to do her activities (she doesn’t even suggest I come along) and ...Read more

'DOG MAN'

Rated PG for some action and rude humor.

What it’s about: A half-man/half-dog cop patrols Ohkay City, fighting evil supervillains

The kid attractor factor: The silly humor and animation, plus familiarity with the book series.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Seeing the good in others might be able to help you see the good in yourself. ...Read more

Q. My breakup with my ex was messy, and I stayed away from dating for a couple of years. However, I’ve recently signed up on a dating app and I’ve started to date again. Unfortunately, the first question everyone wants to know is why did I break up with my ex. I don’t want to talk about it. He was abusive and almost killed me and he is now...Read more

We blew out all the stops to celebrate the husband’s birthday with a last-minute meetup at McDonald’s. Do we know how to party or what?

Three carloads. Five adults. Six kids, all girls.

If we squeeze six into the bench against the wall that spans two tables and grab extra chairs, we can make it work. Kids squirrel around as adults take ...Read more

"Shy Creatures" is one of those rarities in literary fiction, a quiet celebration of the complex human interactions that form lasting genuine friendships and heartfelt relationships that are retained in golden memories. Award-winning British novelist Clare Chambers has written nine novels including Learning to Swim which won the 1999 Romantic ...Read more