International Day of Awesomeness: Celebrating Sally Cronin @sgc58

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A big company of colorful cats with top hats and flowers standing on the beautiful light green background
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Today is the International Day of Awesomeness! Who wouldn’t want to celebrate something so spectacular? I can think of plenty of things I consider awesome, and plenty of people. When you hang around in the blogosphere for any length of time, you get to know others.

One of the most generous and thoroughly supportive people I’ve “met” is Sally Cronin.

Author, Sally Cronin

My Story Empire colleagues and I thought today would be the perfect opportunity to shine a well-deserved spotlight on Sally. She is an amazing individual who gives of her time selflessly, constantly sharing promo pieces which showcase others.

Her blog, Smorgasboard Blog Magazine, is filled with author spotlights, book reviews, weekly roundups, profiles and more—all in support of her fellow authors and bloggers. I seriously don’t know how she does it, but I’m thankful to have been touched by her generous spirit.

For the Story Empire group, today is all about Sally! It isn’t just the International Day of Awesomeness—it’s Sally Cronin Day! To celebrate, I’m sharing a trio of my reviews for Sally’s books. She has plenty more in her catalog, covering everything from fiction and non-fiction to short stories, and poetry. I’ve found her work to run the gamut from heartfelt to humorous, introspective to slice-of-life. Be sure to check out Sally’s work on her AMAZON PAGE, and find the book or books that speak to you.

Book cover for Flights of Fancy by Sally Cronin shows colorful butterfly winging over landscape

FLIGHTS OF FANCY
by Sally Cronin

This is an entertaining collection of short stories and one novella. It takes a strong look at relationships, some flavored with reminiscing, others firmly rooted in the here and now. Each tale offers polished writing, unique characters, and engaging plot lines.

I enjoyed the cleverness of Getting Away with Murder and Psychic Parrot, and the emotional tug of The Other Side of Heaven and Curtains. Henry’s Story was a particular favorite of mine, having met Henry and Sam in one of the author’s other works. There’s nothing like a world-wise cat to share his story.

The title tale, Flights of Fancy is deftly executed and delivers a wonderful punch. The story of a woman (now much changed) encountering two people she knew during high school, left me grinning ear to ear.

Finally, closing out the book, The Sewing Circle, is a brilliant gem. In this novella, a group of senior ladies takes it upon themselves to right a horrible wrong. You can’t help cheering for these feisty women as they use grit, determination, and a few surprises to ensure justice is meted out. A great read all around!

AMAZON LINK

SAM, A SHAGGY DOG STORY
by Sally Cronin

Seriously. Who could resist that face?

This is a fun, heart-warming book that tells the story of Sam—the author’s collie—from the time he is a puppy through adult life. What makes the tale especially unique is the delivery. The book is told entirely from Sam’s POV. We learn about his early life after adoption, including his friendship with Henry, a feral cat who becomes a precious friend ultimately responsible for teaching Sam to speak “cat.” Sam also has two young kittens who become special friends during their short life span (that part broke my heart).

Sam shares how he learns to “speak” a few human words, about his favorite treats, trips to the vet, adventures on walks and even relocating to a different country. For anyone who loves animals, this is an enchanting story that leaves the reader with a feel-good glow. The author clearly loves her canine companion, an attachment that shines through in each page of this winning story. Photographs of Sam from puppy to adult collie are sprinkled throughout. He is such a beautiful dog!

AMAZON LINK

LIFE IS LIKE A BOWL OF CHERRIES: SOMETIMES BITTER, SOMETIMES SWEET
by Sally Cronin

a bowl of cherries on cream background with single cherry setting outside of bowl

This is an entertaining collection of short stories with several poems scattered throughout. The book is grouped into topics such as Technology, Animal Magic, and Connections (to name a few) with stories and poems related to their header topics appearing underneath. It’s cleverly presented and cleverly written. All of the stories are winners but there were some that really stood out for me, including The Weekly Shopping, The Nanny, The Scratch Card, and The Night Shift.

In The Weekly Shopping we get a taste of what ordering groceries might be like with when we come to rely too much on technology. It’s both hilariously funny and worrisome at the same time. I loved the argument related to the cat!

In The Nanny, a young couple discover who is watching over their baby at night. The Scratch Card left me with a lump in my throat at the generosity of others, and The Night Shift made me appreciate the special love pets have for their owners and the kindness of those who appreciate that bond.

These stories are heartwarming and touching, with scattered poetry further enriching the sections. A lovely collection and a quick read, the stories will lodge in your heart and linger.

AMAZON LINK

Cheers and a cyber toast with a clink of champagne glasses to Sally!
I invite you to connect with her on her
Amazon Page | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub

Thanks for joining the Story Empire gang for our
International Day of Awesomeness shout-out to Sally!

Collage of photos of the authors from Story Empire, with blog title in center with the tag line "Exploring the World of Fiction"

146 thoughts on “International Day of Awesomeness: Celebrating Sally Cronin @sgc58”

  20. What an absolute joy to see all the love shining on Sally today. Her generosity of spirit is amazing and never goes unnoticed. Thanks so much for sharing the love, Mae!
    Cheers to you, Sally, today, and always! 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

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  21. Another absolutely wonderful tribute to Sally and her HUGELY FANTABULOUS AWESOMENESS! We are Penderpals united in this one, Mae! You SEers have chosen the epitome of awesome for your celebration, and your posts are amazing (and well deserved) tributes to her!

    Sally, ROCK ON, my friend! You know we love you! 🤗💖🤗

    Liked by 3 people

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  26. You couldn’t have picked a better person, Mae! This is a lovely tribute to someone who’s worked tirelessly to support countless authors, giving us her precious time and practical help in the process. It’s also great to see her own writing showcased here. I love her short story collections and Sam will always have a special place in my heart. This shall be Sally Cronin Day for me from now on! xx

    Liked by 2 people

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  27. What an honor! Sally is indeed the most generous and selfless supporter of authors. Blogosphere is a warmer place with her around us. I appreciate this gesture of recognizing her work Mae. Thanks for sharing your reviews.

    Liked by 3 people

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  28. I remember numerous times that Sally helped me navigating through the blogging and getting my books out to this community. I was in awe to find out she spent full-time-equivalent hours to help the indie authors. I’m grateful, Sally. 😍

    Liked by 3 people

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  32. A loving tribute to Sally, Mae. ❤ Happy Sally Cronin Day, as you enrich all our lives, Sally. You are a huge blessing to us all and we are grateful. ❤ xXx

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply ↓

  35. Pingback: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – It is not often you get a day like this! #Amazing | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

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