After last week’s post, I realized I had a lot more shouting out to do. So here’s some suggested reading. Grab a cuppa and settle in this weekend with some art, writing, and assorted and sundry other magic.

For moms and other humans:

My Writer-friend Pamela Manasco has this brilliant essay on Elle.com: “Postpartum Depression Isn’t What You Think It Is”. If you’ve experienced postpartum depression, you’ll see yourself in her words. If not, you’ll emerge at least a little more empathetic. Girlfriend can write, and she is honest and real.

Barb Buckner Suarez is a childbirth educator with a fantastic blog where she tackles all kinds of tricky questions and thorny issues about all facets of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. Reading her blog is like having a virtual older sister who can sit you down and answer all those questions you weren’t sure how to ask, and who can do it with grace and good humor.

For people who like looking at pretty things:

Rebecca Siegel, in addition to being a writer, has a gorgeous photo project going on on her blog this year–“The Composed Now.” Her images are glimpses into a beautiful life well-lived. As she notes the turning of the seasons, waits for the birth of a goat, and captures preparations for supper, she turns a poet’s eye on the small but vital and Lovely minutiae of existence.

Don Hazeltine is an artistic genius based in Bainbridge, WA. His paintings are breathtakingly gorgeous and deeply articulate–every time I look at Snowcap, I want to go write a novel about it. He’s also done animal portraits and art for Magic: The Gathering cards–he is an astonishingly diverse artist and also a pretty freakin’ wonderful human being. He’s the kind of artist you want to be when you say you want to be an artist–the kind who is devoted to life and beauty and understands what truly matters.

James Petruzzi has a hard and miserable existence as a photographer in the barren wasteland that is Hawaii. Seriously, if you need a little Hawaiian vacation, check out his work. He takes lovely and loving photos of the wildlife and landscapes of the piece of earth he calls home. I just started looking at his photos of octopi and squid, and seriously considered blowing off this blog post so I could scroll around and imagine what it would be like to swim with octopi.

For writers and the people who love them:

AK Anderson is a name you will one day see in bookstores on covers of smart and gripping sci-fi epics. Her blog is a mix of helpful information and honest musings on the writer’s craft and life. When she’s not writing, she’s doing interesting things like hiking the Appalachian Trail, learning to make clothing, and becoming a rocker.

Will Fawley is my little (way taller-than-me) brother, but the reason you should check out his blog is because he is the most articulate reader I know. He posts Book Reviews that make me realize that writing book reviews is its own art and one at which I stink. So go read his. He’s also got some short fiction coming out soon, and I look forward to plastering it all over the interwebs as soon as it’s out.

Jill S. writes the deeply humane blog Slow Bloom. Her reminders that each flower blooms at its own pace have been indispensable for me in navigating the seeming eternity that is the submissions process. She is also one of the Two Kindest Human Beings on the Internet.

For survivors and the people who love them:

Ginny Lee Taylor helps survivors of childhood sexual trauma to heal by taking back the power to tell their own stories. This is some seriously important and mighty stuff, peeps. Check out the good work she is doing. If you’re a survivor, or know someone who is, her website is an amazing resource.

Dhremo Therapy is just about one of the coolest concepts ever. When I knew her back in middle school, it was clear that Marsha was going to make big waves in the world, and she has. A cancer survivor, Marsha got through her treatments with a phenomenal sense of perspective and imagination. She transformed her chemo into magical elixirs via artful labels that she’s now making available to others.

For people who like looking at the big picture:

Lora Jansson is a writer and shamanic practitioner as well as a remarkable human. On her website, she explains her philosophy of the One Tribe Only. If you’ve ever been curious about exactly what shamanic practice is, this is the place to go. Her explanations have been widely used among the shamanic community, and her deeply compassionate view of all life is a refreshing antidote to a barrage of cynicism and consumerism.

Lauren Iuppa Ayer is the creator of one of the niftiest blogs ever–The Apocalypse Garden. Lauren is a quilter, among other creative pursuits, and this shows in her website, which is a patchwork of artfully-curated resources on all things apocalyptic, from bug-out bag checklists to short animated films. But it’s Lauren’s philosophy of apocalypse that really makes this site shine–apocalypse, as she explains, is not necessarily an end-times kind of scenario–it’s any of the upheavals, big or small, that impact our lives, and her focus is on meeting those challenges thoughtfully and wisely.

For people who love a good story:

Marisa Goudy is a writer and writing coach who has an ambitious 365 project going–every day this year, she’s publishing a short story on her blog. Most are her own original stories, but she’s also invited guest writers to contribute. In addition to stories, she publishes helpful content on writing for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Kristin-Paige Madonia writes YA fiction that Judy Blume has called “luminous.” If Judy Blume says something, you should listen, because she is right. Fingerprints of You is a smart and moving debut, and Madonia’s upcoming novel, Invisible Fault Lines, promises to be at least as wonderful.

Dang. I know some truly wonderful humans. Tell me about your favorites!