Tales2Inspire

The Diamond Collection Series V

Non-Fiction - Anthology
238 Pages
Reviewed on 03/05/2022
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

After twenty-one years as an active educator, I continued to pursue my love of writing, soon becoming co-editor of a popular Long Island web-zine. As I created and authored my column, Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives, I solidified my special niche of investigative journalism, and put those same talents to work while writing Sex, Lies and Cosmetic Surgery. I secured a contract with a NY literary agent, who was sure this book would take off and fly. But to our utter disappointment, it was rejected, with the explanation, "She doesn't have enough of an author platform" (Honestly, I didn't even know the meaning of that term at the time.) But then I began to think, "There must be tons of talented writers out there who haven't been given a chance. Why don't I create an "Authors Helping Authors" project. So I initiated Tales2Inspire® in 2012, never dreaming it would grow in such strength and numbers as it has.
I work with a passion to deliver exactly what I envisioned, am thrilled to be able to help other talented writers build stronger author platforms, and continually strive to find new and innovative ways to strengthen their opportunities for discovery.
Tales2Inspire® has opened a whole new chapter in my life, and hopefully in the lives of many others.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

“Change is the current that drives our lives.” Janet Rice wrote these poignant words in her creative nonfiction story, Bygone Brooklyn. Change is also what makes our stories so empowering, so sensitive and compassionate, and so important. Life is all about stories; it’s what defines us as humans. Stories reveal our history, but stories also heal, nourish, and make us whole, make us complete, like the protective powers of the moonstone. Stories like a father hearing for the first time from an adult daughter he never knew existed; a woman who explores her connection to Holocaust survivors after attending a talk given at her grandson’s school; a child who blends in well with children of different races and doesn’t experience her own sense of alienation until her comfort zone, her home, changes; a teacher struggling with the pandemic-infused new teaching format and, stressed to the limits of endurance, seeks another path to follow. Powerful stories and there are many, many more that will open your hearts and minds to the depth of the human spirit and the strength to survive against all odds.

Lois W. Stern’s book, Tales2Inspire – The Diamond Collection Series V, is a compendium of stories from two previous books of the Moonstone Collection anthologies. The stories collected cover a number of topics, from grief to love, from family tragedies to triumphs, and so much more. The binding theme of these stories is the ability of the author of each story to overcome the trials, the challenges, and to find another way forward, to accommodate the change that life presented. Like the heartwarming stories of Chicken Soup for the Soul and many others like Trisha Faye. These stories will have you laughing and crying and often cheering on the author, as we all can relate to these life-changing, challenging moments. Coupled with photographs, these stories are meant to be savored and enjoyed, one at a time.

Vincent Dublado

Tales2Inspire was created by Lois W. Stern and is the fifth anthology in The Diamond Collection Series that features inspiring stories by contest-winning authors. The Moonstone Collection incorporates stories from different authors who are at different stages of their writing careers. Some of them are seasoned while others are emerging authors. The themes are varied, but they all share the common thread of a turning point in their lives and how the experience has made a significant impact on them. These are real-life tales with accompanying photographs that further enrich the reader’s experience and illustrate the world that each author describes. From the text messages exchanged between a father and a daughter to how one author writing about her reality turns her life around, these stories make you feel like someone other than yourself.

Tales2Inspire is truly a home for short-form nonfiction narratives and showcases exceptional stories by extraordinary writers. The Moonstone Collection features an array of voices and styles that offer vivid extracts from their lives. This is a profound immersion in larger-than-life personal stories and experiences that allow you to laugh, cry, and think about what it means to be human. It provides perspectives on what your fellow mortals are feeling and thinking. One story that I found particularly touching is Ernie and Me. I can sincerely relate to Eliza Laffin, as my autistic nephew has helped me to heal and become a better person in many ways. This is a powerful anthology from Lois W. Stern, where the thoughts and feelings of others become your own, and I strongly recommend it to readers who enjoy this form of story.