We hope you enjoyed the May 2026 issue of This Awful Awesome Life. Many thanks to Orlando Bartro, Sheila Kirk, Scarlet Carter, Deborah Seewald, and Tony Valerino for their contributions to the magazine.
We’re entering the sixth month of 2026. How are you feeling about the future? With the cost of almost everything continuing to go up; remember, we are a free publication.
June in This Awful Awesome Life is Pamper month. It’s been a brutal year as the United States becomes further embroiled in conflicts in the Middle East, the cost of living continues to rise, and established civil rights are at risk for many Americans. It’s disheartening and exhausting. We could all use a little TLC.
Special thanks to Sheila Kirk and Scarlet Carter for sharing how they pamper body, mind, and soul.
My June short story is a fun romp about playing strip poker.
Happy Father’s Day to everyone who fills that essential role in a child’s life. There are biological fathers, adopted dads, stepdads, foster fathers, single parents filling the role of both mom and dad, family members, or trusted friends who show up for dad duty. I was fortunate enough to have a loving dad, stepdad, and father-in-law. Three wonderful men who loved and supported me. I also had my Uncle Joe, so I’ve been blessed. Appreciate these people while you have them in your lives.
Author and history blogger Tony Valerino shares the letter General Dwight D. Eisenhower never sent about the D-Day landings at Normandy. This rare look at a leader fully aware his ambitious battle plan could fail, but willing to accept the consequences is timely given the attempts of current world leaders to insulate themselves from blame while claiming unearned valor. It’s equally interesting that the letter read by Eisenhower gives credit to the soldiers and the joint efforts by the Allied forces and none to himself.
Orlando Bartro weighs in on AI.
June is Pride Month. Along with recognizing and remembering the struggles members of the LGBTQIA+ community have faced and are still experiencing, it’s important to celebrate the ability of all people to live their lives without fear and discrimination. The freedom to marry the person they love, grow their families, live without being fired or denied services because of their sexual orientation isn’t different from the freedoms we all value. Small-minded people shouldn’t be allowed to make these rights conditional based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. We are alike in our shared humanity.
I reviewed Pete Buttigieg’s memoir, Shortest Way Home: One Mayor’s Challenge and a Model for America’s Future. In addition to serving two terms as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, he is the first openly gay man to launch a Democratic presidential campaign winning the Iowa caucuses and placing second in the New Hampshire primary before dropping out and endorsing Joe Biden. From 2007 to 2017, he was an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve. Buttigieg was deployed to Afghanistan for seven months in 2014. He served as the Secretary of Transportation during the Biden administration (2021-2025). He speaks candidly about his decision to publicly come out, finding the love of his life, and how those events helped him decide to seek higher office.
My June poem, “Simple Things” is about stripping away outward symbols of success to discover what makes us happy.
For our column, “Happy Birthday,” celebrating the birthdays of famous writers, I selected Eric Blair, aka George Orwell, the author of the dystopian novels 1984 and Animal Farm.
“What’s in a Word?” features the many ways we say the word “pamper” around the world.
For June 2026 in “The Twelve Months of Grain,” I’m featuring farro. This month I made Mediterranean Farro Salad with lemony Greek Salad dressing.
Our reading recommendations for kids, young adults, and adults feature an eclectic mix of fiction and non-fiction.
We’re constantly updating our Author Page to include the latest published works of your new favorite authors, and we’re adding authors. Being able to give authors a free place to display their work is a dream come true for me, so please check every month to see who’s new and what’s new. Because of changes made by Squarespace upcoming Author Pages may be slightly different.
Don’t miss our new Artist Page where we will be celebrating creatives and providing their contact information. We will be updating and adding to the list during this month and the following months, so keep checking our new page.
Luke Murphy’s new novel in the Calvin Watters Mystery series, Dark Horse will be released on June 26, 2026. It’s available to preorder on Amazon. In this fifth adventure, Watters heads to Port Hope, Mississippi to investigate the murder of his former teammate’s sister. In the heart of the Deep South secrets are protected and despite the pretense of southern hospitality, outsiders aren’t welcome. How far will the righteous people of Port Hope go to keep their sins hidden?
Annette Dashofy’s fifth Detective Honeywell mystery, Hell Has No Fury, can be preordered before its release date, August 6, 2026. Photographer Emma Anderson, Detective Matthias Honeywell’s love interest, needs help after her addict sister disappears and an unscrupulous land developer trying to steal her family’s land is murdered. When Emma’s best friend, Eric is implicated in the murder, Can Honeywell involve himself in a case outside of his jurisdiction?
Everything in Between is now available as an audiobook and in hardcover or paperback. The narrator, Louise Porter, does a wonderful job bringing Sabrina and her story to life. I can’t wait for you to have a listen. You can purchase the audiobook for Everything in Between on Amazon, iTunes, or Audible. https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Everything-in-Between/dp/B0DDR8GRWS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TV0J0HCWYT7T&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tdRKc5MxwdOobXZOLckDvQ.0BXe9QYH3JnZOn9j0LC6Yy6gCG9UI3lIcRu4KlRnIPs&dib_tag=se&keywords=everything+in+between+by+frances+joyce+audiobook&qid=1725234363&sprefix=everything+in+between+by+frances+joyce+audiobook%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-
I’m incredibly proud of this novel. If you enjoy my writing, you should check it out. Independent authors can’t afford splashy book launches and expensive PR campaigns to make the public aware of their work. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Adults can and should be able to disagree without threats, name calling, spreading misinformation, or lying. Can the leaders you support do this?
Now more than ever, I encourage you to watch C-SPAN and get to know the members of Congress, the members of the president’s cabinet, and the leading experts who testify at Congressional hearings. Listen to what they are saying and what they refuse to say aloud. Do they care about the Constitution and the people of this country?
In 2025 and 2026, we have struggled with maintaining the checks and balances between the three branches of our federal government. The fight continues as we head to the midterm elections. Which political leaders disregard/ignore the powers of Congress and the authority of the federal courts? Who can we elect who will protect and support the Constitution of the United States? Do your homework before the midterms. Our future depends on choosing the best leaders at all levels of government.
After the mid-terms, pay attention and insist that our elected officials make good on their campaign promises. Hold them accountable!
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Happy Reading,
Fran