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Benjamin Franklin Awards, 2015
“Dozens of lovely photographs enhance the book tremendously. Poems, quotes, essays all do a great job. A nature lover’s delight. This book should resonate with those of the outdoor persuasion and interest.”
Branford author Jen Payne invites us to ‘Look Up!’
By Donna Doherty, New Haven Register, Shoreline Times, October 2014
“The rain falls softly on the pond in a hypnotic rhythm. It patters overhead on the leaves of a bower of stately oaks. Swans and ducks paddle quietly near the shore, oblivious to the visitors on the adjacent trail. It is relaxing, meditative and a bit spiritual – the perfect setting for Branford author, graphic designer (Words By Jen) and poet Jen Payne to illustrate in real time the feeling she conveys in her new book, Look Up! Musings on the Nature of Mindfulness….'”
I like to randomly open to any page and read where…
(Amazon Review by Kat Lehmann, July 2016) This book is an oasis, a place to visit to reconnect with beauty and nature. I like to randomly open to any page and read where I land, poetry or prose, interwoven with gorgeous photographs. Invariably, what I find is calming and centering, like a little vacation from the swirling world. An inspiring collection!
Really enjoyed this book
(Amazon Review by Laura Collins, February 2015) “Really enjoyed this book. It was a pleasure to read at quiet times, and to reflect on the words and photographs. I liked the mix of personal writings and quotes from a variety of others. Served as a motivator to revisit some old favorites, like Walden. Thank you Jen Payne, for putting your ‘Musings’ together for others to share.”
Jen’s 5-star Book
(Amazon Review by Joel E. Helander on February 2015) “Jen Payne’s new book of musings, etc. serves to inspire and refresh. In the bustle of this 21st century, her book can serve as a dose of much-needed medicine for everyone!”
This Walk In The Woods Is A Worthy Journey
(Amazon Review by Tara Buckley Googins on January 2015) “Exploring nature can be a tonic for one’s tired and weary soul, and Jennifer Payne has bottled it for us in her book Look Up! Musings on the Nature of Mindfulness. Based on her own keen observations, the book urges us to make a small commitment to ourselves to simply go for a walk and remember to look up (or, once in a while, look down) as a way to grab a few precious moments of freedom, to escape from the demands of daily life, or to ponder our own significance. Sometimes a gentle reminder is all we need to prompt us to get outside and recharge our stressed bodies, our busy lives, and our cluttered minds. Payne’s reflections, along with her photographs and quotes from famous writers, invite us to take that first step into a very beautiful and much larger world, which she does with joy and humor in a way that is simple yet profound.”
A lovely and inspiring read
(Amazon Review by Rose Rita Riccitelli on January 2015) “Jen has captured the essence of peace and mindfulness in the account of her journey to this place. It is inspiring, uplifting and I thank her for sharing her thoughts and feelings in this lovely book.”
Five Stars
(Amazon Review by LJ Sanchez on January 2015) “This book is a joy to have around. I like to read a passage before or after meditation.”
This Book is like enjoying a rich smorgasbord
(Amazon Review by Pamelot on October 2014) “This book is delicious! It’s like being at a banquet of delectable treats for the mind and for the eyes. Each entry is just the right length to enjoy one per day. I appreciate the care Jen has put into the overall design and quality of this creation.”
A Treasure Chest of a Book
(Amazon Review by Tsarina on December 2014) “It took a long time for me to go through Jen Payne’s extraordinary book, because at the end of each page I had to stop and think about it, or wonder at it, or absorb the thought or emotion roused in me. Her own writings, her choices of quotations, and her remarkable photographs, all work together to make a great big plum pudding in a small package. Stick in a thumb, pull out a plum –Whether you begin at the beginning and work your way through the seasons, or just open the book at random, whatever you find is a treasure. I loved this book!”
“I enjoy a book that can be read slowly and enjoyed over a stretch of time. This one has some wonderful, thought provoking pieces in it.” – Rebecca, Goodreads Review
“In a fast-paced world that often makes us forget our humanity, we need to be reminded that life is more than work and paying the bills. Life is about breathing and soaking in the magic that comes with being alive. Jennifer A. Payne’s book, Look Up! Musings on the Nature of Mindfulness, offers both an exploration and reminder of how nature can save us from ourselves.” — C.B. Wentworth, Goodreads Review
“An intelligent, sensitive quest into the soul of one woman mirrors the searching hearts of us all. LOOK UP! is a beautiful book of solitude and inquiry into painful longings, but also into the glory of our lives.” — Dale Carlson, owner, Bick Publishing House, author of more than 60 books
“As eloquent as it is enlivening, LOOK UP! evokes more than an understanding of the vast and wonderful lessons to be gleaned in the natural world. Filled with grounded yet soaring flights of reflection and yearning for balance in a frenetic world, it is a walk in the woods of life—a tonic for both mind and soul.” — Mary O’Connor, award-winning poet and author of Life Is Full of Sweet Spots
“I’ve been hugging your wonderful book to myself, sipping and savoring it, and never letting you know just how wonderful it is. It brings me into another place. The photographs are beautiful. The borrowed quotations are apt and splendid. Your own pieces, like “A Meditation on Bugs,” are surface-simple, profound in their depths. I have to stop after each treasure and think about it, wonder at it, hug it to myself.”— Judith Bruder, writer, Touch2Touch
If you’ve read LOOK UP! and would like to give it a review,
please visit the book’s Goodreads page.
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