Paddle to Paddle

“LOCAL AUTHOR

Paddle to Paddle by Lois Chapin encapsulates a breathtaking collection of poetry and short essays that naturally, organically, and harmonically flow from beginning to end. Chapin’s compilation of work proves both honest and open, as well as defying and inspiring. From the first to last page, Chapin engages readers through detailed poems and witty short essays that showcase stimulating topics in a variety of areas. Lois Chapin’s masterful exercise of text generates vivid imagery through striking descriptions and well-placed portrayals. Chapin’s thoughtful use of metaphors and depictions draw readers into the work in an approachable manner that not only bring the work to life, but also lend exceptional depth to the characters and overall tone of the work. Weaving through the poems and short essays, readers will journey through the pages of Chapin’s Paddle to Paddle with ease and appreciate Chapin’s thoughtful sincerity and candor. Chapin carries readers through compelling works that describe domestic abuse and personal insecurities openly. With conviction, Chapin’s shares unreservedly, stating “our stomachs growled lullabies many nights,” and “the escalating voices and inevitable pleas for mercy followed by the sounds of a scrawny boy being beaten by an obese woman.” Smoothly, Chapin flows from pieces that speak of anguish to uplifting tales of Halloween, Heart Repair, and the pride evoked by a child whom one day becomes a capable, flourishing adult. The depth Lois Chapin obtains from simple, yet prolific, statements, such as “For fifty-eight years she’s only seen who I should have been” and “No, today I walk out of the air-conditioned store into the heat of the parking lot carrying my dog food and wonder how mothers ever teach enough to keep their sons safe,” speak volumes into the lives of readers from all walks of life. The culmination of Paddle to Paddle will leave readers with a sense of harmony and reconciliation that is hard to achieve simply and innately. Paddle to Paddle is worth multiple readings and personifies—the type of text readers will learn from again and again. Only by reading and re-reading the thought-provoking short essays and poems rendered the book over the course of various high and low points in life will readers fully come to comprehend the recognition and acknowledgment Lois Chapin’s work truly deserves. So many readers will not only appreciate, but also deeply identify with, the collection of verses and compositions Lois Chapin has compiled. Begin your journey with Paddle to Paddle today.”