Seasons of the Heart: A Tapestry of Stories Woven Through Time by Lana Shupe

Seasons of the Heart by Lana Shupe is truly a comfort book. Reading it is like eating tomato soup with grilled cheese or curling up with a soft blanket and a cup of hot chocolate. It is a comfort, whether you find it in food, a drink, or a hoodie. The stories focus on uplifting themes and finding light in everyday moments.

As I read Seasons of the Heart, it felt like I walked side by side with its author, Lana Shupe. We wandered throughout four seasons of magical short stories, in the landscapes of both Western and Eastern Canada. Through her writing, Lana shared with me the wonder around us and little pieces of her heart.

In the summer, I sat with her on a seaside bench imagining the history of a lonely, little lighthouse. I walked with her on the beach collecting sea glass, shells, and stones. I felt the sand and water between my toes. I stood beside Lana and gazed into a mirror reflecting on my past, present, and future.

I stood beside Lana and gazed into a mirror reflecting on my past, present, and future.

In the fall, I danced with her in the leaves, and we walked on a foggy beach. I caught a glimpse of her home library, stuffed full of books from her childhood, and we reminisced about the books she shared with her children and those on the shelves of her memory library.

In the winter, we walked down a narrow country road, past a lone abandoned house with a collapsed roof. I peeked at Lana’s family tree in her front yard, imagining her outside, snapping pictures of her children on the first day of school each year, watching them, as well as the tree, grow. Then I joined her under the shade of that same tree to read for an hour or two. I walked with her along an old wooden fence line on a crisp winter day and snickered when the squirrels scolded us for approaching their winter stash.

I walked with her along an old wooden fence line on a crisp winter day and snickered when the squirrels scolded us for approaching their winter stash.

In the spring, I played with Lana’s granddaughter, listening to her toddler giggles. I enjoyed a picnic with Lana on a blanket in the grass and spent time with her in the company of the forest. I can relate to the aches and pains of aging and rolling out of bed, although I don’t think I ever jumped out of bed. I shivered when we got caught in an unexpected spring storm, getting soaked and chilled to the bone.

Seasons of the Heart belongs on your bedside table to read a story or two when your spirits need a lift, or when you just need a little magical escape with someone who feels like a dear friend. Each short story is like getting a hug or a touch of comfort. This moving book is the perfect gift for any reader in your life. Each story is a real and personal experience told with heartwarming emotion. Lana Shupe took all the photos found within its pages. The interior is printed on 80lb coated silk, offering a beautifully rich, upscale texture and rendering every photograph with stunning crispness and clarity.

A lifelong lover of stories, Lana Shupe has worn many hats: early childhood educator, bookseller, book reviewer, and proud mother of grown children. Her newest and most treasured title: Nana.

Never far from a notebook, Lana finds inspiration in everyday magic. She writes all her stories longhand- pen to paper- before ever touching a keyboard, letting her ideas unfold with intention and care.

She divides her time between Western Canada and East Coast homes. Her cozy “sea shed” overlooking a lighthouse in Nova Scotia is her favourite place to write, read, and dream.

She is the author of three children’s picture books: The Lonely Little Lighthouse, The Miramichi Reader’s Best of 2022, The Little Church By the Sea, and The Book Witch, The Wee White Dog and the Little Free Library, The Miramichi Reader’s Best of 2024, and a chapter book called The Hippie Pirates, Miramichi Reader’s Best of 2023. This is her first book for adults.

Publisher: Purple Porcupine Publishing (September 8, 2026)
Paperback 5.5″ x 8.5″ | 96 pages
ISBN: 9781069392114

Sue Slade

Sue Slade has a Bachelor of Child Study from Mount St. Vincent University in Halifax. After working with children and adults with special needs, she now has her midlife dream job of working with books. Sue manages an independent, locally owned bookstore, Dartmouth Book Exchange, and is known for planning and executing amazing, engaging book events. Through her charismatic sharing centred around books and community, Sue has created an interactive cornerstone for authors, customers, and book lovers of all ages. Sue is an avid reader, and her reviews cross over many genres. As the East Coast Advocate for The Miramichi Reader, Sue champions Atlantic Canadian literature by featuring the diverse works and unique communities that define her home region.