Nan’s Notebook
East Coast USA
Use a news reader app?
Get new posts from Nan!
Just copy and paste this address into your reader service:
https://www.4seasonshelf.com/blog?format=rss
Where / What is the Outer Lands Archipelago?
The Outer Lands Archipelago along the American east coast is an inspiration for author and painter N.G. Swett. The islands, which include Long Island, Block Island, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod and many others, share a unique ecology, history and economy. In this blog post you can find a Google map, an excellent library resource, and examples of creative works by N.G. Swett including a poem, short story, videos, and the illustrated novel ‘The Clerk and the Ink Drinker in the Outer Lands Mission’.
The primordial islands that shape the 4seasonshelf Project, including the illustrated novel ‘The Clerk and the Ink Drinker in the Outer Lands Mission’ by N.G. Swett
Credit: Google maps and graphic design by N.G. Swett and 4seasonshelf
The Ice Age islands along the American northeast coast share ecology, history and economies. It’s a rich area creatively as well, a place that seems to speak to those who live there and visit. It inspires the author and painter N.G. Swett, especially the 4seasonshelf Project.
The islands include Long Island, Block Island, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and many more.
Wonderful book on the subject:
The Outer Lands by Dorothy Sterling and illustrated by Winifred Lubell
This richly illustrated and well written book details the natural history of the Outer Lands Archipelago. It can be found in the collections of most libraries in the Archipelago!
More about the Outer Lands Archipelago
How can a place inspire us? Here’s an example, a short rhyming poem by N.G. Swett for the 4seasonshelf Project
Continues >
Even more about the Outer Lands Archipelago
Enjoy a few videotaped moments on an Outer Lands ocean beach HERE.
Take a little bus excursion with Nan to an Outer Lands fishing village HERE.
Read a prize winning short story by N.G. Swett that was an early version of the first chapter of the illustrated novel ‘The Clerk and the Ink Drinker in the Outer Lands Mission’ : HERE.
Last but not least, order the contemporary illustrated novel with an Outer Lands setting:
Please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery.
Written and Illustrated by N.G. Swett
Illustrated Paperback
Copyright 2026 by N.G. Swett
292 pages
First Edition
Poetry of Love?
Nan writes about publishing a book of love poems, from original inception to international distribution through print on demand platforms. Topics include why write a book of poems, how to create it, publishing platforms, costs, ISBNs, universal book links, Canva, Amazon, Ingram Spark, Draft2Digital, Books2Read, social media, and book promotion.
TikTok video of Stolen Moment, one of the first poems
in the poetry collection Hold Me Tight.
Why A Poem?
At our wedding, our best man advised us to follow the KISS principle: keep it simple stupid — the shortest speech in the history of weddings. Now that we’ve had a lot of time to think about it, that was darn good advice for a twenty-something guy to give.
And now, what could be simpler than a poem?
And did you know, poetry is alive and well? So I thought I’d give it the old college girl try.
Immediately yes! I loved it. I’m a pen and paper note taker, a list writer, a scrapper, a note hoarder.
Labor of Love
This little poetry collection took six months to write and publish. It’s been a labor of love! The main investment was my time and focus.
Cover reveal
So here is the final cover:
Going Wide, Going Global
The book is available in the United States and around the world.
Final Thoughts for Today
I’ve learned so much, and there’s still a lot to learn.
Writing a love poem can lead to the permanent existence of a book of love poems for posterity, what’s left of it.
