Leaving the Shore Press Materials
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Published Book Reviews for Leaving the Shore:
[Book Review] In Spirituality & Practice by Jon M. Sweeney
"The title poem is one that will surely be reproduced in anthologies, in the books of other great spiritual teachers, even perhaps in funeral liturgies as words that speak for the journey of a life." Read full review.
[Book Review] April 21, 2026 by Nicole Killian, Mob York City:
"In a noisy, anxious world, the book's quiet presence feels like an act of resistance....By the end, you might find yourself reading not just poems but the world itself more prayerfully." Read full review.
7.24.2026 - Colette on Poetry in Eden with Host Felicia A. Iyamu
Colette joins Felicia A. Iyamu on Poetry in Eden for a wide-ranging conversation about spiritual companionship, creativity as participation in creation, and what it means to listen deeply to the direction one's own life is asking to take. She reads two poems from Leaving the Shore: Experiencing Poetry as Prayer—"Inside Creation," a triptych drawn from her years painting alone in a studio, and "One Life," which follows elephants across dry grasslands toward remembered water. Along the way she reflects on silence as a source of renewal, on loneliness as a distance from the soul, and on the quiet agency found in yielding rather than achieving.
6.13.2026 - Colette on the Expansionist Podcast with Hosts Shelly Shepherd and Heather Drake
Colette joins Shelly Shepherd and Heather Drake on the Expansionist Podcast for a rich conversation on poetry as prayer and meeting the divine inside our real, lived experiences. She reads several poems from Leaving the Shore: Experiencing Poetry as Prayer—including "Burning," "Every Morning," and "A Plea from the Beloved"—and walks listeners through praying with a poem using lectio divina. Along the way she reflects on the dining table as an altar, longing as a holy teacher, and the freedom of spiritual direction for those who sense "the more."
6.3.2026 - Colette on the What Matters Most Podcast with Host Paul Samuel Dolman
Colette joins Paul Samuel Dolman on the What Matters Most podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about poetry as prayer, contemplative practice, and the quiet work of staying grounded in uncertain times. She shares the practices that anchor her—centering prayer, lectio divina, gratitude, time in nature—and closes by reading her poem "Pour In" from Leaving the Shore: Experiencing Poetry as Prayer.
5.17.2026 - Q&A with Colette Lafia | Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb
In this interview, Colette shares the sleepless night that gave rise to the title poem and collection, her process for ordering the poems, and the deep gratification of leading workshops that invite others into poetry as prayer. Click here to read the full interview.
5.17.2026 - Q&A with Colette Lafia | Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb
In this interview, Colette shares the sleepless night that gave rise to the title poem and collection, her process for ordering the poems, and the deep gratification of leading workshops that invite others into poetry as prayer. Click here to read the full interview.
Colette traces her path from a disillusionment with the poetry world to a renewed encounter with contemplative writing — and how that convergence gave rise to Leaving the Shore. Click here to read the full interview.
4.16.2026 - Creativity as a Sacred Path | Made to Make Podcast with Shannon Grissom
In this conversation with host Shannon Grissom, Colette explores the deep relationship between creativity and spiritual life — how showing up to our creative work with intention, curiosity, and openness can become its own form of prayer. She shares simple practices, from free-writing prompts to rituals of beginning and ending, that invite makers of every kind to trust the creative energy already living within them. Watch on YouTube.
In this reflective conversation, the seasons are explored as more than metaphor — as a living, physical reality that invites deeper awareness of both the outer world and our inner lives, weaving together themes of appreciation, savoring, and the liminal spaces between seasons. This contemplative conversation offers a beautiful lens for understanding how the rhythms of nature mirror the rhythms of our own lives, connecting us to creation and dispelling the lie of separateness. Watch on YouTube.
2.17.2026 - Tomorrow's American Catholic Podcast Episode
In this episode, we speak with Colette about her latest book, Leaving the Shore: Experiencing Poetry as Prayer, out now from Monkfish Book Publishing. As we explore the relationship between reading and writing poetry and contemplative practice, Colette shares poems from the book along with prompts for guided mediation. We also discuss Colette’s work as a retreat leader and spiritual director, and the ways in which spiritual direction (or “accompaniment”) is emerging as a new ministerial form. Click here to listen & read more.
The Divine Heart Press Materials
Mentioned in Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation - Click here to read.
The Divine Heart Press Materials
The Divine Heart Published Reviews
The Divine Heart Podcast Interviews
Podcasts
Click here to listen to Colette's Summit Session, The Divine Heart: Living in the Fullness of Love from the Mystics Summit by The Shift Network.
Interviews & Book Talks
Watch my interview on The Loretta Brown Show
Interviews, Audio & Webinars
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