Sailing with Angels: A Poetic Tale of Grief and Grace by Laura Briel Sullivan, Illustrated by Aileen Bennett
Susan Schadt Press, May 2026
Sailing with Angels: A Poetic Tale of Grief and Grace by first time author Laura Briel Sullivan is a luminous, comforting fable that beautifully navigates the heavy waters of loss. Shortlisted in the Faulkner Society Wisdom Competition, Sailing with Angels is a love letter to her parents’ generation.
The story follows Princess Briel, a young girl mourning the loss of the generation ahead of her. Armed with a mysterious talisman, she sets sail on the open water. Along her journey, she encounters a series of guiding figures — the Judge, the Alchemist, and the Harbormaster — who offer nautical pearls of wisdom. These “angels” help her realize that honoring the past means keeping the door to memory open, allowing love and laughter to sail through.
This moving debut feels like a treasured keepsake, born from the author’s childhood summers spent along the shores of Martha’s Vineyard. Sullivan invites the reader to bask in the warm, sun-faded nostalgia of long-ago coastal days, serving as a beautiful tribute to the real-life characters of her summer life. Structurally, Sullivan’s solid rhymes and vivid imagery mirror the gentle, rhythmic flow of a tide.
Ultimately, this poetic journey offers a gentle reminder that love remains bright against strong headwinds.