Sailing with Angels: A Poetic Tale of Grief and Grace

Sailing with Angels is a lyrical fable about grief, memory, and enduring love and a gentle reminder that love stays bright, even against strong headwinds.

In her debut book, Laura Briel Sullivan introduces Princess Briel, a young girl navigating the loss of the generation ahead of her. Guided by a talisman, she journeys across sea and island, meeting wise characters—from the Judge to the Alchemist to the Harbormaster—each offering a piece of life’s quiet wisdom.

Once upon a time, on an isle not so far away,
Where ocean tides and sea winds play,
A princess mourned of what had passed
While souls set adrift upon raised masts.

A story you will revisit for years—a book a child can understand and an adult may need.

LAURA BRIEL SULLIVAN believes that life has a soundtrack and that the best gifts are stories that find us when we need them most. Laura grew up on tales passed through generations, rainy afternoons in libraries, summers on Martha’s Vineyard, and the spark of Mr. Vous’s fourth-grade reading class, where she fell in love with turning a phrase. A recovering financial-services executive, her career adventures led to a tricoastal life—always somewhere near a river, bay, or bend. Shortlisted in the Faulkner Society Wisdom Competition, Sailing with Angels: A Poetic Tale of Grief and Grace is a love letter to the characters of her summer life. Laura divides her time between the Massachusetts and Mississippi coasts with her husband and two loyal muses, William Hamilton and Moose. She is currently at work on Sailing with Alligators: A Poetic Tale of Grit and Gumption.

AILEEN BENNETT is an illustrator, writer, and award-winning speaker. She is the author and illustrator of A Little Book About Fire (Susan Schadt Press), and is also the illustrator of Inhale, Exhale...Shoot!, Scrim: A New Orleans Story of Resilience & Rescue, Lila Said No, Dog Island, Lila Duray: A Collection of Delectable Poems, and The Little Book of King Cake. She is originally from London, England, and has lived in the United States for twenty years. Happily married to an American, when she isn't traveling, Aileen works in her studio with the assistance of a white dog called Mr. Blue. She has an insatiable curiosity, bulletproof enthusiasm, and a slight obsession with surfing. She lives in Louisiana.