I determined early on in my creative process that I wanted my book to have illustrations. I wanted the book to be immersive. It includes essays, which read like a story time with a best friend. Each essay has a correlating poem that packs an emotional punch. And, finally, the illustrations drive it all home. The illustrations will be done by Elena Altebaumer. She has a natural gift for bringing stories to life through images, and I can't wait to share some of her creativity s

I've had some big wins in my life. I raised two kids. I was married for over 16 years. I earned a master's degree. All of these are acceptable wins to celebrate in society's eyes. Less acceptable to celebrate; however, are small wins. For example, I brushed my teeth today. I celebrate that as a win when most people would just say it's part of their daily routine. It's a win for me because I have severe major depression and ADHD. Both of those make functioning difficult for me

Hello, everyone! I'm excited to let you know that the book is with the illustrator, and she's working diligently on creating artwork that captures the essence of my essays and poetry. Her drawings will be whimsical, heartwarming, silly, melancholic. Meanwhile, I continue to edit and proofread, so that you have the best book possible. My goal with this book is for you to feel like you're hanging with a good friend while she tells you stories about her life. It pairs well with

As I was writing my memoir of essays, I noticed a theme start to emerge. My life has been haphazardly planned. It wasn't as if I set out to be spontaneous, it's just how I'm wired. Novelty is what keeps me going. Where novelty recharges me, sameness has the opposite effect. Faced with a sharp stick in the eye or a repetitive task, the choice is easy for me. Give me the stick! In this blog, I will be keeping y'all updated about the book and posting weekly blogs entries of what