Last year I sat down around this time, give or take a few days, and started this blog. When I first started, I wasn't exactly sure what this space was going to be. I knew I wanted to explore my writing more, and I wanted to start reviewing books. But I didn't really know what [...]
For those of you who don't know what those crazy letters spell out; November is National Novel Writing Month. Or, it was, when it was November. Aspiring writers of all ages and accomplishments set their goals for 50,000 words in the month. This was the first year I participated in this event, and I was [...]
"The thing about a spiral is, if you follow it inward, it never actually ends. It just keeps tightening, infinitely." There are about a million different thoughts rushing through my brain about this book, but there's really only one that's important. If you've ever known someone to struggle with mental illness, this book helps open [...]
"I stay in the car because I'm not welcome at the door." From the very first sentence we see the tension built into the backstory of this YA thriller. Theo and Paige have been friends forever. Paige battles anxiety and Theo battles ODD, ADHD and a number of other disorders. Together they can face anything. [...]
"That's what Americans are supposed to do. There's no excuse for hanging on to negative emotions in this country." The Bad Dream Notebook is a novel about grief, loss, addiction and recovery. Erica Mason just lost her husband. Her daughter Mona just lost her dad. Chronic back pain turned out to be terminal cancer. The [...]
"This whole trip could have been set up to prove it to me once and for all. Life isn't fair, and anything is possible." Everything Beautiful Is Not Ruined is a stunning book. It so fully captures the heartbreaking nature of living. The depth and warmth and aching beauty of this book will stay with [...]
I've been asked quite a bit lately about my writing. What am I writing? When am I going to be finished? When will I submit? And, mostly, what happened to that other book you wrote? In January last year, I had a moment, sitting in my office, when I realized that I wasn't fulfilled. I [...]
Living with anxiety is no easy task. First, you have to actually live with anxiety. Then you have to try and help everyone in your life understand what that means. Maeve is a teenage girl living with anxiety. The one person who understands her, and can help her fight through the panic is her mother. [...]
We live in a social media world. For better or for worse. There was a time, not so long ago, when sharing every aspect of your personal life would have been considered obnoxious and narcissistic. Who needs to know where I am or what I am eating every hour of the day? Those private details [...]
Typical romance novels are not my jam. I can do without heaving bosoms and deep, meaningful stares. Bleh. And after falling for the 50 shades hype, I am highly skeptical of all hyped romance novels. Part of my issue with the genre is all the sex. Not that I care about sex in a book. [...]
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