Memoir Writing
12 Days of Christmas (Memoir-Writer Edition)
Every December, I love finding small ways to reconnect with my creativity. This year, I decided to give the classic “12 Days of Christmas” a memoir-writer twist — something light, joyful, and totally permission-giving with ChatGPT.This is what we came up with: On the first day of Christmas, my memoir book coach gave to me:…
Read MoreHow the Story Unfolds: Chapter One
Angry storm clouds, pregnant with rain, screamed with lightning as I gripped the seat handles and stared out the window of the plane, willing this trip to Montana to be over. The dark, tumultuous sky seemed to mirror our family’s last two and a half months. I gazed at my thirteen-year-old daughter, Katie, as she…
Read MoreHow Writing Helps Me Hold What’s Hard
For almost 25 years, I’ve been writing about the girl who would become my daughter—trying to make sense of a parenting journey that has looked nothing like the one I once imagined. From the posts I sent to listservs during our Russian adoption process (back when the internet was barely finding its legs), to my…
Read MoreNever Underestimate Your Impact
When I was a college student, I had an opportunity to work for Councilmember Harold “Rusty” Fairly. I was interning for his public affairs consultant, who said, “I want you to go help Rusty out.” So I walked a block over to City Hall and met the man who would be like a second father…
Read MoreYou’ve Finished Your Manuscript, Now What
Tips for Self-Publishing Authors So, you’ve finished your manuscript and are waiting for the edits or your interior formatting, or your proof copy to arrive. With this extra time on your hands, you can amplify your book and author presence—for FREE—with these seven easy strategies. To get started, keep your key book information in a…
Read MoreWhat I Know Now About Marriage
This weekend my husband and I celebrated our fourth anniversary, and it got me thinking about our wedding ceremony and intimate relationships in general. Many of these things also apply to our head and heart relationships with ourselves. So here goes: What I know now, in my second marriage with almost 23 years of cumulative…
Read MoreYou’ve Completed Your Book Proposal, Now What?
Insight from the year of my Hay House author membership and self-publishing journey For those who have just turned in their proposal for the Hay House Contest—big congratulations! Going through this process is so unique—it’s a demanding, time-consuming, and enriching experience—one that few truly understand. As someone who submitted a book proposal in June 2021,…
Read MoreLiving With Purpose
A few weeks ago, I shared this post, and I want to speak to the “why.” Today my husband Tom is celebrating seven years of sobriety. On his first sober birthday, he invited me to “give him a cake” at an AA meeting. I had no idea what to expect as I imagined AA as…
Read MoreFalling in Love
Happy February! I hope love abounds in your life during this month focused on affection and romance (and the Super Bowl and Olympics!) These days, I find myself falling in love. Except instead of falling for a person, I’m falling in love with my life, the life I was always meant to have. I have…
Read MoreExcitement and gratitude in the new year
“Enter this new year with a gratitude for this new chance to create your dreams.” Avina Celeste There’s something about the passing of one year and the beginning of another that sparks excitement for me, like turning the page in a book, anticipating the next chapter. And this year will have new beginnings, opportunities, and…
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