Category: What It Is Wednesday
A weekly series naming what something actually is — the thing under the thing, the pattern people miss, the honest description of a situation people would rather euphemize.
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When Pushing Through Starts Pushing Back
There’s a particular kind of message we’re raised on. It’s not always spoken out loud, but it’s everywhere. Push harder. Sleep less. Keep going. Don’t stop unless something breaks. And even then, maybe try pushing a little more. We learn it young. It’s in gym class and team sports. In those early jobs that praise…
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When the Author Limped, So Did the Character
“Jeez,” a new-to-me reader complained, “couldn’t you have skipped the main female character’s knee problem? I mean, great story but who cares about her bum knee?” Of course, I checked the reader’s age next because this particular story was advertised as paranormal women’s fiction. It even, at the time, had Midlife in the title. Yep,…
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What If Being Alone Isn’t a Threat?
“Fine!” comes his retort, “but you’ll be alone for the rest of your life!” He says it as a warning, but he means it as a threat. “Um…okay?” From the Bookshelf A Reverence for Trees — an emotional short read about love, healing, and a little magic. Available direct from the author → It’s not…
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The Jagged Line of Aging
Health surprises as I get older. As I get older, my daily health keeps surprising me—whether it’s excellent or something less than that. To be honest, I didn’t expect surprises. For two reasons. From the Bookshelf Rite of Awakening — Southern Gothic with bite, Book One of the Rites of Passage. Available direct from the…
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When Prophecy Fails: A Journey Through Uncertainty
Maeve was never the kind of woman you’d expect to raise a queen who’ll lead the planet through an apocalypse. She wasn’t born into power or prophecy. No gift of Knowing, no foresight stitched into her soul. Just instinct, love, and a primal fear that it wouldn’t be enough. That she wouldn’t be enough. And…
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How My Fake Plants Accidentally Saved My Garden
Never in a million years did I think I’d be known as that lady with the fake plants—let alone be called out for it by a kindergartner. But here we are. I’ve accepted that each of the past few summers in Tampa has been the coolest summer of the rest of my life. The temperatures…
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Why We Crave Secret Libraries
A love letter to magical archives, hidden collections, and the forbidden truths we ache to understand There’s a reason we’re drawn to the idea of secret libraries. Not the bustling public ones, though those have their own magic. From the Bookshelf Rite of Awakening — Southern Gothic with bite, Book One of the Rites of…
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In Life, I’m a Regular
At this stage in my life, I’m a regular. Not a small. Not a large. Not that kind of regular. Not average, either. From the Bookshelf Rite of Awakening — Southern Gothic with bite, Book One of the Rites of Passage. Available direct from the author → I’m a regular like the kind of regular…
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What Happens When You Erase a Hero from History?
I never dreamed that Pete Hegseth would inspire me to write a novel. Right after he took over as Secretary of Defense, I began hearing from former Department of Defense colleagues. Within a few weeks, they told me that some of the more inspirational stories featured on DoD websites had disappeared overnight. The rationale? These…
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25 in ’25: May Wins
In my plan to release 25 new Intellectual Property (IP) products in 2025, May was a big win, though keep in mind that I was continuing my business book serialization that’s already been accounted for. Plus, I spent a lot of the month working on editing and revising some manuscripts I wrote a few years…
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25 in ’25: April Wins
In my plan to release 25 new Intellectual Property (IP) products in 2025, April was a win, though keep in mind that I was continuing my business book serialization that’s already been accounted for. I spent a lot of the month working on editing and revising some manuscripts I wrote a few years ago and…
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25 in ’25: March Wins
In my plan to release 25 new Intellectual Property (IP) products in 2025, February was NOT a win, and March was significantly less than desired, but for good reason. Near the end of January, the DOGE and a bunch of Executive Orders put my life’s work in Acquisition and Contracting on hiatus, maybe permanently. It…
