I don’t even know where to begin. My last post here was in 2022, and I didn’t even update you on what happened during 2022 in that post! Time just keeps marching marching marching. Things get pushed to the side. You forget to celebrate your first domain turning 25 (?) years old.

A lot has happened since I last posted, which is par for the course when one is living a life. I’ll do a yearly summary, with pictures, because that’s how I roll.

2022

I mainly worked on my second novel, and did freelance work. I visited Paris, the French countryside for an Elixir retreat, and London. I went to Disney World for the first time since 2019. Flew first class on an international flight, which was awesome. Participated in the inaugural DivBookFest, which was so fun. I went an autumn writing retreat in a country town outside of Chicago, and was thoroughly entertained by a very loud rooster. Friends, they do not crow only in the mornings!

I also went to Palm Springs for another writing retreat. That one was instrumental in finishing THIS NIGHT IS OURS. My friends kept me fed, the area was beautiful and quiet, and there was a hot tub. Perfect.

I got converted from a contractor to a full-time associate at work, and my mommy came to Chicago for Christmas!

2023

I started by heading to my very first grad school residency, which is 11 days of intensive learning in person, on campus. I learned so much about writing, met some cool people, and then dove into a semester of graduate level work, which was scary and exciting. It was also snowy and cold!

I went to Disney World twice—once with Aidan and once with my sister-in-law and nibling. Both times were super fun! Also attended the most fun wedding I’ve ever been to!

Summer residency was beyond fun. I really bonded with folks in the cohort behind me, and Minneapolis is gorgeous in the summer! I went to a Joey McIntyre concert where he held my hand and sang to me! There is video proof. Later that year, I went to a writing retreat in the Catskills, and it was absolutely beautiful. Again, I learned a lot, got to hang with writers, eat amazing food, and watch a lot of Heartstopper!

The worst news….

Sadly, my mommy had a severe stroke in 2023. She hung on for long while, but in December, she passed away. Sometimes I think about it and it takes my breath away. I miss her all the time. Just the fact that I can’t call her or tell her all the silly things happening in my life. I can hear her voice because I’ve downloaded voice mails from her… but we all know it’s not the same.

Nothing prepares you for losing you mother, and I know I haven’t processed it fully yet. 🙁

Meanwhile, we took in her sweet kitty Lily, and Lily has decided that I am her person. She’s an affectionate cat to everyone, but I’m the one she loves the most. She’s by my side almost every hour, no matter where I am. She’s my small comfort.

2024

Even though it was just last year, 2024 feels kind of far away! But. I saw the solar eclipse in totality and WOW. I will never forget how freaking AMAZING that was. It was so quiet and eerie, like twilight. The corona was beautiful. I am so glad I got to experience that. I entered my 3rd semester of grad school, and won an award for my critical essay, and an award for my current fiction work-in-progress, which I won’t say much about for now. After finishing semester 3 on such a high, I entered my final and fourth semester with an amazing advisor! I also attended a Highlights Foundation retreat in August, and I saw Cobi in concert, which had been on my bucket list for a while. I also got to meet him, and he’s super sweet.

My second book finally came out, and doesn’t it look great next to my debut? 🙂

In 2024, I did more book events than I’d ever done. That, combined with day job and school and so much travel made me tired, but I wouldn’t trade it. I loved meeting so many people and authors, some of whom I’d only known online. And I enjoyed meeting new readers and booksellers and librarians.

I continued through grad school, winning awards for my critical thesis and my creative work, exploring new things, and bonding with the Hamline community.

One of the most exciting things is that I turned 50 years old! And I indeed like to KICK, and STRETCH, and KICK (IYKYK). I am so thrilled to have gotten to this age. And while I still look super young (and act it too, let’s be real), I see more and more grey hairs growing in, and feel random aches and pains sometimes… and I welcome it all.

Surprising approximately no one, I went to Disney World to celebrate. Aidan came with me, and my birthday in Magic Kingdom, and then Epcot, was the best thing ever. The parks were all decorated for Christmas, and playing Christmas music and serving yummy Christmas foods and treats. The Dapper Dans sang Happy Birthday to me. It was incredible.

We stayed through Christmas, and while it was a little overwhelming, it was also magical in a way I can’t describe. Saying Merry Christmas to perfect strangers. The special parade, the fireworks (that might or might not have had me literally sobbing), all the yummy sweets! Enormous trees everywhere, and all the festive outfits. I still smile so much when I think about it. I’m so glad I did this!

2025

And now, it is 2025. The world is back to being on fire. I’m still working my day job, still writing, still freelancing. I’m on the hunt for a new agent, as my former agent had to leave agenting. I’m on the precipice of something, and I’m just trying to breathe and stay grounded and calm while the Universe works her magic. I’m still playing and loving assorted cozy games, planning Disney trips, and making a point to connect more with the people I love. Aidan is 22 and lives with me full-time, and it is the best thing ever. He’s my favorite person.

The best news is that I got my master’s degree! I am now the owner of Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. It’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever done. I have so much more confidence in my writing, and I made so many incredible friends. I got to learn from amazing faculty—award winners and NYT bestsellers, be surrounded by people who love writing as much as I do, and stretch in ways I never even considered. I wrote picture books, poetry, middle grade, and of course, YA. I wrote a critical thesis and a creative thesis. And it was amazing and I still can’t believe it’s real!

And that brings me to right now. This moment. Right before I hit “publish” or maybe “schedule.” I’m not going to make any promises about when I’ll be back, because I never keep up with them hahaha. I am pretty active on bluesky and threads, and sometimes instagram, and I have a substack you can sign up for if you want to hear from me more often than every few years.

OK, I think that’s enough for now. If you’ve read this far, thanks for sticking with me, and thanks for sticking with this blog for all these years. Leave a comment to let me know you’ve dropped by!

Till next time….