writer | creator | story teller
STORYTELLING
"Why me?" "Why this?" "What am I doing?"
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These are questions I've asked myself so many times over the last few years that I've lost count.
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I always loved reading. As a kid, I read obsessively. Sometimes I read so much that my mom had to literally hide books from me so I'd go outside or do something else 😂 but I'd say that's a good problem to have. Over the years, I got busy with life. I went to college, majoring in English and history. My senior year, I changed my path and stayed an extra year to add on a minor in psychology. I didn't know it at the time, but this shift drastically shaped my life. I moved from my hometown in Northern Kentucky to Lexington, KY to pursue my masters degree in public health. Over the next few years, a lot of changes happened. I started my first professional role, working in substance abuse prevention with college students. This led me to get involved in the world of Collegiate Recovery Communities and introduced me to some amazing humans. Shortly after, I got married, purchased a house, moved back to Cincinnati, had a baby, and started a job working in an opioid treatment facility as a case manager. This role was another life-shaping experience, and one that provided me the opportunity to interact with some incredible people.
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In 2019, I moved across the country to start a new adventure in Arizona, and I began a new role working in philanthropy. This provided an opportunity to step back from a direct service role, but I started to feel like something was missing. So, in 2020, I started two things: 1. reading again for fun; 2. writing my own book. Both, I think, are important because I don't think you can write a book without making time to also read for pleasure. When I started writing, I had no idea what the end product would be. I'd never written a novel before, nothing longer than maybe a 10-page short story. But I had a story bubbling up inside of me, one that I felt - still feel like- must be told.
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You see, I've always been fascinated by substance use disorders, the concept of addiction, the stigma associated with it, public perception, and the reality that it is a universal topic that transcends time and other boundaries. I have my own personal experiences in substance misuse and abuse, but I've also had the privilege of meeting many people whose lives have been impacted by addiction in various ways.
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Despite this being such a common experience, I haven't read many books that provide good representation of these experiences. Whenever I have read a book that involves substance abuse, it almost always perpetuates the already-existing stigma that surrounds the issue and is pretty myopic. With my book, I hope to share new perspectives and provide the opportunity for readers to reflect on this through a different lens.
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Right now, I have three books in progress:
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Reconciling (novella)
Discovering (novel)
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Each book tackles addiction through a different lens, with each perspective just as important as the next. I'm excited to share these stories with readers. I'm not sure what the future holds for the books, but I think if they positively impact a handful of people, I will consider that a success, and a story well told.
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You can read excerpts from each story using the menu. If you're interested in progress updates, be sure to sign up to receive my newsletter (it comes out semi-regularly-ish).
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As always, I'm grateful for all the love and support I've received in this process. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your interest in these stories. I'm excited to share more!
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