10 Things to Know About Me in 2025
Building an online presence is weird. You need to create content to drive growth, all the while knowing in the interim whatever you create is for a microaudience. But I am loving building connections with other writers and readers in the online sphere, and it’s fun to support their creative processes. And since I do have a lot of new writer/book besties to get to know better, I figured it was time to update my recurring post. So here are 10 things to know about me in 2025:
1. I have now been writing for eight years. I’m really concentrating on middle grade these days, and it seems to be my sweet spot. It makes sense, because that has always been my favorite age to work with. (The summers I spent running camps for middle schoolers come to mind!) I have always loved that they are sarcastic and get humor but they can still be silly and malleable. So middle grade it is, and I hope to be back in the query trenches soon!
2. I am an avid audiobook listener. The Libby app is my best friend. I always have a physical book going too, but get through far more audiobooks in a year. My tastes are all over the place, but logging everything on Goodreads has helped me realize historical fiction is by far my favorite. I’m not much for spice (no judgement, just not my jam) and my brain does not engage well with fantasy. I do love thrillers, too.
3. Theatre is where my heart lives. I was a theatre major for a hot second, and have had some amazing experiences on stage. It’s not something I have time for during this season of life, so now I am an enthusiastic audience member. My daughter and I are going to NYC next month and will see four shows in three days. (Including a preview of the new Ragtime revival. I’m going to bawl. I know it.) There is something magical about watching her fall in love with the stage, and I do hope someday we get to do a show together. There are a lot of roles I look forward to aging into!
4. Since I was 13 years old, I have lived less than 9 months without a dog. I have been blessed to love four fur babies in that time, including a cocker spaniel (Lady Pippa), a yellow lab (Brewer), a rat terrier/chi mix (Little Dude) and our current, a golden retriever (Lorelai). It’s a lot of dog hair, a lot of stained carpet, and an immeasurable amount of love and comfort and nose boops. I’m pretty sure I don’t ever want a dog-free house. Don’t worry, we have lots of scented candles and lint rollers.
5. My kids are getting big! They are now 13, 10, 8, and 5. We are in three different schools with three different start times. Yayyyyy… It is a lot, but they are so fun and so busy. There is dance, baseball, hockey, soccer, and basketball. I think our family functions best when we’re frantic, ha. And we are blessed to be able to do it all.
6. And the reason we get to do it all is my incredible husband of 15 years. He works unspeakably hard to make sure our kids get to pursue their dreams at whatever level they want. Travel hockey goalie? Absolutely. Dance five days a week? Sure thing. Wife wants to stay home and write books and post things on the internet? Didn’t blink an eye. He is also head coaching our oldest son’s baseball team this year and the amount of time and energy he pours into each and every kid is amazing. We are so lucky he’s ours and I love him a bunch.
7. I have a volunteering problem. I think it might be genetic. When I think back in my childhood, both my parents set an example of service in the community. And reading all of my grandparents’ obituaries, their lists of commitments were extensive. I think when you grow up with that as a part of your life, it is just an unspoken assumption. And so I continue the cycle. Yes, I will be Co-President of the PTO. Yes, I will serve on that committee. I swear I am getting better at saying no simply because of the limitations of my schedule. But it kills me!
8. I had a bunch of health stuff over the last year and it has made me terrified, thankful, and aware. The shortest possible version is that because of a blood test I had to make sure I didn’t have cancer. That involved a PET scan, a bone marrow biopsy, an MRI, 3 upper endoscopies, a colonoscopy, and other tests. I do not have cancer, and the risk has actually fallen below measurable levels, which was amazing news. I am on an autoimmune journey, without diagnosis, which can be challenging. But I am aware of how lucky I am, not just for good test results but also in the access to these tests and having the time to look for answers.
9. My favorite color is green. (Thought we could use something light, here. It’s all about balance, ha!)
10. I am loving writing full time and really throwing myself into this completely. There are still a lot of days I don’t get done what I want to or don’t make the progress I’m hoping for. But I try to breathe, and remind myself that I have time. There is no expiration date. And there is something to be said for enjoying the journey.
At some point, I will have to discontinue updating this list because there will be nothing left to say. But my hope is that by that time, I will have more to share on my writing and publishing exploits. New releases! Writer visits! Here’s hoping I can speak these things into being. Until then, like June Carter Cash, “I’m just tryin’ to matter.”
