They tried to beat me down. I didn’t let them. Grief is everywhere. My mom died mere months before the pandemic struck, plunging me into a darkness I had never known could exist. Then the world was plunged into a seemingly never-ending darkness of its own. The only way to keep my head…

Grief has a way of flipping everything upside down. — Like many atheists, I gradually came to a point during my adolescence and early adult life in which I began to question the dominant public beliefs and opinions around me. …

How writing through grief can ease the pain — I finished writing my first book last month. It’s a very rough book in need of many more revisions, but I still wrote a book from beginning to end. I have always been more of a short story/poetry/creative non-fiction essay gal but like many writers, I’ve harbored the dream of writing a book since I first picked up…

The sweet balm of words to soothe the pain. — Grief is a universal experience. It comes to different people in different ways but it shows up in the same dark clothing, screaming and wailing as it swoops down to pelt us with insufferable pain. Grief is powerful and icky, a goopy moaning thing that tastes like tears and snot and plants itself firmly in…

And other unhelpful sentiments directed toward the bereaved. — Anyone who has lost a loved one knows that their friends, family, and acquaintances fall into one of three categories: they will either say nothing, say something, or say the wrong thing. Death is one of the least talked-about topics in our western culture. Many people find themselves unsure of what to say to a person who has lost someone close. …

Please just let me respond to “How are you?” with “I’m good.” — Everyone knows someone who insists on correcting every little grammar mistake they hear or see. I have a friend who truly believes she is doing the world a favor when she corrects a stranger’s grammar or launches into a rant about every writer who dares to end a sentence with a preposition. This is the type of friend you don’t want to catch you spelling…

Does one have to cancel out the other? — Imagine this: You are a childless woman in your late 20’s, married for less than a year, and dog mom to a seven-year-old Australian Cattle Dog named Bear. …

Should writers avoid this literary device? — I recently decided my memoir was ready to find its place with a developmental editor. After months of revisions and more revisions, I arrived at a crossroads many writers are familiar with — I’ve edited until I can’t see straight but I’m not ready to pursue publishing: Where do I…

Readers aren’t expected to like every book but these reviews cut deep. — I love reading memoir. Memoirists are brave individuals who launch their stories into the abyss in the hope of connecting with others. The best memoirs I’ve read draw me into the writer’s world and give me a new perspective on life. …