Welcome to my office! I am lucky to have a space in our basement that's all my own. Although it's half-underground, it has a great big window, so it's full of light. The bookshelves were here when we bought the house and they were the #1 reason I chose this room for my own. I love them! 

I am super excited to be writing you on the iMac computer I got today. My faithful old laptop is nearing the end of its days after many years of service. When I knew I had to buy a new computer, I decided to go with a fun option: it's pink!

Do you remember the old iMacs from the early 2000s? They came in 5 or 6 different lollipop-bright colors, and I longed for one in college. My roommate had the…

We're heading out for a week of much-needed vacation on Saturday, and the excitement in this house is palpable. California here we come! Our seven-year-old twins can't wait to see the ocean and the Exploratorium during our two days in San Francisco, but they're even more excited to spend the rest of the week with their grandparents in Fresno.

Lately I've been working on decompressing by playing around with things that make me happy and help me relax. That includes remodeling a bathroom, watching true-crime shows (I know, I don't get it, either), and art journaling. The latter is what I was doing this afternoon when my seven-year-old daughter came into my office.

I'm on a quest to slow down. 

My day job - which is super rewarding - is also super busy this time of year. Combine that with publishing two books and working on a third, and I am feeling the stress.

Look at these beauties! That’s Love on Paper and its sequel, Love on Film, in a glorious stack on my own bookshelf. Talk about dreams coming true! I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to bring these books into the world. With the exception of having my own twin kiddos, these lovely books are my greatest accomplishment. Thanks for letting me share them with you.

Look at these beautiful flowers. They showed up today after I missed my writing group for the fourth consecutive week due to how nuts my life has been lately. My friend Allison Gygi surprised me with them out of the blue.

Last week, I traveled to Omaha to teach at the Nebraska Writers Guild conference. It was my first time teaching and why I decided to do not just one but TWO CLASSES I will never know. I was so nervous!

Growing up, I was debilitatingly shy. This has gotten much better as I've grown older, but actually getting in front of a crowd to speak is...whew: a challenge! To put it in perspective, at our wedding…

This week I have been immersed in editing Love on Film, the sequel to my first novel, Love on Paper. I am so crazy about these two books, and so excited to put them out into the world. The last few months have been super intense as I've been revising Love on Film and making sure it's just right for publication. Sunday was the deadline, and I worked myself right through the weekend to ensure…

Look at this gorgeous place! That's Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs, and it's one of my favorite spots. About once a quarter, I visit the grounds. Last weekend, I did even better: I spent two nights there for a writing retreat with my friend, the awesome body-positive YA author…

We're having brutally cold temperatures here in Colorado this week. Today is a high of 1° F! At least the cold is paired with a fluffy, powdery snow that's been falling off and on for a few hours. 

What a journey!

After so many years, Love on Paper is a real live book. I have nurtured this story for so long, you all. I started writing it when life was rough - I was going through infertility, job insecurity, and the isolation that comes from working exclusively at home - but when I was immersed in the characters' lives, my own struggles seemed to melt away.