Here in Colorado, we're kicking off the sun-soaked summer season. I'll confess, I'm not usually a summer kind of gal. Partly because I'm a fan of cooler weather, but mainly because my day job as an academic editor runs at peak, panic-inducing pace in spring and summer. As rewarding as I find my work helping others tell their stories, this year I'm challenging myself to cultivate my own family's narrative, too. To be honest, I've always found it a bit tricky to carve out time for relaxation, to allow my mind the liberty to stroll rather than sprint. How about you? Do you ever feel the same way?

Meet Kitty CoCat, so-named because my daughter, who was three when she named her, thought this was how to pronounce calico cat. Kitty CoCat was a founding member of my little girl's evergrowing cat menagerie (current count: three real, three-dozen stuffed, all beloved, in case you were wondering). Given Kitty CoCat's diminutive size, she's become the perfect traveling companion for my husband, whose work occasionally takes him out of town. This week…

Last year, I introduced you to my good friend Allison Gygi, who was then celebrating the release of her debut romance, Chasing Her Heart. It's such a sweet travel-themed second-chance romance! This week, Allison released her newest book in her Buena Hills series, Champion of Her Heart, a sports romance with a forbidden love aspect. I'm so excited for Allison! She's worked incredibly hard to bring these characters and their stories to life. I know because…

I love receiving emails from subscribers! It always makes me happy to hear from you all and learn more about you. Carrie Lowrance emailed me after I posted about my little cat, Coco, and her new diagnosis with kidney disease. She shared about her own cat, Carlton (picture of that sweet boy below), and over the course of our conversations I learned that Carrie is also an author who recently released her first romance! Since I'm all about celebrating people's accomplishments and Carrie's book looks so good, I knew I had to share it with you, along with…

First things first, thank you so much for the kind messages you sent about my little Coco cat (who is impersonating our household hero Elton John in this photo). I am thrilled to report that she is eating a good bit better these days. I'm so grateful for this! Kidney disease is mainly about making a cat comfortable, but even at 12 years old, this tiny girl is so small that our vet's priority is for her to put on weight. At her healthiest, she's about a 7-lb. cat. but being sick…

Can I tell you a story about this sprightly black cat? I found her running across four lanes of Chicago traffic one cold November night twelve years ago. She was seven weeks old, and got separated from her mom as they both darted across the street. The baby cat took refuge under the running parked car of a delivery driver, who patiently waited for her to finally dash out. A bystander chased after her and, by some miracle, managed to…

Happy 2023, friends! Hope your holidays were great and you're enjoying the clean buzz of energy that comes with every brand new year. I love the way life feels fresh as soon as the calendar flips over. Everything seems more possible and I feel more purposeful.

Here in Colorado, snow is falling outside my window. My little ones are tucked in and dreaming of sugar plums...well, sugar cookies, more likely. I'm writing by the light of the Christmas tree and thinking of all you wonderful readers who have kept me company on my journey this year. Thank you for…

I've learned a lot about shifting gears in the past two weeks. We were all packed up and ready to hit the road for my parents' house when snow and ice derailed our plans. In true Colorado front-range fashion, it melted within two days, but they were two days that saw us fall victim, one by one, to a series of worsening viruses that ultimately caused us to call off our trip. We so missed seeing our family in southern Illinois this year! And our kids...

Hello, hello! Over here at my house, we're in the throes of packing up for a week at my parents' home in southern Illinois. It's a two-day drive from here in Colorado that we'll be making with two kids and a dog. To be honest, we're not at our best this year. My son and I have a cold, my daughter is recovering from a stomach virus, and my husband has pinkeye, of all things. But we're still feeling grateful for our upcoming trip and the chance to see family we love.

Leslie Jordan. What did we do to deserve his sprightly kindness and infectious joy? When I heard he passed away unexpectedly last week, it really stung, especially considering he was a celebrity I'd never met. But he inspired me - to look for goodness, to use my voice, to be a helper, to keep it real. 

Thanks to everyone who voted on my new pink iMac's name! It was fun to see the answers roll in. Although it was a very close race between Poppy and Blushing Betty (Rizzo got many votes as well!) in the end, Blushing Betty edged out the competition. I am super excited. Now that she's got a name, this pretty-in-pink computer feels like part of the family.