Echoes of the Past: What Happens to Souls Taken Too Soon?
What happens to the souls of those unjustly taken from this earth? Do they rest in peace, or do they linger, waiting for justice that may never come? I wrote Justice in Mississippi as a way to give voice to the countless lives stolen in the dead of night, their stories erased, their families left […]
Who’s Side Are You On? A Deep Dive Into the Themes of Flags
Loyalty. Allegiance. Identity. These words might bring to mind battles fought in sports arenas, political debates, or even our personal relationships. They speak to the heart of the human experience: choosing where we stand and who we stand with. In an increasingly divided world, questions of loyalty and allegiance resonate deeply. Are you red or […]
Mastering the Pivot: How to Adapt When Your Life Takes a Detour
Life doesn’t always go as planned. In fact, some of the most transformative moments in my life have come disguised as detours. As someone who’s been laid off five times in my advertising career, I’ve learned that mastering the pivot isn’t just about surviving change—it’s about thriving because of it. Alex Murray, the protagonist of […]
Drifting Through Life After a Breakup: How to Stay Grounded
Sometimes, life has a way of making you feel like you’re floating aimlessly in space. If you’ve ever experienced heartbreak, you know exactly what I mean. That gut-wrenching, all-consuming loneliness can leave you untethered, like a ship drifting far from the coordinates of where you thought you’d be. That’s the journey Elliot Shaw faces in […]
The Fine Line Between Ambition and Integrity: How to Succeed Without Losing Yourself
In my short story Sleeping with the Client, a young advertising account executive makes a desperate choice to seduce a powerful client to save his job, blurring the lines between ambition and integrity. It’s a fictional exploration of how far someone might go to succeed, but it’s rooted in a very real question: How do […]
Overcoming Past Regrets and Building a Better Future: Lessons from Grandma Henri’s House
Y’all, life doesn’t always go the way we plan. Sometimes it takes a detour through heartache, bad decisions, and a whole lot of “what was I thinking?” But if Grandma Henri can find purpose on her little North Georgia farm with three rowdy grandsons in tow, then maybe there’s hope for the rest of us […]
5 Life Lessons Every Preteen Can Learn From Dance
As the parent of a preteen dancer, I’ve witnessed firsthand how dance can transform a child’s perspective and build their character. Watching my daughter navigate the challenges of balancing schoolwork, rehearsals, and performances inspired me to write the short story Leola’s Turning Pointe. While it isn’t my daughter’s true story, there are undeniable similarities in […]
Preserving the Matriarch’s Legacy: How to Honor Family Roots in a Changing World
There’s something magical about family gatherings—the kind of magic that comes from too many people crammed into one house, sharing stories, laughter, and sometimes a little chaos. Growing up, I was lucky enough to experience this firsthand. One summer, my family moved
Sustainability, Innovation, and Community Growth: Balancing Progress and Tradition
When I was growing up, Sidney Poitier was a larger-than-life figure whose movies inspired millions. Whether he was building a church in Lilies of the Field, solving a murder in In the Heat of the Night, taming a rowdy classroom in To Sir, With Love, or breaking down racial barriers in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Sidney’s quiet strength and dignity gave us hope.
The Power of Empathy in Bridging Political Divides
We need more than thoughts and prayers to end gun violence. It’s a tragic reality that kids are dying in our schools while many politicians, particularly on the right, offer little more than empty platitudes. They refuse to