Peyton Kathleen

 "It's such an awful sensation. This feeling of being watched. I know she can't get to me, I know I'm beyond her reach, but I still feel her presence. Like if I let my guard down for one second, she'll be right there." Dr. Linda nods, "That's not an usual feeling for victims of abuse." I still can't believe I'm sitting here. If you had told me five years ago that I would be in a therapist's office, spilling my guts, I would have called you crazy. But, here I am. The room is small and neat, dark and warm, sort of feels like a nest or cocoon that protects you from the outside world. Maybe that's how I'm able to open up in here. Maybe that's how I'm able to feel safe.  I started therapy during my divorce. My anger had become so all consuming, I was losing my grip on everything. I knew I needed anger management if I wanted to lead a normal life. The processes started and all I wanted were tips.  How do I control my rage?  ...

Tips from Stephen King  Don't use adverbs Write about work let the writing be the boss Don' plot it out or force it 

 "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot."  -Stephen King, A  Memoir of the Craft, page 145 This couldn't be more obvious, so I don't know why reading it felt like a major reality check. I want to be a writer, yet I find myself constantly being other things; a full time teacher and mother to a very active toddler. However, if I am being honest with myself, I am not nearly as focused as I ought to be.  Instead of reading, I'll scroll mindlessly through TikTok (but my god, what a phenomenal app).  Instead of writing, I'll do a New York Times crossword puzzle while half listening to a podcast. My sister asked me when I thought my book would come out, and I told her when I turn 40. So nine years. I tell myself this is because no 31 year old has learned enough or done enough to be interesting, and I think other than a select few people, that holds pretty true. Plus Jessica Simpson was 40 when she put out Open...

 "What people are ashamed of usually makes a good story." F. Scott Fitzgerald "Show people your scars, not your wounds." -Georgia Hardstark  "From day to day,  I am less sure of what I lost, but I always know what you lost." Kristina Mahr "Time will reveal whose loss it truly was." Gisselle Gullianna