stefakessler.com

Author: skesslerwrites

  • R.E.P.O.R.T. time

    Call me Atrial Fibrillation, the way I’m consistently inconsistent.

    A little medical humor for you there. You’re welcome.

    Anyways. I am working on the final draft of A Case of You, which I intend to self-publish in Spring 2027 if I can get my shit together.

    So, would you like a report? Probably not, but guess what? You’re getting one anyway!

    Reading

    All the typos and grammatical errors in All Downhill from Here! My SIL’s mother is a copy editor and said that I should fire my editor. Fun fact: I was my editor. Now I’ve learned not to cut corners, and I hired Larissa Antonioni who is just about the most supportive editor a gal could ask for. She made it clear to me that I don’t know how to use commas. Anyway, the updated and hopefully typo-free version of All Downhill from Here is live now.

    I am also finally reading Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. It was a slow-starter for me for some reason. But after a makeout sesh against a car and some dry humping on the beach, Hayden and Alice are my new favorite book couple. The yearning. The tension. Magnificent.

    Eating

    I am having a dense bean salad summer. Sorry not sorry. As a vegetarian it’s basically kibble for me.

    Also, if anyone has recommendations for tacos and sushi in the Capital Region of New York, please for the love of everything, tell me. I haven’t had a good taco since leaving Ohio, if you can believe that. Last time I had good sushi was at Nami Nori like three years ago.

    Playing

    Springtime is always a good time for new music for me. Winter is basically just me, seasonal depression, and Noah Kahan. But I’m no better than a houseplant and some sunshine and good weather does wonders for me. The soundtrack for Off Campus is ruining my life right alongside the show.

    I just made a playlist on Spotify called Lover Girl because that’s what this spring is: lover girl season. Olivia Rodrigo, Holly Humberstone, Francis of Delirium, Chloe Qisha, Claire Rosinkranz, etc. The playlist is keeping me going.

    Also, I’d like to shout out that I was very normal when I saw Khatumu at Grand Central. I didn’t approach her, I sent her a DM saying that I saw her and I love her music. So I hope she didn’t get totally creeped out. Her song “matador” has been on repeat lately.

    Obsessing

    There is no answer other than Off Campus. I am happy to be a part of the collective psychosis. Just as Heated Rivalry occupied my every thought, Garrett Graham is the only thing I see when I close my eyes. It’s unhealthy, I know. It’s affecting my relationships; some positively, some negatively. I will not apologize. I love whatever is wrong with me.

    Recommending

    Being a lover girl. Love your friends. If you’ve move away from them like I have, plan a trip, schedule a call. Heck, weed your garden while having a yap session with your friend. Hop on a Discord call. The world will feel safe again. You’ll feel alive again, I promise.

    That platonic (sometimes verging on inappropriately romantic/sexual) love for your friends is the fucking marrow of life. Soak up every moment you can with them. Send a text or a card or a stupid souvenir you found on your travels that makes you think of them. Bask in their mutual infatuation with you. Love your friends. Love love.

    Treating

    I’m a busy body. So I’ve been listening to my body more. I’ve been getting out of the house more. Going for a walk outside, window shopping, driving down the Hudson and meeting my cousin for vintage shopping and lunch by a waterfall. I’ve been giving into my FOMO and reaping the fucking rewards. It’s a big world out there, and I want to see as much as I can.

    Thanks friends.

    Please buy my book.

  • Published

    It’s official. I’m published.

    You know when you look at or say a word so much it sounds silly and meaningless? That’s how “published” feels right now.

    The word stems from Latin. Publicare- to make public, to declare, to make known.

    Ick.

    I’m in my Noah Kahan era at the moment, and there is a lyric of his in No Complaints that has been echoing in my mind lately. In love with being noticed and afraid of being seen.

    In that one sentence, he captures the absolute terror of creating. I want my work to be noticed. To be read and to be loved and enjoyed. Please, just leave me out of it.

    But the art cannot be separated from the artist.

    I dumped my thoughts and feelings into a novella and then presented it to the world without much pomp or circumstance. I hope that the world is gentle with me.

    I didn’t tell many people about publishing my novella. I want there to be a firm and clear separation between the person and the writer. But it’s simply not possible.

    So I told some people. And my husband told some people. And my friends told some people.

    And the support has been nothing short of overwhelming.

    Praise and surprise and pride and all sorts of positive emotions have been directed toward me. And I am ever so grateful for it.

    I guess I’ll keep pouring those thoughts onto the pages and hope that people don’t get bored of it. Or get bored of me.

    So, thank you. For the overwhelming support. I’m going to try to let it lift me up instead of weigh me down. It’s a process. I’m sure I’ll get it eventually.

  • I’m back baby!

    Besties,

    Can I tell you where I’ve been?

    Physically and metaphysically?

    In August, I moved over 500 miles from the place that I’d called home for the past 18 years.

    Then in September, I travelled over 3,000 miles to Scotland.

    It was the last time I saw my luggage. My new Barbour jacket. My earrings my mother got me “just because.”

    While I am currently the American-Airlines-baggage-attendant-at-JFK’s worst nightmare, as I sort out my lost luggage woes, I am happy to report that my travels cured me. And not just because I got to use my EU passport for the first time and cruise through customs in Amsterdam. Never in my life have I felt more superior…

    No, during my time abroad, something deep within me eased. Like the anxious dog circling in my soul finally got comfortable, laid down, and settled in for a nap.

    You may have heard me whine that I’ve barely read any books this year with all the stress of moving and finding a new job and saying goodbye to loved ones. And that’s true. From January 2025 to September 2025, I had managed to read a whopping 6 books. I am happy to report that in the last 3 weeks, I have managed to finish 3. Including one that I started nearly a year ago.

    I’m back baby!

    And with that warm fuzzy feeling that a good book leaves you with, I find myself reaching for my keyboard once more.

    Time has become more precious than ever in my new world. And I struggle to carve out time for this time-consuming hobby of mine. But I am determined to return to my final rewrite of A Case of You, to finally devote myself to the satirical saga of Middle Ages, and I even concocted a little globetrotter rom-com during a nap on a stormy afternoon on the Isle of Skye.

    My world is still very much turned upside down. But things are beginning to settle down. She says as her calendar notes she is due to be out of town for 3 of the next 4 weekends…

    It’s fine! Really! I’m great. I’m excited. I’m having fun.

    Por ejemplo, this evening I am going to the Saratoga Springs Book Festival Literary Night Market. It’s a local author showcase where hopefully I can meet some fellow writers and snag a few books to add to my massive TBR pile.

    Since I’ve officially gotten my NYS ID, I can now get a library card. So I’ll be making my way to the local literary meccas in the area and obtaining a card nearly as useful for escaping as my EU passport is.

    And finally, if the weather stays as nice as it promises to, I’ll close out the weekend with one last boat trip for the year. The lakes here in Upstate NY are insanely large and lovely and I just can’t wait to get back out on the water.

    Let’s do a mini R.E.P.O.R.T. I’m feeling chatty.

    • Reading: Katabasis by R.F. Kuang.
      • R.F. Kuang is my freaking idol. And didn’t even realize she had a new book out but when I walked into a bookstore in Leith and saw that there was one autographed copy left, I snatched it up before I even knew what the book was about. Obsessed.
    • Eating: Not as well as I was in Scotland and Amsterdam last week.
      • I’m still dreaming of the pastries from MacKenzie’s Bakery in Portree.
    • Playing: Life of a Showgirl obviously. But also Olivia Dean on repeat.
    • Obsessing: Over my lost luggage.
      • I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Unless you have a solution. In which case, call me.
    • Recommending: That everyone get airtags for their luggage.
    • Treating: Maybe it’s not a treat, but I’m getting my haircut Sunday.
      • I grew it out for Scotland, got my Merida moment, and now I’m ready to hack it off and live out my French bob fantasies.

    Talk soon. Peace.

  • Stefa, where the hell have you been loca?

    First off, I’d like to apologize for the title of this post.

    I’ve only seen the first Twilight movie and I was at least 30 when I did. I’ve never read the books. I only have peripheral knowledge of the book series or film franchise. I can’t even pretend to be cool enough to like it. Again, my sincerest apologies.

    Still, the question remains: Where have I been?

    Well, I certainly haven’t been on the solo writing retreat that I had lovingly planned for myself.

    Because I had to cancel it. Because we finally got the call that we’re moving to Upstate New York and we had two weeks to get my house ready to show.

    And we did a hell of a job too. Decluttering is one of my favorite activities. I love getting rid of things, so I was very excited about that part of everything. We had the least successful garage sale on the planet, then made a hefty donation to Goodwill. We also managed to paint two bathrooms, lay down a new floor in one, and install a brand-new sink in another.

    Pictures were taken last week. We list next week. And I am in a weird in-between time that I don’t know how to handle.

    Which is part of the reason why I’m writing this blog post- I don’t know what to do with myself.

    I’m good when I have a project to work on. I’m good when I have nothing to do for the foreseeable future and can dabble in my hobbies. I am not good at transitioning from balls-to-the-wall mode to sit-and-wait mode. And I am very bad at sit-and-wait mode in general.

    It’s like when you have a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon, so the rest of your day is totally shot. You can’t possibly accomplish anything when you have a doctor’s appointment later.

    And so, dear reader, I’ve decided to write to you.

    I’ve written nothing in two weeks. I’ve read nothing. I’ve watched surprisingly little TV.

    I have:

    • Gone to a concert
    • Seen a Broadway play
    • Met a writing friend for the first time. Shout out to E.M. Gussler.
    • Eaten my way through a Columbus culinary bucket list that lives only in my head:
      • Marmont Speakeasy
      • Cobra
      • Chapman’s
      • Cento (Friday)
      • Bonifacio (next Tuesday)
    • Played pickleball
    • Gone to book club and offered to host this month
    • Gotten a facial
    • Gone to a Guardian’s game
    • Spent two full hours searching for my husband’s passport two months before we go to Scotland (I found it!)

    Yes. All in the last two weeks. I suppose I play as hard as I work.

    So what comes next you ask?

    • List/Sell the house
    • House hunting trip/buy a house (we have no money, so this will be fun)
    • FIND A JOB- I’d love to be a full-time writer. But that’s a distant fantasy. I have interviews tomorrow and next week for two jobs that I really want.
    • Complete my Columbus culinary bucket list
    • Throw a going away party
    • Have ANOTHER garage sale
    • More pickleball
    • Go to the Doodah Parade for the first time
    • Visit a friend in Portland, OR
    • Complete the next two semesters of my Master’s
    • Lucy Dacus concert
    • MOVE

    And that’s all in the next month and a half.

    And a month after we move, we go to Europe for two weeks.

    And THEN I can settle into a routine.

    THEN, maybe I can write again.

    ttfn

  • Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T. 4/23/25

    I’m learning that this might have to be a monthly installation. Turns out my life isn’t thrilling enough for a weekly report out. Which means that after today, I’m going to need to figure out what to talk to people about every week.

    Reading

    Friends, it is finally time for me to delve into the world of Abby Jimenez. I’ve heard tales of her interdisciplinary talents. I’ve heard she writes her novels on her phone. I’ve heard her dog, Stuntman Mike, makes an appearance in at least one of her novels. I’ve also heard from my editor that Just For The Summer is a comparable title for A Case of You.

    I also have a very dear friend that I’ve been exchanging rom com novels with who was kind enough to drop off six Abby Jimenez books off at my house.

    I’ll keep you posted on my A.J. experience.

    Eating

    This past weekend was Easter. And while I consider myself agnostic and a-religious, I come from an Slovenian Catholic family. If you’ve never been to a Balkan Easter celebration- make yourself some new friends and attend one. The food is divine and plentiful.

    I also must add that 364 days a year, I am a vegetarian. However, this one day, I allow myself to indulge in the delicious nostalgia of this holiday menu: klobase, zelodec (a kind of Slovenian haggis with pig instead of sheep), cottage ham, German potato salad, potica, strudel, etc. The list goes on. The sheer amount of food served on this holiday is honestly embarrassing. But it’s so good I can’t even explain it. Just go make some Balkan friends and chow down.

    Playing

    Role Model’s Kansas Anymore has been on constant repeat and I will talk to anyone and everyone who will listen about the raw vulnerability, belief in true love, and sweet playfulness strewn throughout this album.

    Because Spotify seems to take issue to me listening to the same thirteen tracks over and over again, it has started to play other artists and songs once it’s decided I’ve had enough Role Model.

    One song that I can’t get out of my head is “hunting days” by Khatumu. There is this banjo at the beginning of the song that is kind of surprising and works incredibly well. And there is a riff that follows some lines in the verse and chorus that greatly pleases my brain. Please, do yourself a favor, and go listen.

    Obsessing

    Last night, I saw Sinners. And this morning, I downloaded the soundtrack. Holy crap.

    I love all kinds of music, but one that my husband and I both agree on is Blues. And a movie that combines Blues music, vampires, and TWO Michael B. Jordans?! Say no more.

    The story was great and original. The acting was supreme. The music was amazing. Not just Blues, but Rock and Folk too.

    There was a powerful scene when Delta Slim (played by Delroy Lindo) was telling Sammie/Preacher Boy (played by Miles Canton) and Stack (played by Michael B. Jordan) a story about a friend that was lynched. Slim’s pain was evident as he shook his head and groan and slapped his hands down. And right before the audience’s eyes, Blues music was born of his pain. It was a beautiful and poignant way to show the origins of the genre.

    There was also a wonderful, surreal scene that took place with Miles Canton’s gorgeous deep voice in the background, that showed the evolution of music. What came before Blues and inspired it. What Blues gave rise to. And it made me want to finally read A Little Devil in America, which has been sitting on my shelf for ages.

    I’m going to go on a tangent now, but I’ve been lucky enough to meet Hanif Abdurraqib. And not only is he a master of the written word, he speaks with such intention and beauty. And if you’ve never read his writing- I mean, you don’t have to care about music or sports or culture of any kind- his writing will capture you. /end rant.

    Recommending

    On Friday I saw Jeff Arcuri live. I’ve been following him on Instagram for a while, and am genuinely impressed with his crowd work. He manages to balance poking fun with friendly curiosity. I can confirm that his stand up (which is peppered with crowd work) is just as hilarious as the clips he posts. He is going to be recording a Netflix special, so if you’re not able to see him live, you’ll be able to catch him on streaming!

    Treating

    It’s patio weather in Columbus, Ohio. So I’ve been dining al fresco and probably sipping a few more cocktails than normal. But life is as short and beautiful as it is long and ugly, so make the most of it.

    Until next time.

  • Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T. 4.13.25

    Reading

    I just picked up a copy of Maggie Smith’s Dear Writer. Now, you may be asking me: Stefa, didn’t you say you were moving across the country and downsizing your books and trying to save money? Well, why don’t you mind your own business? Maggie Smith is a National and Local Treasure, and her book was literally written specifically for me: a writer.

    Eating

    Spent Sunay with some of my best friends. They’re amazing cooks and mixologists and the reason that my sense of humor is so crass and childish. They made me tacos and cocktails and birthday brownies and we laughed so hard our sides hurt. They’re also the people who introduced me to coastal Michigan, so in a way, you have them to thank for A Case of You. Don’t tell them though, their heads will swell.

    Playing

    My Middle Ages playlist. I’ll admit, it’s not as good at my A Case of You playlist. But I’ve found that having background music really helps me focus on my writing.

    Obsessing

    Obsessing over the bookstagram and bookthreads community. I reached out looking for fellow readers and writers after about 3 days of non-stop bot activity. And people came out en force. I found so many fellow Ohio writers that my writer friend, E.N. Gussler, and I have decided to host an Ohio Writer/Reader meet up in June! Go to the event tab at the top of my site to learn more and register.

    Recommending

    I highly recommend celebrating your wins. For a long time, I kept my wins private, not wanting to feel like a braggart. But you’d be surprised by how many people are on your side and want to see you succeed. So, let’s celebrate a win right now.

    A Case of You is still a work in progress. It’s with a developmental editor right now, just so I can be positive that I’ve done right by this story.

    Many of my beta readers also agreed that the beginning of my manuscript is the weakest part.

    All that to say that I entered The Writer’s Sanctuary Storyteller First Page Contest back in March. And I just got my feedback.

    62/80. My scores for the eight categories (scored out of 10) included one 10, five 8s, and two 6s.

    So as someone that knows their first few pages need work, this is a huge win for me. In addition, the contest is judged by best-selling authors and experienced editors, which feels extremely validating. Also, here is my favorite part of the feedback:

    Love the voice and tone of this story. The writing perfectly conveys the beauty and laziness of summer. Also, the characters were fantastic.

    Treating

    I treated myself to the most glorious massage on Sunday afternoon. The therapist was recommended to me by a friend and I was not steered wrong. So, if you’ve been thinking about scheduling that massage- go ahead and do it. It’s worth it. Already planning my next one.

    See you next week 🙂

  • Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T. – Birthday Edition

    That’s right. It’s my birthday. And I could really use a reason to celebrate.

    Reading

    The day before I left for NYC, I finished The Long Game by Elena Armas. It was a slow burn, which kept me frustrated as much as it kept me reading. It felt like Roy Kent from Ted Lasso moved to Stars Hollow and fell in love with the clumsiest, most ambitious woman in the world. It was a low-key read and the girls’ soccer team characters were surprisingly cute.

    I’m not an audiobook gal. I hate to say it. But I listen every now and again, though it feels like pulling teeth to force myself to do it. So even though I’m currently enjoying every moment of The RomCommers by Katherine Center, it’s slow-going.

    But, while in NYC, I made a trip to the romance reader/writer capital of the world, The Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn.

    Even though I am on a book buying ban on account of my impending move across the country, I had to buy something. So I picked up a copy of B.K. Borison’s First-Time Caller. I’ve heard so many good things about this book that I just had to buy it. I’m so excited to start!

    Eating

    It’s New York City. So, I ate everything I could without making myself too sick. I am not going to make myself any friends by saying this, but I’m meh on pizza. I like it enough. But I really don’t go out of my way to eat it. Maybe it has something to do with being a Type 1 Diabetic and pizza being notoriously difficult to bolus for. However, my husband’s ask was that we have pizza once-a-day. And I delivered on that promise, with Bleecker Street being the clear winner.

    I think my favorite meal though was my breakfast at Jack’s Wife Freda. Unfortunately, I was too hungry to take any pictures of it when it arrived. I devoured it in no time. I am going to recommend the Mediterranean Breakfast with poached eggs though. Divine.

    Playing

    “doomsday” by Lizzy McAlpine on repeat. I can’t get enough.

    Obsessing

    Unfortunately, I’m obsessing about the end of America. And toying with the idea of fleeing to Europe instead of moving to NYS. It’s getting really ugly out there and this weekend’s collective action was uplifting. Being in NYC for probably one of the biggest protests that weekend was insane.

    Recommending

    There were no movies this week. There was nearly no TV aside from the season finale of White Lotus. I was really only on my phone to use the map app or take pictures. And I really didn’t feel that disconnected. The world was happening right in front of my eyes. Maybe it’s the magic of NYC. I really enjoy the way Brennan Lee Mulligan puts it. That NYC is good for the soul. He says that “It is good for you to be forcibly ejected from the story you are constantly telling yourself about your own life. The fact that you are very much not the main character…” And as someone who has been told she has main character energy, or maybe more aptly, main character syndrome, NYC does just that. You become only one small part of a whole when you’re that close to that many people. And even though you feel smaller, it’s almost more empowering- you’re a part of something much greater when you’re there.

    So I’d like to recommend going somewhere. Getting out of your routine and out of your head. Getting off your phone (even for just a few hours). And going out and being part of that collective consciousness for just a little bit. And realize that even though you might be obsessing about the downfall of America- it’s still pretty beautiful out there.

    Treating

    Let’s be honest, this entire weekend was a treat. I didn’t say no to anything until about 1am when my body, which had been up since 4am, decided it was unable to continue. I ate, drank, and was very merry. I got to see some of my very favorite people and have deep, dark, terrifying conversations as well as silly, side-splitting ones.

  • Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T. for 3/24/25

    This was a big week. I had a friend visiting from out of town, so I was a little more out and about than usual.

    Reading

    It’s a twofer this week. I’m reading The Long Game by Elena Armas and The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center.

    This is my second time trying to read The Rom-Commers. I checked it out from the library that last time I went to Saugatuck, but I never really got into it. Then I saw the audiobook was available on Libby and I gave it a chance. I am laughing out loud and injecting my own reaction into the narrative as it unfolds much to the horror of the passengers in my car.

    Eating

    Everything in sight. With my friend visiting from out of town, I made sure she ate well. There were brunches, more coffee than two humans should consume, delicious pastas, and so many cocktails. I think my favorite food from this week though, were the chocolate coated pretzel poppers we nibbled on at the jazz club. Good enough to throw in your purse and take home.

    Playing

    Ever subject your D.D. to unrequested karaoke? My friend and I both love to sing, so naturally, our karaoke go-to’s were the soundtrack for the drive home from the jazz club. Celine Dion, Elle King, Lake Street Dive, Lady Gaga, and so much more.

    Obsessing

    Over my female friendships. The women in my life are everything. From my front-porch-friends to my dining-room-table-friends. The way we show up for each other, the way we can celebrate wins and mourn losses together, it’s incredible. And having my college friend visit this week reminded me of that. It’s amazing to be able to pick up where you left off with people, even if you haven’t been the best at staying in touch. We can open our hearts to each other, pour our guts out, and rest easy knowing that not only will we not be judged, but we’ll be loved.

    Recommending

    It was another good week for the movies. I saw Novocaine this week. It was such a fun action movie. What caught me off guard about it, was that is opened like a rom-com. It was sweet and butterfly-inducing and helped us really root for the hero as the plot developed. Afterwards, I learned that the writers, Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, also wrote The Villains, a hilarious, rom-com-adjacent, action thriller.

    Novocaine was just the right amount of tongue-in-cheek. It featured a heavily-tattooed Jack Quaid which gave me feelings I never expected to experience. And the gratuitous gore and violence left this action-movie-lover satisfied.

    Treating

    The horses! I took my friend to meet my buddies Blaze and Quinn this week. Blaze didn’t want to come in from his beautiful day in the pasture, even for a carrot, so we treated his herd mates. But my boy Quinn has been on stall rest and is also a treat fiend. So he was more than happy to indulge us. I even hopped on Quinn’s back for a bit and walked him around the pastures. I can’t wait for summer and our romps in the woods. He’s seriously the most tolerant boy in the world. I do so much stupid shit with him on the trail.

    And this concludes me weekly R.E.P.O.R.T.

    Next weeks will be another fun one because it’s not only my birthday, but I’m headed to NYC to visit family!

  • My weekly R.E.P.O.R.T.

    I’m blatantly stealing this from a TikTok I saw. I just love it so much. Especially since I’m probably moving across the country this year and it just seems like a great way to keep long-distance loved ones painfully up to date with my life.

    Reading

    Dear god in heaven that I don’t believe in, why haven’t I read Elena Armas before?! The Spanish Love Deception has been sitting on my shelf for approximately a millennia. I don’t even remember buying it. I don’t know how it got there. Maybe the smutty rom com fairy dropped it off for me one night. Smutty rom com fairy- if you’re out there, thank you.

    In the novel, enemy co-workers, Aaron Motherfucking Blackford and Catalina (Lina) Martin strike up a deal. Lina will accompany Aaron to a charity auction and save him from a cougar’s clutches and Aaron will be Lina’s date (and fake boyfriend) to her sister’s wedding in Spain. Also, Lina’s sister is marrying Lina’s ex’s brother. And her ex is the best man. And apparently, he is engaged. So, Lina is desperate. The book is a slow burn with so much sexual tension that when I closed the book every evening, I screamed a little. Thank you, Elena, for this perfect sexy little rom com. You’ve earned yourself a fan for life.

    Eating

    Sushi. I go through phases where literally the only thing I want is a spicy tuna roll. Or five. And I’m suffering with that at the moment. I did my grocery shopping for the week. I planned out all my meals. And yet, I’m tempted to let that lettuce in the fridge wilt in favor of overpriced raw fish. Sorry not sorry.

    PLAYING

    I’m going to interpret this as the music that’s currently playing in my earbuds. There are at least 3 songs I have on repeat right now. 1. Ankles by Lucy Dacus. 2. Just My Luck by Obongjayar. 3. How Bad Do U Want Me by Lady Gaga.

    When I’m begrudgingly cooking my dinner that disappointingly isn’t sushi, I am putting Just My Luck on at full volume and dancing around in my kitchen with a glass of wine in my hand. This is the vibe I will be requiring all summer long.

    Obsessing

    White Lotus.

    Oh my god. That monologue from Sam Rockwell. The perfectly nuanced acting of Walton Goggins.

    The Ratliff brothers being just as weird as I suspected them to be.

    My three toxic queens making questionable decisions. Ugh. And the realness of the conversation that made them realize Kate probably voted from Tr*mp. Omg.

    And Aimee Lou Wood being absolute perfection.

    Can’t get enough.

    Recommending

    I am an obsessive cinephile. Though my poor attention span means I can really only enjoy a film in the sensory deprivation chamber of theaters. This month I’ve seen The Monkey, Mickey 17, and Black Bag. And I recommend all three.

    The Monkey was a surprisingly hilarious horror movie. Like if Final Destination had been a comedy. Seeing Theo James play his own twin (with a mullet) was a treasure I never expected to receive.

    Mickey 17 was probably the best movie I’ve seen so far this year. I didn’t get on the Twilight train when it was in its heyday. I’ve actually only ever seen the first movie. And I only saw it a few years ago. And yet, when I forget poor Robert Pattinsons’ name, I call him Edward Cullen. But I will say that all of the things I’ve seen him in over the last few years have proven to me that he is a spectacular actor. Every performance I see of his leaves me more impressed. Mickey 17 is incredibly clever and a little silly. And totally worth your time.

    Black Bag is a cerebral spy whodunnit. I feel like I need to rewatch it with subtitles because I’m certain there are things I missed. It was a subtle, clever film with plenty of moments that left me surprised or shocked. One of my favorite film genres is the spy movie. I’m a sucker for James Bond, Bourne Identity, Mission Impossible, etc. My love of these movies extends to the parodic varietals as well. Johnny English is a masterpiece. I watched Spy on a plane and my row mates were incredibly annoyed by my incessant laughter. The Kingsmen films are such a delight. Basically, I’m probably going to enjoy a spy movie simply because of what it is. Black Bag stands out in the genre though and is certainly worth a watch.

    Treating

    I love treat culture. I firmly believe that every day I deserve a little treat. But my wallet disagrees. And I’m trying to be more financially responsible.

    So I got two new tattoos.

    One was a spur of the moment folksy flash by an artist I’ve been dying to get into. And the other was planned for at least 6 months. It’s a memorial piece of my dogs. My baby boy, Hugo, died this past December and now I can look down at my wrist and see him running like the happy, active boy he was, anytime I want.

    And that’s my weekly report! Enjoy!

  • WIP: Middle Ages

    Now that I’ve finished my first novel. Like finished finished. I guess I get to work on my next one.

    If I’m being honest, I usually have about three working ideas in various stages going on all at once.

    • There is a sequel to A Case of You that I’ve started to write.
    • There is a dirty little roommate romance that has taken over my notes app.
    • And there is the thrilling, stroke of genius, fantasy romcom that I am dying to get on the page.

    I am a huge fan of campy, tongue-in-cheek, on-the-nose-type explorations of genres and tropes. I love A Knight’s Tale. I adored My Lady Jane and I will never forgive the powers that be for cancelling it after one season. The Princess Bride. Robinhood Men in Tights. Ella Enchanted. The cinematic masterpiece Stardust. Freaking Shrek. Even the Dungeons & Dragons movie.

    That being said, I also spent 2024 reading the entire ACOTAR and Fourth Wing series.

    I have my opinions- good and bad. I will keep them to myself on this website. Though my TikTok is full of those opinions, so view at your own discretion.

    So, after a full year of non-stop romantasy consumption, what else is there left to do but write a trope-twisting hilarious romcom about a woman in her late 30s learning that she is the chosen one of a hidden realm. And I’ve called it Middle Ages. God I’m so proud of that title.

    I actually have a 5,600-word outline and the first chapter completed, but I’ve gotten about a million new ideas since I first put pen to paper, so I need to sit down and decide on the direction I actually want the story to go in.

    As I get more into this story, I’ll post updates on where I am. It’ll be a much more plot-driven endeavor than what I’m used to. And once I do get a draft or two of it complete, I’ll need a flock of beta readers to help me with it.

    More to come ❤️