'Shorty Hit Forty'

Hi, it's me, the birthday gal. Guess what, I released a chapbook!

Today, August 13, is the beginning of a whole new decade, a new chapter. Not only did I turn 40 at 9:25 AM (Standard Mountain Time) but I started a new job today (British Summer Time) and released my first prose chapbook, Table for One.

Saying goodbye to my thirties has felt… fan-freaking-tastic! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my thirties, for the most part. I traveled to 17 new countries and 10 states, swam in beautiful and exotic waters, published poetry and essays, and even hung out with wild monkeys. My thirties are connected to some of my best memories and achievements, but also some of my most painful moments: bad relationships, family trauma and grief, infertility, and ridiculous self-loathing. But, damn, I also had a lot of fun.

When closing out my 40 for 40 List - compiled of the goals and desires I wished to achieve in my thirties - I realized I successfully knocked out 35. Not too shabby. These ranged from BIG goals like doing a TEDx Talk, publish my writing, and working toward my Master’s degree, to FUN items like going to Disney World, ziplining the Royal Gorge, and attending 20 concerts. See more on my Instagram.

Coming up with forty things wasn’t as difficult as I thought, but do I want to make another decade's bucket list? There is no way that I can think of fifty new things for a 50 for 50 list, right?

Sure, I want to achieve things in this new decade, like publishing my first full-length novel, traveling to Egypt, touring the Louvre in Paris, and starting/finishing my Ph.D. But so much has happened over these past ten years that I never saw coming: Moving to Scotland and falling in love, winning international writing awards, and becoming an allergy advocate. These opportunities and connections were things I could never fathom. Gifts I never saw coming. And for me, that’s the beauty of life; believing in the possibility of anything and everything, with a willingness to be surprised.

For now, I may sit back and bask in this new day, year, and decade before compiling any kind of bucket list. Waiting, instead, to see what the universe presents to me. What dreams I have not dreamed of yet. How exciting is that?!

What about you, what are your bucket list items - or dreams - you’d like to achieve before your next milestone birthday?

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CHAPBOOK RELEASE - Q&A

I am absolutely - no diggity, no doubt - thrilled to announce that my first chapbook, ‘Table for One: A Personal Essay,’ is being released today.

I started writing this piece in the Summer of 2022 while attending an artist residency in Finland. It’s gone through multiple iterations: a peer-to-peer conversation, a Facebook post, a short essay, and now, this. I can’t believe it’s finally out for everyone to read. (EEK!)

Learn more by watching the Book Trailer and reading the Q&A below. And if you’re interested in purchasing, you can buy a Physical Copy for $6.99, or pre-order the eBook for $3.50 on Amazon (Aug 30).

Q: What’s ‘Table for One’ about?

A: Here is the synopsis; “While attending an Artist Residency in Finland, Felicia encounters a young boy dining solo at a local burger joint. She's not sure why but it throws her into a panicked frenzy. Where are his parents, family, or friends, and why is he alone?

Moved by this experience, she realizes her reaction is the result of childhood trauma and the effects of American violence -- where fear is deeply ingrained in our culture. Through self-reflection in the world's safest and happiest country, she looks back on her own dining experiences and how our nation's collective (and often violent) past continues to shape her life.”

Q: What’s a chapbook?

A: A chapbook is a small printed booklet of poems, short stories, or prose writing. In this case, ‘Table for One’ is one essay - ten pages. Too long to publish in most publications but not long enough to be a full-length book. Thus, why the price is lower, and why we can offer additional freebies (with purchase) like a signed personalization and secret audio link. Also, chapbooks don’t always have to have a resolution, instead, they can encourage conversation or further thought. This is what I hope ‘Table for One’ will do for you.

Q: Why a chapbook and not a full-length book?

A: I’ve been working on a memoir for the last few years but realized that many of the chapters work best as individual essays. Sure, they all play a larger part; conveying who I am, how I think, and the way the world influences my life, but they don’t always fit together. This (ultimately) means, ‘Table for One,’ is just the first of many chapbooks I will be releasing. I consider these works to be some of my best, and I cannot wait to share them with everyone.

Q: So, are you ever going to publish a full-length book?

A: Yep! Right now, I’m working on an allergy memoir and a fiction novel. Two projects I am equally excited about, and I look forward to sharing more as I can.

Q: What’s next?

A: Well, I have some pressing health issues that need my immediate attention, but I’m traveling to Southern France with my mom in September (stay tuned for more travel content) and will be attending a writing residency in Cairo, Egypt in early 2025. While there, I’ll be doing research for my allergy memoir. (My inner child is freaking out over the fact that I’ll soon be looking out at the pyramids.)

Q: How can we help?

A: Indie publishing is never easy. So, if you have purchased the chapbook and enjoyed it - lordy, I hope you like it - then I would so appreciate a review on Amazon or GoodReads. And if you use social media, a like, share, or review also helps.

Thank you, so much, for supporting me and my work. I cannot tell you how much that means to me. Mucho!

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