Conversation. An exchange of words. Verbal currency. Whatever you call two people/characters trading witty repartee. Insert it here and start shaking. Most writers I know hate writing dialogue. Some fear it like the monsters underneath their childhood beds. And others are in love with it. There is no middle ground. However, the consensus on what ...

Trigger Warning: The following story has to do with domestic violence. Lance swept me off my feet. His strong stature reminded me of a logger or a mountain man. Little did I know the hidden secrets this man held deep inside. Lance revealed the darkness, not long after we said, “I do,” and I regretted ...

Does working full-time equate to me being a bad parent? This question has eaten at me for months. As a mother of three, there is truly nothing more important to be than my children. Yet, I enjoy their time at school and my time at work. I have two friends that recently gave birth to ...

Doctors told me in 2012 to stop working, the government says otherwise. I tried to return to work in 2014 -2015, and I had a panic attack. You see, my first marriage was not so great. He physically, mentally, sexually, and emotionally abused me. I feared if I stayed any longer, my friends and family ...

When you burnout at work, you start to feel diminished. Like a part of yourself has gone into hiding and it doesn’t want to come out. Challenges that were manageable and small, start to feel like large nightmares from hell. It’s the opposite end of the spectrum from engagement. The engaged person is energized, involved, ...

Obtaining a new job is no easy fleet. Especially if it’s a position that’s out of your normal realm of expertise.  It’s hard work. You perfect your application, cover letter, and resume. These items shine brighter than an engagement ring. You aced the interview, you rocked the thank you letters, and now the position is ...

Jenna heard a distant crash, and stillness filled the room. Her computer monitor went black. The ceiling fan slowed; its soft whir diminished. Silence replaced the clank of her neighbor’s air conditioner. The hum of the mini-fridge disappeared. On her desk, blackness replaced the time display on the digital clock. No electricity, she was powerless. ...

I have struggled my whole life to find that one thing I’m more passionate about above all else. Growing up, I wanted to be everything from a teacher to a singer to a lawyer to an astronomer. When I was about 11, I decided I wanted to be a fashion designer, and this is the ...

A wandering mind, thoughts spiraling, spinning, out of control What’s next? What if I do? What if I don’t? Contentment seems impossible, unhappiness ever present, boredom at every turn, just wanting to find what I’m missing Stand up Walk Sit down A sigh, constant motion, always looking, can’t settle to anything Internal scream Cry Sit ...