Lessons Between The Lines: How Storytelling and Teaching Intertwine
When I look at the many hats I wear—author, designer, content creator, and self-proclaimed cozy enthusiast—there’s one thread that connects them all: I love teaching people new things. Whether it’s showing a fellow author how to create a professional-looking book graphic in Canva or helping readers learn something unexpected through my characters, I find joy in sharing knowledge that can make someone’s life easier or brighter.
Teaching, to me, isn’t about formality or lecture halls. It’s about empowerment. It’s that spark of recognition in someone’s eyes when they realize they can do the thing they thought was out of reach. Over the years, I’ve discovered that spark is at the heart of everything I create. It’s present in my Canva tutorials, my stories, and every mystery I craft. In one way or another, my work constantly circles back to helping others see what they’re capable of.
6 Tips To Make The Holidays A Little Less Stressful
Hallmark Christmas movies are wonderful, but they can set us up for some totally unrealistic expectations. They provide a vision for the holidays that includes wonderful family moments, perfectly set tables with delicious, homemade food, and possibly a few romantic moments. While that makes for great television, expecting to have it all is a recipe for disaster in real life (IRL).
LIFE IS STRANGER THAN FICTION
When our winter getaway to Huatulco, Mexico was booked for us, my husband and I expected hot days lounging in the sun. We had no idea our trip would include encounters with three tarantulas, one scorpion, a temperamental water pump, earthquakes, a sketchy property manager, killer bees, and a dead body.
For months prior to our departure we had been enchanted with pictures of the stately Casa Lukanna where we would be staying for the first couple weeks of our time in Huatulco. We dreamed of beautiful palm trees, lounging outdoors on the veranda, and drinking yummy, frosty beverages around the large backyard pool.
To be fair, we had also been told about the rather large boa constrictor that had almost slithered up to one of the previous guests on the veranda and that a tarantula had been spotted in the backyard, but being forewarned we planned to keep our eyes open and our shoes on. Plus I had immediately ordered a bug tent from Amazon (after hearing about the tarantula) and packed it in my suitcase. It was the first thing I unpacked and set up on the bed upon my arrival. I didn’t plan to close even one eye without being safely ensconced in its protective barrier.
