News, Flash Fiction and Updates
The Five P’s for Managing Back to School Anxiety
Contributed to New Orleans Mom We have been ramping into “school mode” for several weeks, in a different way than most. My daughter Charley suffers from anxiety and sensory issues. For her, and many children like her, school is not just getting an education, seeing...
Heat Wave
I am very proud to be included in the Summer issue of Spark Flash Fiction! You can read my charming little beach-located romance here.
You Were a Vine
Image by Thomas B. from Pixabay When He took you from me He promised you would become a flower. Any flower I chose. I thought of your resilience, remembered the times you should have caved but didn’t. When you ran, far before you walked, you wanted to jump. So you...
There’s a Storm Coming
Contributed to New Orleans Mom It’s all coming back. And the bad news is, it’s just getting started. Did you sleep last night? Are you ok today? Can you sit down for a minute, here with me, so we can talk through this? I want to share a few things with you. Read...
His Love of Nature
Picture by Kellepics, courtesy of Pixabay. It was overcast today, but he knew what was coming. Summer started tomorrow. Tomorrow was the longest day. The Solstice. Tomorrow he would walk outside and greet the sun. Tomorrow was her last day alive. He’d tried to fight...
My First Funeral
I entered the church and went straight to Emily. I hugged her, as we always do when we see each other, but I held on longer. She didn’t mind. We aren’t family, so I wasn’t allowed to sit with her. I pointed to the pews along the side, where Judy sat. “I will be...
Let’s Take Ourselves Off Auto-Pilot
Contributed to New Orleans Mom How ridiculous was it that my plan to be super productive came at the expense of my basic needs as a human? How often, I wondered, did I plan days like this where I didn’t allow myself to eat or even stop to rest for five full minutes? I...
Marilena Learns to Rage
Marilena woke promptly at 5:20 am to the soft chimes of her alarm. She took a moment to inhale and, as she exhaled, smiled to herself. Rising with a slight spring (it wouldn’t be proper to hop out of bed, nor would it be wise to move slowly), Marilena dressed in the...
Childhood Anxiety Series
A three-piece series on Childhood Anxiety contributed to New Orleans Mom. Part One is an Introduction: The first time my daughter had a full panic attack I had one along with her. We were at the same gymnastics studio we’d been attending twice a week for three years....