First and foremost—I want to thank everyone for the massive outpouring of love, support, and encouragement on my first excerpt from Extraordinary Machine (more on that title below!).
Every comment, every message, every word said to me in person truly touched me. You reaffirmed my belief that sharing my story and publishing this book (and the next!) is the right path. 🙌
I’ve also had a few people mention they were hesitant to read the excerpt since it’s from Chapter 6, thinking it might be a spoiler. Don’t worry—it’s not! 🚫 I won’t be sharing anything that ruins the full experience. Just small glimpses to give you a taste of what’s to come—and of course, my writing style. ✍️✨
📋 What I’ve Accomplished So Far
I officially started this project on January 25, 2025 (though, to be honest, I’ve been writing bits and pieces since June 2020—and journaling since 2004). 🗓️📝 Since then, I’ve:
- 📖 Made progress on two memoirs
- ✨ Written 28,374 words for Extraordinary Machine
- 💕 Written 12,080 words on my dating memoir
- 🌐 Launched and designed my website
- 📚 Shared my first excerpt
- 🎨 Designed mockups for my book covers
- 🔍 Endlessly researched the self-publishing journey
- 📝 Came up with my book titles
- 🎨 Potentially secured an illustrator for Extraordinary Machine’s cover
- 🛠️ Learned to use new tools to assist with my writing
- 🧬 Dug deeper into family history
- 💔 Relived a lot of painful memories and trauma—but worked through them!
- 🤝 Reconnected with old friends who I’m writing about
- 😴 Lost a ton of sleep
- 🧠 Gained a ton of wisdom about myself
I’m serious about this. When people hear, “I’m writing a book,” I know some think, “Oh, sure…” 🙄
But this has been my lifelong dream. 💫 Writing is my passion, sharing my story is my mission, and being a published author is my goal. 💖
🎉 The Title Reveal
I’ve been pacing myself this past week—making more time for my husband, my cats, my friends, and myself. 🐱💑 But I’m still as focused, motivated, and inspired as ever. And now…
I’m ready to share the title of my memoir about me and my mom.
It’s called “Extraordinary Machine: A Memoir of Trauma and Resilience.”
The title is a nod to one of my favorite songs by Fiona Apple. 🎶 It’s become a life motto for me, especially these lines:
If there was a better way to go, then it would find me
I can’t help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me, or treat me mean
I’ll make the most of it, I’m an extraordinary machine
I’ve had a hard life. I’ve had terrible things happen to me. But I always get back up, dust myself off, and try again (shoutout to Aaliyah). 🎤✨ No matter what happens to me or around me, I come back out on top. 👑
And that encapsulates my story—my trauma, my resilience. 💥💜
🗓️ What’s Next?
I’ll be updating here regularly. I’ve designed a schedule:
- 📅 1st Saturday of every month: A book excerpt (either from Extraordinary Machine or my dating memoir—btw, I named that one way back in 2009, but I’ll reveal it later). 😉
- 📅 3rd Saturday of every month: A personal update about my writing and self-publishing journey. ✍️✨
- 💥 Plus, a few spontaneous posts in between (like today’s!).
I hope you stick around for it all. I hope you cheer me on. I hope you keep me motivated. I hope you keep me grounded. 💕
Thank you all again—your support means the world. 🌍💜
💬 What part of my writing journey are you most curious about? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear from you! 👇😊