My sister describes me as “a bird of a different kind” to her friends. Because I’m forty-five years old and have never had a drink. Because my idea of fun is sitting down and diving into the deepest parts of the ocean in conversation with pretty much anyone–friends, colleagues, perfect strangers. Because just the thought of a “girl’s night out” or going anywhere crowded and noisy is enough to terrify me. Because I’ve got over 150 books written (with many of the novels surpassing a two thousand hand written pages); my brain sees everything as a story. I wake up looking for the Day’s Chapter Title and Theme. Because I haven’t been on a date in, oh, let’s say fifteen years or so and have, oh, let’s say zero prospects of ever going on another one. Suffice to say, there’s a lot of reasons I’m not normal.

What I do care about is connection. I will go to the furthest reaches of humanity to cultivate it if you show even the slightest interest. I have designed, written and led four unique workshops, one of which includes a 90 page companion workbook, that I routinely offer for free with absolutely no strings attached. I created Chapter Chats, which is the online book club. Full of a couple hundred people or so, I create an… e-mail… every Friday that I send out. The email usually has a personal story, some interesting facts or behind the scenes of whatever book we’re reading, and a prompt. Storytimers (aka: people who read anything I write: you, my friend, are a Storytimer) reply back. I’m telling you this because, remember, I don’t do things the normal way.

I give away whatever book we are reading for free to everyone in Chapter Chats. There are zero strings. It is a way of saying thank you for reading what I know can be challenging material and for allowing me to send random ramblings of my life. Things I don’t even put on the blog because it’s so big and so public. I share a lot of my life in these e-mails: everything from the trauma I experienced to my life’s greatest loves to fun stories about the books. I’d rather have a conversation than a review. I’d rather know someone real is reading my characters’ worlds than make a few dollars. Because here’s the thing: connection matters. Writing saved my life. It taught me to hope when I had absolutely no reason to hope. It gave me friends when everyone else saw an awkward and weird woman. Writing gave me stories I shared with others who taught me that I’ve actually never really been alone.

I make myself very vulnerable. All the time. The scenes I write of abuse? The ones that others say are “graphic” sometimes — many of them are straight up true to my life. Sometimes I’ve been known to “overshare.” Because the thing is – I’d rather overshare than tell the little girl inside she can’t use her voice again. But I also do it because I hope it gives someone else permission, and the inspiration, to speak up. Whether you want to talk about the greatest achievement of your life, the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you, a recent loss in your family, the heartbreak you’re going through or trauma — we are all human. And my stories are about the human experience at their core.

Chapter Chats is currently two weeks or so away from finishing our read of Echoes of a Wild Girl’s Drum. This week is about choosing our next read. I thought it might be fun to see if anyone else wants to tag along. You get a free book and as much connection (or as little) as you’d like. Below are the books that we have not yet read through together. The idea is that you respond with the title of the book that you’d like to know more about. On Friday, I will share which two titles got the most chatter and we’ll spend a few days voting. Whichever book wins will be the next book we’ll read together. Did I mention you get the book for free and I’m not going to ask you for single thing, not even an Amazon review.

My goal is connection. I believe that kindness is greater than evil and I have spent my life looking for proof of that. Strangers reading things I’ve written and talking about them help me believe this.

So — here are the titles we have not already read. They are linked to excerpts of them on this blog. The video on The Story Room  is long but gives a good overview of each story in the catalog. 

To play along, simply fill out the two forms below: one is a poll, the other tells me you’d like to see what these weird, personal book club like emails are all about.

• Dance For Me — set in Cambodia, this is the story of Maelea whose younger sister Srey becomes very ill with dengue fever. Her father travels to the city and returns with a doctor. In exchange, Maelea will “go to school.” Instead, she has been sold and the next two years become a living nightmare. This is the unflinching look at child trafficking. It has continuously sold the best, accumulating over 2,000 reviews across various platforms. 
  
  
  
• Forget Me Not — this is a very unique piece of work in my catalog. It tells the story of Jessie who is never touched. No pat on the head. No hug goodnight. It highlights the importance of positive touch and shows how abuse is about more than sexual and physical degradation. 
  
  
  
• Mountains of Hope — this was my first book published. Written when I was still in high school, it tells the story of Alyx, a young German girl who discovers a crashed plane of American soldiers. She chooses to help them…but, when she is betrayed, she is sent to Auschwitz. 
  
  
  
  
• Broken — this is the story of fifteen-year-old Taya who is bullied at school and messed with at home until she cannot take any more. Many, many things about Taya are autobiographical and I’ve referenced her story many times. 
  
  
  
  
• Sing Me Home — Sing Me Home is part coming-of-age, part love story. When she was very little, Aria witnesses a tragedy that leaves her an orphan and vulnerable. The only out she has is music and, when that is taken, she flees. A mysterious stranger — a homeless man named Joey — guides her to a special ranch designed for those who need to heal. 
  
  
  
  
• Ash — with Death as the narrator, this story follows a nameless narrator from a loving family into Auschwitz where she meets a mysterious storyteller named Ash. 
  
  
  
  
• Me — Written my Senior year in high school and finished while dating a very special person, this story is super close to my heart. It was the second one published and I’ve written about Clayton Cunningham and Abrielle Britain’s place in my heart for the last 20 years. Part coming-of-age story, part trauma narrative, part love story. 
  
  
  
  
• Holding Home — This is the story of Mary Beth and Michael, two children who live in a home of domestic violence. It is a story of sibling love and protection and of the impact of violence even on those who are not directly beaten.