We cannot always know what is right
We cannot always be the ones to determine truth
We cannot always know
We cannot
We cannot
We cannot

The Beauty in Brokenness
The Japanese have a word for making broken things whole again
For embracing the flaws and honoring what is to come
How weak spots can become stronger than before
How missing pieces can be reunited by something beautiful
How what could have (should have) been tossed aside
Can be useful – beautiful – even stronger than it was

Power and Power and Power
April is National Poetry Month, and I am going to spend this month sharing some of my favorite poems and poets, as well as some original poetry of my own. I cannot guarantee something new every day, but a concerted effort will be made. Because words are power. And words strung together create more and more power. And with that power comes inner strength. With that power comes the courage to share our stories. With that power comes more connection, more community, and more power.

The Men And Women Merely Players
Every show I’ve done has revealed something new about myself or about the world. From the power of connection and community, to the beauty of ordinary days, the stage has left me hopeful and free. I’ve played leads and bit parts, I’ve directed and made props and stage managed and ran the sound board. I’ve made the dearest friends in the world. The stage saved me and helped me find a little bit of who I am. Every character I have played has left their mark and every role I’ve had backstage has only made me love the stage more.

The Easy Friend No More
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying it’s hard to be my friend, but instead, I have (some would argue FINALLY) realized I matter and my heart matters. Being the easy friend often made me sad, lonely, and, quite frankly, questioning whether I really had the friendships I thought I did. You know the ones I’m talking about: the friendships that matter–that come from a place of risk and trust and vulnerability that cannot happen in a vaccuum or in isolation.

Review: Midnight Strikes
In this explosive fantasy debut with a time-loop twist, a provincial girl must work with a roguish prince to stop an attack on the royal family and escape a nightmarish curse that forces them to relive the same night again and again. Seventeen-year-old Anaïs just wants tonight to end. As an outsider at the kingdom’s…

Review: Royal Blood
An American girl becomes the British Monarchy’s greatest nightmare in this thrilling new series where royal scandals just got deadlier. As the King of England’s illegitimate daughter, 17-year-old Evan Bright knows a thing or two about keeping secrets. But when she’s forced to spend the summer in London with her father and the royal family, who…

Review: Jacky Ha-Ha Gets the Last Laugh
Jacky Ha-Ha is off to theater camp and funnier than ever in this hilarious illustrated novel from James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein’s #1 New York Times bestselling series. Jacky Hart finally knows the thrill of having people laugh with her (not at her). She tries to put her comedy and theater skills to use in her summer job—but the…