The holidays are often painted as a time of pure joy—twinkling lights, family gatherings, and cherished traditions. But for many, this season stirs deep sorrow. Grief doesn’t pause for celebrations; it can make empty chairs, familiar songs, and festive cheer feel like painful reminders of what’s missing.
Whether your loss comes from the death of a loved one, estrangement, divorce, health challenges, or even the family you wish you’d had, holiday grief is real and valid. Expectations of mandatory happiness, resurfacing memories, and cultural pressure for perfect togetherness can all amplify the ache.
“No Empty Chairs…”
The good news? You don’t have to force cheer or pretend everything’s fine. Grief and joy can coexist. Here are some gentle ways to care for yourself this season:
• Give yourself permission to feel. Cry if you need to, laugh if it comes naturally, or simply rest. No guilt required.
• Rethink traditions. Keep what comforts you, adapt what hurts, or skip altogether. Light a candle in memory, share a favorite story, or create something entirely new—like volunteering or a quiet day alone.
• Set kind boundaries. It’s okay to decline invitations, leave early, or ask for space from certain topics. Protect your energy.
• Speak your needs. Tell supportive people what helps: “This year is tough—let’s keep it low-key” or “I’d love to talk about them today.”
• Practice small self-care. Eat, rest, move, breathe. Honor your loved one through a donation, a special ornament, or playing their favorite music.
• Seek support if needed. Friends, grief groups, counselors, or online communities can lighten the load.
Christmas Dreams
If you’re supporting someone grieving, your presence matters most. Listen without trying to fix it. Acknowledge their pain. Offer specific help. Simply say, “I’m here for you.”
Grief changes the holidays, but it doesn’t erase meaning. In time, the sharp edges soften, and space opens for new warmth alongside the memories you carry.
The Magic of Christmas
This season, be gentle with yourself. Your feelings are valid, your love endures, and healing comes in its own quiet way.
Wishing you moments of peace amid the complexity. 🎄
Write a poem that takes the form of a letter. It can be addressed to anyone – a friend, a family member, a stranger, yourself, or someone no longer here. The letter should feel personal and emotional. Starting with “Dear…” and ending with a closing is optional, but your poem should feel like a letter.
Rachael and Mama
Dear Mama,
In the trembling hush of my heart, where memories flicker like fireflies over Louisiana’s bayou shadows, I whisper to you across the eternal veil. You, my gentle Mama, whose spirit was ensnared by dementia’s merciless fog, your eyes dimmed like stars drowned in a cruel dusk.
I cling to my hopes of the last fleeting months you spent in my Texas log haven, its twin homes rooted in red-clay earth, built to cradle you close to Lafayette’s warm, Cajun heartbeat. My desire was to have you rest from your hard life, particularly the recent suicides of your son and brother, and enjoy researching our family history, while we heal ancestral wounds.
But you slipped away in your rage, refusing tests, though doctors whispered for years of the thief in your mind. I knew the reason you were so afraid of any discussion of mental health.
Long ago, in Alexandria’s Pinewood, they labeled you delayed, branded you forever thirteen, and caged you for a year. I, barely a pre-teen, struggled to mother my three younger siblings. That was my year of racing home from school and appreciating a new product called Rice-A-Roni.
Over the years, you could only hint and shudder at the memory of managed care back there: stories of overcrowding, forced shock therapy, sedative drugs, chains and physical restraints.
The doctors, aware of my obligatory maturity, precisely illustrated the necessity of me supporting you throughout your life. And I accepted it, unfair as it might have been, there was no other option.
You needed me; that’s all I needed to know. Your husband—my stepfather—banished you there in that hospital, his heart cold as iron, while throwing out his own son, Glenn for trying to protect me.
Not long after that, he stole the funds of my Daddy’s social security payments, painstakingly saved for me and Jeri from his schizophrenia’s chains that had bound him, an emotionally frozen man since age twenty-one.
I lost my Daddy at age four, Jeri having been forcefully conceived at the separation. We were alone and hungry, the three of us. You bore the shame of the accusations and inuendoes. I knew then I had a duty beyond my capacity. Daddy and his family fought for us, driven by the suspicion of abuse, my grandmother’s physical scars until her death.
You met him when I was eight, and Jeri just four. That man’s fists scarred us all—you, me, Jeri, and my stepbrother Michael—before he fled to Southern California, building thirteen dens of sin and shame — porn stores — from our stolen future.
I eventually forgave him, as faith requires. Years later, driving you through desert’s searing grief to his funeral, but I couldn’t face his casket’s hollow stare.
Sundowners sank its claws, pulling you into night’s unyielding grip. You begged me, in moments of piercing clarity, to shield you from my stepsister’s cruelty—her bullying shadow loomed large, a tormentor like her father, who fought neighbors into courtrooms, failed at foster parenting in bitter rivalry with me, and wielded words and hands against you, even breaking your wrist.
She plundered your credit cards, clashed with everyone, even her stepchildren who sued her, childless herself yet sowing discord. When you pressed me for unity, I said she was toxic, but in your naivety, you believed I called her trash. You didn’t understand; as a mother, you only saw division between your children and wanted unity.
In a moment of clarity, you pleaded for protection, and my heart vowed to be your refuge. When the time came, I couldn’t hold you safely here, although I tried. I rationalized that it’d just be for the holiday, so I purchased the flight with a 2-week return. No sooner did you get there, you announced that you were staying.
After you were there a couple months, she cast you out in Utah, leaving you to wander in your car, a fragile shell under weeping skies, for a whole month until a shattered ankle unveiled dementia’s truth in a hospital’s sterile light. They called me only then, my soul fracturing, unaware of the lies that painted our family as uncaring, unaware she’d silenced my cries to bring you home.
I fought, Mama, with an attorney’s fire, seeking guardianship to draw you back to Louisiana’s love, to friends who knew your gentle soul. The court stood ready, my hope blazing, but you faded the day before, leaving my promise unkept, a wound that bleeds still.
And oh, the final cruelty—Covid’s iron rules stole our touch. My stepsister and I, exiled outside your nursing home, knelt by an open window, our voices cracking through glass to whisper goodbyes. No hand to hold, no warmth to share, just words lost in sterile air, though you bore no virus.
Only after your breath stilled could I reach you, a theft that rips my heart raw. Things remain undone, Mama—your plea for safety haunts me, a vow I couldn’t fulfill. Yet in this letter, I hold you fierce. Beyond the fog, beyond the pain of others’ betrayal, you are my Acadian root, my light in the bayou’s glow.
My patriarchal blessing – a gift from Heavenly Father, reminds me that I “was born of goodly parents, parents that were chosen” for me in the pre-existence.
I see you whole, resilient, your love enduring like the stories I write for children. I read you I Love You Forever, praying its words wrapped you in my boundless devotion.
Forgive those who failed you; know my fight burned on, a daughter’s desperate love. Rest now, free of fear, in a heaven where no shadows fall. I love you, Mama, to the moon and back, forever.
Contest: Write 150 words about your life in full; don’t give just parts of your life.
I was born in a small town. Story was my first language. I learned to read the rules in school and to rebel in books. Now they’re arrows pointing injustice and wonder.
I was married young and divorced younger but I learned motherhood would be an anchor in all storms of love. Then I was married for keeps.
Mother and foster motherhood came. Six boys, two girls, two angels, brave and funny. I learned to read my heart in their handwriting and put children’s books in print.
Misty a mermaid swam in my thoughts and cried for a tiara! Faith grew where my eyes met a portrait of Christ saying, “You are enough.”
I am a writer today scheduling social media posts, recreating like fireflies; still I believe stories can cross ice floes.
My life? Untidy, hope-full, windy, full of notes of beauty, sometimes heartbreaking and often rewriting manuscripts.
Write a story PROSE only (poetry DQ’d) in which a minor character is tired of playing second banana and steals the spotlight from the main character. Do not kill off the MC to accomplish this.
Karen had always been the quiet anchor in Robert’s stormy sea. For twenty-three years, their marriage had been a sturdy ship, weathered by the gales of two careers, a mortgage that bit like frost, and the relentless tick of raising teenagers who had since fled the nest like birds testing their wings. Robert, with his broad shoulders and booming laugh that could fill a room, was the captain—charismatic at barbecues, the guy who fixed the neighbor’s fence without being asked. Karen? She was the first mate, the one who plotted the course with grocery lists and PTA fundraisers, her own dreams tucked away like spare sails in the hold.
It started innocently enough, that itch under her skin. At forty-six, with the house echoing emptier than a church on Monday, Karen found herself scrolling through community center flyers during her lunch break at the library. “Creative Writing Circle: Unleash Your Inner Storyteller.” The words glowed on the screen like a siren’s call. She’d always harbored a secret: novels. Not the tidy romances with happily-ever-afters, but the messy ones—women clawing their way out of cages they didn’t even know they’d built. In her twenties, she’d scribbled fragments in spiral notebooks, but life had a way of piling on: Robert’s promotion that demanded overtime, the twins’ soccer practices, the endless cycle of laundry and lesson plans. The notebooks gathered dust in the attic, yellowing like forgotten promises.
One rainy Tuesday in March, she signed up. “Why not?” she told herself in the rearview mirror, heart fluttering like a trapped moth. Robert raised an eyebrow over his newspaper that evening. “Writing group? What’s next, interpretive dance?” His chuckle was light, but there was an edge to it, like gravel under tires. Karen laughed it off, but as she drove to her first meeting, she felt a spark—small, but alive.
The circle met in a cozy back room of the library, ringed by mismatched armchairs and a table scarred from years of spilled coffee and inked dreams. There were eight of them: a retired teacher with a penchant for haiku, a tattooed barista penning sci-fi epics, and Sarah, a sharp-witted divorcee in her fifties who led the group with the gentle authority of someone who’d survived her own shipwrecks. Karen arrived clutching a dog-eared copy of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, her palms sweaty as if she were confessing a sin.
“Share if you want,” Sarah said, her eyes kind behind wire-rimmed glasses. “Or just listen. No judgments here.”
Karen listened at first, mesmerized by the alchemy of words. The barista read a scene of interstellar betrayal that left them gasping; the teacher recited a poem about cherry blossoms that made her weep for her own long-gone youth. On the fourth week, emboldened by the circle’s warmth, Karen pulled out her notebook. “It’s just a start,” she mumbled, unfolding a page yellowed with age. She read about a woman named Eliza, trapped in a marriage to a man whose love had curdled into control—subtle at first, like a shadow lengthening at dusk.
The group leaned in. “That’s raw,” Sarah said when she finished. “What’s next for Eliza?”
Karen blinked, the question hanging like mist. “I… don’t know yet.”
But she did know, deep down. That night, as Robert snored beside her, she slipped into the kitchen and wrote until her hand cramped. Eliza’s husband, Victor, emerged on the page like a thundercloud: sarcastic barbs disguised as jokes, praise doled out like crumbs, chores dumped on her like so much ballast. Victor never said “I love you” without a qualifier; he fixed the sink but grumbled about her “nagging.” It poured out of Karen—pages and pages—until the first light of dawn crept through the blinds.
By summer, the novel had legs. Karen titled it Echoes in the Attic, a tale of Eliza discovering her voice through clandestine letters to a long-lost friend. The writing group became her lifeline: Sarah’s feedback sharpened her dialogue, the barista suggested twists involving hidden diaries, and even the haiku teacher contributed metaphors that made the prose sing. Karen bloomed under their attention—laughing freely, her posture straightening like a flower turning to the sun. She bought a new planner, color-coded with chapter deadlines, and even splurged on a sleek laptop that hummed approvingly under her fingertips.
Robert noticed, of course. At first, it was subtle: a sidelong glance when she lingered at the dinner table, scribbling notes instead of clearing plates. “Earth to Karen,” he’d say, his fork hovering mid-air. Then came the jabs. “Those book club witches turning you into Virginia Woolf? Next you’ll be drowning in the river.” Laughter, always laughter, but it landed like lead in her stomach. The twins, home for a weekend, picked up on it too. “Dad, chill,” their daughter Mia whispered during a tense barbecue, but Robert waved it off. “Just teasing your mom. She knows I love her dramatic side.”
But did she? The house felt smaller, the air thicker. Karen’s evenings stretched into nights at the library, her returns greeted by Robert’s silhouette in the den, TV flickering blue across his face. “Good time?” he’d ask, not looking up. “Great,” she’d reply, pecking his cheek before retreating to the guest room—ostensibly for “quiet writing space,” but really to avoid the weight of his unspoken resentment.
It wasn’t always like this. Karen remembered their early days: Robert, the boy from the auto shop with grease-stained hands and eyes like summer storms, who’d courted her with mixtapes and midnight drives to the quarry. They’d married young, full of fire, building a life brick by brick. But time has a way of eroding foundations—his job at the plant soured with layoffs and overtime, her library shifts grew monotonous, and somewhere along the line, the compliments dried up. “You’re my rock,” he’d say once, but now it was “Pass the salt” and sighs over her “hobbies.”
By September, Echoes in the Attic was halfway done, and Karen’s confidence was a quiet roar. The group celebrated with cheap wine and carrot cake, toasting to “Eliza’s escape.” Sarah pulled her aside. “This isn’t just fiction, is it? Parts of you are in here.”
Karen hesitated, then nodded. “The best parts, maybe. And the worst ones I want to leave behind.”
That night, as she pulled into the driveway, Robert was waiting on the porch, arms crossed like a sentinel. The porch light cast harsh shadows, turning his face into a mask of accusation. “You’re late again.”
“Meeting ran over,” she said, juggling her bag and laptop. “We were brainstorming the climax.”
He followed her inside, the screen door slapping shut like a punctuation mark. “Climax, huh? You’d better not be writing about me in that little novel of yours.” His voice was low, laced with that familiar sarcasm—the kind that twisted compliments into knots.
Karen set her things down, forcing a smile. “What? No, Robert. It’s fiction.”
He leaned against the counter, eyes narrowing. “Come on. Spill it. Is Victor supposed to be me? The big bad husband?”
She shook her head, the lie bitter on her tongue. Not a lie, exactly—Victor was an exaggeration, a caricature born of too many unspoken hurts. But close enough to sting. “Oh no,” she said, meeting his gaze with feigned lightness. “No, the main character in my novel is horrible. He’s a bully, always sarcastic, never gives her any praise or helps around the house. Eliza deserves better.”
The words hung between them, sharp as shattered glass. Robert’s frown deepened, a furrow etching his brow like a fresh scar. For a moment, she thought he’d erupt—the old Robert, quick to temper, quicker to deflect. But he just straightened, jaw tight. “Oh,” he said, the syllable flat as a dropped coin. Then, without another word, he turned and headed for the den.
Karen stood there, pulse thundering in her ears. Had she gone too far? The group always said to write the truth, but this felt like tossing a match into dry tinder. She glanced at the clock—8:47 PM. Her stomach growled, reminding her she’d skipped dinner again. Sighing, she trudged upstairs, the novel’s latest chapter mocking her from the screen: Victor sneered, “Who do you think you are, some wannabe author?” Eliza’s hands trembled, but she straightened. “I’m the one holding the pen now.”
Sleep came fitfully, dreams tangled with ink and accusations. She woke to birdsong and the smell of… what? Bacon? No, something richer—herbs and slow-simmered meat. Frowning, she padded downstairs in her robe, the house unnaturally quiet. Robert’s truck was in the drive; he must have called in sick. Or…
The kitchen stopped her cold. Spotless. Not the half-hearted swipe she’d grown used to, but gleaming. Counters wiped to a shine, no crumbs lurking in the corners, the sink empty and sparkling under the window’s morning light. The floors—vacuumed, even the fringes of the rugs fluffed back into place. And on the stove, a Dutch oven bubbled gently, the lid propped to release a cloud of savory steam: beef bourguignon, her mother’s recipe, the one Robert always claimed “took too damn long.”
He emerged from the pantry then, sleeves rolled up, a dish towel slung over his shoulder like a badge of surrender. His hair was damp from a recent shower, and for the first time in months, he looked… vulnerable. Not the captain, but a man adrift.
“Morning,” he said, voice rough but soft. He stirred the pot, avoiding her eyes.
Karen blinked, the scene surreal. “Robert? What…?”
She obeyed, sinking into the seat as if her legs had forgotten how to hold her. He poured a mug—two sugars, splash of cream, just how she liked—and set it before her with a plate of toast, butter blooming golden. Only then did he meet her gaze, his own shadowed with something raw, unnameable.
“Sit,” he said, pulling out a chair with a scrape that echoed too loud. “Coffee’s hot.”
“I read it,” he said finally, leaning against the counter. “Your laptop was open last night. Echoes in the Attic.”
Her heart plummeted. “You… what? Robert, that’s private—”
“I know.” He held up a hand, palm out. “I wasn’t snooping. You left it charging in the den after our… talk. I saw the title, and… hell, Karen, I couldn’t stop.”
She wrapped her hands around the mug, the warmth a lifeline. “And?”
He exhaled, long and shaky, rubbing the back of his neck—a telltale sign from their early days, when he’d fumble apologies after bar fights or forgotten anniversaries. “Victor’s a real jerk. And he’s… me. The sarcasm, the way I brush off your wins like they’re nothing. The house falling apart around us because I’m too tired or too proud to pitch in.” His voice cracked on the last word, and he turned to the stove, fussing with the pot to hide his face.
Karen’s throat tightened. Part of her wanted to rage—at the invasion, at the confirmation of her fears. But another part, the one that remembered mixtapes and quarry kisses, ached with possibility. “It’s not all you,” she whispered. “Victor… he’s the worst parts. The parts I amplified because it hurt to say them out loud.”
He nodded, still not turning. “I get that. But reading it? Seeing myself through your eyes? It’s like staring into a mirror I didn’t want to clean.” A pause, the spoon clinking against the pot. “You joined that group, and at first, I thought it was just a phase. Another distraction. But then you lit up, Karen—like you used to, before life ground us down. And I… I felt left behind. Like if you got too good at this, you’d see how small I am without you propping me up.”
The confession hung there, fragile as spun glass. Karen rose, crossing the kitchen in three steps, her hand tentative on his arm. He stiffened, then relaxed, turning to face her. Up close, she saw the lines etched deeper around his eyes, the gray threading his temples like silver veins. Forty-eight going on weary.
“I’m not leaving you behind,” she said, fierce and soft all at once. “I joined the group to find me again. Not to escape us. But if we’re honest… we’ve both been lost. You, burying yourself in the shop and the game highlights. Me, in the silence.”
He searched her face, then pulled her close—awkward at first, like two dancers out of step. But then his arms tightened, and she melted into him, the scent of his soap and simmering stew wrapping around her like forgiveness. “I’m sorry,” he murmured into her hair. “For the barbs, the blindness. For making you feel like your dreams were a hobby, not a fire.”
She pulled back, cupping his face. “And I’m sorry for hiding. For letting Victor carry the weight instead of talking to Robert.”
They ate then, the casserole rich and tender, each bite a bridge. Conversation flowed haltingly at first—about the twins’ latest antics, the leak in the attic they’d ignored for months—then deeper, into the marrow. Robert admitted the plant’s latest round of cuts had him terrified of obsolescence; Karen confessed how the novel’s climax mirrored her own crossroads, Eliza choosing not divorce, but reinvention. “She makes Victor see her,” Karen said, fork poised. “Not as the wife, but as the woman who writes worlds.”
Robert set down his napkin. “Then let me help. Not fix you—I can’t—but stand beside. Teach me to vacuum those damn fringes.”
She laughed, the sound bubbling up like champagne. “Deal. But first, read the whole thing. Give me notes. Be my beta reader.”
His eyes widened. “Me? I’m no literary critic.”
“You’re my first reader,” she said simply. “Always have been.”
That afternoon marked a turning. Robert canceled his golf game, instead tackling the attic with her—dusty boxes hauled down, old notebooks unearthed like time capsules. He read Echoes in fits and starts, his red pen hesitant but honest: This line hits hard—too real? and Love Eliza’s fire here. Reminds me of you at 25. Karen revised with his input, Victor softening not into a saint, but a man capable of change—sarcasm tempered by vulnerability, chores shared like secrets.
The writing group noticed the shift. “You’re glowing,” Sarah said one Tuesday, passing the wine. Karen smiled, a secret tucked in her pocket: Robert’s latest text, Dinner’s on me tonight. Write fierce, love.
By November, Echoes in the Attic was complete, submitted to a small press with trembling hands. Rejection came first—a form letter that stung like salt in a cut—but acceptance followed in spring, a quiet miracle. The launch party was intimate: the group, the twins, and Robert, who stood beside her at the podium, his hand warm on her back. “To Karen,” he toasted, glass raised. “The storyteller who taught me to listen.”
As applause rippled, Karen caught his eye, seeing not the bully of her pages, but the partner she’d almost lost to silence. Words, she realized, weren’t weapons or escapes—they were invitations. To see, to mend, to begin again.
And in the quiet nights that followed, as she plotted her next novel, Robert would sometimes join her at the kitchen table, his own notebook open to blank pages. “Think I could write about a guy who fixes trucks?” he’d ask, pencil tapping.
She’d grin, leaning over. “Only if he learns to cook.”
Sometimes, lines between fact and fiction create the best and worst of times. Words aren’t weapons or escapes, they are invitations. To see, to mend, to begin again. Do not allow them to fester.
Hello, dear readers! If you’ve been following my little corner of the internet here at S. M. Ulbrich Author Blog, you know I love blending the raw edges of real life with the shimmering possibilities of fiction. Today, I’m serving up something special: a full-length story clocking in at around 2,450 words (yes, I counted—writers, am I right?). It’s inspired by a snippet of dialogue that hit me like a plot twist in my favorite rom-com. You see, I’ve been knee-deep in my own manuscript lately, wrestling with characters who feel a little too familiar, and it got me thinking about how the stories we tell can ripple out and change the ones we’re living.
This tale, “The Bully’s Redemption”, explores the fragile dance of marriage, the power of unspoken words, and the courage it takes to rewrite your own ending. It’s a nod to every woman (or man) who’s ever picked up a pen to reclaim her voice. Grab your cup of herb tea, settle in, and let’s turn the page. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments—have you ever written your way out of a rut? Share below!
The Bully’s Redemption
Karen had always been the quiet anchor in Robert’s stormy sea. For twenty-three years, their marriage had been a sturdy ship, weathered by the gales of two careers, a mortgage that bit like frost, and the relentless tick of raising teenagers who had since fled the nest like birds testing their wings. Robert, with his broad shoulders and booming laugh that could fill a room, was the captain—charismatic at barbecues, the guy who fixed the neighbor’s fence without being asked. Karen? She was the first mate, the one who plotted the course with grocery lists and PTA fundraisers, her own dreams tucked away like spare sails in the hold.
It started innocently enough, that itch under her skin. At forty-six, with the house echoing emptier than a church on Monday, Karen found herself scrolling through community center flyers during her lunch break at the library. “Creative Writing Circle: Unleash Your Inner Storyteller.” The words glowed on the screen like a siren’s call. She’d always harbored a secret: novels. Not the tidy romances with happily-ever-afters, but the messy ones—women clawing their way out of cages they didn’t even know they’d built. In her twenties, she’d scribbled fragments in spiral notebooks, but life had a way of piling on: Robert’s promotion that demanded overtime, the twins’ soccer practices, the endless cycle of laundry and lesson plans. The notebooks gathered dust in the attic, yellowing like forgotten promises.
One rainy Tuesday in March, she signed up. “Why not?” she told herself in the rearview mirror, heart fluttering like a trapped moth. Robert raised an eyebrow over his newspaper that evening. “Writing group? What’s next, interpretive dance?” His chuckle was light, but there was an edge to it, like gravel under tires. Karen laughed it off, but as she drove to her first meeting, she felt a spark—small, but alive.
The circle met in a cozy back room of the library, ringed by mismatched armchairs and a table scarred from years of spilled coffee and inked dreams. There were eight of them: a retired teacher with a penchant for haiku, a tattooed barista penning sci-fi epics, and Sarah, a sharp-witted divorcee in her fifties who led the group with the gentle authority of someone who’d survived her own shipwrecks. Karen arrived clutching a dog-eared copy of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, her palms sweaty as if she were confessing a sin.
“Share if you want,” Sarah said, her eyes kind behind wire-rimmed glasses. “Or just listen. No judgments here.”
Karen listened at first, mesmerized by the alchemy of words. The barista read a scene of interstellar betrayal that left them gasping; the teacher recited a poem about cherry blossoms that made her weep for her own long-gone youth. On the fourth week, emboldened by the circle’s warmth, Karen pulled out her notebook. “It’s just a start,” she mumbled, unfolding a page yellowed with age. She read about a woman named Eliza, trapped in a marriage to a man whose love had curdled into control—subtle at first, like a shadow lengthening at dusk.
The group leaned in. “That’s raw,” Sarah said when she finished. “What’s next for Eliza?”
Karen blinked, the question hanging like mist. “I… don’t know yet.”
But she did know, deep down. That night, as Robert snored beside her, she slipped into the kitchen and wrote until her hand cramped. Eliza’s husband, Victor, emerged on the page like a thundercloud: sarcastic barbs disguised as jokes, praise doled out like crumbs, chores dumped on her like so much ballast. Victor never said “I love you” without a qualifier; he fixed the sink but grumbled about her “nagging.” It poured out of Karen—pages and pages—until the first light of dawn crept through the blinds.
By summer, the novel had legs. Karen titled it Echoes in the Attic, a tale of Eliza discovering her voice through clandestine letters to a long-lost friend. The writing group became her lifeline: Sarah’s feedback sharpened her dialogue, the barista suggested twists involving hidden diaries, and even the haiku teacher contributed metaphors that made the prose sing. Karen bloomed under their attention—laughing freely, her posture straightening like a flower turning to the sun. She bought a new planner, color-coded with chapter deadlines, and even splurged on a sleek laptop that hummed approvingly under her fingertips.
Robert noticed, of course. At first, it was subtle: a sidelong glance when she lingered at the dinner table, scribbling notes instead of clearing plates. “Earth to Karen,” he’d say, his fork hovering mid-air. Then came the jabs. “Those book club witches turning you into Virginia Woolf? Next you’ll be drowning in the river.” Laughter, always laughter, but it landed like lead in her stomach. The twins, home for a weekend, picked up on it too. “Dad, chill,” their daughter Mia whispered during a tense barbecue, but Robert waved it off. “Just teasing your mom. She knows I love her dramatic side.”
But did she? The house felt smaller, the air thicker. Karen’s evenings stretched into nights at the library, her returns greeted by Robert’s silhouette in the den, TV flickering blue across his face. “Good time?” he’d ask, not looking up. “Great,” she’d reply, pecking his cheek before retreating to the guest room—ostensibly for “quiet writing space,” but really to avoid the weight of his unspoken resentment.
It wasn’t always like this. Karen remembered their early days: Robert, the boy from the auto shop with grease-stained hands and eyes like summer storms, who’d courted her with mixtapes and midnight drives to the quarry. They’d married young, full of fire, building a life brick by brick. But time has a way of eroding foundations—his job at the plant soured with layoffs and overtime, her library shifts grew monotonous, and somewhere along the line, the compliments dried up. “You’re my rock,” he’d say once, but now it was “Pass the salt” and sighs over her “hobbies.”
By September, Echoes in the Attic was halfway done, and Karen’s confidence was a quiet roar. The group celebrated with pink lemonade and carrot cake, toasting to “Eliza’s escape.” Sarah pulled her aside. “This isn’t just fiction, is it? Parts of you are in here.”
Karen hesitated, then nodded. “The best parts, maybe. And the worst ones I want to leave behind.”
That night, as she pulled into the driveway, Robert was waiting on the porch, arms crossed like a sentinel. The porch light cast harsh shadows, turning his face into a mask of accusation. “You’re late again.”
“Meeting ran over,” she said, juggling her bag and laptop. “We were brainstorming the climax.”
He followed her inside, the screen door slapping shut like a punctuation mark. “Climax, huh? You’d better not be writing about me in that little novel of yours.” His voice was low, laced with that familiar sarcasm—the kind that twisted compliments into knots.
Karen set her things down, forcing a smile. “What? No, Robert. It’s fiction.”
He leaned against the counter, eyes narrowing. “Come on. Spill it. Is Victor supposed to be me? The big bad husband?”
She shook her head, the lie bitter on her tongue. Not a lie, exactly—Victor was an exaggeration, a caricature born of too many unspoken hurts. But close enough to sting. “Oh no,” she said, meeting his gaze with feigned lightness. “No, the main character in my novel is horrible. He’s a bully, always sarcastic, never gives her any praise or helps around the house. Eliza deserves better.”
The words hung between them, sharp as shattered glass. Robert’s frown deepened, a furrow etching his brow like a fresh scar. For a moment, she thought he’d erupt—the old Robert, quick to temper, quicker to deflect. But he just straightened, jaw tight. “Oh,” he said, the syllable flat as a dropped coin. Then, without another word, he turned and headed for the den.
Karen stood there, pulse thundering in her ears. Had she gone too far? The group always said to write the truth, but this felt like tossing a match into dry tinder. She glanced at the clock—8:47 PM. Her stomach growled, reminding her she’d skipped dinner again. Sighing, she trudged upstairs, the novel’s latest chapter mocking her from the screen: Victor sneered, “Who do you think you are, some wannabe author?” Eliza’s hands trembled, but she straightened. “I’m the one holding the pen now.”
Sleep came fitfully, dreams tangled with ink and accusations. She woke to birdsong and the smell of… what? Bacon? No, something richer—herbs and slow-simmered meat. Frowning, she padded downstairs in her robe, the house unnaturally quiet. Robert’s truck was in the drive; he must have called in sick. Or…
The kitchen stopped her cold. Spotless. Not the half-hearted swipe she’d grown used to, but gleaming. Counters wiped to a shine, no crumbs lurking in the corners, the sink empty and sparkling under the window’s morning light. The floors—vacuumed, even the fringes of the rugs fluffed back into place. And on the stove, a Dutch oven bubbled gently, the lid propped to release a cloud of savory steam: beef bourguignon, her mother’s recipe, the one Robert always claimed “took too damn long.”
He emerged from the pantry then, sleeves rolled up, a dish towel slung over his shoulder like a badge of surrender. His hair was damp from a recent shower, and for the first time in months, he looked… vulnerable. Not the captain, but a man adrift.
“Morning,” he said, voice rough but soft. He stirred the pot, avoiding her eyes.
Karen blinked, the scene surreal. “Robert? What…?”
“Sit,” he said, pulling out a chair with a scrape that echoed too loud. “Coffee’s hot.”
She obeyed, sinking into the seat as if her legs had forgotten how to hold her. He poured a mug—two sugars, splash of cream, just how she liked—and set it before her with a plate of toast, butter blooming golden. Only then did he meet her gaze, his own shadowed with something raw, unnameable.
“I read it,” he said finally, leaning against the counter. “Your laptop was open last night. Echoes in the Attic.”
Her heart plummeted. “You… what? Robert, that’s private—”
“I know.” He held up a hand, palm out. “I wasn’t snooping. You left it charging in the den after our… talk. I saw the title, and… hell, Karen, I couldn’t stop.”
She wrapped her hands around the mug, the warmth a lifeline. “And?”
He exhaled, long and shaky, rubbing the back of his neck—a telltale sign from their early days, when he’d fumble apologies after bar fights or forgotten anniversaries. “Victor’s a jerk. And he’s… me. The sarcasm, the way I brush off your wins like they’re nothing. The house falling apart around us because I’m too tired or too proud to pitch in.” His voice cracked on the last word, and he turned to the stove, fussing with the pot to hide his face.
Karen’s throat tightened. Part of her wanted to rage—at the invasion, at the confirmation of her fears. But another part, the one that remembered mixtapes and quarry kisses, ached with possibility. “It’s not all you,” she whispered. “Victor… he’s the worst parts. The parts I amplified because it hurt to say them out loud.”
He nodded, still not turning. “I get that. But reading it? Seeing myself through your eyes? It’s like staring into a mirror I didn’t want to clean.” A pause, the spoon clinking against the pot. “You joined that group, and at first, I thought it was just a phase. Another distraction. But then you lit up, Karen—like you used to, before life ground us down. And I… I felt left behind. Like if you got too good at this, you’d see how small I am without you propping me up.”
The confession hung there, fragile as spun glass. Karen rose, crossing the kitchen in three steps, her hand tentative on his arm. He stiffened, then relaxed, turning to face her. Up close, she saw the lines etched deeper around his eyes, the gray threading his temples like silver veins. Forty-eight going on weary.
“I’m not leaving you behind,” she said, fierce and soft all at once. “I joined the group to find me again. Not to escape us. But if we’re honest… we’ve both been lost. You, burying yourself in the shop and the game highlights. Me, in the silence.”
He searched her face, then pulled her close—awkward at first, like two dancers out of step. But then his arms tightened, and she melted into him, the scent of his soap and simmering stew wrapping around her like forgiveness. “I’m sorry,” he murmured into her hair. “For the barbs, the blindness. For making you feel like your dreams were a hobby, not a fire.”
She pulled back, cupping his face. “And I’m sorry for hiding. For letting Victor carry the weight instead of talking to Robert.”
They ate then, the casserole rich and tender, each bite a bridge. Conversation flowed haltingly at first—about the twins’ latest antics, the leak in the attic they’d ignored for months—then deeper, into the marrow. Robert admitted the plant’s latest round of cuts had him terrified of obsolescence; Karen confessed how the novel’s climax mirrored her own crossroads, Eliza choosing not divorce, but reinvention. “She makes Victor see her,” Karen said, fork poised. “Not as the wife, but as the woman who writes worlds.”
Robert set down his napkin. “Then let me help. Not fix you—I can’t—but stand beside. Teach me to vacuum those damn fringes.”
She laughed, the sound bubbling up like champagne. “Deal. But first, read the whole thing. Give me notes. Be my beta reader.”
His eyes widened. “Me? I’m no literary critic.”
“You’re my first reader,” she said simply. “Always have been.”
That afternoon marked a turning. Robert canceled his golf game, instead tackling the attic with her—dusty boxes hauled down, old notebooks unearthed like time capsules. He read Echoes in fits and starts, his red pen hesitant but honest: This line hits hard—too real? and Love Eliza’s fire here. Reminds me of you at 25. Karen revised with his input, Victor softening not into a saint, but a man capable of change—sarcasm tempered by vulnerability, chores shared like secrets.
The writing group noticed the shift. “You’re glowing,” Sarah said one Tuesday, passing the soda. Karen smiled, a secret tucked in her pocket: Robert’s latest text, Dinner’s on me tonight. Write fierce, love.
By November, Echoes in the Attic was complete, submitted to a small press with trembling hands. Rejection came first—a form letter that stung like salt in a cut—but acceptance followed in spring, a quiet miracle. The launch party was intimate: the group, the twins, and Robert, who stood beside her at the podium, his hand warm on her back. “To Karen,” he toasted, glass raised. “The storyteller who taught me to listen.”
As applause rippled, Karen caught his eye, seeing not the bully of her pages, but the partner she’d almost lost to silence. Words, she realized, weren’t weapons or escapes—they were invitations. To see, to mend, to begin again.
And in the quiet nights that followed, as she plotted her next novel, Robert would sometimes join her at the kitchen table, his own notebook open to blank pages. “Think I could write about a guy who fixes trucks?” he’d ask, pencil tapping.
She’d grin, leaning over. “Only if he learns to cook.”
Reflections from the Page
Whew—did that sneak up on you like it did Karen? Writing this story was cathartic for me, a reminder that the lines between fiction and life blur in the best (and sometimes messiest) ways. It’s easy to let resentment fester, to let small hurts balloon into Victor-sized villains. But what if, like Robert, we surprise ourselves? What if we vacuum the fringes, simmer the stew, and listen?
If this resonated, tell me: What’s your unfinished story? A hobby gathering dust? A conversation left unsaid? Drop it in the comments—I read every one.
Thanks for reading, friends. Keep wielding those pens— they’re mightier than you know.
~ Shirley
(Word count: 2,452. Inspired by real-life whispers and the belief that every ending can be a new chapter.)
Prompts: echoes, barista, bully, coffee.
Subscribe for more stories that stick. Follow on Instagram @S.M.Ulbrich or Facebook!
Someone recently asked me if I’d always known I was meant to be a writer. The following is my answer to that formidable question. Writing the two Discovering Misty books was my first attempt at writing professionally.
It seems, though, I’ve always written. I was Editor for the California State Foster Parent Association for several years. One year, I was awarded special recognition for my newsletter at the National Foster Parent Association in Chicago. I was also Editor and VP for our FPA association in Sacramento County. That’s where I was a medical foster parent for 14.5 years, taking in more than 200 infants and children who were extremely medically fragile. We adopted 3 of our foster children, and 2 are still with us, never to leave home, and 1 married. The 2 with us are special needs. We had 5 kids at the time, who we homeschooled, then homeschooled them, and now we have 16 grandchildren and 3.5 great-grandchildren!
It has been suggested to me to write of my experiences as a foster parent. If I have time, I may just do that. We definitely had some experiences that would be fascinating to read about, and gratifying to share. Some of my stories are so heavily wrought with emotion from the various perspectives of the parties involved. Some of my babies were not expected to live very long.
One little guy came to me right out of NICU, not expected to live but a few hours. However, his story is in the medical journals of having lived 19 months in my home; his life filled our home with joy and heavenly sweetness from the start to that final day.
Due to confidiality restrictions, which I fully support, I will respectfully refrain from using his real name or circumstances. This sweet boy had the most gentle, yet playful, spirit. Every morning, in exasperation, I would fuss at him for pulling out his G-tube (gastrostomy tube used for feeding him his only source of nutrition), and he would laugh and laugh… Until I had to insert it back in.
Technically speaking, he should not have lived for more than a few hours. He was missing some vital organs, and was doomed at birth with another life-threatening medical condition. Yet, he rarely cried, or even complained. He couldn’t sit up or roll over, but he had so much angelic joy!
He had so little, but he was filled with love and joy. It was such a pleasure to have him in our home and we loved him very much.
I kept a diary for most of my foster children to later give to the parents. Writing in first person, I told the family how much “I”, baby loved them and thanked them for the privilege of being born into that family. There were many times, when I was writing, that I truly felt the spirit of that child communicating with the family they were separated from. Whether due to their own misdeeds, or their inability to care for the child, for whatever reason, I felt I was a bridge or gateway between spiritual realms. When the sacred occasion was to be present during the dying process, I literally felt myself as a conduit, one who aided in transferring that sweet spirit back home to waiting, loving family on the other side.
As the author of Discovering Misty: The Mermaid of the Emerald CoastandGeorge and the Brave Eagle, and a blogger who recently celebrated 500 visitors, I’ve faced plenty of moments where life’s challenges made me pause and reflect. During tough times—whether juggling foster parenting, coordinating Overpassers for USA rallies, or pouring my heart into my next book—I’ve caught myself wondering, “Do I really need to follow all of God’s commandments?” If you’ve ever asked yourself this, you’re not alone. Let’s explore this question together, one word at a time, with a perspective rooted in hope and my journey of leading with heart.
How I See It
Here’s how I see it: God’s commandments aren’t a rigid checklist or a cosmic test we have to ace. Instead, I like to think of them as a loving guide from a Father who knows way more than we do. Imagine His wisdom as vast as the Emerald Coast’s horizon, stretching far beyond what we can grasp (like Isaiah 55:9 says). As a parent of two girls, five boys, and a foster mom to over 200 kids, I’ve learned that guidance isn’t about control—it’s about helping someone find their way. That’s what God’s doing for us.
Sometimes, we picture God holding back blessings, like they’re locked in a heavenly vault, only handed out if we follow every rule perfectly. But that’s not how it works. Picture this: God’s blessings are like a constant rain, pouring down with love. The problem? Our fears, doubts, or mistakes can act like an umbrella, blocking that rain from soaking into our lives. His commandments are less about restrictions and more about showing us how to lower that umbrella—stepping into the full shower of His grace.
Not Barriers but Paths to Peace and Joy
Take my time as a Cub Scout leader or managing 800 Scouts on our 25-acre LDS church park. Rules like “stay on the trail” weren’t about spoiling fun—they were about keeping everyone safe to enjoy the adventure. God’s commandments work the same way. They’re not barriers; they’re paths to peace, joy, and connection. When I write stories likeGeorge and the Brave Eagle, I weave in themes of courage and hope, reflecting how following divine guidance helps us soar, just like George does.
Overwhelmed?
For my audience—parents, book lovers, and those seeking light in tough times—the challenge is often feeling overwhelmed by expectations, wondering if we’re “doing enough” to earn God’s love. My approach? Start small. Pick one commandment, like kindness or gratitude, and lean into it with intention. In my blog, I share how small acts—like reading to a foster child or waving a flag for unity—build bridges to hope. Try it: reflect on one way you can “lower the umbrella” today, maybe by forgiving someone or taking a moment to pray. You’ll feel the blessings start to flow.
God’s not up there judging our every move—He’s cheering us on, ready to pour out love.
Just like I keep writing, one word at a time, to connect with readers and spread hope, we can follow His guidance, one step at a time, to live fuller lives.
How do you lower your umbrella to let blessings in? Share your thoughts below—I’d love to hear!
As the author ofDiscovering Misty: The Mermaid of the Emerald CoastandGeorge and the Brave Eagle, and a blogger who’s thrilled to have recently hit 500 visitors, I’ve come to see writing not just as a craft, but as a bridge to hearts. Writing for my audience—fellow parents, aspiring writers, book lovers, and those seeking a spark of hope—means pouring my soul into words that resonate. In this post, I’ll share my journey of connecting through stories, addressing the common challenge of feeling like your words are echoing in an empty room, and offer my heartfelt approach to building that vital reader bond. Let’s dive in, one word at a time.
I remember the early days of my blog, when visitors were few and far between, and I’d wonder if anyone was truly out there reading. As a parent and leader in my community—from coordinating Overpassers for USA rallies to foster parenting over 200 medically fragile children—I’ve learned that leadership starts with showing up authentically. The same holds true for writing: my unique viewpoint is that every story, whether a children’s book or a blog post, is an act of service, spreading hope and resilience in a world that needs it. It’s not about chasing trends or algorithms; it’s about sharing the light from your own experiences, like the courage of a brave eagle or the wonder of a mermaid’s quest.
One specific pain point my audience often faces is the struggle to engage readers meaningfully—feeling disconnected, unsure if your message lands, or overwhelmed by the noise of social media. I’ve been there, staring at blank stats after posting about my GoFundMe campaign forGeorge and the Brave Eagle, wondering if my words were making a difference. But here’s the truth I’ve discovered through years of scouting leadership and foster care advocacy: connection comes from vulnerability and purpose. Statistics show that blogs with personal stories see up to 300% more engagement (think of it like a campfire tale drawing everyone closer), and I’ve seen this in my own growth from zero to 500 visitors by weaving in real-life analogies, like comparing writer’s block to a foggy Emerald Coast morning that clears with the sun.
My approach to solving this? Start with heart-centered storytelling. First, know your audience like family—mine includes parents navigating tough times, young readers craving adventure, and folks touched by themes of suicide prevention. I use phrases like “spreading hope one heart at a time” to remind myself and them of our shared journey. Incorporate analogies from life: just as I led BSA campouts with 800 Scouts on our 25-acre park, organizing chaos into joy, structure your posts with clear sections (like this one) to guide readers gently.
Next, infuse expertise without overwhelming—I’m no formal academic, but as a former editor for the California State Foster Parent Association’s newsletter, I know the power of relatable language. Use technical terms sparingly, like “audience segmentation” to mean tailoring content for parents vs. writers, but always tie it back to emotion. Offer value: share free resources, like linking to suicide.ChurchofJesusChrist.org for those needing support, or tips on promoting books via Amazon.
Finally, end with action—invite comments, share your story, or check outDiscovering Mistyfor a dose of inspiration. This builds community, turning readers into friends.
Writing for my audience has transformed my blog into a space of connection, much like the rallies where flags waved high for patriotism. If you’re facing that echo, remember: lead with your heart, share your truth, and watch the bonds form.
What’s one way you’re connecting with your readers today? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear!
As the author ofDiscovering Misty: The Mermaid of the Emerald CoastandGeorge and the Brave Eagle, and a blogger celebrating 500 visitors, I’ve learned that leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about stepping up to make a difference. When asked, “Do you see yourself as a leader?” my answer is clear: as a parent, I’m automatically a leader. But the scope of that leadership, shaped by my history, stretches far beyond my home, touching lives through advocacy, service, and storytelling. Here’s how my journey as a leader has unfolded and how it fuels my writing today.
Parenthood thrust me into leadership from the start, guiding my children with love and purpose. Raising two daughters and five sons, three of whom became Eagle Scouts and two who worked toward it, I took on roles like Cub Scout leader in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Those years taught me to lead by example, fostering resilience and teamwork—qualities I weave into my children’s books, like George’s courage or Misty’s determination. My leadership extended to managing our family’s 25-acre LDS church park, where we hosted 600-800 Boy Scouts each year for six years. Picture a week-long campout on your front lawn—tents, laughter, and chaos! Organizing those events honed my ability to lead with patience and vision, skills I now use to manage my blog and book projects.
Beyond family, I found my voice as a political leader with Overpassers for USA, serving as California’s representative. Coordinating rallies across the state to promote patriotism and free speech was exhilarating. Every weekend, my family and I stood on freeway overpasses, waving flags and signs we kept ready in our van. I helped build the organization’s website, listing rallies nationwide, and watching our movement grow filled me with pride. Those moments of unity and love for American values inspired the hope-filled themes in my stories and blog posts, where I aim to uplift readers young and old.
My leadership also shone in foster care. For over 14 years, my husband and I were medical foster parents in Sacramento County, caring for more than 200 infants and children, many medically fragile. We held the first baby in the county to pass from AIDS, loving him for all eight months of his life. That experience taught me leadership through compassion—a thread that runs throughDiscovering Mistyand my advocacy for hope and suicide prevention. As Vice President of the Sacramento branch of the California State Foster Parent Association for seven years and Editor of its monthly publication for six, I led by amplifying voices and sharing stories, much like I do now through my blog and books.
Leadership, for me, is about impact, not position. Whether rallying for free speech, guiding Scouts, nurturing fragile lives, or writing stories that spark joy, I lead by showing up with heart. My blog, my GoFundMe campaign forGeorge and the Brave Eagle, and my books are extensions of that leadership, inviting readers to find courage and connection.
If you’ve ever stepped up to guide, inspire, or serve, you’re a leader too—shaping the world one moment, one story, at a time.
You must be logged in to post a comment.