Hello Dear Ones!

I'm back at my desk! You too?

Hi Friend!

I’ve missed you. So much has happened that trying to catch up kind of feels like opening my journal after way too long and feeling like I need to explain where I’ve been, but I know that’s nonsense, so I’m diving in…messy and imperfect but here. 😂 (If you’re new here…hi! I host the Mothers Who Make interview series and I write about creativity, motherhood, and books here on Substack. I hope being part of the Nebula Notebook community will help you make space for YOUR dreams.)

It has been BUSY this summer. Two coaching clients. Six picture-book critiques. A new middle grade editing project is underway. 👏 Plus I have some really exciting job news to share—more on that below!

I also took a class on real-time regulation that actually felt relevant to my life. I did a massive amount of paperwork to switch over our insurance to something that’s a better fit for us, which led me to doing a tiny bit of PT for the first time! I got to meet up with Substack friend

Ryan Rose Weaver (she/hers)

IRL. (Yay!) I kept a sketchbook going all summer and drew whatever brought me joy that day. I (slowly) took Elaine’s floral patterns class, and it helped me feel more confident with simplifying shapes and drawing what I see.

And somehow I managed to keep my son alive day after day. 🙃

✏️ Guest Posts

I wasn’t on Instagram or Substack as much, but I did get to share my writing!

🐌 A Day in the Life: When Motherhood and Creativity Meet

I’ve wanted to do a Day in the Life for a while, but they’ve always felt a little intimidating.

Olivia Wickstrom

made it feel fun and loose. I tried to be honest about the ups and downs of being a creative mother. I believe creativity gives more than it takes, and if we make space for it, it can heal and support us through one of the most intense seasons of our lives, even if progress is slow.

💛 Care That Cannot Be Repaid

It was an honor to contribute to

Esmé Weijun Wang

‘s Reasons for Living series. I got to celebrate my son’s aides and articulate my thoughts on generous caregiving. I really hope you’ll read this one and share it with people that you can’t figure out how to thank.

👩‍🎤 From Purple Eyeliner to Pull-On Pants

I always appreciate that Dacy Gillespie gives us permission to buy fast fashion when your body is changing, let your personal style evolve, and buy the same pants in two different sizes if that helps you get dressed in the morning. It was a treat to write for her about how being a writer affects my personal style. ✨💄 ✏️ 👩‍🎤

👩‍💻 How To Write Cold Emails That Sound Warm

I’ve learned a lot about reaching out to people I admire but don’t know as an editor and as the host of the Mothers Who Make series here on Substack. I shared everything I know about making a good impression and getting a yes, whatever it is you’re asking, in this post for

Marcy Farrey 🧚‍♀️

.

🪩 How to Find Your Flow

In July I did a Live with

Nancy Reddy

about finding your flow and feeling creative when you’re constantly being interrupted. It was part of her life-giving Summer Friday series, but the conversation is still relevant now. I know I’m still thinking about it!

📚 These Three Things with Heidi Fiedler

I am envious of pretty much every Note

Lisa Anderson Shaffer, LMFT

writes here on Substack, so it was extra fun to share “my three things” with her. Surprise! They’re all books that mean something to me. 😂

🍂 How to Be a Good Friend to Someone with Autistic Kids

Erin Miller

did a Back to School round up of parenting Substacks. I could spend all day reading these essays, and I was honored to be included with so many other great writers. Her post reminded me this might be a good time to reshare this popular post with you too.

✨ Quickening

I also shared all the hows and whys of self-publishing Quickening: The Art of Being a Creative Mother with paid subscribers. You can catch up here if you’re interested. You’ll also find there are new 4,000 Ideas posts too.

I just got my first copy of Quickening! There are a few more changes to make and then it will be ready to buy. Don’t worry. I’ll let you know the second it’s available. It feels SO good to hold this book I’ve dreamed about for so long in my hands!

🥳 Work News!

You might remember that back in January, when I was celebrating all the projects I worked on in 2024, I wrote that “I would love to serve as a part-time acquisitions editor for a boutique children’s publisher.” Now I’m happy to share that I’ll be acquiring books for Storey Publishing here in Massachusetts. It’s pretty much a dream come true. I’ve worked with them on several titles in the past, and I love the creative spirit they bring to each project. (Their offices are in the same building as MASS MoCA! But you can picture me still working from home.)

I can feel you cheering me on from here. Thank you! Beyond celebrating, I want to invite you to submit, but this is a long email, so I’m going to save that for another day. You can read more here if you’re curious. If you have ideas or questions, feel free to hit reply now, and I’ll give you more details, but it’s also totally ok to wait a bit. My inbox is very full right now.

🫶 Thank You!

Thank you for being here! I spent the summer missing our conversations and dreaming up new ways we can connect. You’ll see a few more Mothers Who Make interviews soon, and then I’ll be refreshing the format in 2026. I’m also going to switch from weekly Oohs and Aahs to monthly edits, so you won’t get too many emails from me. You can still find me on Instagram, and if you’re ready for a critique or need to regroup after your own busy summer, I’m here.

XO

PS

Curious what I’ve been reading this summer? You can peek at some of my favorites here.