When I was a kid, I was one of the very few girls who played video games. It wasn’t something that girls did back in the 1980s. Little girls were supposed to play with Barbies and baby dolls. They were supposed to play dress up and pretend to be wives…

I used to be proud to be an American. When I was a child, I did not quite understand what that meant. I loved celebrating Independence Day because we would spend most of the day outside, grilling and playing in the yard. It was a day that my dad had…

A cat owner’s thoughts on the importance of cats “Cats do not give us too many chances. Abuse a cat’s trust twice and you could be history, for cats are much less forgiving than dogs and will often lose their trust in you should you behave badly. …

Months later and I am STILL unemployed Last week I applied to and interviewed for a position I turned down in 2020. The job is with a large office supply chain, which I will not mention the specific name. When I interviewed before, the position paid five dollars an hour…

It’s been years since I wrote and published my book, Pirate Ophelia. I debated for a long time if I ever wanted to write the true story that inspired the book, and I feel it is finally time for me to do so. A warning: there will be spoilers for…

Chapters 23-Epilogue Continued from Part 7 Chapter XXIII: Ophelia’s Revenge Liam paced the length of his small jail cell. He knew the only reason he was still alive was to set a trap for Ophelia. Now that Janneke was gone, Ophelia was the main target. …

Chapters 19–22 Continued from Part 6 Chapter XIX: The Lost One “Ready the cannons on the starboard side!” Janneke yelled loudly, causing Edward, who was standing near her, to jump. “All hands on deck!” Edward bellowed when he noticed the ships. “Enemy ships are closing fast!” …

Chapters 16–18 Continued from Part 5 Chapter XVI: Martinique Captain Ophelia sat with Liam outside the tavern in Martinique. They watched the ships in the harbor, waiting impatiently for any sign of Janneke, James, and Elise. The remaining ships had arrived without issue, with Jack being the last to show up. …

I once had a taste of what it was like to be middle-class. To not worry about paying bills or having enough to pay the rent. I could spend money on things I didn’t need, like toys, tech gadgets, dining out, and so on. This brief change in my income…