Finding My Lazy Genre (And Escaping Reader’s Block with Cozy Mysteries)

June 3, 2025 ~ Brooke F. ~ 4 Comments

Reader’s block hit me like a wet paper towel after college. Who knew years of reading ONLY for school and committing every braincell to your degree could burn you out on books??

I used to devour books as if they were my favorite dessert. But once I graduated high school, I’d open a book, read two paragraphs, and suddenly remember I needed to reorganize my closet or wanted to scroll on pinterested for an hour. I could not for the life of me focus.

Then, I cracked open a cozy mystery a month ago, and, just like that, I was back. Not back in an “I’m suddenly reading 700-page literary fiction before bed” way. No, I was back in the “I finished this paperback in two sittings with a latte and a blanket and now I want ten more just like it” kind of way.

It made me realize something: I’d finally found my lazy genre.

Now allow me to explain. A lazy genre isn’t a dig at the books, first off. It’s a term of endearment. It’s the genre you can slide into like sweatpants after a long day. The kind that requires zero brain gymnastics but still gives you all the serotonin of a well-timed twist or a slow-burn romance. For some people, that’s YA fantasy with dragons and chosen ones. For others, it’s angsty romance with dramatic rainstorms and not-so-conveniently timed confessions (hey, Jane Austin readers. How ya doing?)

For me I had just found out that It’s cozy mysteries with predictable plots, modern settings, and characters who are funny without being emotionally exhausting. Like, please don’t give me a main character going through too much. I’m tired. I want her to bake muffins, accidentally find a dead body, and flirt with the local cop. Is that so much to ask?

There’s something comforting in knowing exactly what’s going to happen: someone dies, someone investigates, someone has a quirky pet, and justice is served along with with tea and cookies. It’s like watching reruns of your favorite show. You’re not surprised, but you are deeply content.

So here’s a thought for you all that I wanted to share: If you’ve been struggling to get back into reading, maybe you don’t need a “better” book. Maybe you just need your lazy genre. The one that goes down easy. The one that feels like a warm cup of Jo for your overstimulated brain.

Find it. Embrace it. Stack your nightstand with it.

And if anyone judges your reading choices, remind them that reading is reading. Whether it’s Tolstoy or a sassy amateur sleuth named Mabel who keeps stumbling over corpses in her idyllic coastal town.

Cozy Mysteries & the Comfort of Middle Age

June 2, 2025 ~ Brooke F. ~ 2 Comments

Lately, I’ve been knee-deep in cozy mysteries. Yaknow how it plays out…someone finds a body behind the bakery, a curious woman with a knack for observation decides to poke around, and somehow, nobody calls the actual police until chapter five. It’s great. Consider me hooked for the evening.

But beyond the suspiciously high crime rates in picturesque small towns, I’ve realized something about these books that’s quietly comforting: the main characters are almost always middle-aged women.

Sometimes they’re divorced, sometimes they’re married. Sometimes they’ve got grown kids, sometimes they’ve got a fussy cat or an energetic pug. But they all have one thing in common: they’re living full, interesting, capable lives in a stage that media usually treats like a punchline or a fade-to-black moment not worth elaborating on.

A quick observation: a lot of movies and shows act like you disappear once you hit 30. If you’re not a twenty-something trying to figure it all out, you’re suddenly cast as the mom in the background or the boss with no backstory. It’s like middle age is a void we’re meant to quietly fall into. But being middle-aged doesn’t mean your story is over. It means you’re in a new chapter…and that chapter is still worth telling.

That’s what I love about cozy mysteries. They don’t shy away from this life phase. They embrace it with all the romanticism it deserves. These women aren’t afraid of getting older. They’re too busy living, investigating, starting businesses, baking bread or pies, and sometimes flirting with the town sheriff or local detective. It makes middle age seem less like a dreaded milestone and more like a whole new book.

And get this, friends! They’re not described as drop-dead gorgeous in a movie-star kind of way. They wear sensible shoes and clothes. They have laugh lines, grey hair and even a wrinkle or two. And yet they’re treated as worthy of romance, admiration, and mystery-solving greatness, never less than. It’s like reading the full and beautiful adventures of a bunch of cool aunts.

It’s encouraging.

So if you’re feeling a little weird about growing older or just need something to read with a cup of tea and a throw blanket, cozy mysteries might be your new friend. They’ve certainly become mine. 🙂

Everyday Writing Tips: How to Write an Email

May 30, 2025May 30, 2025 ~ Brooke F. ~ 3 Comments

So here’s the deal: writing is kind of my big/main hobby. But even though I love crafting poems and playing with metaphors, sometimes the most stressful kind of writing is the everyday stuff. Emails. Cover letters. Thank-you notes. That weird blur of casual-but-still-professional communication that no one really teaches you how to do (at least in my experience. Maybe your parents really did you a solid and helped you out here).

Hence: this new blog series. I’m calling it “Everyday Writing Tips”. Today’s topic is email writing. Yaknow, “How to Sound Like a Functioning Adult Without Using “thank you” 47 Times in an Email.”

These posts are for anyone who’s ever stared at a blank screen thinking, “How do I start this? Am I being too awkward? Too formal? Do I need to say ‘hope you’re doing well’ or has that too over the top??”

Like I mentioned, we’re starting off with how to write an email. It’s something we all do, but somehow still overthink. I’ll break down a basic email structure, give you some go-to phrases (and a few to maybe retire), and help you send that message with a little more confidence and a little less spiraling and overthinking.

Let’s get into it and move along…

The Anatomy of a Non-Awkward Email

1. Subject Line:
Make it clear. Make it useful. Think “Question about Thursday’s Meeting” or “Follow-Up on Resume Submission” not “Hi!” or “Quick Thing :)” (vague and unhelpful) (unless you’re emailing your best friend or your mom or something).

2. The Opening Line:
Ah yes, the dreaded start (often the hardest part). If you’re unsure, “Hi [Name],” is a safe bet. Or a quaint little “Good afternoon [Person]”
Depending on the vibe, you can go:

Professional: “I hope this message finds you well.”
Casual: “Hope you’re having a good week so far!”
Direct (but not cold): “I wanted to reach out about…”

If you’re overusing “just,” take this as your sign to delete it. You probably don’t just want to ask them something, you want to ask them something. Be bold.

3. The Body:
Get to the point, kindly. If you’re making a request, say it clearly. If you’re giving info, organize it so it’s easy to skim. Don’t bury your important info. Use short paragraphs and bullet points if needed.

Example:
“I’m reaching out to confirm a few details for Thursday’s meeting:

Time
Location
Any materials you’d like me to bring”

Clear, kind, human. Boom, you’re done! Great job! Sound the applause! Now you can stop feeling like you’re going to throw up with professional anxiety.

4. The Closing:
Don’t overthink it. A few go-to sign-offs:

“Best” (simple and safe)
“Thanks” (if you’re asking for something)
“Take care” (friendly)
“Talk soon” (casual but not too casual)
My go-to is a simple “Kind regards”

And unless you’re a scammer, phisher, or hacker, please sign your name.

A Few Bonus Tips

Tone check: Read it out loud. If it sounds like you’re a robot or someone who’s about to cry, you might want to tweak it.
Be concise: Respect people’s time. Say what you need to say, and let them get back to their inbox abyss. Chances are they have a lot to weed through on this fine Monday morning.

K, I think that’s it??

But to conclude…The goal isn’t to be perfect. It’s to be clear, respectful, and gracious. But, that’s it for Email 101. Feel free to drop any suggestions below for this series. ‘Til then, happy emailing.

Drop your Blog Suggestions in the Comments!!

May 23, 2025 ~ Brooke F. ~ 8 Comments

Hey friends!

So I’ve been dipping back into the blogging world recently and I realized something kind of sad… a lot of the blogs I used to love during college are either inactive or completely gone. Like a ghost town complete with tumbleweeds.🥲

I used to hop on here and scroll through such thoughtful, funny, honest posts. People sharing everything from life updates to poetry to book reviews and rambling thoughts and while that’s not completely gone, many of the blogs I regularly interacted with and community feeling is greatly missed.

I’d love to get plugged back into the WordPress community and discover some fresh blogs to read. So if you have any favorite blogs you follow, or if you blog (please do!), drop a link in the comments! Whether it’s cozy lifestyle content, creative writing, faith-based posts, deep thoughts, or just good ol’ fashioned life updates, I’m right here, friend, and I’m all ears.

Help a girl fill her reader with good stuff again 🫶
Can’t wait to see what y’all share!

Confessions of a KDP Survivor: A Tragedy writ in Poetry

May 12, 2025May 20, 2025 ~ Brooke F. ~ 4 Comments

Look, I thought self-publishing my book would feel like presenting the world a piece of my soul and everyone would instantly clap at my literary genius *dramatic hair flip*. But let’s get back to reality and discuss it because while I’m not a genius with a masterpiece to produce, the whole process had moments where it felt a sort of like cyclical hell of reformatting the same script over and over again…just to reupload it and see A new problem had been invented by my means of fixing the previous problem. Lovely.

So here, dear reader, are a few poems chronicling my deeply emotional, slightly ridiculous (and mundane) journey with Kindle Direct Publishing. May they bring you laughter, healing, and maybe a slight eye twitch in solidarity.

The Upload Spiral

(A sonnet, sort of. Shakespeare is not impressed.)

I clicked “Upload”—how easy!—with coffee in hand,
A hopeful young writer with dreams so grand.
But lo! My margins were not flush, my gutter misbehaved,
And half of my poem was tragically shaved.

“Bleed error,” it screamed, “Fix your trim size, you doof!”
My table of contents went straight up through the roof…(of the page.)
I resized and reformatted, cursed Kindle’s name,
Then tried a new layout… with results just the same.

I whispered to Canva, “Make me a cover!”
She laughed, “Sure thing… but your title’s hungover.”
So I rage-ate some chips and prayed to the onedrive cloud,
My PDF won’t open. I screamed… out loud.

Formatting Hell: A Memoir in Free Verse

I thought importing a Word doc
would be simple.
Just CTRL + C, CTRL + V.
Easy. Peasy.

Even…lemon squeasy.

Then Kindle
turned my paragraph breaks
into a n spattered s p a c e d

mess
My images
migrated to the top of the page
like penguins heading north for winter.
The title page
had opinions,
That differed from mine.

rebellion.

Page numbers?
They exist in my mind only.

Cover Designer’s Lament

(A limerick)

A gal thought her cover was sleek,
‘Til Kindle said, “Nope. Fix. Then tweak.”
The spine was too thick,
“This was supposed to be quick,“
Now she cries into Canva each week.

The Final Click

(A motivational spoken-word poem performed under a single spotlight)

I did it.
I hit “Publish.”
Tears in my eyes,

Will it sell?
Will it flop?
Will I check the dashboard
twice a day
for three weeks
and then forget I even wrote it?

Yes.
Yes, I will.
And I’ll do it again,
because I’m a KDP author.
And I thrive
on chaos.

(Or so I tell myself)

In Conclusion…

If you’re about to upload your first book to Kindle Direct Publishing, just know you’re not alone. Your margins may be askew and cause you to weep. Your soul may briefly exit your body when the previewer crashes for the fifth time. But you’ll live to publish again.

And hey, once you’ve cried it out and your book is live, you get to do the most magical thing of all: click “View on Amazon” and text your friends, “Look, I’m famous.”

You earned this, you formatting fighter, you.

Oh and my book is live now!

Click here to check it out.

A note- the title was changed in the second to last draft. From The Cottage, Christ, & Me, to Featherlight Faith.

Alright! That’s it! Thanks for reading!

Worldbuilding Mad Libs: Create a Fantasy Kingdom on the Spot

May 6, 2025May 5, 2025 ~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

🏰 Create a Kingdom on the Spot

Welcome to the silliest way to build a fantasy kingdom: where you fill in the blanks and accidentally come up with a setting you might actually want to use.

Grab a pen, your imagination, and maybe a snack if you want to stay for awhile. You’re about to crown a ruler, start a minor rebellion, and possibly invent a highly controversial cheese.

✍️ Step 1: Fill in These Blanks

Before you scroll down, jot down the following:

A color
An adjective that sounds kind of insulting
A made-up material (e.g., moonstone, ghostwood, breadite)
A verb ending in “ing”
Something you’d find in a kitchen
A natural disaster
A food that’s controversial
A weird hobby
A job title that sounds fake
A very serious animal
Something you’d shout in a moment of triumph
A number
A random bodily function

👑 Step 2: Insert into This Kingdom Description

Welcome to the Kingdom of [1]ia, a proud land known for its [2] traditions and abundant [3] deposits. The locals can often be found [4] while balancing [5] on their heads — a sacred rite passed down for generations.

The kingdom was founded shortly after the Great [6] of Year [12], when the ancient warlords of the land finally agreed on one thing: their shared love of [7]. This delicacy is now considered a national treasure, although it’s banned in all neighboring realms due to “moral reasons.”

At the heart of the capital city stands the Royal Spire, home to the ruling monarch — High [9] [10] the Third, who ascended the throne after defeating a rival in a fierce competition of [8].

Each year, citizens gather for the Grand Festival of [13], where the streets overflow with song, dance, and slightly confused livestock. The celebration ends with the ceremonial shout of “[11]!” echoing through the valley.

Come for the [3], stay for the [7], and beware the roaming bands of [10]s that guard the border with alarming enthusiasm.

🧠 Step 3: Reflect on the Chaos that has taken place on your page (In other words, Brainstorm)

Now that you’ve got your kingdom… ask yourself:

Could this be expanded into a full country or region?
What kind of people would live here?
Why is [7] banned in neighboring kingdoms?
Who would want to overthrow High [9] [10] the Third?
What actually happens at the Festival of [13]?

Silly beginnings can turn into rich, layered stories. Humor lowers the stakes and sparks your creativity — so let yourself go off the rails and see what sticks!

🗺️ Bonus Challenge:

Draw a quick, scribbly map of [1]ia. Label:

A mountain made of [3]
A cursed forest full of [10]s
A border town famous for [5]-juggling

And there you have it, friends! Feel free to share your creations in the comments and let me know if you’d like more writer mad libs! Take care!

Writing Advice I’d Give to My 15-Year-Old Fanfiction-creating Self

May 5, 2025 ~ Brooke F. ~ 2 Comments

AKA: Yes, You Should Write That Cringy Avatar Fanfic

Oh, 15-year-old me. Curled up on the family desktop after school, typing out wildly dramatic plotlines where a girl finds out she has the powers to control all 4 natural elements who is definitely just me in disguise. You were doing your best. And honestly? You were onto something.

There are so many things I’d tell you if I could. Not because you were doing it all wrong but because I now understand just how right it was, even when it felt like complete and utter nonsense at the time. And just plain cringy to high school me. Forgive her sneering at your work.

So here it is. A letter of sorts. From the grown-up you, to the one who stayed up too late posting on fanfiction forums and thinking no one would ever take her seriously:

1. Don’t Delete Anything. Seriously.
I know. You want to. It feels so cringe. You reread your old stories and immediately want to toss your laptop into the nearest volcano. Resist the urge.

Every awkward sentence and every overly dramatic plot twist is proof you are a writer. You were writing! You were learning! You were creating! That “bad” writing? That’s the compost that future stories grow in. Keep the files. Keep the notebooks. Keep the Wattpad drafts. One day, you’ll look back and smile and maybe even reuse a line or a character name you forgot you loved.

2. Don’t Be So Self-Conscious
No one is watching you as closely as you think. You’re allowed to be messy, weird, experimental, emotional. That’s the whole point. It’s not a performance. It’s an outlet, a joy, a spark. Let yourself be fully into it, cringe and all.

And no, writing doesn’t have to become your job for it to be “real.” It can be a hobby. Or A side hustle. Or a comfort you come back to on the hard days.

3. Writing Is Still Hard But Worth It
Spoiler alert: You don’t magically “arrive.” Writing as an adult still feels hard sometimes. There are days you’ll doubt your talent, feel stuck, get jealous of someone else’s book deal. But the satisfaction of weaving a story is still present. The joy of a sentence that feels perfect or a character who surprises you? Still as sweet. You didn’t grow out of it. You grew with it.

4. Fanfiction Is Valid.
Fanfic taught you how to write dialogue, how to build tension, how to stick with and finish things. You learned pacing from serialized chapters, developed character arcs by borrowing from established ones, and stayed consistent because people in the comments said “update soon!” That’s gold.

So yes. Write the cringy Avatar the Last Airbender fanfic. Make it 100K words if you want. You’re learning how to tell stories.

5. Keep the Dream but Let It Change
You still dream of writing full time. And that dream is still alive, still beautiful and even still something worth chasing. But your life isn’t on pause just because it hasn’t happened yet. Every piece you write now—every blog post, poem, unfinished story is part of a rich, creative life. You’re doing it already, me. You’re already a writer.

So to my 15-year-old fanfiction self:
You didn’t waste your time.
You weren’t silly (ok maybe a little but it’s ok and acceptable).

Keep going. And yes. Your OC definitely was the Avatar and was so totally unique. She saved the world too. The readers voted (me). It’s canon now.

If My Writing Projects Were Houseplants: A Survival Report

May 3, 2025 ~ Brooke F. ~ 5 Comments

Some people keep spreadsheets to track their writing projects. I, however, prefer chaos and absolutely unnecessary metaphors. So today, I bring you a survival report from the windowsill of my brain, where my various book projects live like needy houseplants (many desperate for water and fertilizer). Some are thriving. Some are shedding leaves. One may be compost by now. Come on inside, dear reader and let’s check in, shall we?

1. The Cottagecore Christian Poetry Book (Christ, The Cottage, & Me)
Status: Vibrantly alive. Blooming. Green as can be.

This one is my thriving fiddle leaf fig. You know, the dramatic kind that requires attention and soft lighting but rewards you with beauty if you treat it right. I’ve been misting this plant faithfully for months (aka actually editing and writing consistently), and it’s nearly ready to be potted in something final and pretty. And let me tell you, I’m SO ready to enjoy the blooms. It’s the narrative poetry book about a girl in a cottage who shares daily life with Jesus. Cozy? Yes. Spiritual? Also yes. Almost finished? YOU BET. I’m just fussing with the final leaves before I give it a name tag and place it on the shelf with pride. It serves as proof that I CAN have a green thumb sometimes when I actually try and remember to water it.

2. The “Living Alone” Book
Status: That one houseplant that’s… still alive? Technically?

Ah, this one. My little pothos in a cup of water. Not potted. Not dead. Just vibing in a state of suspended existence. This book started as a collection of tips, thoughts, and odd anecdotes from when I first moved out on my own. It’s half finished and half “maybe I’ll come back to this when inspiration strikes or I feel the urge to talk about the time I cried while assembling Amazon furniture.” It’s hanging out on the kitchen counter of my mind, roots growing slowly. Might thrive. Might not. Who knows? It’s future is undetermined at the moment.

3. The Lighthouse Girl Poetry Book
Status: Seedling. In the germination station. Do not disturb.

I don’t want to say much yet, but let’s just say something tender and glowing is sprouting. It’s the spiritual sequel to the cottagecore book, but this one takes place by the sea. That’s all I’ll say. Don’t crowd it. It’s very delicate. It knows when it’s being watched.

4. The Fairytale Mystery Novel (SNOW)
Status: Dormant. Possibly in cryogenic freeze.

SNOW was a burst of ambition of mine. A fairytale mystery with plot, twists, and actual chapters. I wrote a full draft, then a second half-draft, and then I stared at it like a succulent that’s gone leggy and weird. The story is technically there, but it needs pruning, restructuring, and maybe a resurrection spell. Honestly, I’ve emotionally moved on. Will I come back to it in five years and think, “Oh, this isn’t bad”? Possibly. Will I do it tomorrow? Not likely. I’m not watering it. But I haven’t tossed it in the compost heap either.

And that’s it!

So there you have it: a tour through my little greenhouse of stories. Some are thriving under gentle care. Some are barely hanging on. One is humming a sea shanty. And one has been wrapped in a blanket and placed in storage like a tulip bulb.

If you’re also a writer with a shelf of plant-like projects, just know: survival is subjective. Growth is sneaky. And sometimes, a half-forgotten draft flowers when you least expect it. 🌿

How to Mourn that Story you never Finished

April 30, 2025 ~ Brooke F. ~ 2 Comments

Some stories don’t make it. I’m sure you’re already WELL aware of that if you’re a writer.
Not because they weren’t good, or because you didn’t care enough, but because something shifted. You outgrew it. Life got busy. The plot unraveled. Or maybe the fire that lit it up when you first started just… dimmed. It doesn’t interest you anymore.

And now it sits in your drafts folder, collecting dust or …uh… pixels.

If that’s where you’re at: I see you.

So here’s a little post I’ve been wanting to write for awhile on mourning the death of your story and what you can learn from the whole thing. Very similar to my post on knowing when to quit on a story, this post will focus on the after and the questions you can critically ask so you can grow and learn. Otherwise, the experience can be discouraging and it feels like you just dumped your time into a project that never showed tangible results. So let’s try and avoid that. 🙂

Read It With Curiosity, Not Criticism

When you’re ready, go back and reread the draft. Not to fix it, but to understand it.

Ask yourself some qestions such as:

What parts still make you feel something?
What parts confused you or dragged?
Where were you trying too hard to be someone you’re not as a writer?

Remember: you wrote that version of the story with the skills and heart you had then. That’s a snapshot of a creative moment in time. It deserves to live on. Please, please, please don’t delete no matter how cringe and blackmail worthy this piece might be.

Look for the Seeds You Can Replant Elsewhere

Even if the story didn’t grow into what you imagined, that doesn’t mean it was wasted. Often, buried in “dead” drafts are pieces worth saving:

A compelling side character
A setting that still sparkles in your mind
A line of dialogue that makes you sit up and whisper, “That’s it.”

You might not resurrect the whole story but you can borrow from its bones. Let it compost into something new.

Track Your Creative Patterns

Unfinished stories are often full of clues about yourself. It holds your interests, your hang-ups, and what you feel is important.

Try this:

Make a list of your abandoned stories.
Jot down what each one was trying to explore (themes, feelings, questions).
See what repeats.

You might realize you always write about lonely girls and overgrown gardens. Or that your stories die when the middle turns into a slog. That kind of self-awareness? Invaluable. Plus you can use it to inform your creative decisions moving forward. Try and place what you wanted from this draft.

Final Thought:

It’s okay if the ending never got written. And who knows? One day you might go back. Maybe not to fix it, but to pick up where you left off. Or not. Either way, the story gave you something.

Big Life Update!!!!!!!

April 28, 2025 ~ Brooke F. ~ 7 Comments

I wrote a poetry book!!

Aaaand I’m officially in the thick of the ongoing battle that is trying to get it published through KDP. If you’ve never wrestled with Kindle’s formatting system, let me just say: it’s an extreme sport. This time around, my main enemy has been margin sizing. (Margins! The most boring yet somehow most powerful force known to man.) A few of my poems that originally played around with white space had to be rearranged, which was honestly heartbreaking. There’s nothing like fighting for your artistic vision against a stubborn little “your margins are off” warning box.

But!! After many rounds of staring at my laptop, dramatically sighing, and reworking layouts, I finally got my proof copy in the mail today!
For those who don’t know, a proof copy is basically the version you get to lovingly (or not-so-lovingly) scribble edits all over before you fix everything and upload your final manuscript. I immediately busted out my pen and started making notes because, of course, the second you see your book in print, all your little mistakes jump out like “SURPRISE! You missed me!”

The book ended up being about 100 pages of narrative poetry, telling the story of a girl who lives in a cottage and her various adventures and conversations with the Carpenter (a stand-in for Christ). It’s cozy and intimate and feels like sitting on a creaky wooden porch, sharing life with someone who knows you inside and out.
There are poems about baking bread, going on little walks, asking hard questions, sitting quietly, making things by hand…all the small, sacred moments that make up a life of faith.

I’m honestly so excited (and so nervous) to share it when it’s ready. It’s one thing to write poems privately; it’s a whole other thing to send them out into the world and hope they land softly somewhere.
Either way, just holding a physical copy of something I made…even a messy, needs-edits version…feels surreal and really, really special.

Thanks for cheering me on through all the margins, the formatting fails, and the many, many sighs. I can’t wait to show you more soon! 💛