I have to admit, there has been a shortage of words lately. I’ve been trying to share something profound, something emotional in this year’s Thanksgiving post. It’s not that I have nothing to be thankful for – on the contrary, it has been a year of journeys and learning. Maybe that’s it. Because this year has been filled with introspect, there hasn’t been much noise. And yet, it’s been quite an intense and heartfelt year for me. When I became ill last February with a still unknown infection, I ...
THINKING OUT LOUD
Time for Down Time
I finally did it. Closed my eyes (literally) and when I woke up, the painful bunion on my left foot was gone. Extricated, eliminated from my foot forever. Or so I hope. I’d been delaying this for years until the pain became too much to bear. The truth is, I’d been so fearful about the lifestyle change this surgery would bring about: no traveling for three weeks (oh lord, how does one stay in the same place for that long?), wearing a boot for four, wearing a sneaker for four more. I’d just ...
Who is Christine Brae?
Exactly one month after Release Day, and I’m so happy to be back! I know I say this all the time, but life has been insane since we let Simon and Tessa’s story out into the world. Splitting myself in half has always been a challenge, but it’s especially difficult when you’re mired in the workload at the office while your publicist is booking all these interviews and sit downs that require your time and attention. You can imagine the difficulty I’ve had just trying to find an empty conference ...
Happy Release Day – Eight Goodbyes
Time to breathe. Imagine releasing a book in the middle of a crazy work week. Taking lunch breaks to sneak a radio interview. Or two. Or three. Eight Goodbyes released last Tuesday to a reception I could never have imagined! It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions since then. But the gratitude I have for all of you who played a part in the success of release day will remain in my heart for years and years to come. Who would’ve imagined we’d pull it off! After months of hard work, I’m so glad ...
When Kindness Abounds
My dear friends, I’ve always been self sufficient. Always. More comfortable when I’m helping others than when others are helping me. At work and at home, I still don’t know how to react to compliments. I despise annual evaluations, even if oftentimes they are good. I’ve been used and taken advantage of because giving is more my element. I never ask for favors. Ever. Right or wrong, I’ve been gauging the validity of my friendships by waiting for others to reach out to me. To invest. To take ...
The Inevitable Summer
Summer’s here! And so much going on! For one, I have an incoming high school senior, and you know that means college visits and a boatload of applications to check. (I have a very ambitious seventeen year old, who wants to change the world) And as if there’s nothing else going on in my life, we threw in moving to a new home while placing our old home on the market into the mix! It’s a plan that’s taking place one year too soon – but we found the perfect house on the lake and just couldn’t pass ...
