Who am I? Why connect?
A writer, a teacher. A human.
Storytelling is about exploring the nuances of life—the anguish within beauty and the wisdom within pain. When we hold our stories inside, they weigh us down. When we release them, we find not only our voice but perspective and a different way of engaging with the world.
I was a high school dropout who went on to find purpose through writing, which led me to earn a BA in English from Otterbein University and an MFA from Bennington College. I worked multiple jobs for a decade to pay down educational debts and better understand what I did/did not want from my short journey here. All the while, I wrote. I explored. I came to conclusions and questioned conclusions. I began to study personal leadership.
At heart, I am a philosopher and unable to buy into too much dogma across any scale. But I also believe that writing has offered me something mystical and that creativity can tap potentials in humans that go beyond what we often see. Writing, to me, is like the reverberation of an elephant stomp or the rooted system of trees, a way of passing messages, like nutrients, to each other.
I am the author of We Arrive Uninvited (2023, Steel Toe Books Prose Winner), Chaos Magic (2025, Kallisto Gaia Press, Joshua Tree Prize Winner), and At Work (2027, forthcoming from Cornerstone UWSP). My shorter work has won awards, including the San Miguel de Allende Award in Nonfiction, the CutBank Montana Award for the Essay, and the Flash Fiction Award. You can find many of my stories and essays here.
After teaching creative writing for over a decade, I began coaching writers 1:1 and offering idea-to-publication services through Unleash Creatives, a holistic arts organization I founded and co-own. I also began teaching leadership and practicing what I share in both business and volunteer efforts. I aim to practice the same curiosity and personal inquiry in my writing and what I share.
Why subscribe?
I’m fascinated by philosophy, storytelling, and personal development (along with a lot of charlatanism I see around personal development and pop psychology). These are the topics I like to unpack. As a teacher, I often offer exercises that have helped me. This life is an experiment, a journey, a joy. It’s also very strange. Let’s explore it all together.
In a nutshell, here’s what I offer:
Mindfulness tools to cultivate presence, reduce stress, and enhance focus
Creative writing prompts to spark inspiration and deepen self-expression
Personal essays that explore growth, resilience, and the human experience
Philosophical reflections that invite introspection and perspective shifts
Guidance on personal growth through storytelling and self-inquiry
A supportive, thoughtful community of readers interested in creativity and consciousness
Inspiration to stay grounded and authentic in both life and creative work
Why get a paid subscription?
Paid subscribers also have access to audio meditations and all archived posts, along with workshops and private sessions to discuss life and writing.
If you cannot afford a paid subscription but want to access a post, please let me know. I will grant you a year for free with no questions asked.
Any support, from likes to responses to financial support, is valued and seen. THANK YOU. Another way to support me is to buy my books. Click below to access my writing site, or buy my latest here.
Haunted by a violent past, the life that took her so long to rebuild is in jeopardy when Lissa's ex-husband is released from prison. Both Lissa and her mother, a retired psychologist, become convinced that the only way to move forward is to get rid of him. While Lissa turns to the very magic her partner warned her would come with dire repercussions, her mother has a more pragmatic plan in mind. This is a story about strength and power, magic and community, and what it takes to learn to trust the voice within.
Winner of Prize Americana for Prose, Jen Knox’s The Glass City and Other Stories is a shrewd yet playful collection that explores the dangers of extremes with a subtle, skillful elegance. In these stories, weather becomes a mirror for the internal struggles of Knox’s indelible cast of characters. An aging acrobat looks for connectivity online as her city floods, two sisters are tasked to spread their mother’s ashes on flowers that no longer exist, a man’s scars become tattoos as he attempts to outrun truth, a reluctant host shares an island’s secrets, and families survive natural disasters that shake out lies and bury inhibitions.
