The Art of Juggling Flaming Swords (a.k.a. My August)

If summer had a theme song for me this year, it would probably be something fast, chaotic, and slightly unhinged — because that’s exactly what the past few weeks have felt like.

We wrapped up a whirlwind of summer camps at the children’s theater — from storytelling and spotlight specialties to full-blown quick change madness where kids somehow put together an entire play in just one week. I’ve spent more hours at the theater than at home.

As soon as camp ended, we jumped straight into audition workshops for our fall musical. (Literally, there were two hours between the last camp ending and audition workshops beginning.) And because I like to make my life extra interesting, that same weekend is our local Pride Fest, where I get to soak in the joy, the colors, and the energy of our community.

But wait — there’s more! Somewhere in the middle of all this, I am releasing ARCs for Heir of the Forgotten. This means wrangling email lists, responding to excited early readers, and pretending like I’m not frantically re-checking my inbox every five minutes to see if anyone’s posted a review yet. Oh, and did I mention I’m still deep in edits and trying to make progress on Book Two?

It’s the kind of schedule that makes people ask, “How do you do it all?” and the truth is… I don’t. I drop balls all the time. My laundry is a disaster, my house looks like a creative tornado hit it, and some days my “writing time” turns into me just staring at my laptop with glazed eyes.

But here’s the thing — I wouldn’t trade it. These are the moments that fill my life with energy, with connection, with stories. And while it’s exhausting, it’s also incredibly rewarding to see kids take a bow onstage, to watch my book land in a reader’s hands, to dream up the next big twist in my series.

So yes, I’m tired. But I’m also grateful. And if you see me walking around with mismatched shoes and a coffee cup permanently attached to my hand, just know I’m living my best chaotic creative life.