A note from me 💙

While sorting through my older writings and draft archives, I stumbled on this little gem from September 2022. Rereading it brought tears to my eyes. I’ve always loved to write and read, but sometimes I need a beautifully written kick in the butt—and this was exactly that.

Lately, I’ve been on a mission to sift through every post I’ve ever written—old drafts, forgotten pieces, and archived—to either breathe new life into them or let them go. It’s a worthy mission, but I have to remind myself to keep writing from the heart, not just from the to-do list.

Though my writing has naturally evolved as my heart has grown closer to Jesus, I still love a good creepy mystery. Crafting something eerie or unexpected will always bring me a little happiness! My passion for poetry and children’s books is still alive and well, too—and I refuse to let that part of me get buried under the weight of old drafts and unfinished projects. I guess I am just a little of everything!

Honestly, I’ve already questioned if I’m resharing the right pieces… and that’s something I need to think and pray about. I’m not who I was when I started this blog—and thank God for that. I’m growing. I’m learning. I’m making mistakes, pivoting, and doing better—with Jesus beside me, and grace leading the way.

This writing assignment felt so innocent, so honest, and so me. It reminded me of what I love most as a writer and a reader. Since then, my shelves and podcast list have grown, my tastes have shifted with the times, but my why remains the same. I want to share that spark—and this unedited piece is where that spark lit up again.

📖Skelly-

Writing Exercise: My Ideal Reader
Do you have a blog, a podcast, or a favorite author that excites you? Someone you religiously follow? When they produce content, do you get excited? Do you crave more? Even if you don’t know the creator personally, you feel connected to them—you feel connected to the stories they tell and the content they create.

I also have my favorites—the ones that inspire, encourage, and give me chills down my spine. When I think about the reader I will be writing for, I want to do all those things for them. I have a vision in my head of the reader with their favorite hot drink. They’re curled up in their favorite cozy spot, wrapped in their preferred throw blanket. Their most beloved pet is snuggled in with them. They’re getting ready to escape the real world and dive into a world that I have created for them.

Cozy Reader

Cozy Reader

The way I feel about my front-runner favorites is a fire inside my chest! I’m eager to see what they’ll do next, what they’ll post or release—I can’t get enough. As fast as they release it, I binge it!

When the ideal reader reads my haunted stories, I want them to look out their window days later, still thinking about the stir my words left in their soul. I want them to crave more. I want them to carry my books like an accessory. My book will be more useful and flashy than any designer bag or charm bracelet. Books that are marked with SK take you to other worlds. They make you believe in things you thought impossible. They open your mind to new possibilities. Reading a page from my mind will make my reader part of something special, something different. It will send waves of joy and fear through your fingertips with each page. Once they finish and close any book I wrote, a sense of loss will fall upon them—like saying goodbye to an old friend, anticipating the next time they’ll meet.

Here are a few books I’ve read that have encouraged and inspired me over the years, along with a few of my favorite creators:

📚 The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life by Edith Eger
Life-changing. Recommended by my counselor—and I’m forever grateful.

📚 Scary Stories Treasury by Alvin Schwartz
Perfect for short, spine-tingling reads.

📚 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
A childhood favorite that still gives me chills.

📚 Shamong by George D. Flemming
Haunted tales from New Jersey—real life scares with a side of history.

📚 Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
A classic for a reason—forever a part of me.

📚 Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
This one always held a special place in my heart.

📚 Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire
I loved the book—and the play even more.

🎧 Morbid Podcast
🎧 CounterClock Podcast
🎧 The Way I Heard It – Mike Rowe

These are just a few of my favorites. One day, I hope to create something that makes others feel the way these creators make me feel—seen, stirred, and inspired.

Excited to keep writing, keep dreaming, and keep growing. SK-

Updated List

Since I originally wrote this piece, I’ve added a few more gems to my bookshelf—and a few I didn’t love, which I’ll admit with honesty and maybe a little sass. 😅📖

Here are a few standouts I’ve read lately:

📖 The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
📖 Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
📖 Animal Farm by George Orwell
📖 The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
📖 Own The Moment by Carl Lentz
📖 Who Do I Think I Am? by Anjelah Johnson-Reyes
📖 The Rules of Love & Grammar by Mary Simses
📖 The Butcher and the Wren & The Butcher Game by Alaina Urquhart
📖 A few Colleen Hoover books—yes, I said it! I’ll be honest, It Ends With Us and It Starts With Us were not for me. It’s not about the movies or the hype… I just didn’t vibe with them. That said, I did really enjoy Verity—and if it ever becomes a movie, fingers crossed it’s done right!

Now let’s talk podcasts. I love variety in what I listen to—some that challenge me, some that calm me, and some that simply make me laugh until my stomach hurts. Here’s a mix of what’s in my regular rotation:

🎙️ Candace Owens
🎙️ The George Janko Show
🎙️ Give It To Me Straight
🎙️ The Joe Rogan Experience
🎙️ The Shawn Ryan Show
🎙️ MrBallen Podcast
🎙️ Jack Hibbs Podcast
🎙️ Your Prayer Life with Maximilian Michieli
🎙️ The Tucker Carlson Show

Of course, there are even more podcasts and books, and blogs I love—ones focused on mental health, creativity, and plain old fun—but that list would be a blog post of its own!

I might make a post just of the blogs I love, as the list is a mile long!

SK-