A place for my thoughts

Brandi Easterling Collins, independent author

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General Thoughts

For the love of travel (for work): Seattle

One of the perks of my job at the university is the privilege to travel for professional development. During spring break (for the college students and my elementary school children),…

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April 7, 2018
General Thoughts, Pop Culture

2022 in Books

In 2022, I met my Goodreads reading goal of 110 books (just barely)! Here are my top 10 fiction reads for the year, all of which I rated at 5…

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January 10, 2023
Essays, General Thoughts, Novels (my writing updates)

The Life and Times of a Not-Starving, Starving Artist

Only a certain number of artists are significantly wealthy, and I am definitely not one of them. When I refer to “artists” I mean people who produce art in the…

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January 16, 2020
  • General Thoughts,  Pop Culture

    When a celebrity dies

    June 4, 2017 /

    I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Why are we (the collective “we”) so moved by and intertwined with celebrity deaths? Celebs are mortal just like the rest of us, so it is inevitable that they will die someday, but when they do, they have more mourners than the rest of us. This is especially so when they die tragically or die young, which often coincide. When someone dies at age 98 in their bed surrounded by family, we say it’s a good death because they lived a long life. Many people die much younger than that. Tragically young. What’s the cutoff age? Is it 40? 50? 60? What…

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    Our First Official Family Vacation

    July 29, 2018
    Illustration of animals, presents and a snowman with text reading Happy Holidays

    Embracing the Holidays

    November 28, 2025

    Almost-winter writing update

    December 8, 2019
  • General Thoughts,  Novels (my writing updates)

    Nine months in: Writing Updates and Jordan’s Sister info

    April 29, 2017 /

    It has been nine months since I started this blog. Nine whole months—long enough to grow a human being. Since the launch, it’s had 1,056 unique users view a total of 5,515 pages. I know it’s not huge numbers, but to get to that many in nine months is an accomplishment I am proud of. Wow. Also, on Twitter, I have gone from two followers in July to 1,230 as of this morning. On July 15, I shared my writing journey on Facebook with a “coming soon” teaser picture for Caroline’s Lighthouse. That YA novel, dreamed up in early 1997 when I was only 15, is now available for purchase in paperback…

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    Warning: This Post Contains F**king Profanity

    November 15, 2019

    Our First Official Family Vacation

    July 29, 2018

    My love history and why I never wrote about my husband until now

    July 30, 2016
  • General Thoughts,  Novels (my writing updates)

    Discussion questions for Caroline’s Lighthouse

    April 15, 2017 /

    A lot of the YA books I have read lately include discussion questions in the back of the novels. I didn’t do that for Caroline’s Lighthouse, but I still think it leaves room for discussion. Everything I wrote was thought out and intentional. Every description, character interaction, and each snippet of dialogue was scrutinized. It has foreshadowing and irony for people who like to analyze those types of things, but it is hidden enough that people looking for a quick read can skim right over it and enjoy the story. ***Spoiler Alert*** if you haven’t read the novel.

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    You May Also Like

    Day 5: Countdown of my favorite love songs (non-romantic love)

    February 9, 2018
    Woman apologizing

    Apologies and hurt feelings

    September 16, 2021

    For the love of travel (for work): Seattle

    April 7, 2018
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Recent Posts

  • Movies I Will Watch Again and Again
  • 2025 in Book Reviews
  • Embracing the Holidays
  • Four Hearts: Coming soon
  • My Favorite Holiday Movies and TV Specials (Even the Guilty Pleasures)

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