A place for my thoughts

Brandi Easterling Collins, independent author

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Archives

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General Thoughts

All I know about my dad

My dad, Douglas Wayne Easterling, was born on January 23, 1953, the youngest of four children and the third boy for Howard and Pearl Easterling of Glen Rose, Arkansas. He…

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January 1, 2017
Essays, General Thoughts

I’ve been old (but not necessarily wise) my whole life

I’ve been thinking a lot about aging lately. I just turned 43, and that plants me firmly in middle agedom. But in reality, I think I’ve been old my whole…

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June 18, 2024
Essays, General Thoughts

A New Family Member: An official introduction

As many of you know, we lost Buddy, a dear four-legged and furry member of our family back in September 2020. By December, we were feeling the pull to adopt…

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March 29, 2021
  • 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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    Daydreaming: The lottery

    October 21, 2018
    Family in front of NASA jets.

    A Family Road Trip: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

    July 22, 2025
    Woman typing on laptop

    Self-editing a Story: What it Takes

    January 16, 2021
  • Essays,  General Thoughts

    A scary topic: suicide

    April 11, 2017 /

    Netflix just released a series, “Thirteen Reasons Why” based on a book of the same name by Jay Asher. The book was published in 2007 but is still extremely relevant ten years later. It deals with the aftermath of a scary subject: suicide. I read the book, then binge-watched the series over the weekend. I think it should be required reading/viewing for high school students. I am still recovering emotionally after experiencing the raw emotions contained in the novel and internet series. The message: You never know what someone else is going through, even if they try to tell you. You can never truly be in someone else’s shoes. You never…

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    Woman apologizing

    Apologies and hurt feelings

    September 16, 2021
    Illustrated race track scene with children driving cars at a starting line

    How Many Times Can You Start Over?

    February 16, 2025

    Desperately Seeking Friendship

    September 1, 2022
  • General Thoughts,  Novels (my writing updates)

    Jordan’s Sister-Draft of Chapter One

    March 24, 2017 /

    I haven’t done this before, but I am sharing the first draft of chapter one of my novel-in-progress, Jordan’s Sister. I have not completed my editing process other than to check for grammar and spelling mistakes, so it still needs some polishing. I welcome any feedback. Most importantly, does it make you want to read more? This novel is 100% new writing based loosely on two characters I created when I was 14. While Caroline’s Lighthouse is classified as young adult, meaning ages 12 and up (Movie rating: PG-13), Jordan’s Sister is classified as new adult/contemporary (Movie rating: R). The main characters are in their early 20s discovering what it…

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    You May Also Like

    Overweight in a Size 8: Thoughts on Obesity and Body Image

    February 25, 2023

    Christmas, Truth, and Childhood Innocence

    December 22, 2017

    Dreams and things

    October 29, 2017
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