A place for my thoughts

Brandi Easterling Collins, independent author

  • Home
  • Welcome: About me
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletter/Contact Me
  • Luminesce Publishing
  • Home
  • Welcome: About me
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletter/Contact Me
  • Luminesce Publishing

Archives

  • May 2026
  • April 2026
  • January 2026
  • November 2025
  • September 2025
  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • April 2025
  • February 2025
  • December 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • June 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • July 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • September 2022
  • July 2022
  • April 2022
  • January 2022
  • November 2021
  • September 2021
  • July 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
Novels (my writing updates)

Summer 2025 Writing Update and Sixth Novel First Chapter Teaser

The first draft of novel number six is… Guess what? About a week ago, I finished the first draft of my sixth novel, tentatively titled Four Hearts. It’s been a…

read more
June 19, 2025
Essays, General Thoughts

#BlackLivesMatter

My heart has been heavy for a while now. And my mind is still trying to come to terms with the fact that there is still systematic racism in America…

read more
June 6, 2020
General Thoughts, Novels (my writing updates)

Caroline’s Lighthouse Update and Free Preview

Well, as of 9:45 pm on October 12, 2016, I submitted my final manuscript of Caroline’s Lighthouse to Archway Publishing. All 52,966 words of it. About two weeks ago, I…

read more
October 14, 2016
  • Illustrated race track scene with children driving cars at a starting line
    Essays,  General Thoughts

    How Many Times Can You Start Over?

    February 16, 2025 /

    Several times in my life, I’ve had to hit the reset button and start from scratch. It can get exhausting, but it’s also a chance to change or improve the outcome by making different choices. Starting over can be difficult On January 18, 2025, I started over on a better health journey. I had planned my “start over” to coincide with the first of the year, but life and some health issues got in the way. So, that Saturday morning, I stepped on the scale. And I cried. I didn’t like the number staring back at me and knew I had to change my habits to be healthier. Since that…

    read more
    2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Being Thankful in Life

    December 10, 2017
    A woman looks into a mirror while measuring her waist

    Believe It or Not, Getting Fat Isn’t the Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened to Me

    May 27, 2026

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

    January 16, 2020
  • General Thoughts,  Pop Culture

    2024 in Book Reviews

    December 31, 2024 /

    I read 75 books in 2024 and wrote half of my sixth novel, which is tentatively titled Four Hearts. While I originally planned to set a goal of 100 books, I changed my goal to 75 books early in the year due to unforeseen circumstances. Here are my top reads for the year. Top 10 best reads for 2024 (traditionally published) These are in order, starting with my favorite read of the year. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr This Used to Be Us by Renée Carlino This Impossible Brightness by Jessica Bryant Klagmann Spirit Crossing (Cork O’Connor, #20) by William Kent Krueger Camino Ghosts (Camino Island,…

    read more
    0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    To All The Pets I’ve Loved Before

    September 11, 2020

    Day 2: Countdown of my favorite love songs (bittersweet breakup songs)

    February 6, 2018

    A scary topic: suicide

    April 11, 2017
  • Illustration of family photos on a wall
    Essays,  General Thoughts

    Weddings and Funerals: Changing Relationships with Family and Friends

    October 27, 2024 /

    Most people will say they love their family and closest friends. I’m no different. I love them all dearly. But, like many people, I don’t see them often since we live in different towns, and the COVID-19 Pandemic didn’t help matters. But hasn’t it always been that way? In the olden days, people either stayed in one town their whole lives or ventured off to the wild frontier, only communicating in letters. Back then, moving away might mean never seeing family and friends again. At least in more modern times, we have phones and other electronic ways to communicate—if and when we make time to reach out. Family trees My…

    read more
    2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Green piggy bank

    Finances and Frugality in a World Where Everything Costs a Freakin’ Fortune

    January 30, 2024
    Hands Stacked

    #BlackLivesMatter

    June 6, 2020

    A New Family Member: An official introduction

    March 29, 2021
 Older Posts
Newer Posts 

Categories

Tags

Anxiety Artwork Assignment Books Caroline's Lighthouse Childhood Children Covid-19 Dad Dark and Twisty Death Depression Dream Family Fear God Got an "A" Healing Heartache High School History Hurt Indie Authors Indie Publishing Inspiration Jordan's Sister kids Loss Love Mom Music New Novel Novels Pain Published Reading Sadness Sex Stars Suicide Thanksgiving Truth Writing writing update

Recent Posts

  • Believe It or Not, Getting Fat Isn’t the Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened to Me
  • Movies I Will Watch Again and Again
  • 2025 in Book Reviews
  • Embracing the Holidays
  • Four Hearts: Coming soon

Sharing

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail
All material ©1994-2026 by Brandi Easterling Collins.
Ashe Theme by WP Royal.