Bookish Musings

  Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature  Nicole Goodwin, an indie author . You can learn more about  Nicole   here .                                                Please introduce yourself! Nicole Goodwin/GOODW.Y.N. is an Interdisciplinary Artist and Writer living and working in NYC. Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. I write all types of work including fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Please share a bit about your mental health journey, as much as you are comfortable with :) Much of my mental health journey consists of inpatient hospital care, juggling through a myriad of medications, and battling the family court system for custody of my daughter. Tha...

Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature  Stephanie Dawson , an indie author . You can learn more about Stephanie Dawson here .                                                Please introduce yourself! I'm a retired nurse, a mom, a grandmother, death doula, grief coach, writer, among other things. I grew up in a grieving family, my sister Lisa died when I was 4, in 1972. I became disabled in 2010 and was forced to retire. I later became a death doula, then my son died in 2020 and my mom in 2021. I then studied to become a grief coach. Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. I've been writing for several years- newspaper articles, short stories, essays, poems, and a children's book I'm...

She always believed the weather outside depended on how she felt. If she was sad, it would rain for hours and if she was happy, it would be beautiful sunshine outside. Some days were gloomy outside with no proper way to describe it. It felt empty like her heart that had almost no emotions. She loved those days because then for once, she could say there was someone who understood what she was going through. It was a cold, rainy day out today. The sky was full of black clouds, hiding the beautiful sunlight that was there seconds ago. The weather changed so drastically in mere seconds that everyone was surprised. Even then, she felt the weird happiness like she always did when it rained.  "You seem to be more in love with the rain than any guy you meet." Her best friends always said jokingly. She would always smile, silently agreeing with them. She did love the rain because she thought it was her partner in crime.  For the longest time in life, she thought the rain ...

Something I wrote at midnight ♥️ In some reality, I would have it all A house, the kids and the fancy car Out in the world, holding your hand Smiling because nothing hurts me Somewhere that is the life I live Yearning for it here, it's useless  Yet the feeling burns me the same The thought consumes my mind Perhaps I'm too selfish Too needy to want more But this feeling, I can't control it It drives me insane, this love  I've never felt this way before  I dream about it wide awake Every other possible reality  Desperate for a happy ending  But when you ask what's wrong  I never find the words to say What if it pushes you away  My desperation suffocates you And if you choose to walk away I don't know how I'll survive it  I try to bury everything inside But every once in a while It bleeds through my skin So visible in every action  My need for you gets hard to hide Terrified, I pray you won't see it  Not wanting things to change...

Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature  Henry Wright , an indie author . You can learn more about  Henry   here . Please introduce yourself! Hi, my name’s Henry Wright. I’m an indie author. I’m married, we have two cats, and we live in Kent, UK Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. I write literary fiction novels. I have published two novels (‘Myself am Hell’ and ‘Summers Ending’). They are both multi-genre novels. My third multi-genre literary novel is called ‘The Killing Shot’, and it’s currently being edited. Please share a bit about your mental health journey, as much as you are comfortable with :) I have obsessive-compulsive disorder. I began to have problems with the condition when I was at university. I spent two months in a psychiatric hospital when I was 19. My abidin...

Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature  Ananya , a  student and an indie writer . You can learn more about  Ananya here . Please introduce yourself! Hi, I’m Ananya! I’m a student and an indie writer, currently working on my debut book while exploring creative journaling. Writing has always been my personal safe space to process life and heal, and I’m excited to share a little piece of that journey here. Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. I write stories that lean toward the tragic—tales of characters carrying their own traumas, strong female leads, and love stories that ache in all the right places. Whether it’s thriller, mystery, suspense, or soft romance, there’s always a thread of raw emotion and tragedy running through them, reflecting the complex, inner world of human na...

  Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature Jessica, a romance author and a mental health advocate. You can learn more about Jessica  here . Please introduce yourself! Hi, I’m Jessica Salina! I’m a romance author living in the Seattle area with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) and fibromyalgia. I grew up on sci fi, fantasy, and fairytales, and to this day my tastes haven’t changed much. When I’m not writing, you can find me and my husband boxing, gaming (both video games and D&D), or enjoying some leisurely hikes. Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. I write romance since I love a guaranteed happily-ever-after. I don’t limit myself to one subgenre, though. My latest release, STUCK ON THE SLOPES , is a contemporary romantic comedy. In 2026, my fantasy romance EYES OF MOLTEN S...

Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature Ananya, author and a mental health advocate. You can learn more about Ananya here . Please introduce yourself! Hello! I'm Ananya from India, and a very proud citizen. I started out as a reader, back when I was 9/10 years old and eventually began writing my own stories, having been inspired by the ones I read,, especially the Enid Blyton books. Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. I tend to write stories that may seem happy and pleasant, but eventually turn quite dark. I have new adult epic fantasy books published at the moment, but during my Wattpad days, I'd also written many contemporary romances, thrillers, and school serieses, too. They'll be published in the upcoming years.  Please share a bit about your mental health journey, as much a...

“This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Bookish Musings!” Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature Kendall  Concini-Moore, author and a mental health advocate. You can learn more about Kendall Concini-Moore here . Please introduce yourself! Name? Kendall Concini-Moore- Title-Mom, Author, Mental Health Advocate, Decent Volleyball Player. Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. As I faced the challenging task of balancing motherhood with mental health, during the first year of my daughter’s life, I searched for resources: studies, books, or personal stories—that might help me explain my struggles to her. When I couldn’t find anything that truly resonated, I decided to create it myse...

“This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Bookish Musings!” Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature Sibyl. You can learn more about Sibyl here . Please introduce yourself! Hiya! I go by Sibyl. I’m a 30 year old from Texas, my pronouns are she/her, and I am an aspiring author. Currently I am working to improve my writing and do some video content while I try to find employment. Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. I used to write fanfiction as a kid, dropped it for a few years, then briefly picked that up again after graduation college in 2017. I stopped updating my fanfics around 2020, and now they’ve been deleted. But I’ve always been brainstorming ideas for original work, and they ten...

“This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Bookish Musings!” Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature Matthew Arnold Stern. You can learn more about Matthew Arnold Stern here . Please introduce yourself! Thank you for having me. I'm Matthew Arnold Stern, an award-winning speaker and author. I've published four novels, including Amiga and The Remainders , and I have a book about public speaking, Mastering Table Topics. My fifth novel, Christina's Portrait, is in submission. Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. I write about characters who face challenges and must learn to overcome them. In Christina's Portrait, one of my main characters lost her mother during the COVID...

“This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Bookish Musings!” Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature Beatrice Lebrun. You can learn more about Beatrice Lebrun here . Please introduce yourself! Hi!! My name is Beatrice. I'm a Venezuelan immigrant currently living in the US Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. The main reason I write is catharsis; it's the most effective way I've found over the years to help process my emotions, especially during difficult times. My latest novel (and official debut) is heavily based on my personal experiences and traumas, and I worked closely alongside my therapist to make sure that unpacking all of this wasn't going to put me back in t...

“This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Bookish Musings!” Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature Nilakshi Garg, an author, writer, storyteller, indie filmmaker, and brand strategist. You can learn more about Nilakshi Garg  here . Please introduce yourself! Hi, my name is Nilakshi Garg. I am an author, writer, storyteller, indie filmmaker, and brand strategist. I wear multiple feathers to my hat and all are coloured in creativity or content at the core. I have been writing for the past 10 years and more. My journey began from part-time blogging and freelancing because people around me referred to clients automatically after seeing me diving deep into novels, dramas, and stories.  My books are currently being...

“This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Bookish Musings!” Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature Bryony Best, an indie author, Holistic therapist, and a great part of the writing community on Twitter. You can learn more about Bryony Best  here . Please introduce yourself! I publish memoir style books that shine a light on healing trauma, addiction recovery and mental health. Spirituality is also embedded into all my books, and I share my own spiritual development and growth. I am also a Holistic Therapist who has studied mediumship for many years.  My books are currently being used as resources within mental health in the U.K. and USA 🇺🇸. I also started my own branding line and I currently sell TGFP limited...

A recent memory sparked the inspiration for this poem :) I wonder sometimes  If you even knew  I lay wide awake for hours Yearning to keep you close Just like this, for a while more  Your hands wrapped around me  Unaware, you sleep so soundly  Never knowing what you've done Our breaths mingling  The night passes silently I smile like a fool in the dark This love, it leaves me breathless  Quietly, I found myself stumbling  Itching to collapse in your warmth Stubborn heart of mine demands My body can't help but listen to it I keep these moments to myself Secrets, I wish I could confess  Terrifying, to find comfort like this But I've never had a home anywhere  We laugh every morning  Blush deepening as we speak I pretend it meant nothing  But we both know I was lying I remember these night constantly  Every time my eyes open, I see you I breathe in your comfortable scent My worst nightmares fading away Left behind...

Welcome to the newest post in Writing While Healing, a series where I speak with indie authors who’ve found light through writing during their darkest times. Today, I’m honored to feature Timothy Robare, an indie author, poet, and a great part of the writing community on Twitter. You can learn more about Timothy Robare here . Please introduce yourself! I am Timothy Robare. Poet and fiction writer. Please tell us a little about yourself and the kind of stories you write. I write mostly epic fantasy. Battles, politics, adventure. Would you, if you feel comfortable, mind sharing a bit about your mental health journey? Mental health wise had been up and down. I am prone to melancholy but I am an extreme optimist. I waver in extremes. Mostly up but when I'm down I hide in my room under my covers and can't seem to move. I have gotten it under control since I attempted suicide many years ago. I realized that life is worth living and we are in control.  Sometimes I get down...