About Me
My
Story
I grew up reading John Grisham and loved legal stories. I joined Teen Court in my tiny Kentucky town. I even played this computer game called "DA" where you acted as a prosecutor. Despite all that, it took me a little bit to realize I wanted to be a lawyer.
First, I began studying how governments change and earned a bachelor's degree in political science. I planned to work in human rights and change the world! But, I graduated in 2008 and found limited options waiting for me. So I started working in prison - a men's medium security prison as a correctional officer, then as a caseworker at a women's prison. At the same time, I worked toward a master's degree in political science, studying how genocides begin and end. I realized the world I could change didn't need to be large-scale.
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Noticing the disparities in sentencing for Kentucky inmates, I thought I could help more on the front end - so I went to law school. It was always my intention to return home and be a public defender. Which is what I did three years later. For two years, I worked 60+ hour weeks with little pay to help those that needed it most. That job is immensely important but takes a toll, even with an amazing support system of my fellow public defenders. When my mental health started declining, it was time for me to move on.
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I found a job with a life/work balance, which led me to reignite my dormant hobbies. Since, I have collected every hobby - art, wreath making, book binding. Basically anything crafty. I also got really into soccer (go Racing Louisville and Man City - yes, I am a Man City fan). Then, my sister talked me into downloading TikTok, which led me to finding BookTok, The Love Hypothesis, and Sarah J. Maas. It reignited my passion for reading. I found fantasy books that described PTSD and anxiety in ways that reflected my own experiences. I realized how cathartic reading about characters addressing their own mental health could help me process mine. After much discussion in therapy, I started writing.
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I was published in law school on an article discussing corruption in public officials. You can find it here: https://digitalcommons.mainelaw.maine.edu/mlr/vol67/iss1/7/.
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When I am not writing, I watch too much soccer, go to a lot of concerts, or chill with my two dogs and a good book.