I was a nonfiction reader for a lot of years. Many books I read in my 20s and 30s were about productivity and self-improvement. But it wasn’t until I fell in love with fiction that my life truly changed. Fiction reminded me about desire, and I am much more motivated to live a full life when I tap into what matters to me instead of trying to follow someone else’s advice. I have learned that paying attention to how I am uniquely wired heals and changes me more than trying to work harder and be better. I rarely read self-improvement books anymore. Fiction is a gentle way to live fully awake and celebrate my identity. I see myself in characters, on the screen, and within pages.

When popular culture makes me laugh and cry, I ask myself, “Why?” For example, in 2015, I fell head over heels for the show, Outlander, on STARZ. Maybe you found me through my videos. I explore with other fans why we love this story and what it means to us. We work on how we can "intersect" the magic of Outlander with our everyday lives. If you haven't yet discovered the Outlander series on STARZ or the books by Diana Gabaldon, you might want to!

I love stories so much that I owned and operated a bookstore, Jenny's Paper & Ink Books, until the end of 2019. My customers often wrung their hands about the future of books. I would tell them what I want to share with you. Books aren't going out of style. Stories aren't, for sure! But in many ways, retail is. That's why I closed up shop. At dinner parties, I always ask, "What are you currently reading or watching?" to get to know others. What books did you read last year? Here are the top 30 books I used to recommend to my customers.

I desire to help you weave the themes of your favorite stories into your everyday life. What are you reading or watching lately? Send me an email; I'd love to know.

P.S. I write a weekly email on what I’m watching, reading, and listening to. Sign up here.