Hello everyone,

This whole year has been crazy, and it just keeps getting crazier. I saw a post that said 2020 is what 2012 thought she would be, which made me lol. In the midst of all this, it can be hard to still find reasons to laugh and smile, so it’s important to take them when you can.

So, I wasn’t sure how, or if, to write this, because something that I want to provide during this time is a “means of escape” somewhere safe where we can turn to and let our hearts and minds wander, that’s what books and stories are to me, a portal to another place where I can escape to.

But, I also think it’s important to speak up and acknowledge what’s going on in the world, especially since I feel like I do have a platform of sorts and I think that, you know, through my author’s note’s and comments, I’ve hopefully grown a connection with some of you. I don’t want to stay silent, I think it’s important to speak up and talk about these issues and what you believe in. Black lives matter.

I’ve been watching a lot of informative/educational videos and am reading a lot of books and articles because I think it’s so vital that we educate ourselves and learn how to be the best changemakers and advocates and allies that we can be. If you’re able to and haven’t already, I encourage you to do the same, I’ll link some videos and articles below!

Two of my main stories, The Retreat and Camp 5O, have cops as their main characters, and though that’s not the focus of their stories, it’s still an aspect of their lives and the story. As a consumer, I realize that I do watch a lot of cop procedurals, Law & Order, Hawaii Five-O, Brooklyn-99, Criminal Minds, ect. and I think that now more than ever it’s important to be critical and outspoken of what those shows do and how they depict the world and its characters.

I think the same goes for me as a writer and creator, being more aware of what I put out there. My characters have their flaws, and moments in their stories where they act in ways I don’t agree with, as well as some scenes that I maybe didn’t handle as well as I could have or should have. I want to continue to grow and learn and become a better changemaker, advocate, and ally. Even though I’m creating fictional characters, in their own fictional world, some of my goals as a writer have always been diversity, inclusivity, and spreading messages of hope, love, and acceptance.

Please, I want to emphasize that, hope, love, and acceptance, I don’t want any hateful comments that spite others. Let’s take this as a chance to be respectful and learn more about these issues and reflect on how we could do better, not just as individuals but also as a society, how can you help bring about the change that is needed?

I also just want to say that I hope all of you are taking care of yourselves and your mental health. The amount of tears this has taken out of me, how drained I’ve felt, I know that the violence and horror can be deafening right now but I know that we can make change happen, build a better future, and I want to be there to see it, I want you to be there to see it. I’ve linked some mental health resources below.

Below I’ve also linked some videos that I’ve watched that I think are good resources to learn more about the issues, links with *** mean that the video contains footage that may be triggering!

Black lives matter.

And I’d like to end with three quotes from the videos that I’ve linked below:

Anthony from This Is My Story | Black Lives Matter, “Black people have always lit themselves on fire to keep America warm, and now that we’re done being burned, the response is bitter and cold and that’s unfair, it’s unjust, and with no justice, there is no peace.”

Lamarr Wilson from their video Listen. “It’s so dismissive when people say, well all lives matter, no sh-no duh, they all matter. But unfortunately, for some people, some shades of skin don’t matter as much. And so, they need to be reminded of that, so maybe the cause should have said, matter also. Would that have helped? Would you have a retort to that?”

Chris Thomas, from the video What's wrong with saying "all lives matter"?, “Black lives matter. Responding to that cry for justice, that cry for equality, with all lives matter is like saying things are already equal, things are already just, and we know that ain’t true.”