Category: Friends + Family

I Call My Daughters Pretty ALL the Time

Byron Hamel

I have two little girls, and I tell them they’re pretty all the time. I’m their daddy, and I think they really want me to see them as pretty. So I acknowledge that I do in fact think they’re pretty. I think they should grow to want to receive regular Read more

Byron Hamel

Byron Hamel was raised by a violent man who got the death penalty for torturing and killing a baby. As a result of his upbringing, Byron dedicates his life to fighting child abuse. He lives with Complex PTSD, Depression, and Anorexia. Despite his obstacles, he’s an amazing dad to his two lovely daughters. An award-winning Canadian journalist, and television producer, his documentary film, “A Breaking Cycle”, is a powerful journey into the world of tough bikers who protect abused kids. Byron is currently writing for his blog Trauma Dad, and his book "I Am A Killer", to be released in 2016 by the Gravity Imprint of Booktrope Publishing. This post is an excerpt from his work in progress. His writing challenges readers with both depth and simplicity. It’s raw and funny, but leaves you feeling hopeful and inspired.

Heirloom Diet: A Letter in Four Parts

Rachel Hoge

  I. It’s spring and you’re holding a lime margarita. Pedestrians pass, wearing black sequins and riding boots. Next door, a bar is playing “Wagon Wheel” and the sun is down, glowing like hot coal. You’re wearing jeans, a cardigan and dark lipstick. “You look pretty, Momma,” I say. “Yeah,” Read more

Rachel Hoge

Rachel Hoge is a Tennessee native who loves sweet tea and her family garden. She's an MFA candidate at the University of Central Arkansas, an intern at the Oxford American, a ghostwriter upon occasion, and a strong believer in the pseudonym. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Architrave Press, Pembroke Magazine, and others. You can find her on

When Half a Brain is the Only Option

Shanna DeMott

My daughter has half a brain. No, really. She does. Allow me to explain. Sasha arrived on a Friday morning, in late-February. She was three weeks early and weighed 4.5 pounds. Aside from her low-birth weight, she was perfect. Words I used to describe her babyhood included happy, giggly, curious, Read more

Shanna DeMott

Shanna Sabet-DeMott is a freelance writer living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her husband George DeMott, sings Italian arias in the shower, and Pop-Opera around the world. She has an 11-year old daughter who has survived 3 brain surgeries, and who has shown her Mama the meaning of bravery at every turn. She is a lover of telling stories about food and life on her blogs, eatingoutvegas.com and stumblingbeauty.com.

Can I Call You Later Tonight?

Charlene Dizon

I am a nineteen year old young woman currently attending college. My major is English with a specific focus on Creative Writing. That is what I love to do— write. While my main point of expertise is writing teen romance stories, lately I have been wanting to write about a Read more

Charlene Dizon

Charlene is a College sophomore, a In-n-Out Burger addict and a writer of teen romance fiction. She hopes to one day become a published novelist.

10 Tips to Deal with Grownup “Mean Girl” Friends

Dori Owen

“I’m sorry that people are so jealous of me. But I can’t help it that I’m popular.” ~Regina George This weekend I was in one of my favorite book haunts, Goodwill’s 50% off Saturday, and stumbled across a copy of Queen Bees and WannaBes, the inspiration for the great Tina Fey Read more

Dori Owen

Dori Owen is a storyteller, writing from small town Arizona, after living a few decades in California as an LA Wild Child, with a brief stop in Reno. She settled into grownup life as a project manager, collecting an MBA and a few husbands along the way. She is a shown artist and her favorite pastime is upcycling old furniture and decor she finds from thrift stores. She lives with the cat who came to visit but stayed. The love of her life is her grown son who lives in Portland, Oregon. Her essays and poems have been published in RAW&UNFILTERED VOL I, StigmaFighters Vol 2, and Love Notes From Humanity. Her blogs have been featured on The Lithium Chronicles, Open Thought Vortex, Sudden Denouement, and The Mighty.

Lost in Transition

Dori Owen

Plucked her eyebrows on the way Shaved her legs and then he was a she She says, “Hey, babe, Take a walk on the wild side.” Said, “Hey, honey, Take a walk on the wild side.” –Lou Reed, Walk On The Wild Side The first time I laid my eyes Read more

Dori Owen

Dori Owen is a storyteller, writing from small town Arizona, after living a few decades in California as an LA Wild Child, with a brief stop in Reno. She settled into grownup life as a project manager, collecting an MBA and a few husbands along the way. She is a shown artist and her favorite pastime is upcycling old furniture and decor she finds from thrift stores. She lives with the cat who came to visit but stayed. The love of her life is her grown son who lives in Portland, Oregon. Her essays and poems have been published in RAW&UNFILTERED VOL I, StigmaFighters Vol 2, and Love Notes From Humanity. Her blogs have been featured on The Lithium Chronicles, Open Thought Vortex, Sudden Denouement, and The Mighty.

Overcoming My Fear of Jesus

Lela Casey

The first time I saw Jesus, I was five years old. I was walking down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, holding my mom’s hand. He was tall, bearded, and dripping with blood. Two muscular men flanked him, their veins bulging as they supported the bulky wooden cross he dragged along behind Read more

Lela Casey

Lela Casey grew up on magic and get-rich-schemes. She learned from a very early age that nothing is as it seems, and behind every facade lies a portal to places unknown. When not seeking out rabbit holes or chasing after her three little imps, she spends her time writing about deep thoughts and big adventures. You can find her writing on kveller.com, themid.com, brainchildmag.com, and jkidphilly.com.

January Fourteen: Celebrating Her Son’s Life After Death

Suzan Mikiel

Looking behind me, I twisted my torso and pressed down on the tin canister that sat in the passenger seat as I backed up the car. A horrid pop song played on the radio. I don’t normally think the word “horrid”, but I was in mom mode, so my mind Read more

Suzan Mikiel

Suzan is a Detroit native who lives in Los Angeles by way of New York. She is an actor and writer, and loves her three cities and all the memories they keep. Her work has been published in Oxford Magazine.