This book and its creator are a work in progress.
I had to cut you off. I was told, “it feels like I used you,” during one of the most vulnerable times in my life. It cut me to my core. But I am the one who opened myself up to someone during that vulnerable time. I will take responsibility for that. I have to…

The ecstatic high and bliss that comes with the hope of getting into a show after an audition is one of the most joyous feelings.

When I was 12 years old my family moved from Salem to Tualatin, Oregon. I was scared, going from elementary school to middle school with no friends, but I saw an opportunity to reinvent myself. So I changed my name from Rachael to Rae. At the beginning of every class on the first day of…

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Guatemala, a country whose beauty and diversity are surpassed only by the beauty and diversity of the folks who live there. The experience was life changing. I recommend some of the many museums in Guatemala City, like the Museo Popal Vue and the Museo Ixchel del Traje…

Ink and graphite on paper. 2025

I sit here in privilege this 2025. Where other years were scarce, 2024 was abundant for me. With the momentum of getting out of tough situation I launched myself to where I am now, still poor by capitalistic standards but on a journey to better mental, emotional, and physical health. I’m incredibly grateful to be…

Somewhere along the way, someone showed you a small kindness. They didn’t know it, but they helped you pass an unsurmountable obstacle. Their kindness changed you and made you a different, better human being. Do they wake up in the morning, get their coffee, and realize they’ve made the world a better place?

I’ve had this image in my mind as a metaphor for life for a couple of decades now, and it recently shifted. As human beings we all hang off the side of this cliff we call life. As we climb the cliff, we sometimes stop in caves to rest. Sometimes we stay in the caves…

We seek to feed ourselves. We seek something to numb the pain and we seek relief. We seek sanctuary. We seek to be whole. We seek healing and connection. We seek to cure what ails us. We seek Panacea.

I still remembered how it felt when the warm blood from my father’s last words spattered on my face. “There are infinite ways the forest can kill you.”

My most recent illustration for Sotiraz. Ink and graphite on paper.

Far away from the permitted and well-traveled paths of the forest, hidden in a grove of dark orange fan trees, I stood on a branch that was more familiar to me than any friend. The bark was smooth and worn down from all the times I sat there. I snuck back there often when I could, to…

Let’s call the Sotiraz world Planet A. Planet A is in a tidally locked orbit around Star A, much like how our moon is with Earth. Only a sliver of Planet A would be hospitable to life, as the back side would be too cold, and the front side would be too hot. There are…

When do I stop editing? Every round I see the grammar mistakes, and the ways to improve the structure of the sentences and paragraphs. I want to take Sotiraz as far as I can before hiring a professional to edit. Every round of edits I think, this one will be my last. And perhaps this…

I have recently decided to change the point of view of Sotiraz from third person to first person. In my previous drafts, I imagined one of the main characters telling the story to someone in the future. But now I want the reader to get a more personalized perspective. I’m finding it easier to write…

Ink and graphite on paper. I gave it a red tint digitally, so it accurately portrayed the red color of the Sotiraz atmosphere.

The roar of falling water drowned out their footsteps as they descended into the abyss. Some of the sparkling eleron that floated down from the heavens illuminated the circular walls of foamy water that cascaded around them. Their skin glistened from the mist and stray water drops that escaped the falls.





Far away from the permitted and well-traveled paths of the forest, hidden in a grove of dark orange fan trees, Luca stood on a branch that was more familiar to her than any friend. The bark was smooth and worn down from all the times she sat there. She snuck back there often, when she could, to…

#amquerying