https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing Essays by Charity Marie on fiction, truth, and the stories that help us find our way home. en-us Fri, 17 Jul 2026 22:07:12 GMT https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/announcement-quarterly-reader-appreciation https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/announcement-quarterly-reader-appreciation Thu, 16 Jul 2026 11:55:07 GMT A new tradition begins. Celebrating readers with a signed book each quarter, starting with Cherry Blossom Tree and heading toward a cozy Snowman Village holiday basket this October. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie) https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/creativity-cycles https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/creativity-cycles Sat, 20 Jun 2026 23:50:15 GMT For years, I thought I had a productivity problem. Every January, I planned for the year ahead and usually around mid-year felt guilty that I wasn't doing enough. What I eventually realized was much simpler. I wasn't inconsistent. I was trying to live in two different seasons at the same time. Over the last several days, while building a financial planning system for my life, an unexpected pattern emerged. When I stepped back and looked at the entire year instead of individual weeks, I realized my creative life naturally falls into two distinct modes. Create. Connect. That's it. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie) https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/keeping-the-light-on-letter-review-shortlist https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/keeping-the-light-on-letter-review-shortlist Sat, 06 Jun 2026 14:00:00 GMT My memoirist personal essay, Keeping the Light On, was shortlisted by The Letter Review. A reflection on recognition, persistence, and the long road of the writing life. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie) https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/what-makes-us-human https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/what-makes-us-human Sun, 17 May 2026 14:30:00 GMT On Hershey, Andy and Toby, and the small ordinary moments that tether us to one another. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie) https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/what-are-stories-for https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/what-are-stories-for Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:03:43 GMT Why do we keep returning to stories? A reflection on fiction, truth, and the quiet ways they help us find our way home. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie) https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/the-cricket-was-watching-and-little-old-lady-comedy https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/the-cricket-was-watching-and-little-old-lady-comedy Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:19:38 GMT A recent acceptance by Little Old Lady Comedy, a home for whimsy, wordplay, and one increasingly judgmental cricket. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie) https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/extraordinary-lives https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/extraordinary-lives Sat, 16 May 2026 14:42:56 GMT Maybe extraordinary lives rarely feel extraordinary while we are living them. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie) https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/stories-saved-me https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/stories-saved-me Fri, 15 May 2026 14:22:12 GMT A lonely child reading late into the night, and the quiet ways books became a lifeline. A reflection on connection, authenticity, and why stories still matter. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie) https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/32-years https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/32-years Fri, 15 May 2026 08:22:36 GMT A reflection on thirty-two years of journaling and how writing became the thread that carried me through every season of life. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie) https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/coming-back-to-the-page https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/coming-back-to-the-page Thu, 14 May 2026 21:39:00 GMT A reflection on the years between books. On survival, healing, and finding my way back to writing. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie) https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/the-blossoms-are-finally-blooming https://charitymarieauthor.com/writing/the-blossoms-are-finally-blooming Thu, 14 May 2026 20:31:44 GMT After years of living quietly in my heart, Cherry Blossom Tree is complete. noreply@charitymarieauthor.com (Charity Marie)