Blast Radius: Shrapnel, shards and scars from the lies I lived shares with readers your story of living a lie and slowly uncovering the truth and discovering the depth of betrayal from those around you and how you rebuilt your life. Why was this an important book for you to write?

I remember it like it was yesterday.  In 2011,  I was sitting on the porch of what used to be my grandparents’ home, and I was sad, more than sad.  I was a volcano of emotion. As the tears began to come out the sadness turned to anger like I had never felt before.  It was at that moment that I knew that I couldn’t sit by.  I knew that I had to stop what I was going through from happening to at least one other person, and I was going to start by telling my story.  That feeling stayed with me until I finally built up the courage to put pen to paper in the summer of ’22, and it’s what fuels what I will continue to do today. I have gone from wanting to stop it from happening to one person to it being my mission to create a positive change in people, and eventually, the world.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

• Just about every day in the news, we hear about someone being financially taken advantage of. What is not talked about, however, is the all-encompassing emotional turmoil that leads to being able to be manipulated, falling for such deception, and what happens after. I needed to share that.
• What emotional turmoil looks like . . . behind our masks
• What can happen to /because of you and what you can come back from
• Sometimes the worst things that are happening can turn out to be the best things to happen
• Help others discover that they are enough and realize that they are worthy of everything good in life.

I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?

By far, when I pled guilty.

When my book went to initial revision, I was at about 37,000 words.  Then someone judged me based on my background – from over 12 years prior, even though I was upfront with him about it, even though I told him about the book. At that point, my gloves came off.  The book went to over 90,000 words. 

I reconciled with a great many things during that jump in word count, but that one section, when I pled guilty, that’s the piece I consistently break down on. That’s the moment that encompasses all the sadness, pain, and rage I have ever felt. Whenever I focus on that moment, it’s like I’m in that courtroom all over again and I feel for the person I was.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?

That you are imperfectly perfect just the way you are, so trust YOU above all others.

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