Dorm to Doorstep is a candid, big-sister-style guide that blends personal stories, tough truths, and practical advice to help young women navigate confidence, safety, relationships, and self-discovery as they enter adulthood. Why was this an important book for you to write?

As my daughter was approaching the end of her high school years, I observed the juxtaposition between the time in a young woman’s life when she is exerting her independence, crossed with really needing advice, and the last person she wanted to hear from is MOM. So, I packaged “evergreen” motherly advice into a fun, humor-filled yet sometimes serious book that attracts the reader with a structure resembling social media – colorful, short snippets and stories – a book that they can pick up for the AHA of the day, put down, and pick up again at their leisure.

Your book emphasizes personal choice. What experiences most shaped your belief that “you control you?”

Every day when we wake up, we can control one thing – us. Things will happen, people will say things, and we will make mistakes. How we perceive and interpret these things will drive our reactions and our learning.

I experienced some rough times as an adolescent and young adult. Circumstances I could not control. For many years, I sometimes chose to let insecurities and fear drive my decision-making. One thing that always kept me going, however, and led to real change was accepting that I am not a victim of anything that comes my way. I am in control of what I do about it. This is transformative when facing a challenge; I like to say you do you and I’ll do me, respectfully. I control the direction that I go, and my path is my own. My favorite thought each day is “Go out and make it a great day!” And, as you noticed, that is a consistent theme in Dorm to Doorstep. I believe the earlier young people feel empowered to forge their path, look at things in a proactive way, and control their emotions, the more successful they will be in facing adversity and achieving their goals.

If a reader could walk away remembering only one piece of advice from the book, what would you want it to be?​

It is the first page of Dorm to Doorstep: Life is a journey; there is not one path. Embrace the ups and downs. And, I try to be a cheerleader in the journey by sharing tips, tidbits, and tales to help the journey be smoother, humor-filled, and fun.

How do you hope parents or mentors use this book when supporting the young women in their lives?​

I view the book as a platform for discussion; to provoke honesty and sharing of personal stories to make connections and build relationships. If I were to visualize this, it would be a Mom and daughter having a fun conversation sparked from one of the pages in which they share their own thoughts and experiences as a way to bond and grow together.

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