One of the striking things about grief is that you often feel more empathy for the discomfort of others than you do for your own needs, especially when people say things that miss the mark. Empathy is complex and rough for everyone.

I Just Want My Life Back is my personal audio journal — small, quiet reflections from a life reshaped by loss. It’s separate from my professional work with the International Firebird Book Awards, yet deeply connected in spirit: both are about truth-telling, expression, and finding meaning through words. These are qualities I also value deeply in the books and authors we honor.