I began this website when I was still dreaming of ditching my career as high school English teacher to wander the world as a travel writer. For years, I traveled during school vacation weeks and wrote when I could. It occurred to me in this time that earning a living through blogging was harder than I’d anticipated. Quitting my day job would be crazy, but I did it anyway.

I gave notice in the apartment I’d lived in faithfully for five years, packed anything I could not sell into storage, and set off for Asheville, North Carolina with only my clothes, a long black trunk of writings, a handful of books, and Boris my Russian tortoise. Why Asheville? Someone told me I’d like it. When you’re ready for change it takes only the lightest whisper of wind to set you in motion.

For the first time in my life, I finally feel like I’ve found my way home. Rather than running off to travel the world, I want to dig my bare feet into the soil and settle down.

Whether or not it’s ever the way I make my living, I’ll continue to write here, there, anywhere because it’s what makes me feel most alive. Maybe someday I’ll sell my own book from the small town independent bookstore where I currently spend my days.

I hope that somewhere in my writing I inspire you to listen to the song within your own heart and live the life you’ve always wanted.

With boundless gratitude,

Carmela