From the Shadows

April showers bring May flowers. We can read that phrase and think about gardening, or brush it off as a cliché. On one hand, yes, it makes me think about my garden and how all the rain we’ve gotten has helped wake up my plant babies. But it also makes me think about life and how sometimes we have to go through the storms in order to grow.

At some point, we have to stop and ask ourselves, do we keep going through the motions, doing everything to please everyone else and keep the peace, betraying ourselves day after day? Or do we take our power back, instead of waiting until we snap like Carrie?

Because where your energy goes, your power follows.

I can be a very pessimistic person. I went years of my life focusing on all the negative things that have happened to me and what I thought would happen. I lived with a limited mindset, stuck in a bit of a victim mentality, seeing everything through a tinted lens. Everything felt muted, like I was only seeing life in shades of grey instead of color.

It wasn’t until I had a complete breakdown, aka a panic attack aka my carrie moment except without telekinetic powers, that I realized I needed a change. I needed to reclaim my power and take control of my life. I needed to become an active participant in my own life.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve done a lot of work to rewire my brain and finally start seeing the color again. But I’m not perfect, and recently I’ve found myself slipping back into old patterns. I realized it’s because I’ve been giving away my power. Letting others, and the internet, get me riled up and angry. Following negative energy instead of protecting my own.

And when that happens, everything else follows. I don’t sleep well, my anxiety lingers, and I’m just miserable.

So I’m here to remind you, and myself, that your energy goes where your focus is. Stop letting others pull you down with them. It’s time to take control of our lives, choose carefully who we allow into our circle, set boundaries, living authentically and not feel ashamed for being ambitious and wanting more for ourselves.

And for me, that means taking my power back and focusing it on what actually fills me up, like my family, my garden, and of course my writing.

The Monster Grows (Book Progress Update)

🩸 Progress so far: First draft complete (70,927 words)
🎃 Recent win: Seeing my book printed and bound for the first time
🕯️ Biggest challenge: Preparing mentally to dive back in for draft two

I don’t have any big updates to give this month. As you may or may not know, I decided to give myself another month away before diving into draft two. March was a rough month and I needed more time to wrap up some other things.

That said, not a day goes by that my book isn’t calling to me. I hear her in the middle of a workout, while I’m at my 9–5, gardening, reading, she’s always there. I realize a part of me is dying to live inside that world again, to let myself get fully immersed. But I’m also terrified of the revisions. I’m well aware that my first draft is a bit of a mess.

My plan of attack is to read through the entire book without editing anything. Then I’ll read it a second time and do a reverse outline. From there, I’ll figure out what big picture things need to be revised and/or rewritten. I will definitely take you along my revision process over the next few months.

One exciting thing about all this is that the first time I reread my book, it’ll be in an actual printed copy. I thought it’d be fun to get some of my drafts printed, like a visual tracker to show how far I’ve come. What’s funny is that I had no idea how to design a book cover, so I made a very basic one in Canva and it ended up off-centered. But hey, it’s all a part of the learning journey.

Oh yeah… one more thing. I decided on a title for the book. Well, a working title. The Blood We Swallowed. Ahh!! I can’t wait to dive back in.

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A Bloom of Terror

Every month, I’ll plant a little horror here. Sometimes it will be a short fiction story, other times a personal essays.

The Haunted Shelf 📚🎬📺

This is where I’ll share book, movie, and show recommendations. I’d love to know what you’re reading and watching, so feel free to reply with your own favorites.

This month’s pick is all things Carrie. The book, the movie and the remake.

📚 The Book

Carrie was Stephen King’s debut novel and the first Stephen King book I’ve read. This book was a masterpiece. It reveals the story slowly, and then boom, everything explodes toward the end, figuratively and literally. I could not put this book down. It’s definitely up there with some of my favorite horror books (The Haunting of Hill House being my all time favorite).

For those who don’t know the story, it’s about a teenage girl, Carrie, who discovers she has telekinetic powers after her first period. She’s been bullied by her peers and repressed by her super religious mother. The story builds up to a prank at prom, and she snaps or should I say, takes her power back and gives everyone in her path hell.

I think the reason I resonated with this book so much is because it explores identity, trauma and personal transformation. We all want to be seen and belong, but at what cost? It also dives into power and what it looks like to reclaim it. If you haven’t read this book, run and add it to your TBR list. You won’t regret it.

🎬 The Movie

The 1976 film is a horror classic in my eyes. While the movie is very different from the book, it does a fantastic job of capturing the heart of the story. Sissy Spacek, who played Carrie, was phenomenal. She really brought the character to life. Piper Laurie, who played Carrie’s mother, was also great. Since this was made in the 70s, a lot of the supernatural elements from the book weren’t shown in the movie. Either way, this has moved up on my list of favorite horror films, and I highly recommend it.

🎬 The Remake

The 2013 Carrie remake was just okay. I watched it shortly after the original, and I’m sorry, but Sissy Spacek embodies the role of Carrie so well that it was hard for me to accept anyone else in that role. Don’t get me wrong, Chloë Grace Moretz is a great actress, she just didn’t do it for me in this movie. That being said, since it was made in the 2010s with more advanced technology, the film was able to show more of the supernatural elements that we didn’t get in the original. Overall, it was a good movie, and I enjoyed watching it.

📺 The Show-Coming Soon

Is anyone else excited for the Carrie mini series produced by none other than Mike Flanagan coming out in October?! I love his work and I’m really excited to see his adaptation of this story.

From My Creative Crypt

This is my little corner for fun extras.

This month I’m sharing a short horror film my husband Armando and son made a couple of years ago. The goal is to make another one this year with all three of us. My son wants to be a movie producer when he’s older, so who knows, maybe it’ll turn into a family affair. A girl can dream, right? 😜

Anyways, here’s a little peek into the creative minds of my family.

The Last Whisper

Thank you for making it all the way to the end of my haunted little newsletter. If you enjoyed it, I’d love if you replied back, shared it with a friend, or just let me know what you’re reading and watching. Your support means the world to me as I start this author journey.

Before I go, here is your reminder:

Let’s take some time to reflect on our lives and become aware of where we may be giving our power away. What situations or relationships are we overextending ourselves in? It might be time to set boundaries and limit those interactions.

This can also apply to social media. I know I have a toxic relationship with it at times and need to set strict boundaries around how much I consume. We have to stop letting the internet tell us how to think or make us feel bad about ourselves. The goal should always be to create more than we consume.

There may also be people in your life who aren’t rooting for you. People who try to control the narrative or influence how others perceive you. Be mindful of those relationships. Don’t engage and distance yourself if you can.

At the end of the day, we have to remind ourselves that other people’s opinions of us are none of our business. Because if we spend our days worrying about what others think, we’re giving them our energy, and our power.

That can also show up as constantly seeking external validation to determine our worth. But that power should come from within.

You are the main character of your life. You get to decide how you live it, how you express yourself, what brings you joy, and what you choose to pursue.

When you start putting yourself first, some people will see it as selfish, and that’s okay. Because honestly, I’d rather be the villain in someone else’s story than in my own.

Until next time,

Christina

A quick note…. This issue is going out a few days late and was written before the 13th. Thank you for your patience.

From the Shadows

Happy Friday the 13th again! How lucky are we to get two of them back to back. I still can’t believe we’re already in March.

It’s the time of year when dormant plants like tulips and daffodils start poking out of the ground. They rested most of the year, and now they show up and take up space without apology for the next couple of months. There’s something powerful about that kind of quiet confidence. They play an important role as the first signs of spring. After five or six months of cold and snow in Chicago, even the smallest hint of life brings me joy.

March is also a time to celebrate women, although let’s be real, we deserve to be celebrated every day. We literally birthed every single person on this planet. How we were ever convinced that women are the weaker gender still baffles me. I mean, have we looked at the state of the world run by men? Okay, I’m not going to get all “angry feminist Stina” here… or am I? Either way, this month’s newsletter is a little love letter to women.

I grew up around women who held men on a pedestal and treated them like kings. Some grown men I know still can’t even get up and serve themselves dinner. I witnessed men behave horribly and treat women terribly, yet no matter what they did, they were forgiven and almost worshipped. Thinking about it still makes my blood boil.

Now, as an almost forty-year-old woman, I understand why this happened. It’s a cycle, one we continue to teach little girls every day. Women were taught to stay quiet, not take up space, and to serve. To take care of everyone else except themselves. We were literally bred to be people pleasers.

As we get older we’re faced with two paths. We either continue the cycle, or we say fuck that and reclaim our power. We take up space unapologetically. But here’s the kicker, even when we want a bigger life, or just one where we make the rules and live on our terms, the systems around us are designed to keep us small.

Most women are just trying to survive. The thought of pursuing something purely for ourselves doesn’t always feel like an option. To those women, I see you. And I plead: please start to prioritize self-care, even if it’s just twenty minutes a day. Do something just for you and no one else. I truly believe that if more women saw their own beauty and power, we would be unstoppable.

I’ve been lucky to find a partner who not only views me as an equal but supports me and cheers me on in all my dreams and endeavors. But the people pleaser still runs deep in me.

That is why I continue to write. I’m on a mission to show up as my authentic self.

A lot of my writing, including my book, circles a few recurring themes: gardening, identity, and women reclaiming their power. At the end of last year I kept telling myself I needed to keep writing to find my voice. But the truth is, I already have one. I just need to lean into it more.

To all the women reading this, let’s prioritize self-care (it’s not selfish) and take up space unapologetically and authentically.

The Monster Grows (Book Progress Update)

🩸 Progress so far: 70,927 words
🎃 Milestone: Finishing the first draft
🕯️ Biggest challenge: Accepting the final word count for draft one

I finished the first draft of my novel about a month ago. It still doesn’t feel real whenever I say or type those words. I’m incredibly proud of myself for showing up day after day, even when I didn’t want to. Writing a book takes time, and while my timeline was a bit lopsided, I enjoyed the process.

It took a total of ten months to finish the first draft. Six months to finish Act I and four months to finish the rest. In other words, it took me six months to fully believe in myself and take myself seriously as a writer. Once I embraced the concept of a shitty first draft and committed to focusing only on the book while sticking to a realistic writing schedule, I started to see small consistent results.

The biggest challenge toward the end was accepting the final word count. My goal was 80,000 words, and I realized I wasn’t going to hit that when I was almost at the last chapter and still about 10k short. I can sometimes get fixated on metrics as proof of achievement and worth, so I was beating myself up for not hitting that target. Writing my first book taught me some hard lessons and even revealed new things about myself. For example, I learned that I’m more of a pantser than a plotter. As someone who struggles with anxiety and usually likes to know the plan, this one shocked me.

As I came to the end of the story, I finally understood what so many authors say about draft one. This is the draft where you’re telling yourself the story. I didn’t fully see the big picture until I reached the end. I don’t know what the final story will look like after all the revisions, but I’m beyond excited to dive back in. I love the heart of this story, and I can’t wait to share it with all of you.

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A Bloom of Terror

Every month, I’ll plant a little horror here. Sometimes it will be a short fiction story, other times a personal essays.

The Haunted Shelf 📚🎬📺

This is where I’ll share book, movie, and show recommendations. I’d love to know what you’re reading and watching, so feel free to reply with your own favorites.

This month’s recommendations all center around women and the different battles we face every day. Each story explores power, control, and what happens when a woman starts to question the role the world expects her to play.

📚 The Book – Credenza

A pink horror book by Wendy Dalrymple. It was my first time reading this genre and I loved it. On the surface, it’s about a haunted heirloom and family secrets. But I really connected with the deeper themes of generational trauma and the fear of inheriting mental health struggles from your parents. Wanting to protect your child from it at all costs, but realizing you have to stop avoiding it and face it head on, because only then can you begin to heal. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

🎬 The Movie – Rosemary’s Baby

Rosemary’s Baby is a masterpiece. It’s the type of movie that will live rent free in your head for a while, at least it has for me. It’s a psychological horror movie with occult and folk horror elements. The film was released in 1968, but it still holds up today. The acting and visuals are great. It’s also a great example of how women, still to this day I might add, do not have full autonomy over their own bodies and how we are often gaslit and not taken seriously. I can’t speak highly enough about this movie. If you haven’t seen it and like occult psychological horror, run and watch it.

📺 The Show – Agatha All Along

This show leans more into fantasy horror, which is a sweet spot for me. It explores themes like generational trauma, motherhood, grief, identity, queerness, chosen family, and it has one hell of an anti-hero. And if there’s one thing I love, it’s a good anti-hero. (Another MCU favorite of mine is Loki.) There are supernatural and witchcraft elements, which again I LOVE. It’s safe to say this is one of my favorite MCU shows, and the vibe of it definitely sparked some inspiration while I was writing my book. The cast is mostly women and they are all fucking fantastic. The visuals were perfection. If I could go sit and write on the Witch’s Road, I absolutely would.

From My Creative Crypt

This is my little corner for fun extras.

This month I thought it would be fun to bring you into the world of my book… visually. While some aspects of the story may change and not survive revisions, the overall vibes will stay the same. When writing the first draft, there were times I struggled because I needed to see things visually. Here’s a small peek into the world I’ve been living in while writing this book.

The Last Whisper

Thank you for making it all the way to the end of my haunted little newsletter. If you enjoyed it, I’d love if you replied back, shared it with a friend, or just let me know what you’re reading and watching. Your support means the world to me as I start this author journey.

Before I go, here is your reminder:

Take up more space. Show up as your authentic self. Because when you suppress her, it hurts and cuts deep. You won’t ever be truly happy if you’re being a chameleon to appease the masses.

Cut the people pleaser in you loose. And yes, when you stop people pleasing, people will stop being pleased, and that’s okay.

Start prioritizing self-care every day. Take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Do something that brings you joy. Whether that’s reading, dancing, gardening, photography, whatever it is, prioritize it.

Wear whatever makes you feel good. No need to wait for a special occasion. The occasion is you.

When we know our worth, we become unstoppable. And quite frankly, the world will be a better place.

Shine bright. The world needs your sparkle.

Until next time,

Christina

Happy Friday the 13th! If you know me, you know my lucky number is 13 for many reasons. February is also one of my favorite months because it’s both mine and Armando’s bday month. Okay enough about us…time for the newsletter.

From the Shadows

When most people think about February, they think about love. Romantic love and friendship kind of love. The stores are filled with red and pink heart-shaped products to buy, because that’s how you show someone you love them, right? You buy something, give it to them, and say, “Hey, I love you this many dollars-worth.” I kid, I kid.

But in all seriousness, February can sometimes feel lonely for those who don’t have a partner or someone to celebrate it with. I think we’re focusing on the wrong kind of love sometimes or at least forgetting about one. We tend to be so generous with the love we pour into others but forget about the most important kind of love. Self-love.

Self-love is a lifelong journey because we’re always evolving into different versions of ourselves. To me, it looks like building a relationship with all parts of yourself, practicing radical acceptance, and prioritizing self-care. It means believing in yourself and stepping into the role of the main character in your own life. It means being the final girl in your movie and finally turning to face the monster chasing you.

Plot twist. The monster is yourself. Or what I like to call your inner gremlin. And unfortunately, they’re like Jason Voorhees. No matter how many times you kill them, they always come back to life.

A huge part of self-love for me is giving myself grace. Not being so damn hard on myself all the time and accepting the rougher, darker sides of me too. I still have flaws, and I still feel guilty when I rest instead of being productive. I still compare myself to others at times. There are days when my inner gremlin wins, grabs the mic, and she is brutal. But the next day, I take the mic back. I hype myself up, remind myself of who the hell I am and that I’m enough, and I try again.

There is no destination where we finally conquer self-love. It’s a lifelong journey, and we’re all figuring it out as we go.

The Monster Grows (Book Progress Update)

🩸 Progress so far: 68,647 words
🎃 Recent win: Finally learning that the job of a first draft is simply to exist.
🕯️ Biggest challenge: Writing action and fight scenes.

This past month was a huge win for me. I’m almost done with the first draft of my book, and I truly can’t believe I only have a couple more chapters left to write. 🤯 Don’t get me wrong, this draft is messy AF. But I’m incredibly proud of myself for sticking to my writing schedule and showing up on every planned day, even when I really didn’t want to.

I stayed off social media for the most part, and honestly… it’s been great. For my writing and mental health. A part of me doesn’t want to go back at all. Haha. I might start spending more time here on Substack instead. We shall see. More on that another time.

All that to say, I protected my creativity and my commitment to this book. Yes, I got a ton of writing done, but the biggest win is that I proved to myself that I can do this. That I can do hard things. I pushed through scenes I felt unsure about or didn’t know how to write, aka anything involving action or fighting. My google search history is questionable, so I started adding “for a horror fiction book” to the end of every search. Then I’d look at the image results, immediately gross myself out, and continue writing the gross scene anyway.

Writing Act III has been a journey. A hard one, but a fun one. I even started thinking about my protagonist’s future in a possible sequel (if I ever went that route) and made myself cry. These characters are fictional, but they already hold a special place in my heart.

I’m in love with this story, which is probably a good thing since I’ll have to read it a gazillion times. I know this book still needs a lot of work, but at least I got the bones down. It’s not quite a full skeleton yet and may be missing a bone or two, but it’s doing its job. It exists.

A Bloom of Terror

Every month, I’ll plant a little horror here. Sometimes it will be a short fiction story, other times a personal essay from my haunted garden.

The Haunted Shelf 📚🎬📺

This is where I’ll share book, movie, and show recommendations. I’d love to know what you’re reading and watching, so feel free to reply with your own favorites.

This month I’m doing things a bit differently. I’m recommending one nonfiction book and two movies. All of them explore self-love and the inner battles we go through, and each one carries a powerful message.

📚 The Book – Finding Me: A Memoir

In this memoir, Viola Davis talks about her life and the trauma she endured. She takes ownership of her story instead of letting pain and other people define her. It’s an inspiring story about healing and radical self-acceptance, something I’m trying to reach for myself.

🎬 The Movie – The Ugly Stepsister

This is a body horror movie and another take on the classic Cinderella story. It centers around the stepsister, who is not ugly but believes she is. She literally contorts herself to fit into extreme beauty standards. Although this movie takes place in the 19th century, it still feels very relevant today, as women are still held to impossible standards and pitted against each other. The film is beautiful, but parts of it are a bit disturbing and gross. I almost vomited during one scene…haha..Overall, it’s about self-betrayal and the extreme things we do just to be seen and accepted.

🎬 The Movie – The Substance

This is a psychological body horror movie about society’s obsession with youth and the unrealistic beauty standards placed on women. First, I want to give my flowers to Demi Moore because her performance in this movie was incredible. As women, we tend to look back and wish we were younger, so what would you do if you were given a drug that promised exactly that? The opportunity to be young again. Demi Moore’s character becomes addicted to it, and her sense of self slowly starts to deteriorate. I’ll admit this movie was pretty gross and I’m not sure I’ll ever watch it again, but it was a great film with a powerful message.

From My Creative Crypt

This is my little corner for fun extras.

One of my favorite ways to get out of my head and back into my body, or just boost my mood, is movement and music. It’s become one of my most powerful weapons against Greta, my inner gremlin. She hates it.

I usually have a handful of go-to songs that pump me up, and I’ve started calling it my self-love playlist. I’m sharing it with you this month. Take a listen, just know my taste in music is pretty eclectic. But this is what works for me.

I encourage you to create your own playlist and use it as a form of self-love when you need a mood boost, when you’re getting ready for the day, working out, about to do something hard, or just for the pure joy of it. Whatever you need it for, make it yours.

The Last Whisper

Thank you for making it all the way to the end of my haunted little newsletter. If you enjoyed it, I’d love if you replied back, shared it with a friend, or just let me know what you’re reading and watching. Your support means the world to me as I start this author journey.

Before I go, here is your reminder:

The most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself. Treat yourself with the same love and kindness you pour into others. You are worth it. Do the things that bring you joy. Prioritize your mental, emotional, and physical health. Believe in yourself wholeheartedly and go after your dreams. You know, the ones in your heart that you keep telling yourself maybe one day, or when things slow down, or after this. You get the point. There will never be a perfect time, so why not start now? Why not choose yourself? Accept all the parts of who you are. Because you, my friend, are beautiful. So the next time you walk past a mirror, instead of thinking about everything that’s wrong, extend your hand, smile, and tell yourself, “damn girl, you fine.”

Until next time,

Christina

From the Shadows

January is a month that’s usually filled with motivation. It lurks and follows us like Michael Myers hiding in the bushes. It’s everywhere. On social media, in stores, in the air we breathe. All of it packaged and marketed as something you can buy. A product designed to profit off your eagerness to become a new version of yourself.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the new year. It feels like a fresh start. A time for dreaming and planning, which is something I absolutely love. It reminds me of the beginning of a new school year. You go out and buy all the new supplies. The new water tumbler. The gym membership. The pretty planner. You write down all your New Year’s resolutions, and suddenly everyone is filled with hope.

This is the year, you tell yourself. The year you do all the things. The year you finally become a new version of you.

I hate to burst your bubble, but that motivation we’re all riding high on tends to fade, and it fades fast. A few weeks in, when the motivation is gone, we backslide right into the arms of our inner gremlin and those familiar bad habits. What I’ve learned over the years is that motivation isn’t the key to success. Focus and discipline are.

I tend to have shiny toy syndrome. I’ll work on something for a month or two, then get distracted by a new idea, leaving the last one half finished. Last year I did this a lot. Honestly, too much. While I don’t regret trying all the things, I learned that what I really lack is focus.

So I took some time to reflect on what I wanted 2026 to be about. For the first time, I stepped into the new year not wanting to be a different version of myself, but a more focused one. For me, that meant doing less and removing anything that distracted me from my main goals. I broke my year into quarters, and Q1 is all about finishing the first draft of my novel.

The Monster Grows (Book Progress Update)

🩸 Progress so far: 54,190 words
🎃 Recent win: Finally giving myself permission to write the weird stuff
🕯️ Biggest challenge: Writing a new POV

Over the past month, I didn’t do much writing. I allowed myself to take time off to enjoy baking and the holidays.

It’s only been one full week back to writing, and honestly, it was really tough to get back into it. Not only had I been away from the story for a while, but I also jumped back in having to focus on the second POV of the book. I haven’t spent a lot of time with that character, so getting into her head was difficult. She’s also a character who is the complete opposite of my own personality, so I struggled overall. But once I pushed through the first couple of days, I started to feel better. To be honest, she still feels a bit flat, but for now my job is to keep getting the story out. I can worry about that in the second draft.

A major milestone for me has been letting my freak flag fly. Aka, writing the weird shit that lives in my head. I’ll admit that when it came to writing supernatural horror, I was doing a lot of research to make sure everything followed the “rules,” but it just wasn’t working for my story. It was restricting me. After watching IT Chapter 1 and 2 for the first time over winter break, something clicked. This is FICTION. This is my story. It’s meant to break the rules. Only I can tell this story, and I get to make my own rules.

(Side note: I am completely obsessed with IT right now. I’m currently watching Welcome to Derry and listening to the audiobook, but more on that next month.😜)

A Bloom of Terror

Every month, I’ll plant a little horror here. Sometimes it will be a short fiction story, other times a personal essay from my haunted garden.

The Haunted Shelf 📚🎬📺

This is where I’ll share book, movie, and show recommendations. I’d love to know what you’re reading and watching, so feel free to reply with your own favorites.

No theme this month. Just a few things I unexpectedly fell in love with.

📚 The Book – The Belladonna Series

There are three books and one novella (Holly) in this YA series. Belladonna and Foxglove are my favorites, but honestly the entire series is great. It’s not full-on horror, more gothic fantasy. The story is very atmospheric and set in the 19th century among Victorian estates. There’s murder, mystery, ghosts, and a romantic relationship with death. If you’re into any of those things like I am, I definitely recommend checking this series out.

🎬 The Movie – Queens of the Dead

This is a horror comedy where drag queens battle brain-hungry zombies during an outbreak, and honestly it was way more fun than I expected. I’m not usually a big zombie movie person, but enjoyed this one. If you like zombie movies and need a good laugh, this one’s for you.

📺 The Show – Chucky

This series picks up after the Child’s Play films and follows a group of teenagers whose lives are thrown into chaos thanks to Chucky. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed all three seasons. The teen storylines were solid, Chucky was great, and even when things got pretty crazy in season three (I mean… Chucky in the White House 😂), I loved it.

But honestly, my favorite part of the entire Chucky franchise isn’t Chucky at all. It’s Tiffany Valentine, played by the incredible Jennifer Tilly, who shows up in the series and steals every scene she’s in. She’s beautiful, unhinged, and an absolute badass. Easily one of my favorite horror characters, period.

If you grew up watching Child’s Play or just want something fun, bloody, and chaotic to binge, this one’s worth it.

From My Creative Crypt

This is my little corner for fun extras.

This month’s extras are a few podcasts I’ve been loving lately. Personal development podcasts are my go to usually. I’ve also been listening to a ton of writing podcasts to learn more about the craft and the industry. Today I’m sharing my favorite personal development and my favorite writing podcasts.

🎧 Personal Development

• The Rachel Hollis Podcast

• The Mel Robbins Podcast

✍️ Writing

• Fiction Writing made east with Savannah Gilbo

• The Whole Writer with Nicole Meier

The Last Whisper

Thank you for making it all the way to the end of my haunted little newsletter. If you enjoyed it, I’d love if you replied back, shared it with a friend, or just let me know what you’re reading and watching. Your support means the world to me as I start this author journey.

Before I go, here is your reminder:

As we all step into chapter 2026 of our lives with goals and dreams on our hearts, know that it’s okay to do less and focus on one thing at a time. I know our society glamorizes hustle culture, but trying to do it all at once usually leads to burnout, half-finished projects, and self-sabotage.

That’s why I’ll be much quieter on social media this year and focusing mainly on my writing. If I’m going to put my head down and finish the first draft of my novel, I have to protect my peace and my creativity. For me, that means sticking to a writing schedule, holding boundaries to protect it, consuming less, and minimizing distractions. This is my season to focus, and I’m trusting that doing less will help me create something meaningful.

If you’re in a season of focus too, I hope you give yourself permission to choose one thing, slow down and protect what matters most to you.

One Last Thing:

There is nothing wrong with the version of yourself you are today. Don’t let the masses make you believe you need to change. We are all on our own journeys, and we will evolve over time, and that’s okay. And if you do want to work toward new goals but aren’t in the right season to do so, then rest instead. You don’t need to wait for a new year to start again. Any day can be your day one. Every day is an opportunity to begin again.

Until next time,

Christina

From the Shadows

December is a weird month for me. It holds both joy and stress at the same time. It’s the season of bright lights, joyful music, cookies, and magic. But it’s also the time when I tend to bite off more than I can chew. At the end of every year I tell myself I’ll slow down and do less. Then the next year I convince myself I can do it all. My heart is always in the right place though. I want to keep showing up for my goals, and I also want to be the Christmas witch for everyone around me. The good kind. Obviously.

Sometimes when we’re running around with our heads cut off trying to create joy for everyone else, we miss the magic right in front of us. It isn’t about the number of gifts under the tree. To be honest, shopping has become my least favorite part of the holidays.

This month, I’m trying to let joy exist without turning it into another thing on my to-do list. I’m paying attention to the small moments instead. The quiet ones. The ones that don’t ask me to do more, just to notice what’s already here.

Like adding the final touches to mini gingerbread man cookies and watching them come to life. Or seeing my son’s face light up when he gets to eat my cookies. Or sitting on the couch watching an epic, cinematic scene in Stranger Things season five, volume one, episode four, and realizing his excitement matched mine. That one felt like a core memory.

All of this is just a reminder that joy isn’t in the stuff we buy. It’s in the small moments we almost rush past when we’re trying to make everything perfect or do it all.

The Monster Grows (Book Progress Update)

🩸 Progress so far: 49,430 words
🎃 Recent win: Finishing the Act II arc for my main protagonist.
🕯️ Biggest challenge: Showing up to write even on the days I didn’t feel like it.

This past month of writing was intense and I am incredibly proud of myself. My goal was 30,000 words and I ended the month at 26,354. That is the most I’ve ever written in a single month. I built so much momentum and I’m honestly excited to finish this book.

One thing I learned is that consistency and showing up when you planned matters way more than the actual word count. There were days I was tired, unmotivated, or just “over it,” but I still wrote. It’s like a workout. Sometimes the hardest part is starting, but once you do, you never stop at one rep. You keep going. And just like a workout, I never regretted a writing session.

These past 30 days I wrote the heart of the book. Some parts got me emotional and wrecked me a little. Even though I didn’t hit my original goal, I made major progress.

For the next couple of weeks, I’m taking a break from drafting to do all the fun holiday things… like bake a gazillion cookies. But right after Christmas, it’s back to a strict writing schedule. I’m going to keep focusing on this first draft until it is done.

This month proved to me that I can write a novel and that small, consistent action will get me to the finish line. Then comes the terrifying edits… but I’m getting ahead of myself.

A Bloom of Terror

Every month, I’ll plant a little horror here. Sometimes it will be a short fiction story, other times a personal essay from my haunted garden.

The Haunted Shelf 📚🎬📺

This is where I’ll share book, movie, and show recommendations. I’d love to know what you’re reading and watching, so feel free to reply with your own favorites.

This month accidentally turned into a little collection of stories about identity and transformation. Each one explores a different kind of becoming, from the fractured self to the created self to the witch who chooses her own power.

📚 The Book – The Bird’s Nest

A psychological horror classic by Shirley Jackson. It follows Elizabeth, a young woman whose identity begins to fracture under the weight of her trauma. Her different personalities start battling each other for control of her life. One of my favorite scenes is when she literally takes four baths in a row… well, the four versions of her do. Lol. This book was written so beautifully, and Shirley Jackson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I cannot wait to read the rest of her work.

🎬 The Movie – Frankenstein

Guillermo del Toro’s take on Mary Shelley’s classic was absolutely beautiful. The acting, the storytelling, and oh my god… the visuals. I was obsessed. I love a good gothic horror story, and seeing such a stunning rendition of it on screen brought me so much joy. Definitely my favorite movie of the year.

📺 The Show – Salem

If you love witchy stories with drama, magic, and a little bit of chaos, Salem is such a fun watch. It reimagines the Salem witch trials with actual witches pulling the strings. It’s messy, dark, dramatic, and so entertaining. If you’re in the mood for something witchy and dramatic, this is a great pick.

From My Creative Crypt

This is my little corner for fun extras. Come take a peek in my crypt and you might find things like an exclusive first look at a photoshoot or book cover. Sometimes I’ll share a playlist, a mood board, or a quote from my book. Other times it might be gardening tips, fun recipes, or something totally unexpected.

And the Cookie Giveaway Winner is…..

The Last Whisper

Thank you for making it all the way to the end of my haunted little newsletter. If you enjoyed it, I’d love if you replied back, shared it with a friend, or just let me know what you’re reading and watching. Your support means the world to me as I start this author journey.

Before I go, here’s your reminder:

December always feels like standing in the doorway between endings and beginnings. It’s a time when I naturally want to reflect on the past year and think about what I want to carry with me into the next one. I don’t really believe in New Year’s resolutions because I truly think you can start over or start working toward a goal any day of the year.

As this year comes to a close, I’m trying to choose joy every single day, even if it’s just for five minutes. The quiet kind of joy. The kind that doesn’t need to be productive or turn into something bigger. The kind that feels like a small ritual. Lighting a candle. Letting music play while you move around the kitchen. Gardening, baking, coloring, doodling, dancing, writing. Creating simply because it feels good, with no pressure to turn it into anything else.

So instead of only focusing on what you want to cut away or fix next year, I invite you to think about what you want to add. What makes you feel a little lighter. A little more like yourself. Joy doesn’t have to be impressive or perfectly planned. Sometimes it’s just a moment you decide to protect. And you deserve those moments.

Until next time,

Christina

From the Shadows

As I looked out the window and saw our first snowfall of the season, I was reminded of the beauty in change. I can say with confidence that the last few blooms in my garden won’t make it after today, but that’s the beauty of seasons. They remind us that, just like nature, our lives ebb and flow. Some seasons are full of sunshine and color, others are cloudy and stormy. If you’re in a hard season right now, know that it will pass. And if life feels good at the moment, be fully present in it, because that too will eventually shift.

This past year, I’ve been working on being more present and practicing gratitude. It’s easy to get caught up in what’s missing or what’s next, but when we focus only on what’s wrong, that’s all we see. So I encourage you to take a moment each day to find one small thing you’re grateful for.

Here’s mine: I’m grateful for every single person who took time out of their day to read this. Time is the most valuable thing we have, and it means the world to me that you share some of it here. I’m also grateful for my boys, Armando and Nicholas. I’m lucky to have a partner who supports me wholeheartedly and makes it possible for me to write, and a son who’s a huge nerd like his parents. It’s an honor to be your mom and watch you grow (even if I’ll never understand what 6 7 means). Don’t ever change, kid.

The Monster Grows (Book Progress Update)

🩸 Progress so far: 29,377 words
🎃 Recent win: Writing a messy chapter of the book without editing it.
🕯️ Biggest challenge: Continuing to believe in my story and writing everyday.

I’ve learned a lot about the world of writing this year, and one thing that keeps popping up is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). It’s a challenge to write a 50,000-word manuscript in 30 days. And if you know me, I love a good challenge. So naturally, I wanted in but with some modifications to fit my life and schedule. I started a a week late but my plan is to write daily for the next month and finish Act II.

When I first decided to turn this idea into a novel, all I really knew was the middle of the book, which I now know is Act II. I had no idea how it started or ended. Now that I’ve finished Act I, all I have for Act III is a concept of a plan. I’m hoping that by the time I finish writing Act II, the characters will tell me how it’s supposed to end. Right now, I’m deep in the parts I already knew for Camila, which has been fun. Izzy’s POV, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. She’s holding the pen herself at this point.

I keep reminding myself that my only job right now is to get the story out. Even if it’s messy and ugly (and let’s be honest, it 100 percent will be). That’s the beauty of edits. Finding the gems and adding color later. For now, the story just needs to exist. These are the bones. The rest will come together in the oh so many rounds of edits. I’m doing my best to stay present and grateful for this stage because I know I’ll miss it when it’s gone.

A Bloom of Terror

Every month, I’ll plant a little horror here. Sometimes it will be a short fiction story, other times a personal essay from my haunted garden.

The Haunted Shelf 📚🎬📺

This is where I’ll share book, movie, and show recommendations. I’d love to know what you’re reading and watching, so feel free to reply with your own favorites.

This month’s theme is coming-of-age horror. I’ve always loved stories that explore what it means to grow up, especially when it’s messy, emotional, and a little bit dark. These picks all have that in common, characters on the edge of adulthood, learning who they are, and facing the monsters that come with it, both real and imagined.

📚 The Book – When Devils Sing

A YA horror debut by Xan Kaur. When Devils Sing is dark, poetic, and in my opinion, a reflection of what’s happening in the world right now. The rich and powerful stay that way by sacrificing those less fortunate. Beneath the horror, it’s really a coming-of-age story about an unlikely group of teenagers who come together to investigate a local teen’s disappearance. Each one is carrying their own trauma while trying to figure out who they are and how to move forward as they step into adulthood.

🎬 The Movie – Hellbender

If you like witchy vibes, this movie is for you. It follows a mother and her teenage daughter who live deep in the mountains. After being sheltered her entire life and only ever interacting with her mother, the daughter, Izzy, starts to get curious about the outside world and befriends another teenager. As she begins to explore life beyond their home, she learns the truth about herself and her mother. It’s a slow but beautiful burn, and the music is fantastic. Easily one of my favorite witch movies of all time.

📺 The Show – Stranger Things

I’m going to assume everyone reading this knows about Stranger Things. The final season starts dropping November 26 and will be released in segments throughout the year. Armando and I have watched the show since it first premiered and have loved it from the beginning.

What made this year special is that we rewatched the first four seasons with our 10-year-old son, Nicholas. Seeing it through his eyes and watching him fall in love with the story is something I’ll always treasure. I was so aware in the moment that we were creating a core memory, the time he became completely obsessed with Stranger Things.

His favorite character is Dustin, and he’s gotten emotional during a few scenes (no spoilers here, just in case). I can’t wait to experience the final season together as a family, even though I’m pretty sure it’s going to emotionally wreck all three of us.

From My Creative Crypt

This is my little corner for fun extras. Come take a peek in my crypt and you might find things like an exclusive first look at a photoshoot or book cover. Sometimes I’ll share a playlist, a mood board, or a quote from my book. Other times it might be gardening tips, fun recipes, or something totally unexpected.

This month’s fun extra is something sweet…literally. I’m giving away a baker’s dozen of Armstina’s Cookies holiday-decorated classic vanilla sugar cookies to one lucky subscriber. The winner will be announced in my December 13th newsletter, and I’ll reach out by email afterward to get your mailing address.

If you’re not subscribed yet, there’s still time! Subscribe to The Dark Petal by December 10th to be entered into the giveaway. Consider it my way of saying thank you for being part of this little haunted corner of the internet. 🎄🍪

The Last Whisper

Thank you for making it all the way to the end of my haunted little newsletter. If you enjoyed it, I’d love if you replied back, shared it with a friend, or just let me know what you’re reading and watching. Your support means the world to me as I start this author journey.

Before I go, here’s your reminder:

As all the stress of the holiday season begins, make sure you’re prioritizing your well-being. Move your body. Do something that brings you joy. Be present. And take a moment each day for gratitude. And I don’t mean gratitude for material things. I’m talking about the little moments we often take for granted, like a warm cup of coffee (or if you’re like me, an iced one). You get the point.

I shared some of my gratitude earlier, and now it’s your turn. What is something or someone you’re grateful for? Write it down. Tell them. Just promise me you’ll look for one good thing each day to be grateful for. There’s beauty all around us, even in the storms.

One last thing:

“But I know you’re getting older, growing, changing. And, I guess, if I’m being really honest, that’s what scares me. I don’t want things to change.

So I think maybe that’s why I came in here, to try and stop that change. To turn back the clock. To make things go back to how they were. But I know that’s naive. It’s just not how life works.

It’s moving, always moving, whether you like it or not. And yeah, sometimes it’s painful. Sometimes it’s sad. And sometimes, it’s surprising. Happy.

So you know what? Keep on growing up, kid. Don’t let me stop you. Make mistakes, learn from ‘em. And when life hurts you, because it will, remember the hurt. The hurt is good. It means you’re out of that cave.” — Jim Hopper, Stranger Things

Until next time,

Christina

From the Shadows

October is my favorite kind of chaos. Leaves start changing colors, haunted houses are opening, and the air finally has that little chill that makes you want to light a candle and watch scary movies. Everywhere you look, Halloween decorations are creeping up around the neighborhood, and it just feels like magic. And in our house, it brings us pure joy. Our front yard is filled with decorations, handmade by Armando.

I think as adults, we love Halloween so much because it’s nostalgic. It lets us be creative and play again. That’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot this past month—reconnecting with my inner child more often.

As I’ve gone deeper into my writing journey, I’ve noticed something. I get stuck when trying to write pure fiction, the kind of stuff that couldn’t actually happen, like the supernatural elements in my book. I’ve been having a hard time tapping into my imagination, and for a while, I couldn’t figure out why. But the truth is, I think a part of me forgot how to play.

My inner child has been tucked away in the furthest parts of my subconscious for so long. She carries a lot of trauma, so sometimes I avoid her. But when I do that, I also avoid all the wonderful things she holds like curiosity, wonder, imagination, joy in play, and a kind of authenticity that doesn’t care about the social pressures of adulthood.

This month, I’ve been trying to reconnect with her more and invite her to the forefront through writing, through small moments of play, and by letting myself create without worrying if it’s good. Because the truth is, imagination doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from curiosity.

The Monster Grows (Book Progress Update)

🩸 Progress so far: 22,380 words
🎃 Recent win: I finished the first chapter from the second POV.
🕯️ Biggest challenge: Getting back into the book after taking a two-week break to focus on a short story.

I’ve really stuck to a writing plan this past month, even though I get shiny new toy syndrome all the time. Since I’m still in the early days of my writing journey, I’m learning as I go. I love playing with new story ideas, and sometimes taking breaks from my book helps me come back to it as a better writer. The progress has been slow, but it’s still progress, and I’m proud of myself for continuing to show up.

If you were here last month, you know I promised to share more about the premise of my book. I still don’t want to give too much away since I’m only on the first draft and things can change a lot between now and the final version. But I will give you this...

Camila, an aspiring social media influencer, is invited to an exclusive event after being accepted into an organization that claims to help women discover their power and build social media and business empires of their own. Bringing her lifelong friend Izzy along, she soon realizes things are not what they seem. As reality begins to blur, Camila and Izzy are separated. Camila is forced to confront her deepest traumas, insecurities, and her toxic need for validation, while Izzy is left behind trying to uncover what is really happening. What begins as a quest for self-growth spirals into manipulation, madness, and the cost of belonging to something that demands your soul.

A Bloom of Terror

Every month, I’ll plant a little horror here. Sometimes it will be a short fiction story, other times a personal essay from my haunted garden.

The Haunted Shelf 📚🎬📺

This is where I’ll share book, movie, and show recommendations. I’d love to know what you’re reading and watching, so feel free to reply with your own favorites.

This month’s theme is Gothic horror, filled with decaying mansions, forbidden love, and the kind of beauty that hides something sinister underneath. Here are my favorite picks that capture that haunting, romantic dread.

📚 The Book – Mexican Gothic

A modern gothic masterpiece by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This book was such a fun and creative read. I loved how it captured that sense of rot hiding beneath glamour, and the writing completely pulled me in. It also reminded me that it’s okay to break the rules when it comes to writing fiction.

🎬 The Movie – Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Visually stunning and theatrical chaos in the best way. The costumes, set pieces, and performances were incredible. The cast was amazing too, including Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves. Honestly, what more could you ask for?

📺 The Show – The Haunting of Bly Manor

A ghost story wrapped in grief and love. This show is haunting in a quieter way than Hill House, but it still stays with you long after the credits roll. It starts off slow, but once you get halfway through, you’re hooked. It wrecked me emotionally and had me ugly crying at the end. It’s more than just a ghost story, it’s a tragic love story. It shows that love and memory can coexist and that moving forward doesn’t mean letting go.

From My Creative Crypt

This is my little corner for fun extras. Come take a peek in my crypt and you might find things like an exclusive first look at a photoshoot or book cover. Sometimes I’ll share a playlist, a mood board, or a quote from my book. Other times it might be gardening tips, fun recipes, or something totally unexpected.

This month’s extra is a little fiery. Armando’s homemade Yellowbird-style hot sauce has become a favorite in our house. It’s sweet, spicy, and dangerously addictive. It’s the perfect mix of heat and flavor.

The Last Whisper

Thank you for making it all the way to the end of my haunted little newsletter. If you enjoyed it, I’d love if you replied back, shared it with a friend, or just let me know what you’re reading and watching. Your support means the world to me as I start this author journey.

Before I go, here’s your reminder:

Allow yourself to play more. Pick out a costume and wear it on Halloween. Watch your favorite scary movie. Carve or paint a pumpkin. Do something just for fun.

What’s one thing you used to love as a child that you don’t do anymore? Color in coloring books? Doodle? Eat ice cream with way too much candy on it? Go do that thing. Don’t let your inner child stay tucked away as a vague memory. Grab their hand and go on an adventure.

We only get one life, so make it count. Let it be messy, fun, and full of moments that remind you you’re alive.

One last thing:

“Humans are organic. We are meant to die. It’s natural. Beautiful. And it all breaks down, and rises back up, and breaks down again. And every living thing grows out of every dying thing. We leave more life behind us to take our place... Like this moonflower. That’s where all its beauty lies, you know, in the mortality of the thing.” — The Haunting of Bly Manor

Until next time,

Christina

From the Shadows

🌙 Welcome to the very first issue of my haunted little newsletter.

September has always been my favorite month. The weather cools, the Halloween decorations come out… well, more decorations come out. My house is basically Halloween year round. Horror and Halloween are kind of our thing.

Some people get spooked by Friday the 13th, but for me it’s lucky. Today I get to wish my husband of 12 years a Happy Anniversary. Fun fact: Armando and I had our first date on Friday, October 13th, and our wedding on Friday, September 13th. So of course it felt perfect to send this newsletter on the 13th of every month. (I just typed out the number 13 way too many times.🤪)

So, what can you expect here? Each month I’ll give you a glimpse into the messy but magical process of writing my first horror novel. I’ll share eerie reflections, original short horror stories, personal essays, and fun extras—like book and movie recs, exclusive first looks at my photoshoot ideas (that Armando kindly puts up with), and whatever else crawls out of my creative crypt.

I want this to feel like opening a new door in my haunted house, the one marked horror author. I’ll be honest with you: I don’t fully know what I’m doing. But I’m so glad you’re here at the beginning, watching me figure it out. Every story needs a first page, and this is ours.

The Monster Grows (Book Progress Update)

🩸 Progress so far: 18,214 words
🎃 Recent win: I finally created a realistic writing schedule and have been showing up for it.
🕯️ Biggest challenge: Allowing myself to write badly and trust it will come alive in edits.

I’ll admit I was naive when I first decided to write a book. The idea came to me in a dream, and at first it was just going to be a short story. But then it grew into something more, and I fell in love with it. That’s the thing though—the idea is the easy part. Once the initial rush faded, I had to actually sit down and write the book.

And every single time I sit down, my inner gremlin Greta shows up. She’s loud, vicious, and relentless. Honestly, this whole journey feels like a knife fight with myself. I know I won’t come out the other end the same, but I’m determined to push through. I will be the final girl of my own story.

I know, I know—I’ve been talking about writing a book but haven’t shared much about what it’s actually about. Maybe with another month of consistent writing and a little more confidence, I’ll share more of the premise. For now, I’ll just say this: at its core, it’s about identity, idolization, and the dangers of seeking external validation.

The draft is messy, but I’m still standing. The final girl always fights back.

A Bloom of Terror

Every month, I’ll plant a little horror here. Sometimes it will be a short fiction story, other times a personal essay from my haunted garden.

The Haunted Shelf 📚🎬📺

This is where I’ll share book, movie, and show recommendations. I’d love to know what you’re reading and watching, so feel free to reply with your own favorites.

This month’s pick is all things The Haunting of Hill House — the book, the movie, and the show.

📚 The Book – Shirley Jackson’s gothic classic. This is easily my favorite horror book I’ve ever read and the first one that actually scared me. It’s a masterpiece from beginning to end. The unreliable narrator is done so well that I know I’ll be reading this book again just to study it.

🎬 The Movie – The 1963 adaptation. This classic black and white film follows the story of the book closely with just a few changes. It leans into atmosphere and proves that less is often scarier. I loved the creative camera shots that lingered and built eerie tension. Sometimes what you don’t see is more terrifying. I also loved the house in this version, and the actors were great.

📺 The Show – Mike Flanagan’s Netflix series is a masterpiece of its own. It completely reimagines the story into something new. I highly recommend reading the book first and then watching the show. It’s so creative and beautifully done, and it mixes heartbreak with some truly scary moments.

💭What I love about Hill House is how it shows that horror is always about more than fear. The monsters are never just monsters. They’re mirrors.

From My Creative Crypt

This is my little corner for fun extras. Come take a peek in my crypt and you might find things like an exclusive first look at a photoshoot or book cover. Sometimes I’ll share a playlist, a mood board, or a quote from my book. Other times it might be gardening tips, fun recipes, or something totally unexpected.

For this first issue, I thought it would be fun to share something a little strange. Armando and I recently did a photoshoot where I wore different masks to represent all the ghosts from my personal essay The Haunting of Becoming. These are some of my favorite shots, and I’m so excited to show them to you first.

The Last Whisper

Thank you for making it all the way to the end of my very first haunted little newsletter. If you enjoyed it, I’d love if you replied back, shared it with a friend, or just let me know what you’re reading and watching. Your support means the world to me as I start this author journey.

Before I go, here’s your reminder: give yourself grace when you’re doing something new and stepping into the unknown. Not every day will feel like a win, but if you keep showing up, you will see results. Remember progress over perfection, always. And most importantly, show up as yourself. This dark world needs your unique light.

One last thing:

“Insist on your cup of stars. Once they have you trapped into being like everyone else you will never see your cup of stars again.”— Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House

Until next time,

Christina