Caroline Allen
A few weeks ago, I met up a social worker in her 40s in Portland who worked with at-risk youth. She was interested in writing a book. We talked about the writing process and she told me a bit about her work with addicted teens. "I admire that you're able to do that kind of work. I've tried, and it emotionally overwhelms me," I told her. "Oh no, you could do…
I grew up in rural Missouri with conservative parents. Almost every lesson I learned as a girl (knitting, sewing, cooking, cleaning) was how to run a household and how to support a man.I wanted out.I wanted to find own way.I wanted a real voice.First, I had to reach escape velocity.Once I did, once I was out, I was left alone. It was fine to do my own thing, as long as…
Painting by Caroline Allen. I was at the beach at Nehalem Bay in Oregon a few months ago. A 5-year-old girl was doing the worm in the sand, her mother standing nearby. "Is that the worm?" I asked her. "Yes!" She wormed some more. She jumped up and ran up to me and my dog Atlas. I held his leash tight. He's twice her size and weight, and I was worried…
Excited to announce that my fourth novel, WATER, has won an Indie Publisher Gold Medal for Visionary Fiction. Pearl Swinton is drowning in a dark night of the soul. In the depths, she hears a cry to purpose, but to what? A former journalist who has spent years trying to outrun her psychic visions, Pearl meets a mentor in an urban mystic named Rayne, who introduces her to the concept of…
As a coach, I'm seeing more and more people going through a spiritual awakening. Here I explore the signs, symptoms, and solutions to dealing with such an awakening, using my own experiences. My journey is detailed in my fourth novel, WATER. Even though it's part of a series, the book can be read as a stand-alone novel. You can get a copy here. 1. Sudden openingNot all but many people going through a…