Writing Life’s Next Chapter - About The Author

Hello!

My name is Blake, and I’ve always been fascinated by the power of stories—how they shape us, connect us, and challenge our perspectives. As a writer, I believe that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to explore the complexities of our world, especially in times of division and uncertainty.

For 25 years, I’ve carried the idea for this book with me. It’s lived in notes, in passing thoughts, in late-night conversations. But now…now it’s time to finally put it on the page.

Small Town Montana to Small Town Minnesota

I grew up in Sidney, a small town in eastern Montana. My parents created a world where I always knew I belonged and was cheered on in all of my endeavors. That kind of security is such a gift, and I’ve come to realize how much it shaped me.

In 2008, I met my husband, Caleb, and together we built our own version of home. We bought a seven-acre farm in Lanesboro, Minnesota, a place where life moves with the seasons and where we’ve poured ourselves into projects, running our own businesses, and finding our own rhythm…which…always seems to change. But through it all, I’ve always felt the weight of people’s burdens, especially those who feel lost. It’s part of who I am. Maybe that’s why this book has been waiting for me.

A Year of Loss Lead Me Here

This past year changed everything. Losing both of my parents within months of each other made me stop and see my life for what it was…and for what it could be. At 56, I’m realizing that, for so long, my life was about working, paying bills and fulfilling roles that often felt like they were already written for me. But now? Now the next chapters are blank. And I’m finally writing them…both on the page and in my life.

We keep hearing, “This is an unprecedented time.” Every newscast, every conversation. But I believe what people really need right now is a sense of home—not a place, but a feeling. A reminder that we are not alone, that we are part of something bigger, that the story isn’t over yet.

That’s what I want to bring into the world. Not just a book, but a better way of seeing each other.

Speculative Fiction & Real-World Change

I’ve always believed in the power of conversation…maybe to an optimistic (or naïve) degree.

I remember being about five years old, lying on my collie-German shepherd mix, Peppy, out in the summer grass. The TV inside was buzzing with things I didn’t understand, but I could feel the tension in the adults around me. Later, I realized it was the Nixon years.

And in that moment, I decided to have a chat with the devil.

In my child’s mind, I thought, If I could just sit down and talk to him, maybe, just maybe, I could convince him to stop hurting people.

It makes me laugh now…this ridiculous little moment of childhood innocence, lying on my dog, staring at the sky, thinking I could single-handedly negotiate with evil.

But in some ways, that instinct has never left me.

I felt it again in college, when I wrote an essay called “Leadership and Social Change,” comparing five leaders throughout history who created massive positive change.

Even then, I was drawn to the idea that movements, leadership, and transformation weren’t just things that happened…they were things we could shape.

And now, I see that my work is an extension of that same pull.

I have decided to take a dip into speculative fiction…stories that challenge what we think we know, what we believe to be true, and what happens when those beliefs unravel. My writing explores the moments where certainty falls apart and something new…something terrifying, yet full of possibility…emerges.

But my work doesn’t stop at fiction.

I also write real-world articles…bridging storytelling with reality to foster a community of people who want to engage, reflect, and take action. Because while my fiction explores what if, I want the articles explore what now?

And I hope that some of you may want to be a part of this experiment. I envision others sharing their own stories within the chapters of my book, which brings us back around to the whole meaning of “Sonder”. You can read more about being a part of the Sonders Experiment here.

Spirituality, Truth, and Evolution

For me, change has always been tied to something deeper.

Not religion, as it’s so often abused…twisted into power plays, reduced to empty formalities, or wielded to control. Instead, I see spirituality as a breath, a presence, something just beyond my reach, as if truth itself is surrounding me, evolving, unfolding, waiting to be found.

And that is what truly changes people—not memorized beliefs, not inherited doctrines, but those breathtaking moments when what we thought was certain falls apart and something new, frightening, and undeniably real emerges in its place.

That’s the essence of my book.

I want to explore the complexities of our lives, the nuances of what makes us human, and the messy, beautiful ways we are connected. I want to move beyond the way we’ve been taught to argue these topics and instead evolve how we talk about them. I want us to focus on action and on what we can agree upon…and what actually brings out our favorite selves, no matter our politics.

And more than that—I want us to cheer each other on.

Real change doesn’t just happen in politics. I hope we can build something better by getting involved in a different way…through our communities, our institutions, and the everyday decisions that shape the country we want to live in. There is so much we can agree on, so many ways we can work toward something meaningful, together.