Another month, another stack of books checked off the list! October was a fantastic reading month! One of those rare stretches where I actually made time to read and loved almost everything I picked up. In this post, I’m sharing the eight books I finished (plus one soft DNF), what I’m still reading going into November, and the new titles I’m most excited to pick up next.

Think of this as the mixtape for Thirteen Weeks in Digby. I’ve always “heard” music in the back of my head as I read (weird quirk, I know), so I put together 16 tracks that capture everything from gusty storm vibes to those quiet, “just us” moments and the big, messy warmth of found family.

Another month, another couple of books checked off the list! I may not hit my original goal of 52 this year, but I’m learning to celebrate the little pockets of time I do get to read. In this post, I’m sharing what I finished in September and the spooky, cozy, and book-club picks I’m most excited to dive into this October.

Some readers choose not to rate memoirs. After all, who are we to judge someone’s real life? I respect that, but I’ve landed in a different place. I do rate memoirs, though not in the same way I rate fiction. Here’s why.

Ten powerful red-letter teachings of Jesus. Words that challenge greed, hypocrisy, and division — and call us to live differently.

“No one has a constitutional right to a TV show. But when the consequence for criticizing a political figure is cancellation, while violent rhetoric gets a pass with a quick apology, something feels broken.”

Inviting beta readers opened a window onto fresh perspectives I never saw on my own. In this post, I share how I crafted a guided Google Form, started weaving early feedback into the manuscript, and am gearing up for a second full developmental pass.

Meet Emmett, Paige’s teenage son. Sharp, guarded, and learning who he is. At fifteen, his silence says more than he lets on, and every edge feels like part of growing up.

When I first finished my novel’s first draft, I felt…weird. Proud yet conflicted, excited and uneasy to step away from my characters. In this post I share how I discovered developmental editing—why it’s the vital “zoom-out” pass after drafting and how I map every scene in a simple spreadsheet.

Duck is easy to underestimate — laid-back, offbeat, and more insightful than anyone realizes. He’s the janitor at the community center (and might even live in the basement).

Friday nights in our house mean two things: pizza and movies. With Cheese Pizza Day landing on a Friday this year, it feels like the perfect excuse to share our favorite tradition…and the ultimate list of must-see 80s and 90s family movies!

Susie and Jim are the kind of people who hold everyone else up — steady, warm, and full of quiet strength. She makes the plans, he fixes what’s broken, and there’s always room for one more at their table.

I read… no books in August—Oops! Not my best reading wrap-up to be honest. This is a quick check-in on what I’m still reading and what I look forward to finishing and starting in September!

Laney is sharp, funny, and fiercely independent. With her love of music, her quick wit, and her hidden tenderness, she’s learning what it means to let her walls down.

Jenson is clean-cut, thoughtful, and full of quiet questions. Raised in a faith that taught him what to believe, he’s learning what it means to decide for himself. A coming-of-age story told in glances, hesitations, and quiet courage.

Bees are vital to our environment… and our gardens. In Iowa, you can help protect pollinators and fight colony collapse disorder by planting native flowers like purple coneflowers, milkweed, and bee balm. These blooms not only support local ecosystems, they add beauty to your outdoor space (and make gorgeous backdrops for family portraits).

What do personality tests have to do with writing fiction? A lot, actually. In this post, I explore how being a Type 9 INFJ impacts my creative process, my characters, and even the scenes I avoid writing. (Spoiler: it’s conflict.)

Alonzo is everyone’s best friend — the one you call when you need to laugh, when you need to eat, when you need to feel seen. He dreams of bigger things, but here in this little town, he and his restaurant, Fickle, are already unforgettable.

Digby may be fictional, but it’s built with the heart of a real Midwestern town. Here’s why I created it, and some of my favorite places within its streets.

Lupita is warmth wrapped in quiet strength. The kind of person who keeps everyone together without asking for anything in return. She’s weathered storms—inside and out—but her love for others never wavers. You may not always understand exactly what she says, but you’ll always feel what she means.