“Give her a room of her own and five hundred a year, let her speak her mind and leave out half that she now puts in, and she will write a better book one of these days.” – Virginia Woolf

Hi there! I’m Erin, a lifelong bookworm and aspiring storycatcher. This little blog is my play space for exploring life through the lens of words, for finding moments of joy and wonder, for noticing and remembering the common threads of our stories — yours and mine. Our lives are built on the stories we tell.

I like history, Earl Grey tea, Oxford commas, reading nooks, and rolling library ladders. I’m great at making lists but terrible at finishing things. I’d love to write a book someday, but most days, I struggle to write even a paragraph. Like most human beings, I’m my own worst critic.

It’s hard to see the beauty and shape of life as it happens. Ten years ago, as I jumped from one job to another, wondering where I’d gone wrong and why everyone else seemed to know what to do with their lives, I hadn’t learned to appreciate the ups and downs, the rhythm and seasons of life. In retrospect, if I squint hard and turn my head juuust right, I can see the loose threads of my story weaving themselves together in unexpected ways.

I have an eclectic but, as it turns out, surprisingly useful background in publishing, financial planning, and retail coffee. I live in Des Moines, Iowa, and spend my days working piecemeal as a writer, editor, web designer, financial director, and chief coffee maker for a small technology consulting company. In this multi-hatted endeavor, I’m blessed to work alongside my husband (and co-founder) Tyler, an award-winning software engineer who somehow manages to keep me sane and laughing during times of Great Stress, like year-end financial reporting and swimsuit shopping.

When I’m not awash in the joys and sorrows of small business ownership, you can find me reading at home (an introvert’s paradise!), pretending to be good at DIY projects, biking the Central Iowa trails, or exploring the arts and culture in downtown DSM, where I live with my husband and our friendly, geriatric shih tzu, Buddy.

Thanks for reading — I’m so glad you’re here!