The Intro Section
Hello my friends!
Sorry I'm a bit late, but my last 3 emails were sent on Thursday, and I figured, why break the trend?
Dear goodness, it's been a whole month of 2026 already... How does this happen?? I thought we agreed 2026 would be less messy and hectic??
Also, why does Semester 1 end in January? Who thought it would be a good idea to have all those exams within a month of Christmas Break? Why???
To anyone in the Northern Hemisphere getting anything creative done in the last week of January, I salute you from the depths of my igloo.
I, myself, have been hiding from the -30 degree weather and cramming my last week of Math and English while training for my next taekwondo belt test!
The Life Section
I'm turning 17 in 2 weeks.
There was a time I didn't think I'd live to be 16, so I consider this a win.
On the other hand, a much more optimistic version of me had big, ambitious plans for our 16th year. I wanted to publish a novel, have a successful website/platform, maybe graduate, and overall be a massive over-achiever. Afterall, once you're 17, you're basically 18, which is basically an adult, which means your life is basically over.
Once it became clear to me that none of these things were going to happen in time for that deadline, I felt like a failure. I failed that version of me that held such high hopes and wasn't afraid to dream big. I let smaller Lori down, and I felt horrible. Not going to lie, I still feel pretty horrible writing this.
I thought that if smaller Lori could see me now, she'd be disappointed.
The thing is, that's a lie.
Smaller Lori couldn't even fathom how much we've been through, how much we've grown, or how much stronger we are now. Sure, it didn't all happen the way I wanted it to. Actually, pretty much none of it did. But the fact that I am still here, laughing and crying my way through life, is the biggest achievement of all. I had a lot of opportunities to give up. I almost did. I almost threw in the towel and left my dreams behind. I had to hurt to grow. I had to lose to win. I had to go through pain to experience love. In the end, though? It's all worth it.
I recently made a miraculous discovery: Your life does not end once you turn 18, or 20, or any of those others way too adult-sounding numbers. Turns out, these teen years I was so stressed to filling to the absolute max, are just the beginning; and a rough one at that.
During one of my several breakdowns over the summer, my mom drilled a simple fact into my muddled mind: You will not be 16 forever. All these hormones and new emotions and responsibilities, all these highs and lows and grey areas, they're all just a part of the process. You don't become an adult overnight. It's a long, difficult transition at the best of times, and for someone in my circumstances, it was 10 times worse. Someday, I hope things will calm down. In fact, I believe they will. It will just take some patients in the meantime.
Small Lori was a dreamer. It's one of the things I admire most about her. The world has this way of making those dreams disappear. That's not what I want for us. I want us to always have the courage to dream big and have the strength to weather the storms that come between me and those dreams. Not just the goals I want to meet or the places I want to go, but the person I want to become.
"Hang on to your dreams, Chip. The future is built on dreams."
-Optimus Prime
The Writing Section
GUYS I PLACED IN A CONTEST!!!
Writers of November's First Page Frenzy contest was held last month, and I got an Honorable Mention, putting me in the top 6!!! I am super proud, and that feeling in itself is a rare win for me. I have a hard time accepting success or positive feedback of any kind, especially when it comes to my art. It's something I'm working on. So let me take a moment to brag that all the others in the ranking were significantly older and more experienced than me. The 3 winners are all college grads, and 2 out of the 5 other writers have published full novels. I feel like it's pretty cool I almost outclassed these guys at only 16. Imagine how much better I could become before I'm brave enough to publish again XD.
HMs didn't get their first page published on the WoN site, so here it is for anyone curious!
Wings.
I stare at them in the smudged bathroom mirror, my hands braced on the counter in front of me.
They stretch out into the space between my back and the wall of empty stalls behind me, refracting the dim light from the fluorescent bulbs that flicker every few seconds.
Huge. Strong. Monstrous.
They’re a curse. A mystery. A death sentence. An enigma that follows me wherever I go.
As a little girl, I’d dance around the living room of my foster parent’s house, pretending I was a fairy. The adults chalked it up to childish fancy. Nothing more than an imaginary friend. A figment of my imagination.
Until it wasn’t.
Until I was much too old for such games, yet still convinced I had a pair of wings that no one else could see.
There was no more dancing after that. No more cozy living rooms with loving foster parents. No more childlike innocence. They gave me up. Said I was a freak.
Stupid. Crazy. Dangerous.
-City Ablaze, draft 1.5, 2025
In other news, I reached 5k in Project Duplicate! As much as I love this project, I've had a heck of a time getting words on the page. The story is growing and changing faster than I can draft and re-draft the same chapters for the 5th time. I brought this on myself, though, going in with nothing but vibes and a playlist. I'll live.
The Book Section
A Green Ember Archer story set during Heather and Picket’s arrival at Cloud Mountain, The Last Archer follows the journey of Jo Shanks. Jo is a gifted archer with a burden on his back and a fire within. Eager to see the Longtreaders receive justice, he travels from his Halfwind Citadel home to a Cloud Mountain poised on the brink of war. What he finds there will confront his convictions and test his resolve as the war begins and King Jupiter’s heir is revealed.
A kingdom in the balance. An arrow aimed at the heart of darkness.
Who will take the shot?
Considering the demographic most of my subscribers fall into, you've probably read, or at least heard of, this book/series.
S. D. Smith, or Sam to his adoring fans, is one of my biggest inspirations as an artist and as an overall person. While perhaps not his best book ever, this first entry to the Green Ember: Archer spin-off series has always been my favorite.
Jo is a character I connect with more than most. His anger, sadness, and insecurity are, unfortunately, feelings that I deeply resonate with. I think we're both talented people that get too wrapped up in our failures to recognize that about ourselves. I am not quite as tall as he is, but I try to be as funny XD.
I have read this book... at least 10 times. I keep it by my bed so I can open to any chapter and read to calm my mind. When I'm sick, I pop the audiobook on while I nap. This book is possibly my best friend. What does that say about my social life? I don't know, but you should give it a read!
The Movie Section
You've heard of it, you've seen clips, you've already formed your opinion, I love it. I even wrote a whole article!
That's all I've got to say XD.
The Other Section
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This is Samuel.
He is the overachiever I wish I was XD. If you enjoyed my work with the WarriorCo, you'll love him even more!
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Score of the Month
I listen to the 2007 Transformers soundtrack... a lot. It's part of my writing ritual, so when my brain hears the first track, it knows it's time to lock in.
Soundtrack of the Month
Fun Fact: Casting Crowns actually covered All Because of Jesus. I had no idea until, like, last week, but the original is by a small group called Fee. The OG has way less streams, but if you grew up with the CC version like I did, you should check out the Fee one too!
