This post is all about why I have been absent for months, since the last blog post.
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Published August 29, 2025
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This year has been a lot.
Like, really, a lot.
Last year, I started a job as a paraprofessional with our local middle school. since being a stay-at-home mom for 15 years. And fell in love with it. This caused me to pursue my bachelor’s degree in education with a minor in special education. I graduate in December 2025. Finishing my bachelor’s has taken 15 months. We also lost our precious and neurotic dog, Lucy, last fall.
That being said, staying on top of writing blogs hasn’t been at the top, or even on, my to-do list. Neither has cooking.
Or cleaning.
Or anything other than homework every night of the week.
I also had this idea. An amazing idea. And this idea had to be written down.
For three months, I sat at our dining room table and wrote. And wrote. And wrote.
Then for six months, I sat on those words and let them stew.
Then edits. Edits. And many more edits. Revisions. And more edits. It was exhausting.
Yesterday, late at night, my novel was officially published on Amazon.
I self-published a novel.
It is a contemporary women’s fiction novel.
No one ever tells you how difficult it is to self-publish a novel.
The kicker is, unless you are a social media influencer, or famous, or already an author, no one wants to give a no-one a book deal.
While doom-scrolling the other day, a mom influencer was estatic that she got a book deal. I couldn’t be more proud of her, excited for another mom to be successful. But also borderline jealous that it couldn’t be me.
That angry green monster is damaging to one’s perspective.
Am I right?!
My novel is called Château Green, and you can check it out on Amazon by clicking HERE.
Want the synopsis? Here it is:
Scratch Kitchen Cafe was a thriving business owned by Zoe in Ephraim, Wisconsin, a quaint town in the idyllic wine-growing region of Door County. Heather was the vivacious counter girl, and with the talents of Abby in the kitchen, the cafe thrived and served the village their coffee drinks and pastries. That was, until the pandemic threatened her livelihood, forcing her to only serve at a distance. Zoe was left with no choice but to close her cafe after eleven years, as business fell to nothing.
In a changing world, filled with masks, mandates, social distancing, and coin shortages, Zoe decided to leave everything behind and put all she had into a new adventure – one that took her away from all she was comfortable with, away from her family, to a castle halfway around the world.
Château Vert in Montresor, France, was a family estate dating back to the French Revolution. Zoe fell in love with it when she first vacationed with her family in 2008, revisiting the real estate office window to gaze at the listing often. Now, amidst a worldwide pandemic, peeling wallpaper and thick cobwebs, she found herself falling in love all over again.
A good friend since our teenage years created the cover art for the novel. Isn’t she beautiful!!??
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Now that my classes are done, and I start student teaching in a few days, I can get back to writing my blogs.
Food hasn’t been interesting. But we have done a MASSIVE project in the house. Recently, my husband, kids, and I removed the old floors in our kitchen, dining room, living room, entryway, hallway, and master bedroom. We redid the floors with a maple hardwood and the result is amazing.
Stay tuned for a blog about how that process went and the result of weeks of work.
But for now, know that I am back and ready to make new recipes, delicious desserts, soups, salads, breads, and more.
Want more?
Need inspiration until then?
Click the link HERE for 115 Dinner Recipe Ideas that have casseroles, soups, sandwiches, and much more. 115 dinners that have full recipes, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions.
Need inspiration for desserts? Click the link HERE for 65 Dessert Recipes that are tasty, easy to make, elaborate, and even tasty!
Here’s hoping that blogs featuring delicious recipes can start coming back out soon.
Weekly!
Promises, and here’s to new beginnings.
This post was all about why I have been absent since December, my last blog post.
~Monica
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