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Brandi Easterling Collins, independent author

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Essays, General Thoughts

Apologies and hurt feelings

If you’re reading this post, you’re a human being who’s been hurt before. It’s part of life. Also, it’s guaranteed that you’ve hurt someone else, whether intentionally or not. The…

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September 16, 2021
General Thoughts

The loss of my stepfather

My father died when I was little, and my mother remarried Ronnie Campbell. Ronnie was born on March 17, 1954, St. Patrick’s Day, and he died on June 7, 2009. He…

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March 10, 2017
Essays, General Thoughts

That for which I am thankful

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes If someone had told me a year ago the changes I would face in 2021, I’m not sure I would have believed them. This time last year, I was…

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November 25, 2021
  • A woman looks into a mirror while measuring her waist
    Essays,  General Thoughts

    Believe It or Not, Getting Fat Isn’t the Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened to Me

    May 27, 2026 /

    Body image has been a hot topic for as long as I’ve been alive in one way or another. As the old saying goes, sometimes, the more things change, the more they remain the same. Eras of Women’s Body Image During My Lifetime and How I Related I was born during the 1980s aerobics craze where the ideal female body was toned and athletic like fitness model Jane Fonda. I remember accompanying my mom to aerobics classes when I was a young child or trying to follow along with home workout videos on VHS. The 1990s came along with “thin-is-in” models like Kate Moss. Seventeen and Cosmopolitan magazines had diet…

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    To All The Pets I’ve Loved Before

    September 11, 2020

    Christmas, Truth, and Childhood Innocence

    December 22, 2017

    Dreams and things

    October 29, 2017
  • Sketch of movie tickets, popcorn and film
    General Thoughts,  Pop Culture

    Movies I Will Watch Again and Again

    April 6, 2026 /

    I love movies almost as much as I love books. Over the years, there have been multiple movies that I’ve watched multiple times. They’re not all what critics would call cinematic masterpieces, but these films have meant a lot to me and still do. My first movie at the theater I still remember the first movie I saw in a movie theater: Ernest Goes to Camp. My aunt Diana took me to see it with my three cousins. It was a wonderful experience that spurred my love for movies and spending time with my aunt. She often took my siblings and me to the movies over the summer when she…

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    Talking about death

    September 9, 2018
    Designed by brgfx / Freepik

    The World Spins Madly On: More Updates During These Chaotic Times

    May 14, 2020

    New year, new look, exciting news!

    January 13, 2018
  • Author read 75 books in 2025
    General Thoughts,  Pop Culture

    2025 in Book Reviews

    January 4, 2026 /

    I met my goal of reading 75 books in 2025 while I also finished writing and editing my sixth novel, Four Hearts, which was released on December 16. Here are my best reads: Top 10 best reads for 2025 (traditionally published) Apostle’s Cove (Cork O’Connor, #20) by William Kent Krueger Flight Patterns by Karen White If Tomorrow Never Comes by Allison Ashley All Our Beautiful Goodbyes by Julianne MacLean Misery by Stephen King The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5) Broiler by Eli Cranor Best nonfiction reads for 2025…

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    Designed by jcomp / Freepik

    Losing My Religion

    February 9, 2020
    Illustrated race track scene with children driving cars at a starting line

    How Many Times Can You Start Over?

    February 16, 2025
    Snoopy's Night Idea

    Finding Inspiration

    August 11, 2020
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Recent Posts

  • Believe It or Not, Getting Fat Isn’t the Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened to Me
  • Movies I Will Watch Again and Again
  • 2025 in Book Reviews
  • Embracing the Holidays
  • Four Hearts: Coming soon

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