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Brandi Easterling Collins, independent author

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High School Poetry

The Night

I wrote this one when I was 15. “The Night” 11-22-96 Deep in the night I had a dream, and in it everything was okay. I was thoroughly happy, and nothing could…

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July 24, 2016
Essays, General Thoughts

Self-editing a Story: What it Takes

  Independent publishing takes perseverance, time, guts, and high self-esteem. It also takes money if you need to hire people for services such as book file setup, cover creation, and…

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January 16, 2021
Essays, General Thoughts

A scary topic: suicide

Netflix just released a series, “Thirteen Reasons Why” based on a book of the same name by Jay Asher. The book was published in 2007 but is still extremely relevant ten…

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April 11, 2017
  • 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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    I’m a liar

    December 27, 2016

    A New Family Member: An official introduction

    March 29, 2021
    Illustration of older lady waving.

    I’ve been old (but not necessarily wise) my whole life

    June 18, 2024
  • 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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    Family in front of NASA jets.

    A Family Road Trip: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

    July 22, 2025

    New year, new look, exciting news!

    January 13, 2018

    I’m a liar

    December 27, 2016
  • 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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    2 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Childhood Lost

    July 25, 2016

    Rejection

    November 4, 2017

    Day 5: Countdown of my favorite love songs (non-romantic love)

    February 9, 2018
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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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