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Brandi Easterling Collins, independent author

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General Thoughts, Pop Culture

Music and what my favorite songs mean to me

I am currently rewriting a novel called Jordan’s Sister, which is about a singer/songwriter named Taylor who is trying to break free from her past and step out of the shadow…

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September 17, 2016
General Thoughts

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

Road trips are supposed to be fun, right? But often, they turn into a mixture of family togetherness and a series of disasters akin to National Lampoon’s Vacation. Here’s a…

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July 22, 2025
General Thoughts, Pop Culture

Day 10: Countdown of my favorite love songs (for weddings)

Thank you for sticking with me through all ten days of Valentine’s Day love song posts. To recap, days 1-9 featured the following types of love songs: Angry Love Songs…

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February 14, 2018
  • 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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    Overweight in a Size 8: Thoughts on Obesity and Body Image

    February 25, 2023

    My husband: the best example of a good father

    June 17, 2017
    Snoopy thinking he has a pretty good life.

    A Lesson in Gratitude

    February 25, 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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    Cast photo of "My So-Called Life"

    My So-Called Life: What the show meant to me then and now

    October 17, 2023

    Day 7: Countdown of my favorite love songs (message to new lover)

    February 11, 2018
    Illustration of female singer with a guitar.

    My 30 Favorite Female Singer-Songwriters

    November 13, 2023
  • 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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    You May Also Like

    Book cover featuring woman standing on a stage with text: When Does Life Begin?

    Writing update: When Does Life Begin? publication and sneak peek

    September 8, 2023

    I’m a liar

    December 27, 2016

    Television Nostalgia and Other Things

    March 12, 2019
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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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