Hey! I’m Alyssa,

The crazy kid who became an author

The one who couldn’t stop talking about their new favorite movie or who listens to their new favorite song a dozen times in a row.

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I’ve always been excited about things

Maybe too much, according to some people. I can’t help it. If I’ve read a Wikipedia page about it, I can find something to ramble about.

I obsess over forgotten times and places, learning people’s stories, and laughing with friends.

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being excited is in my blood

And you have that too.

There is a spark, a glimmer of the Divine, a holy passion and purpose that you were made for.

That’s why I write, to remind you that the dreams you locked away in the closet were given to you for a reason, and that with a big enough heart, grit and determination you really can be whoever you want to be.

So I’m on a mission

A quest to find magic, light, and wonder in the ordinary and extraordinary moments.

Come explore

Lampposts

Mystery, magic, and wonder

Since I was a kid watching Narnia for the first time, I’ve been obsessed with lampposts. (I’m not the only one, right?) Every story needs a little bit of wonder, the excitement of magic, and the mystery of not knowing everything quite yet.

Converse

Comfort, friendship, and adventure

I grew up playing with plastic swords and lightsabers, and banding the neighborhood kids together for adventures. If I’m honest, I’m still doing the same thing—except the neighborhood has snuck onto the wild expanse of the internet too.

Comfort Carbs

Home, fun, and heart

I’ve always wanted to create a place that felt like home, but something I’ve learned is that it’s not always about the place, but the people who feel like home. The friends and family that you can always go to and know that you are safe and welcome.

Even though the plot was pretty straightforward, this story still managed to surprise me by the end. So it’ll give you what you expect from a WWII story about a veteran given one last day to make things right, plus a little extra to make the whole story sweeter. It wins the prize for best surprise ending!

~ Valari Westeren

My short story, A Deathbed Wish, is for those who feel their dreams are impossible.

In the wake of WWII, Colonel Jon Walker utters his dying wish—to see his estranged daughter Susie one last time. When he wakes up in Grand Central Station exactly 24 hours earlier, and his broken wristwatch is somehow working again, he has a chance to make things right.

But it’s not going to be easy, and when he sees Susie, she wants nothing to do with him. With the numbers on his watch slowly disappearing, will he be able to make amends before it’s too late?

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