I’ve noticed that some things only feel strange once you stop carrying them around in your head and set them down somewhere else.
When they’re just thoughts, they behave themselves. They stay quiet. They don’t demand explanations. But once you write them down, they sit there on the page like they’re waiting for you to catch up.
That’s when you realize they’ve been ahead of you the whole time.
I didn’t think anything was unusual at first. That’s the part that bothers me the most. Not that things happened, but how easily I accepted them. I told myself I was tired. Or homesick. Or adjusting. Everyone says moving does that to you—scrambles your sense of normal until everything settles again. I believed that. It was easier than questioning why certain moments stayed with me longer than they should have.
I started making mental lists without realizing it.
The way the house sounds at night, even when no one is moving. Not creaks, exactly. More like breathing.
The way the air feels different in certain rooms, heavier in some places, lighter in others.
How I sometimes know where something is before I look for it, like the house has already pointed it out to me.
None of those things seemed worth mentioning. Not on their own. People would say houses make noises, air gets stale, memory fills in gaps. Logical explanations line up neatly when you want them to.
But then you write them down.
And you see them together.
That’s when they stop behaving.
There are moments I can’t place on a timeline. They don’t feel like memories, but they don’t feel like dreams either. They’re more like impressions—the kind you get when you walk into a room after an argument has ended. You didn’t hear the words, but you know they were said. You can almost feel where they landed.
Sometimes I’ll catch myself pausing in the middle of the day, like I’ve forgotten something important but can’t remember what it was. The feeling passes if I ignore it long enough. I’ve learned that much.
Ignoring things is a skill. People don’t talk about that enough.
If you ignore something consistently, it either goes away or it waits. And lately, I’m not sure which one is happening.
Writing is different. Writing doesn’t ignore. It asks questions without asking them. It just leaves space and lets the truth wander in when it’s ready.
Here’s one thing that looks innocent until you see it written down:
I feel watched sometimes.
Not in a frightening way.
Not in a way that makes me want to run.
More like being noticed.
If I said that out loud, it would sound ridiculous. Even to me. But on paper, it doesn’t feel dramatic. It feels… factual. Like noting the weather or the time of day. Like acknowledging something that exists whether I explain it or not.
Another thing:
I don’t feel alone when I’m by myself.
That one took me a while to admit. I kept trying to turn it into something else—comfort, imagination, habit. But none of those quite fit. It’s not that someone is with me. It’s that something is aware of me. And somehow, that feels different.
I’ve started paying attention to the order things happen in. Not because I think it means something—at least not consciously—but because patterns don’t like being ignored forever. They repeat themselves when you don’t listen.
Certain thoughts come back at the same time of day. Certain places feel louder than others, even when they’re quiet. Certain questions follow me, no matter how many times I pretend I’ve answered them.
The strange part isn’t that these things exist.
The strange part is that they feel familiar.
As if I’ve known them longer than I remember.
I don’t know what any of it means yet. I’m not even sure meaning is the point. Maybe some things just want to be acknowledged. Maybe writing them down is enough for now.
I think that’s why I’m doing this. Not to solve anything. Not to figure it all out. Just to leave a record of what I notice before it starts pretending it never happened.
And I have a feeling forgetting might be the one thing I’m not supposed to do.
Bring the Magic Home
Ready to take the journey yourself? Flowers and Dreams is available now in paperback and ebook. Step into the lush Pacific Northwest, unlock the attic door, and follow Magnolia’s path through memory, magic, and mystery. Get your copy today—and let the story bloom.
If you’ve been craving a story steeped in magic, memory, and the soft rustle of moss beneath your feet, Flowers and Dreams is waiting to welcome you. Now available in both paperback and ebook, this tale invites you into the mist-draped beauty of the Pacific Northwest—where every shadow holds a secret, and even the quietest corners hum with forgotten wonder.
Follow Magnolia as she returns to a childhood home steeped in echoes and unanswered questions. With each step, she unravels the delicate threads of mystery woven through her past—through an attic door, down winding forest paths, and across the dreamscapes that shape who we become.
Ready to begin? You can get your copy here.
Let the journey unfold—and let the story bloom.
Treasures from the Nook
Step into the magic of Flowers and Dreams—and take a piece of it home with you. At Christle’s Writer’s Nook Shop, you’ll find a curated collection of meaningful merchandise inspired by the stories I tell and the worlds I build. From cozy hoodies and dreamy mugs to journals, totes, and tumblers, each item is designed to carry a bit of wonder, intention, and Pacific Northwest charm into your everyday life.
Whether you’re sipping tea from a “Be the Magic” mug or jotting thoughts in a “Remember Where You Came From” journal, these pieces are more than just merch—they’re companions for your creative journey.
Come explore, find your favorite, and let the story bloom beyond the page.
Meet the Author Behind the Magic
Curious about the person behind the pen and the stories shaped by mist and memory?
If this is your first time wandering into my little corner of the internet, welcome—I’m truly so glad you’ve arrived. Whether you stumbled here on a quiet morning with a cup of tea in hand or followed a breadcrumb trail from one of my stories, I hope you’ll take a moment to get cozy and explore.
If you’re curious to know more about the heart behind the words—the why behind the writing, the experiences that shape my stories, and the quiet beliefs that run beneath them like a forest stream—you’ll find all of that and more on my About Me page. It’s where I share a bit about the path I’ve walked and the voice I’ve grown into over time.
If you’re curious to know more about the heart behind the words—the why behind the writing, the experiences that shape my stories, and the quiet beliefs that run beneath them like a forest stream—you’ll find all of that and more on my About Me page. It’s where I share a bit about the path I’ve walked and the voice I’ve grown into over time.
So if you feel called by tales woven with moss and meaning, or if you too believe there’s wonder tucked into the small and sacred corners of life, I think you’ll find something here that speaks to you. Come say hello, take a breath, and stay awhile.
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