My name is Lea and I am a 30-year-old living in northern California with a lifelong love for books. In college I majored in English literature & sociology with a minor in gender studies. But even with this liberal arts background, I somehow ended up in an unexpected career in the electrical construction industry working with some pretty incredible people. I have been wanting some sort of a creative outlet to help myself heal from some pretty tough life experiences and I have truly missed writing; so here we are! My hope is that my writings will help someone else who has experienced trauma or hardship to feel less alone. Our traumas do not define us, but the lessons they teach us help us to grow. My mom unexpectedly and suddenly passed away on Thanksgiving weekend of 2017. I also had some major unresolved childhood difficulties that have affected me into adulthood resulting in complex PTSD and anxiety. But even through all this, I have found true happiness in gratitude, learning to care for myself, and being excited about the future despite life’s adversities. This is by no means an easy journey, I must admit. But I was able to begin my healing process through reading, therapy, and reaching out. Asking for and seeking help is not admitting weakness; it is showing immense strength and resilience.

Life Meets Literature is where you can find book reviews, recommendations, and how those books have shaped me and helped to heal me. I will be writing about fiction, non-fiction, and even audiobooks. There will be some personal posts mixed in when they are relevant. I also wanted to write about what you want to read about! If there is a book that you want to know more about or a topic you want my perspective on, reach out to me on Instagram or via e-mail. I want to write content that you want to read!

Instagram: @LifeMeetsLiterature

E-mail: [email protected]

Some quick facts about me:

Favorite book – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Favorite genres – dystopian, romance, fantasy

Degree – BA in Sociology & English Literature with a minor & concentration in Gender Studies from the University of the Pacific 

Favorite Bookstore I’ve discovered so far – Bookshop Santa Cruz

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