M.L. Richardson's Blog

This week, I joined the HOWA Mentoring Camp—a gathering for new nomads learning to live simply, safely, and together in the desert. I thought I’d learn about van systems and solar setups, but what I really learned was how preparedness can bring peace.

During one of our evening circles, a mentor mentioned something I’d never thought much about: the In Case of Emergency (ICE) card. It’s a small note you tape somewhere visible in your van that lists your emergency contact, medications, and diagnoses.

For someone like me, living with chronic health conditions, that hit home. I realized that if anything ever happened on the road and I couldn’t speak for myself, that card could make all the difference.

But even more than that, it shifted how I think about freedom.

Preparedness, I realized, isn’t about fear—it’s about kindness.

It’s giving your future self a sense of safety, so your present self can truly enjoy the moment.
I came to camp hoping to learn how to be more self-reliant.

I left understanding that self-reliance also means allowing others to help you—by sharing knowledge, offering advice, or simply sitting beside you around a fire.

Community doesn’t always look like friendship bracelets or daily check-ins. Sometimes it looks like strangers in the desert teaching you how to stay safe, so you can keep chasing sunsets another day.

That night, as I taped my new ICE card inside the van, Sharpie already asleep on the rug, I felt calmer than I had in weeks. The stars were out, the desert was quiet, and for the first time in a while, I wasn’t thinking about what could go wrong.

Because being prepared, I’ve learned, is just another way of saying: I plan to keep going.

— Michelle 🌿

Author of The Soul Thief’s Bargain

Follow my travels and reflections at Miles to Myself on YouTube

I’ve been thinking about how simplicity shows up not just in vanlife, but in writing too.

When I strip away the clutter — whether it’s ingredients in a meal or unnecessary words in a paragraph — the heart of the story shines through. Living simply on the road reminds me to write simply, to trust that truth doesn’t need decoration to be powerful.

Just like a good meal doesn’t need a stove, a good story doesn’t need complexity to connect. It just needs honesty.

— Michelle
Author of The Soul Thief’s Bargain

Hello everyone!

I’m so excited to share a few updates from the world of The Wraithsteel Saga. Book Two is officially finished and now deep in the editing process! This story has taken some powerful turns—bigger stakes, unexpected alliances, and moments that truly tested my characters (and my heart) as I wrote them.

Book Three is also well underway, continuing the journey and exploring the deeper consequences of everything that came before. Every page feels like uncovering another layer of this world I’ve been living in for years.

And for readers who’ve wondered how it all began, I’m thrilled to say that a prequel novella is in progress, diving into the ancient history of the Iceni tribe and the origins of the power at the heart of the saga. Writing it has been an incredible experience—like stepping back into legend.

If you haven’t yet read The Soul Thief’s Bargain, the journey starts there. It’s been amazing seeing readers connect with Rionah’s story of courage, freedom, and destiny.

Thank you so much for supporting this series—through reviews, messages, and every bit of encouragement you’ve shared. I can’t wait to bring you what’s next.

Until next time,
—Michelle
Author of The Wraithsteel Saga