February is quiet on the surface—but beneath it, things are already stirring. Just like our stories. Even when nothing seems to be happening, something is always taking root.

This month I’ve been thinking about love—not only romantic love, but the love that keeps us writing, reading, imagining, and becoming.

The stories that stay with me are rarely about perfect romance. They’re about fierce devotion, fragile courage, loyalty, grief, and the choice to keep going when it would be easier to turn away.

Whether it’s Juliette and Katarina in Through Her Eyes, Joshua and Mae Lin in The Shroud Project, or Stan and Karen in The Legend of Dunchee’s Hollow, love is what pushes people beyond fear and into truth.

In The Legend of Dunchee’s Hollow (coming soon), love often takes quieter, rougher forms: family bonds strained by hardship, loyalty tested by fear, and the stubborn pull of home—even when home is near a haunted hollow.

May your February bring quiet sparks, brave love, and stories that refuse to stay buried.