
Back in July, I had a booth at a two-day Ute Stampede Rodeo Craft Show in Nephi, Utah. The location was over 110 miles from my home, so I booked a room in Provo, which is about 40 miles from the event. However, when I arrived at the Airbnb-type place, there had been a technical glitch with the reservations. After being on the phone for over an hour—ironically, nearly enough time to drive the rest of the distance home—and with it now approaching 9 pm, I gave up on the Airbnb stay. I called my husband, trying to decide if I should just make the trek home, even though it was now late. Thankfully, he came to my rescue with some lingering hotel credits from his business travel days and quickly set me up in a hotel nearby.
But when I arrived at the hotel, now around 9:30 at night, the place was under serious construction. And I mean serious CONSTRUCTION! It took me three tries to find the temporary guest entrance, which led through a bit of a maze to the front desk. Thankfully, the clerk was spectacularly helpful because by then, I was exhausted.
After some effort to return to my car and find my room amidst the construction, I finally did. On the elevator ride up, I was amused by a sign posted for guests: "Please excuse our dust..." It went on to explain that guests might hear loud noises, encounter workers near their windows on all levels of the building due to the outside remodeling, and other such warnings.
Fortunately, this stay was my Plan B, and I was just grateful to have a bed for the night rather than face an extra late night and early morning of driving. Plus, the next morning, the hotel’s cook was the sweetest, most personable staff member I’ve ever met. Despite the construction circumstances, I walked away feeling okay. However, I did chuckle and wished my husband could have seen the extent of the disarray for those who booked under different expectations.
Fast forward nearly a month later, and I was in a one-on-one coaching session with one of my writing clients, whom I’ve been privileged to work with since January (I can’t wait to share more about him and his incredible writing—truly an inspiring and rewarding experience!). As we talked, he mentioned his job at a hotel, which he had brought up numerous times during our sessions. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Although I had never met him in person, it turned out that the hotel he worked at was the same one where I had stayed that strange night. All the stories he had shared from a staff point of view came into focus.
Together, we laughed at how frustrating the hotel’s condition must have been for some guests. He shared some behind-the-scenes issues, delays, and insights that were fascinating.
Why do I share all this?

Because it reflects exactly how I feel about my work in 2024—I’m under construction. I’m rebuilding and remodeling my author website, persona, and business, and right now, everything is a bit chaotic. So, please excuse the mess. You might notice construction all around—flaws, issues, and incomplete work. There may even be metaphorical banging, especially on the website and social media. In an ideal world, I’d hit pause and avoid guests entirely during this phase.
But in reality, we’re moving forward. So, please excuse the mess... things are taking longer than expected, but I’m holding on to the hope that the outcome will be worth all the effort.
So...before the dust settles...I am still so pleased to announce the audiobook release party for Sanders’ Starfish.
Please step over the cables and debris on my YouTube channel, and be sure to subscribe so you can watch our upcoming special Q&A session. We’ll share exciting stories and upcoming events surrounding Sanders’ Starfish.
Or if you are in the area, we would love to have you join us in person:
Thank you for being here. It means the world to me. Some of you, my dear friends and fans, have shown remarkable patience through all of this, and I deeply appreciate your support.
Photos taken from the 2018 Home Remodel Project. You can read that fun story here or enjoy the video.
More about the audiobook project can be shared here: A Story Worth Sharing
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