SUN SHINING ON MORNING SNOW: A Memoir of Identity, Loss, and Living Boldly
Winner of the 2026 IndieReader Discovery Awards in Memoir, Nonfiction
What’s the book’s first line?
“I entered this world demanding to see who was in charge.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Sun Shining on Morning Snow is a rebellious story of radical self-acceptance, resilience, and the courage to live boldly. A testament to the power of identity and the complexity of family, this memoir is for anyone who has ever feared that being themselves might cost them the love they hold most dear—and for those who have found, despite everything, that love endures.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Losing my Ma inspired me to write my story and weave in our tender and complex relationship to inspire others. Writing this book was a grief integration and healing process.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
If you want to read a mixed-race, queer coming of age and leadership origin story, one that inspires you to live boldly and choose your truth, this book is for you. The photos after each chapter are a special gift.
When did you first decide to become an author?
It’s interesting. I wrote the book because my Ma could no longer write her story. In writing my story, and weaving what I knew of her, it was a form of resisting that erasure. I became an author after the story was published. It was a journey for me to take on that title, and choose it fully.
Is this the first book that you’ve written?
Yes, it is!
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I am a learning and leadership development expert and certified executive coach. I run my own coaching and consulting business and partner with female-led entrepreneurs. I have previously held senior roles at Meta, Gap Inc and Capital One.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
I wrote my initial manuscript in 6-months with the support of my writing coach, Stacy Ennis. During that time, I wrote basically every other evening after dinner playing jazz seated by the fireplace.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best is creating your own team and learning the ropes! The hardest is not always knowing which path to take and the tools or support to get there.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
When you think about the team you want to have with you on this journey, be selective and creative. I wanted a mostly female, people of color and queer team and I was able to achieve that, which provided the kind of compassion, warmth and shared understanding needed for this story to get out to the world.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
I would consider it with negotiated terms. Several author friends who went traditional are required to sell books to pay “back” the advancement they received and don’t own the rights to their story. That’s not attractive to me.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
Sharing underrepresented stories that inspire the world towards humanity, connection, relating across difference, increasing empathy and understanding.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
There are so many writers I admire! Two who I feel an author kinship to are Amy Tan and Michelle Zauner.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
A Wrinkle in Time