I started writing my first novel, CUFFED, not long after high school. I was in a bit of a writers block, or funk, and was having trouble really putting pen to paper. So, I tried my hand at an erotica, wrote the first few chapters of the story that was playing out in my head, and realized I absolutely LOVED it.

The problem was, I lacked a lot of confidence in myself, in my dreams, in what I wanted in life, and so I put writing on the back burner and got on with my "real life".

I still wrote, but only occasionally, mostly in my spare time, and was usually met with negativity from my partners or people I was surrounded by. In fact, a quote I hold on to is "You will never be a famous writer like R.L. Stein." 

But in 2016, my whole world began to change, and set me onto a new path, an entirely different journey in my life. At that point, I was a mother of 3, I had a long term partner and 4 children in total in our house. I ran a cleaning business, life was fairly happy and great, until it wasn't.

My partner broke his arm on the jobsite, and over the course of the next year, he grew addicted to pain killers. Life got scary. Our home life grew tense, abusive, and unsafe. I began to withdraw from myself. I fell more and more into depression. I felt trapped, scared, lost, and unsure what the future held for myself and 4 beautiful children, one who wasn't even legally mine.

In the spring of 2017, we faced eviction, and I fled, homeless. In my rusty, falling apart van, the one I still drive today (little edit here, I am so grateful that in 2019 I was able to scrap that van for something more reliable), I packed up laundry baskets of MUST HAVES, and took the 5 of us to CrossRoads in Peterborough, Ontario, the Woman's Shelter here.

My life was a mess. I was so broken. I had lost everything. But... I had this book.

You see, right as everything fell apart, I had found my manuscript of CUFFED, and just started writing again. It had given me purpose. PASSION. Something to love. Something that was mine, something I had dreamed about doing forever, something I could really DO with my life. Something I could share with the world. And I did.

During one of the worst times in my life, I researched how to self published my own erotica novel, and I did. I wrote the whole book. Edited it, poorly, myself. I photographed my friend in a hallway and photoshopped it onto my cover thanks to another wonderful friend.

And while I was living in the shelter, I started sharing my novel. Mostly just on Facebook and social media. And my friends, supporters, strangers I didn't even know, started to buy it. 

That moment changed my life for the better. It gave me MYSELF back. My confidence grew. I started to love myself, believe in myself again.

I started writing seriously. I even left the shelter one day to have an interview with Chapters about putting my first novel on their shelf. I applied for all the help I could, and I worked my ass off for it. I built a business around my novels. I got the kids and I OUT of the shelter. Into therapy. Into counselling. Into a better life. A happier life. A real, settled life. One where we are FREE.

I opened Lady Mack, and I have never stopped. I've gone on to publish 6 erotica novels, and dozens of short erotica stories and blogs. My books have been picked up by numerous stores, and one of those original stores that is no longer open, encouraged me to start speaking more and hosting workshops as well, sharing knowledge on a variety of subjects.

So now, I run a successful business, I write erotica full time, I host workshops, and LOVE to public speak and share what I have been through, in the hopes it raises money for the shelter, for the city, raises awareness for other's, and opens minds, and hearts, raises hope.

I help people LOVE again. Find themselves again. Learn about sex, communication, relationships, and starting over, getting through the worst, and coming out the other side, whole, NEW.

My children and I have an amazingly bright future. 

We wouldn't be here without all the incredible people that helped us through, THANK YOU.