Balloons de Feline | Fiction, Music, Chaos & Catharsis

The road has a rhythm of its own—a messy, relentless, beautiful beat that never really leaves your bloodstream. Maybe that’s why every time I sit down to write, the world I build still smells like diesel, gaff tape, fog machines, and midnight parking-lot conversations. Today, I wanted to share a little behind-the-scenes of how tour life, mental health, and small-town roots keep shaping my stories, especially as the Backline Series expands into Crossfade and now Feedback.

Because if you’ve ever lived on the road—or loved someone who does—you know it’s not glamorous. It’s real. It’s raw. And it demands more of you than most people ever see.

From Enterprise, AL to Stadium Shores: Living the Heart of My Stories

Growing up in Enterprise taught me grit. The touring industry taught me survival. A backstage pass taught me everything in between.

Every time I write a chapter, I pull from that lived experience:

4AM load-ins when your back is already screaming 16-hour days as a lighting tech running on caffeine and stubbornness The weird comfort of a tour bus bunk The mental toll no one talks about The chosen family you build under pressure And the way music becomes a literal lifeline

These aren’t just story details—they’re the soul of the Backline Series. My characters aren’t polished. They’re road-worn, resilient, and trying to hold their lives together one show at a time.

Just like the rest of us.

Why I Write About Mental Health in this Industry

This industry is full of some of the strongest people on earth—and some of the most exhausted. Long hours, no sleep, inconsistent insurance, chronic injuries, and the emotional labor of living in constant motion… it adds up.

And if nobody talks about it, nobody gets help.

That’s why mental health shows up so heavily in my books:

Anxiety in high-pressure roles Chronic pain and injury masking Burnout cycles Relationship strain Isolation on the road Trauma we “push through” until it pushes back

The goal isn’t to preach—it’s to make people feel seen.

Because fiction heals too.

Building Worlds from Real Life Chaos

Whether I’m writing a festival scene, a stadium build, or a tour bus heart-to-heart, I want readers to feel like they’re right there:

Standing on hot asphalt during load-in Hearing the crowd rumble under their feet Watching the lighting rig climb into the rafters Feeling the adrenaline spike before the first note

This is the lived reality of so many workers in the entertainment world—riggers, stagehands, operators, merch crews, audio, lighting, drivers, runners. And these workers rarely get the spotlight.

In Backline, Crossfade, and Feedback, they finally do.

What’s Next in the Backline Universe

I’m deep in the next installment, Feedback, and this one ups the stakes:

More festival stops More city-to-city chaos A few unhinged artists shaking everything up A realistic look into mental health initiatives being built (and ignored) in the industry And the same raw, emotional, gritty energy you expect

If you’ve ever lived this life, you’ll see yourself.

If you’ve ever dreamed about this life, you’ll understand it like never before.

A Reminder for Anyone Struggling on the Road

You don’t need to earn rest.

You don’t need permission to get help.

You don’t need to break yourself to prove yourself.

And your story—just like mine—deserves space to breathe.