Balloons de Feline | Fiction, Music, Chaos & Catharsis – Page 2 – Fiction for the ones who feel too loud, love too hard, and refuse to apologize. Written from the stage, the road, and the heart.

Crossfade: The Next Chapter Is Coming — And It Cuts Even Deeper

November 26, 2025

If Backline was the spark that lit the fuse, Crossfade is the moment the story explodes into full color.

The next book in my series is officially on its way, and today I wanted to pull back the curtain just a little—to share what readers can expect, where the story is headed, and why this second chapter feels even more personal, powerful, and unapologetically real.

Why Crossfade? Why Now?

“Crossfade” in music means transitioning between two sounds so seamlessly you don’t notice the shift—until it hits you.

That concept is the heartbeat of this book.

Crossfade is about transitions.

Between versions of ourselves.

Between the life we think we know and the one that blindsides us.

Between the stage lights and the shadows no one talks about.

This book digs into what happens after the smoke clears—when the hype fades, the dust settles, and the truth comes out in the quiet moments.

A Darker, Braver, More Vulnerable Part In The Series

Backline introduced readers to the world behind the music—the pressure, the trauma, the courage it takes to show up every day in an industry that demands everything from you.

Crossfade goes deeper.

It explores grief, identity, healing, and the razor-thin moments where life can change direction with one choice, one confession, one breakdown, one spark.

But it also holds space for:

second chances rebuilding trust the messy middle of healing the power of being seen for who you are becoming

It’s heavier.

It’s braver.

It’s more unfiltered.

And it’s worth the wait.

🔥 For Readers Who Love Backline:

You’ll get:

Familiar characters with new layers

A rawer look at the industry

Emotionally charged scenes that hit harder than before

Moments that challenge everything you thought you knew

And yes—there are some twists coming that readers will not be ready for.

🖤 Inspired By Real Life (and Real Backstage Moments)

Just like Backline, this story is built from lived experience—years in the touring world, the mental health battles no one sees, and the resilience it takes to keep going even when the world thinks your life is all glamour and glitter.

Crossfade draws from:

the breakdowns behind the barricade the quiet hotel moments the connections that save you the emotional whiplash of the road the way trauma follows you even when the tour ends

It’s fiction, but it’s the most honest kind.

So When Is It Coming?!

Soon.

Soon enough that it’s time to start talking about it.

Soon enough that you’ll want to stay tuned.

Like January soon.

Sign up for updates, follow the journey, and get ready—because Crossfade is where everything changes.
Mental Health & Insurance Initiatives Every Touring and Festival Worker Should Know About

November 25, 2025
Life in the touring and festival world isn’t like any other industry. The hours are long, the environment is unpredictable, and the pressure can be intense. Even the most seasoned road warriors will tell you: the pace is thrilling, but it comes with a cost.

For years, conversations around mental health and insurance coverage in the live events space were quiet — if they happened at all. But as the industry evolves, so do the resources available to the people who build it from the ground up. Today, more organizations are stepping up, advocating for mental health awareness, and creating safer, more sustainable working conditions for touring and festival crews.

Here’s what you need to know.

Why Mental Health Conversations Matter in Live Events

Touring and festival work takes a toll in ways most people never see:

Sleep deprivation Unbalanced schedules Constant travel High-pressure environments Periods of unemployment Lack of consistent healthcare access Isolation from family and routine

Artists, bandmates, techs, drivers, vendors, coordinators — we all get worn down. And when mental health isn’t addressed, burnout, anxiety, depression, and even substance misuse can sneak in.

Talking about it isn’t weakness. It’s survival.

Key Mental Health Initiatives Supporting Industry Workers

Here are some of the strongest efforts pushing for better mental wellness in the touring and festival world:

1. Crew Care Programs

More festivals and promoters are partnering with mental health nonprofits to create on-site wellness programs. These can include:

Quiet rooms backstage On-site counselors Peer support volunteers Harm reduction kits and overdose prevention training

This is especially important during multi-day festivals where the pressure is nonstop.

3. Artist & Crew Wellness Riders

Some artists are adding wellness riders to touring contracts. These may include:

Mental health days Caps on show counts Limits on overnight drives Wellness resources included in tour packets

When the headliner leads, the whole camp benefits.

Insurance Initiatives That Are Changing The Game

One of the biggest challenges in the industry has always been insurance instability. Freelancers, contractors, and seasonal workers rarely get employer-sponsored benefits — but that’s finally starting to shift.
1. Entertainment Health Insurance Plans
Several organizations now curate insurance plans built specifically for artists, musicians, and touring crews, offering:

Affordable monthly premiums Mental health coverage included National networks suitable for people who travel Income-based subsidies

These plans help eliminate gaps in coverage that used to cause people to avoid healthcare entirely.

2. Gig Worker Coverage Protections

With more recognition of freelance workers in federal and state systems, some insurance marketplaces now allow:

Easier enrollment periods Special event enrollment (new gig, new contract, etc.) Lower upfront premium costs

This is a huge shift for anyone whose work fluctuates throughout the year.

3. Union & Association Plans

Several unions and industry associations have improved or expanded benefits:

IATSE and AFM offering mental health coverage Safety training and wellness support Telehealth and therapy included in many plans

If you work consistently in one area of the industry, joining an association can be life-changing.

How Festivals & Tours Can Do Better— and What You Can Do Now

The industry is moving in the right direction, but there’s still a long way to go. Here’s what we can all push for:

What Tours & Festivals Should Implement:

Guaranteed downtime for crews Clear mental health protocols Access to counseling on long runs Drug and alcohol harm reduction strategies Required mental health training for leads and production managers

What You Can Do as a Worker:

Explore insurance options during open enrollment Connect with Backline or similar orgs Build a wellness routine for the road Speak up when you’re overwhelmed Check on your crew — community is your lifeline

Final Thoughts

The touring and festival world is built by some of the strongest, most dedicated workers out there — but strength doesn’t mean silence.

Talking about mental health and advocating for better insurance options is how we keep our community healthy, creative, and able to keep doing what we love.

The road is tough. You don’t have to walk it alone.
Navigating Mental Health on the Road During the Holidays

November 24, 2025

The holiday season is supposed to feel magical—but for those of us on the road, touring, traveling, or juggling creative commitments across multiple cities, this time of year can feel more overwhelming than festive. Between the constant motion, the pressure to “show up,” and the emotional weight that often comes with the holidays, mental health can take a hit in ways people don’t always see.

And the truth is: it’s okay to admit that.

The hidden weight of holiday travel—-

When your life is spent moving—whether that’s for shows, book events, family, or work—it’s easy to slip into survival mode. You’re managing logistics, gear, schedules, money, expectations… all while trying to keep your heart steady. The holidays magnify everything: memories, loneliness, stress, and even guilt about not being “present enough” for the people you love.

But being on the road doesn’t make you disconnected—it just means you’re living life on a different rhythm.

What touring teaches you about yourself—-

Life on the road forces vulnerability. Some days you feel unstoppable. Other days you feel invisible. The trick is recognizing that both realities can exist at the same time.

Here are a few things I’ve learned (and relearned) year after year:

Routine is your lifeline. Even a small ritual—morning tea, journaling, stretching—can ground you when the world feels chaotic.

Connection matters more than perfection. A five-minute check-in with a friend can mean more than a perfectly scheduled holiday.

Rest is part of the work. Burnout doesn’t care that it’s December. Your body and mind still need space to reset.

You’re allowed to feel what you feel. Joy, grief, excitement, exhaustion—none of it makes you ungrateful.

Creating space for yourself—-

If you’re hitting the road this holiday season, here are a few gentle reminders:

Pack something that feels like home—your favorite hoodie, a scent, a notebook.

Don’t skip meals. Your brain needs fuel, especially when you’re stressed.

Step outside between obligations. Fresh air is medicine.

Give yourself permission to say no.

Reach out when you need support. Even one message can lighten the load.

You’re not alone out there—-

Whether you’re traveling for music, family, or the hundred responsibilities we juggle every day—your mental health matters. It’s not selfish to protect your peace. It’s necessary.

This season, take a moment each day to breathe, reset, and remind yourself that you’re doing your best. You deserve grace, rest, and community—no matter where the road takes you.
Finding My Rhythm Again: Holidays, Touring, and the Spaces In Between

November 23, 2025

The holidays hit different when you’ve lived a life on the road.

There’s this strange mix of nostalgia, exhaustion, and gratitude that settles in when the year starts winding down. I’ve spent enough seasons touring to know that December doesn’t always mean slowing down—it just means shifting gears.

Some years, I was unpacking a suitcase just long enough to repack it again. Other years, the holidays became quick phone calls backstage, hotel lobby coffee, and trying to squeeze in moments of “normal” between soundchecks and long drives. It wasn’t glamorous… but it was real.

And honestly? I kind of miss that rhythm sometimes.

Now, working on Backline and everything that’s come from it—interviews, signings, the band brand, all of it—I’m in a new season. But the holidays always bring back that old touring mindset:

make the most of the in-between moments.

Here’s what the road taught me, and what the holidays keep reminding me:

Stillness is as important as the spotlight.

When you’re touring, quiet moments are rare. During the holidays, they’re gifts—chances to breathe, reset, and reconnect.

Your people matter more than your schedule.

I’ve raced across states just to make it home in time for a single holiday dinner. Those memories outshine any show.

Traditions don’t have to look traditional.

A gas station Christmas Eve with the band? Done it. A hotel lobby New Year’s toast? Yep. The meaning was still there.

Your story follows you wherever you go.

Whether I was backstage or in someone’s living room, the themes that shaped Backline—mental health, resilience, survival, identity—were always with me.

Now, as I step into the holidays this year, I’m carrying something different:

a sense of peace with where I’ve been and excitement for where I’m going.

This season isn’t just about lights and gifts—it’s about honoring every version of myself who kept going. The one who toured through December. The one who wrote through heartbreak. The one who built something from scratch. The one who’s still evolving.

If you’re someone who’s ever spent the holidays on the move—working, touring, grinding, surviving—I see you. There’s a special kind of strength in that life. And there’s a special kind of magic in learning how to slow down afterward.

Here’s to a holiday season filled with rest, rhythm, and reminders of how far you’ve come.

Whether you’re onstage or at home—you’re exactly where you need to be.
Finding Inspiration in the Quiet Moments

November 19, 2025

Some days, inspiration hits like lightning. Other days, it whispers.

Lately, I’ve noticed that the best ideas don’t always show up when I’m trying the hardest — they sneak in during the quiet moments. The morning coffee ritual, that drive where the music hits just right, or even those pauses in the day when everything finally goes still.

We’re so used to chasing productivity, deadlines, expectations… that we forget creativity isn’t a machine. It’s a pulse. It shows up when we give it a little space to breathe.

Today, I gave myself that space. No agenda. No pressure. Just a moment to sit with my thoughts — and surprisingly, that’s where the magic showed up. A new idea, a new direction, maybe even a new chapter of something waiting to unfold.

So here’s your reminder today:

Slow down just enough to hear yourself.

Sometimes the quiet moments speak the loudest.

Whether you’re an artist, a musician, a writer, or someone simply trying to make sense of your own life narrative — inspiration is already in you. You just need a pause long enough to feel it.

Take a moment today. Let something good find you.
Why the Backline Story of Love and Growth Still Resonates with Me (and Hopefully You, Too)

November 18, 2025
Every time I sit down to write a new blog post for my website, I always come back to the same thing: Backline wasn’t just a rockstar romance novel I wrote—it’s a piece of me I finally let breathe. This author journey has been far more personal than I ever imagined.

When people read the story, they see the band life, the grit, the chaos, the romance, and the emotional punch that comes with loving someone whose world is louder than yours. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that so much of this book came from personal moments I never planned on sharing. The late-night thoughts. The patterns I had to break. The parts of myself I had to face to even finish writing it.

And somehow, writing it helped me grow into the next version of myself. This emotional growth is woven into every chapter.

How My Personal Story Shaped the Backline Book

I didn’t plan for Backline to be this raw. I didn’t set out to tell a story that exposed the pieces of my past I usually keep locked up. But the characters demanded it. Their love demanded it. And honestly…I needed it.

Writing this contemporary romance forced me to look at:
- What I accept and what I don’t anymore
- The difference between chemistry and compatibility
- Why I always give more than I receive
- And how the past never actually leaves—you just learn how to carry it better
I didn’t write professionally. I wrote personally. And that’s exactly why people feel the personal story in the book. You can’t fake that kind of honesty.

How It Ties Into My Second Book and My Writing Process

Now that I’m deep into the next book in the series, I can feel myself stepping into another layer—one that’s sharper, wiser, and a little more fearless. The writing process for this one feels different.

The second book continues the emotional journey but from a place of growth. It still has the heat, the edge, and the rock-and-roll energy you expect from new adult fiction, but it also carries something else: clarity.

If Backline was written from the middle of the storm, this next one is written from the moment you finally understand why the storm mattered.

Why I Keep Sharing This Journey of Self-Discovery Out Loud

I’ve learned that writing isn’t just storytelling. It’s self-discovery out loud. And people connect with that, not perfection. This behind the book look is my way of connecting with you.

So, here I am again—showing up, telling the truth, and inviting you into this messy, creative, healing process with me. If my author journey helps someone else feel braver about theirs, then every chapter was worth it.

Thank you for being here, for reading, for supporting, and for letting me be real with you.

Subscribe for Updates

If you want sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes writing notes, and early looks at the second book, make sure you Subscribe for all the exclusive updates right here on my site!
Finding Your Creative Flow When Life Gets Loud

November 17, 2025

There’s this funny thing about creativity: it refuses to show up politely. It doesn’t wait for the perfect schedule, the perfectly clean kitchen, or the perfectly calm mind. Creativity comes barging in during chaos, heartbreak, joy, exhaustion, late-night overthinking, or that random moment when you’re staring at the wall with a cup of cold coffee.

And honestly? That’s the magic of it.

We spend so much time trying to organize our lives so we can “make space to create,” but sometimes the loudest seasons of life produce the most honest work. Not the polished, magazine-spread version — the real stuff. The kind that comes from living, messing up, getting up again, and discovering parts of yourself you didn’t even know were there.

Creativity Isn’t a Mood — It’s a Muscle

People love to think creativity is this mystical force that shows up when it feels like it. But the truth? It’s a muscle. You build it. You strengthen it. You keep showing up for it even when your brain is tired and you’d rather scroll TikTok for an hour.

The more you practice creativity — writing, singing, designing, dreaming — the more it becomes a natural part of your day. Even five minutes counts. A single paragraph. A melody idea. A messy note in your phone that makes no sense to anyone but you.

Noise Doesn’t Kill Creativity — It Fuels It

When life gets loud, our first instinct is to shut down. But some of the most iconic art, music, and writing was born out of noise:

The noise of heartbreak The noise of transition The noise of starting over The noise of learning who you are

Instead of fighting it, try letting the noise become part of the story.

Your Voice Matters — Even When You’re Not Sure What to Say

Here’s a truth you don’t hear often: you don’t need permission to take up creative space. You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need to have your life together. You don’t need to be “ready.”

You just need to begin.

Say the thing. Write the thing. Sing the thing. Create the thing that reflects who you are today. Not who you were last year. Not who you think you “should” be. The version of you right now — flaws, doubts, courage, fire and all — is more than enough.

A Little Challenge for You

Today, do one tiny creative act.

Just one.

Write a sentence, doodle a shape, hum a melody, organize a Pinterest board, brainstorm a dream project. The size doesn’t matter — the momentum does.

Because once you start moving, creativity moves with you.
Watch the official Backline book trailer!

November 13, 2025

I poured my heart into this story — and now you can see it come to life. The trailer captures the grit, passion, and chaos behind the music, the love, and the healing that drive Backline.

If you’ve ever chased a dream, fallen hard, or found yourself somewhere between the stage lights and the shadows — this one’s for you.

Turn up the volume, hit play, and step into the world of Backline.

Get your copy here👇🏼

https://www.amazon.com/Backline-Balloons-Feline-ebook/dp/B0FQSZN81P

Then tell me — what part of the story hits you hardest?

#Backline #BookTrailer #RockAndRollFiction #AuthorLife #IndieAuthor #BookLaunch #MusicAndMadness #BehindTheScenes #Bookstagram #BookTok
When the Music Finds You Again

November 11, 2025

There are moments when music doesn’t just come from you — it comes for you.

You know the ones. When you’ve gone quiet for too long. When the noise of life drowns out the sound that used to move through your veins. When the instrument in the corner feels like it belongs to someone else.

And then, out of nowhere, the spark returns. A lyric hits. A riff hums in your chest before your hands even find the strings. Suddenly, you’re not forcing anything — you’re remembering who you are.

That’s the strange kind of magic music has. It’s both a mirror and a medicine.

It shows you the truth — even when you’ve been avoiding it — and it heals you in the process.

Every time I used to play with Electric Velvet, I was reminded that sound isn’t something we create; it’s something we become. Every note carries a piece of our story — the heartbreaks, the chaos, the rebirths. It’s never just a song. It’s a pulse.

And maybe that’s the point of it all — to lose yourself, so the music can find you again.
Someday, You’re Going to Be Someone’s Favorite Author

November 9, 2025

And That “Someday” Starts Right Now

There’s a moment every writer faces—the quiet kind. The kind that sneaks up during late-night writing sessions, or in the middle of a messy draft, or when you’re staring at your own words wondering if they matter.

And then a simple quote like this one shows up “Someday, you’re going to be someone’s favorite author.”

When I saw it, it hit me straight in the chest. Not because of the someday, but because of what it promises: that someone, somewhere, is waiting for the exact story you’re writing. Not a perfect story. Not a polished story. Not a story that fits every trend or pleases every critic. Just yours.

The Power of One Reader

We forget that we don’t write for everyone. We write for that one reader who needs our voice in the exact moment it finds them. Maybe they’re craving escape. Maybe they’re aching for connection. Maybe they’re lost and your words become a map. And one day—sooner than you think—someone will pick up your book and feel understood for the first time all week. They’ll finish your last chapter and stare at the ceiling, replaying scenes you created from thin air. They’ll dog-ear pages, underline lines you wrote in absolute chaos, and talk about your characters like they’re real. To them, you won’t just be an author. You’ll be their favorite author.

Every Author Starts as “Invisible”

Before readers, before reviews, before sales, there is the invisible stage—the stage of doubt, drafts, and “Is anyone ever going to read this?” I know that stage well. It’s the place where my first book Backline was born. The place where the sequel Crossfade took shape out of heartbreak and healing. The place where my voice began to feel like something worth listening to. And the truth is, invisibility doesn’t mean insignificance. It means you’re in the becoming. You’re building the foundation for the audience you haven’t met yet.

Your Future Readers Are Waiting

Someone out there is going to resonate with your voice in a way no one else ever has. They’re going to fall in love with your worlds, your messy characters, your aching confessions, your raw honesty. They’re going to quote you. They’re going to carry your story in their backpack. They’re going to recommend your book to friends with the kind of enthusiasm money can’t buy. And all because you kept writing.

Keep Showing Up for That “Someday”

Write the sentence. Finish the chapter. Outline the scene. Edit the page even when you hate it. Every word is a step closer to the reader who is going to see a piece of themselves in your work. Someday you’re going to be someone’s favorite author.

But the magic is this: You’re becoming that author right now.

If you love stories about rock-and-roll chaos, backstage life, passion, and healing—

you can grab my debut novel Backline here:https://www.amazon.com/Backline-Balloons-Feline-ebook/dp/B0FQSZN81P

And if you want updates, sneak peeks, and behind-the-scenes of my upcoming sequel Crossfade, subscribe to my website