Family stories, historical reflections, and behind-the-scenes author updates. Subscribe to get our monthly newsletter and printable collectible series!
Share
The Anchor-August 2026
Published about 1 month agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
The Anchor
August 2026
β
π From My Desk
Hello, and thank you for sticking with me. This month has been a whirlwind.
Lucy fighting Vestibular Syndrome
Three weeks ago, we had a real scare with my fifteen-and-a-half-year-old pug, Lucy. She woke up one morning unable to walk, her head tilted to the side, seeming almost drunk. I was certain she'd had a stroke. She'd been feeling poorly a couple of days before, and what I thought was a pancreatic attack turned out to be a ruptured eardrum and a serious ear infection. That, in turn, caused something called vestibular syndrome, which is essentially vertigo in dogs.
Luckily, the emergency vet knew exactly what we were dealing with and sent us home with antibiotics and motion sickness medication, and we began the long road to recovery. For days, she lay quietly in her bed. I had to feed her baby food with a syringe, with her pills crushed up inside. But every day brought a small improvement. She's a fighter.
She's happily resting in her bed right under my desk as I write this. She still has a lot of healing ahead of her, and the head tilt may never fully go away, but she's still here with us, and I intend to enjoy every moment of it.
Life on Pause & New Beginnings
Between Lucy's recovery and being in the middle of moving my office, Edit #5 of The Unbreakable Anchor got put on pause for a couple of weeks. My intent is to start back up on Monday, but we'll seeβI'm currently waiting for the next shoe to drop! We are three days past my granddaughter's due date, so any day now we'll be welcoming her into the world.
And with that comes a whole new reason to keep writing, and to be the anchor she needs me to be.
I'm so grateful you're all here.
Now, let's look back on July, starting with a character profile on my mother, Astrid, the steady rock that all of us leaned on.
π This Month on Beyond the Anchor
The Eye of the Storm: Astrid and the Art of Staying Present
Meet Astrid, one of the real people behind The Unbreakable Anchor. Discover the quiet strength, creativity, and resilience that helped shape my family's story.
My great-grandparents were homesteaders in the Dakotas in the early 1900s. But before any of that happened, before anyone claimed a homestead or built a barn, they all passed through St. Paul first.
Laughing Through It: Humor as a Coping Mechanism and a Craft Tool
I grew up in a family where humor wasn't reserved for celebrations. It showed up during our hardest seasons when we were exhausted and running on hope.
August marks the official launch of The Anchor Collection! Each month, subscribers will receive an exclusive double-sided printable bookmark featuring custom artwork, a quote, and a collectorβs issue stamp on the back.
This premiere edition features a sunset coastal anchor design on the front, paired with delicate lace detailing and our official August 2026 / No. 01 badge on the reverse. Download it, print it double-sided, and start building your set!
Scale Setting: Ensure your printer is set to "Actual Size" or 100% so it doesn't print enlarged!
Paper Choice: Heavy cardstock (60lbβ110lb) or a quick layer of lamination works best for durability.
Double-Sided: Select "Flip on Long Edge" so the back aligns properly.
Optional Details: If you want to add a tassel or ribbon, simply punch a hole 1/2 inch centered from the top edge after printing.
π§ Looking Ahead
We are kicking off August with a larger-than-life Character Profile for Thor Week! I can't wait to dive into his story and share more of the history and inspiration behind his character with you.
On the writing front, my main mission this month is powering through the final edits of The Unbreakable Anchor so I can finally move it into the formatting stage. Between wrapping up the manuscript, settling into the new office, and soaking in these last weeks of summer, August is going to be a big one.
Thank you for being part of this journey through every milestone. I'll see you again on September 1 with the next issue of The Anchor.
Keep exploring. Keep asking questions. And never stop chasing the stories that shaped us.
Family stories, historical reflections, and behind-the-scenes author updates. Subscribe to get our monthly newsletter and printable collectible series!
The Anchor July 2026 π From My Desk Welcome to the very first issue of The Anchor. If you're reading this, thank you for being here at the beginning. The truth is, I didn't start writing because I had a plan. I started writing because I needed somewhere to put everything I couldn't control. For a year and a half, my husband searched for work. We celebrated interviews, held our breath through promising opportunities, and endured disappointment after disappointment. Last fall, after making it...
β
β