Wow! I had to look back at the last time I had posted a blog here, I thought I had been writing much more often. Well, I have been writing, I’ve just not been posting it on here.

I am so sorry for not keeping you, my readers, updated on my writing and publishing! If you have not bookmarked my Odyssey profile, please do so now, since HERE is where I have been publishing at least four articles and poems every month since February!

It’s been a blast. I love having a team who expects me to contribute my creative efforts, in photography, prose and poetry. I adore having the opportunity to publish about any topic that I become passionate about.

This last month, in June, I used the timing of Pride month to come out of the closet for the second time in my life. Please feel free to read the story before making any comments: “Coming Out Again”

I stumbled upon some of my poetry and prose that I had saved from my pre-baptismal and baptismal journals. It has been fun to work on those pieces in preparation of compiling a book, Converts Are Like Butterflies: A Conversion in Poetry, by publishing them on Odyssey first. Read them here: “A Change in Plans,” and “To the Latter-day Saints.”

The Pride article was my first article with Odyssey to get over a thousand views. It didn’t go viral, but it did get my largest number of views and it opened me up to some negativity from both members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as members of the LGBTQIA community who felt I was proselytizing by sharing the story in their groups.

Since I am coming upon the anniversary of the antibiotic injury that put me in a wheelchair, it was a great time to go public about the cause behind my physical disabilities as well as one of the side-effects of the fluoroquinolone toxicity that I have been coping with for two years now.

My addiction to milk has been well-known to my friends, but no one expected it to nearly kill me. I wrote about that this last week.

This week has already been a big one for me as a public person. Following up with my article about coming out, I made a large number of new connections and friends. One of those friends is Richard Ostler, host of a podcast and website called, “Listen, Learn and Love” about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their relationships with and as members of the LGBTQIA community.

Brother Ostler interviewed me on Monday, which happened to fall on what would have been my thirtieth wedding anniversary if I had not divorced my first husband shortly after our 20th and if he was still here. So many ifs…

However, the interview with Brother Ostler was a great part of my day even though it is about an hour of a deep-dive into my childhood and history. We talk a lot about trauma and how it affects sexuality and yet, as I say, “Being gay is not a symptom of trauma.”

If you have ever wanted to know how I cope as a trauma survivor, please listen to this podcast. But also be aware there is content that could be triggering. My past wasn’t an easy one. It’s not for children to hear (or experience).

And then there was SCHOOL! I just started my last year of my Master of Fine Arts in creative writing-literary nonfiction at National University at the beginning of June. I love my professor! Learning about the art of writing personal essays this term and having an absolute blast. I have found one of my absolute favorite genres.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update. I’m enjoying writing as a student. It has been enlightening to build my portfolio through an online student magazine. Odyssey has provided a platform for many dreams and ideas. Please join me there.

I appreciate your interest. I hope your life is blessed.

Love and Lighte from Maggie Slighte