Nirvana, Nintendo, and Notable Detours, a memoir about a 3-month road trip.

In the decade leading up to the mid-nineties, my life had been a whirlwind of turmoil—business upheavals, extreme family drama, a friend’s suicide, divorce, and the devastating loss of a partner to leukemia. To control the chaos in my head, I would sit in my car at lunch, the music of Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and Pixies blaring through headphones, hoping to drown out the relentless noise. 

I decided to take a road trip. I knew running away wouldn’t solve my problems, but I hoped a three-month, 12,000-mile journey might alter my perspective. There was one catch: it wouldn’t be a quiet escape. My witty and uh, challenging, 12-year-old son, who often called me cartoon names and served as the voice of reason, would be my co-pilot.

In this deeply personal memoir, I unravel the intimate backstory that led me to that pivotal moment when everything had to change. An anxious mom and a sassy preteen on the road together—there was bound to be trouble.
Join us on a journey filled with raw emotion, unexpected wisdom, and the transformative power of adventure. This book is a testament to resilience, the bond between parent and child, and the uncharted paths we take to find peace amidst chaos.

Who is Louis Tomlinson? Fans call him King for a reason. Find out why. 

The Love It Takes explores the remarkable impact of Louis Tomlinson, a celebrity whose life and career exemplify the pinnacle of resilience and how he has a remarkable impact on his fans. He’s not your typical celebrity although he came to fame from the iconic band, One Direction. You’ve heard of Harry Styles but how much do you know about his former bandmate Louis Tomlinson?

In contrast to conventional celebrity stories and photo collections crafted by management or officially sanctioned writers, this book is uniquely authored by his fans. Being unauthorized, it stands out as raw, sincere, and deeply moving.

Read reviews and more about this book on The Love It Takes website.

Second Edition Coming Spring 2025
Running with Chickens 

From software engineer to permaculture farmer? A witty and charming exploration of the disillusionment (some might say enlightenment) that drove a monumental life change. Explore the thoughts from the irreverent mind of a Silicon Valley coder-guy that decided to get off the hamster wheel, buy property in Costa Rica and turn it into a farm. He has some advice:

“When you hit your late twenties, you will likely go through the typical five stages of leaving your twenties all of which include various manifestations along the anxiety continuum: 1 – Denial, alcohol, and gaming; 2 – Anger, getting high on weed, alcohol, and gaming; 3 – Bargaining and travel to Peru to live simply and take ayahuasca; 4 – Introspection and discovering shrooms; 5 – Reluctant outward acceptance and denial resulting in assorted anxiety disorders. With that, you are an adult. Have a nice day.”

Published in 2016. Second Edition Coming 

Coming: December 2024
Travel Like A Girl

In 2014 I took a road trip alone in an RV. I was on the road around the US for nearly two years. Doing it alone was a choice and a good one. I had absolutely zero experience with trailers and towing. In this book I take you through my experience from start to finish from the interior adjustments I made, learning to back up, black tanks, wifi issues, stories from the road, and more. I have a feeling when you’re done reading this book, you’re going to want to do it too.

Coming December 2024!

Coming: March 2025

Interviewer: Are these true stories cuz, they seem a bit, um… out there?  

Skylar:  I call it creative non-fiction, which in my definition is kind of like the lovechild movie mashup of a Downton Abbey, Crazy, Stupid, Love (without that stupid final scene), and Arrested Development—it’s factual, but turns incidents into intrigue. And I would like to thank the real people (although names have been changed) portrayed in this book for making my life interesting. I recognize that their memories of the events may be different than my own. 

Interviewer: Do you actually drink tequila?  

Skylar:  Actually, yes I do. Well, I used to drink a lot of tequila and I also fake smoked. Now I mostly have stories from those days. 

Interviewer: Do you have a favorite tequila? 

Skylar:  Clear and expensive. Life’s too short for cheap booze.
 

Coming 2025

"The Art of the Arm" is a unique exploration of human anatomy and artistic expression. This unique book showcases a collection of stunning illustrations, each focusing on the human arm in ways you've never imagined. From realistic renderings to abstract interpretations. Why am I writing such a book? Because at the beginning of the pandemic I fell off a ladder doing an art project and had a catastrophic elbow-arm injury. I was pretty mad for three years. Decided to make the best of it.

Killin' Time in California

I grew up with the surf culture in Southern California (Orange County) and hung out on the beach quite a bit. I got to know a lot of the locals and was asked to do an anthology of stories. This was published many years ago but it's no longer in circulation. We had a bit of a problem with the title because no one was actually killed! It truly was about killing time--wasting time. Although if you ask any surfer, they didn't waste any time.

He Bought a Farm in Costa Rica

This was a photo journal for a man who left California to buy a farm in Costa Rica. It was done as a keepsake for him, his friends, and the many people that supported and accompanied him on the journey. I was among that group that was there for 3 months and I will be posting some stories about this journey on my Medium page.

Sky Dancer and the Dark Side of the Psyche

A mystery blended with an unexpected love story brought together  by a spiritual connection. When Laura Whitaker, Dallas psychologist, discovers one of her clients has been bludgeoned to death, she sets out to help the police solve the crime. Between the bustle of Dallas and the quiet serenity of Montana, Laura is torn in two directions and looks to the spirit, SkyDancer, to show her the way.

Contact