Growing up I loved stories, imagination games, and movies but having undiagnosed ADHD and a learning disability, I struggled in school and couldn't read! That all changed the summer of my 5th grade year when I heard The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe (from the Chronicles Of Narnia book series by C.S. Lewis). Suddenly, books and reading became this magical portal to new worlds I could only discover through storytelling and imagination! For me Narnia was the first magical storytelling moment I experienced -- feeling like I was not only portaled to a new world, but I was there experiencing the story and walking in the character's shoes on the adventure with them!

Ok, most people will tell you the coolest moment in Written Out Loud is at the end with the unboxing of YOUR STORY and holding a real-life printed copy of the book your crew wrote together! And honestly I still get super giddy every single time I get a Written Out Loud book in the mail!

But my favorite part is actually at the start of Written Out Loud, maybe week 2 or 3, when we have all come together and are starting to become a team. There is this beautiful, powerful, magical moment where we brainstorming and just starting to create a story together. There is a sudden shift in the team chemistry, but it goes beyond writing a team story together -- there is a click and a lightbulb moment for each person individually. It is the moment when you realize, "Hey, my Written Out Loud crew has kids that are fun and love stories like me! I think I found new friends! I think I found my people!"