The Story Behind My Menopause Thriller

Where it all happened. My little corner of the world where this book came to life.

The Book I Never Expected to Write

I have always wanted to write a book. For years I imagined topics like a cookbook, an entertaining guide, or even a romantic, character-filled story inspired by my life in a little rural community in British Columbia. Those ideas felt fun and familiar. The book I actually wrote took me completely by surprise: a memoir-style book about my personal menopause journey.

"The book I dreamed of writing was not the one that chose me."

A Winter Evening That Changed Everything

Last winter I was alone at our little Cariboo lake house. It was a dark evening with the fire glowing and wrapping the room in a quiet warmth. Outside, the long winter darkness settled in early and created a perfect cocoon for solitude. I curled up on the couch with a glass of wine, ready for a quiet night of TV. Then it happened: that old, familiar tug to finally write a book surfaced again.

But about what?

I let myself think for a while. Then, unexpectedly, an idea hit with startling clarity: write about menopause.

I actually laughed.

Write about menopause?

What would I say? Who would ever want to read that?

But the thought stayed with me. My mind began flipping through the last fifteen to twenty plus years of my own perimenopause and menopause journey. Every hot flash, every awkward moment, every frustration, and every unexpected laugh.

Opening the Laptop and Opening the Floodgates

I got up, walked slowly to my desk, sat down, and opened my laptop. And then the words simply poured out.

It was wild.

This was not the plan.

But I could not stop writing.

Night after night, for weeks, I wrote without editing or censoring. I did not worry about the shape or structure of the story. I let it all spill onto the screen.

Sometimes I would reread passages and laugh until tears rolled down my face. Other times the tears came from the pain of remembering certain moments I had tucked away. This roller coaster of emotion was unexpected, but there it was, pouring out with every page.

"I wrote until I cried from laughter, and I wrote until I cried from remembering."

Finding the Story Within the Story

When I finally reached a point where everything felt poured out, I reread my draft countless times. Writing it all down helped me process years of confusion and emotions that I had never fully allowed myself to revisit.

Then I started shaping it. I focused on flow, clarity, what was missing, and how to balance the heavier moments with humour, inspiration, and empowerment. I wanted a story that acknowledged the hard parts but also left room for real hope.

I wrote almost every evening and weekend, all while still working my day job to keep the lights on during those dark winter months. After months of effort, I finally felt I had shared what I needed to share.

The Moment I Realized My Book Was Short

When I stepped back to look at the manuscript, I was hit with a new worry.

It was short.

Really short.

At the beginning I had envisioned this massive book, something big enough to hold everything I thought I needed to say. I imagined all the emotional baggage I was spilling onto the pages would result in a thick, impressive book for the shelf. Something that looked substantial.

But when I looked closely at what I truly wanted this book to offer, I realized the story I needed to tell was already there, and exactly what it needed to be.

“I wanted a thick book, but what I had was a true one."

Why I Chose to Keep It Simple

Welcome to the Club: A Menopause Thriller is not meant to be a medical textbook or a scientific guide. Those books matter, but they are not mine.

I am not a doctor or a scientist or any kind of menopause expert. I am simply a woman who woke up one day feeling like someone had turned up the thermostat, shrunk my pants, and stolen my memory. This is the story of that journey.

I knew there had to be other women who needed something simple, quick, funny, honest, and real. Something you can read in one sitting or dive into in the moments you need it most.

Most importantly, something that reminds women that they are not alone in this wild and confusing chapter of life.

"I wanted a book that was short, punchy, honest, and true. A book women could actually breathe with."

A Book For Every Woman

This book is my offering. It is raw and real and full of humour. It is the story I never planned to write but absolutely needed to tell.

Your journey may look different from mine, but no matter how it unfolds, I hope my story gives you a moment of recognition, relief, laughter, or strength.

“Welcome to The Club you never asked to join.”

Every story begins somewhere. Mine began right here, in this little writing nook.