Meet Miss Lil:

Meet Miss Lil: The Woman Behind the Words, the Tea, and a Little Bit of Chaos

By Miss Lil

If you've spent any time reading my work, you've probably figured out that I have a few things to say about this world. Some of them are uncomfortable. Some are downright strange. Some involve people who make you wonder what in the world was going through their heads. And every once in a while, I just want to sit down with a cup of tea and talk about life, because goodness knows, life gives us plenty to talk about.

But who exactly is Miss Lil?

Well, pull up a chair, fix yourself something to drink, and let me introduce myself properly. There's a woman behind the words, and her story is a little messier, a little louder, and a whole lot more human than any neat little biography could ever explain.

A Writer Who Refused to Put Down Her Pen

I'm a woman in my 40s, and I've been writing since my teenage years. Back then, writing was something I did because I needed to do it. It was an outlet, a way to sort through thoughts, explore ideas, and put into words the things that sometimes felt impossible to explain out loud.

I didn't start out with some grand plan to become a writer. I wasn't sitting around imagining a future filled with published articles, readers, followers, and people waiting to see what I'd write next. I simply loved writing, and that love stuck around even when life got in the way.

And life certainly has a habit of getting in the way.

Over the years, I've heard my share of discouraging words. There have been people who thought writing was a waste of time, that I ought to be doing something more practical, or that I was chasing something that would never amount to much. When you're young, comments like that can get under your skin. When you hear them often enough, you can start wondering whether the people saying them might be right.

I won't pretend those things never bothered me. I'm human. Words can hurt, especially when they come from people whose opinions matter to you.

But somewhere along the way, I decided that other people's doubts weren't going to be the deciding factor in what I did with my life.

So I kept writing.

I wrote when I had time. I wrote when I had something to say. I wrote through the ordinary days, the difficult seasons, and the moments when there were a dozen other things demanding my attention. Sometimes the words came easily. Other times, getting a thought onto the page felt like pulling teeth. Still, I kept coming back to it.

Looking at my growing collection of work now, I realize just how much those years have added up to. Every article, every story, every opinion piece represents a little piece of that journey. Some are about things that have fascinated me for years. Others come from questions I couldn't shake or subjects I felt deserved more attention.

And no, I haven't reached some magical finish line where everything suddenly becomes easy. I'm still learning. I'm still growing. I'm still figuring out what I want to say and how best to say it.

That's part of the fun, really.

Writing isn't something I outgrew, and it isn't something I intend to give up just because somebody else doesn't understand why it matters to me. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you don't need everybody's permission to pursue something you love.

You just have to be willing to keep going.

So, What Do I Write About?

A little bit of everything, if we're being honest.

I have a particular interest in true crime, paranormal mysteries, strange historical events, and the uncomfortable corners of human behavior. I enjoy digging into stories that leave people scratching their heads, asking questions, or wondering how something so terrible could happen in the first place.

Give me a mystery with unanswered questions, a historical story that has been forgotten, or a case that deserves another look, and chances are I'll want to investigate further.

I like looking beyond the first headline. I want to know what happened, who was involved, what the evidence tells us, and what might have been overlooked. I'm interested in the details that get lost when a story is reduced to a few paragraphs or turned into a passing conversation on social media.

Sometimes the most interesting part of a story isn't the thing everyone is talking about. It's the question nobody seems interested in asking.

That's where I like to spend my time.

I also enjoy writing about social issues, human behavior, and the double standards we seem to accept without giving them much thought. I have opinions, and I'm not particularly interested in pretending otherwise. That doesn't mean I believe I'm always right. It means I think we're all better off when we're willing to examine our beliefs, listen to different perspectives, and have honest conversations, even when those conversations get uncomfortable.

I don't expect everyone who reads my work to agree with me. In fact, I'd rather someone walk away thinking carefully about an issue than simply nod along because they happen to share my opinion.

A good discussion can teach us something. A disagreement can make us reconsider an assumption. And sometimes, a story can open our eyes to something we never noticed before.

That's what I hope my writing does.

Of course, not every subject needs to be heavy. Sometimes I want to explore a spooky mystery, share an odd piece of history, or sit down at Miss Lil's Tea Table and talk about whatever has caught my attention that day.

There is plenty of darkness in the world, but there is also curiosity, humor, creativity, and the occasional absurdity that makes you wonder whether the universe is playing a joke on all of us.

I intend to make room for all of it.

Living With Cancer, One Day at a Time

There is another part of my story that doesn't always make it into my writing, but it deserves a place here.

I'm a blood cancer warrior.

I'm currently in remission, and I'm grateful to be able to say those words. Anyone who has faced a serious illness knows that good news can mean more than a simple update from a doctor. It can mean breathing a little easier, making plans again, and allowing yourself to imagine what comes next.

But remission isn't the same thing as being cured.

The type of blood cancer I live with can never be considered completely gone. It can return, and I have to live with that knowledge. There is no convenient way to wrap that reality up with a pretty bow, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise.

It means carrying a kind of uncertainty that other people may not see. Life goes on around you. People have work to do, groceries to buy, bills to pay, children to look after, and a thousand ordinary things that need attention. You still laugh at silly things. You still get irritated when somebody leaves a mess in the kitchen. You still have days when you want to crawl under a blanket and ignore the entire world.

And somewhere in the back of your mind, you know there is something you cannot completely put behind you.

I don't share that to invite pity. That's not what I'm after. I share it because it's part of my life, and pretending it doesn't exist wouldn't make much sense.

Cancer has a way of reminding you that the future isn't something any of us can guarantee. We can make plans, set goals, dream about what we want to accomplish, and hope for many more years with the people we love. But none of us gets a signed contract promising exactly how much time we'll have.

That knowledge can be frightening. It can also make the ordinary things feel more precious.

A quiet evening with my partner. A ridiculous conversation with my sister. Hearing the kids laughing in another room. A good writing day. A new craft project spread across the table. The pets doing something completely ridiculous because apparently nobody informed them that they're supposed to behave like civilized members of the household.

Those moments matter.

I'm still here. I'm still writing. I'm still making plans, trying new things, loving my family, and figuring out what I want to do next.

I don't know what the future holds, and neither does anybody else. For now, I'm going to keep living my life rather than putting everything on hold for something that may or may not happen.

There are stories left to tell, after all.

Home Is Where the Chaos Lives

I live just outside Madison, Wisconsin, which is a lovely place to be until winter decides it has a personal grudge against your face.

Wisconsin winters are not for the faint of heart. The wind can cut right through you, the snow can pile up when you least need it, and there are mornings when stepping outside feels like making a questionable life choice. You learn to appreciate a warm house, a decent coat, and the ability to stay indoors when the weather is being particularly unpleasant.

Fortunately, my house provides plenty of reasons to stay home.

I share my home with my partner of 17 years, my younger sister, my brother-in-law, my niece, and my nephew. Add in our collection of pets, and you've got a household that could probably qualify as a small independent ecosystem.

Six family members, a zoo of animals, and all the everyday noise that comes with living together under one roof.

Quiet? Occasionally.

Peaceful? Depends on the definition.

Predictable? Absolutely not.

There is always something happening. Somebody needs something, somebody is looking for something, somebody has a story to tell, or one of the animals has decided that whatever it is doing at that exact moment is far more important than anything the humans had planned.

Privacy can be a luxury. Silence is practically a special occasion.

And honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way.

Living in a busy household means learning to work around interruptions, finding your own little pockets of time, and accepting that the perfect conditions for getting something done may never arrive. If I waited for my house to be completely quiet before writing, I'd probably finish one article every leap year.

Instead, I make the best of what I've got.

Sometimes that means writing while the rest of the household goes about its business. Sometimes it means taking a break to spend time with family. Sometimes it means looking at the clock and wondering how the entire day disappeared while I was doing what felt like three different people's jobs.

That's family life. It's not always tidy, and it certainly isn't always convenient, but it has a way of filling a house with memories.

And the pets? They're part of the family, too. They bring their own personalities, their own demands, and their own particular brand of nonsense. Anyone who lives with animals knows they have a remarkable ability to make themselves the center of attention without asking permission.

Our house may not be quiet, but it is full of life.

I'll take that over an empty room any day.

My Favorite Job Has Nothing to Do With Writing

One of the most important roles in my life is being a mom-tie to my 13-year-old niece and 9-year-old nephew.

For anyone unfamiliar with the term, think of it as a blend of mom and auntie. I'm their aunt, but the love and devotion I feel for them go well beyond what a title can neatly explain.

Being part of their lives is something I treasure.

Kids have a way of keeping you grounded in the present. They can make you laugh when you're in a terrible mood, ask questions that catch you completely off guard, and turn an ordinary afternoon into an event you'll remember years later. They can also test your patience in ways you never thought possible, but I suspect that's part of the job description.

At 13 and 9, they're at very different stages of growing up. They're discovering the world, developing their own opinions, learning what matters to them, and figuring out who they want to be. I get to watch that happen, and I get to be one of the people in their corner.

I want them to know they are loved. I want them to feel safe asking questions, making mistakes, and learning from the world around them. I want them to know that they have people who will stand beside them when life gets difficult and celebrate with them when things go right.

I can't make the world perfect for them. Nobody can.

But I can love them, support them, listen to them, and do my best to help them navigate it.

That matters to me more than I can easily put into words.

And yes, being a mom-tie also means being present for the everyday stuff. The conversations, the laughter, the occasional chaos, and the little moments that don't seem particularly important until you look back and realize how quickly children grow.

I know they'll keep getting older. One day, they'll be teenagers with even more opinions, then young adults making their own way in the world. I can't stop time, much as I might occasionally like to.

What I can do is enjoy the time I have with them now.

So I do.

Seventeen Years, One Partner, and a Life We're Still Building

I've been with my partner for 17 years.

Seventeen years is a considerable amount of life to share with another person. We've had time to build a home, create memories, experience the inevitable ups and downs, and learn things about each other that only come from spending years together.

Long-term relationships aren't made entirely of grand romantic gestures and perfect moments. A lot of love lives in the everyday things. Showing up when somebody needs you. Being willing to talk when a conversation would be easier to avoid. Learning how to get through difficult seasons together. Laughing at the same ridiculous joke for the hundredth time because, for some reason, it never stops being funny.

A shared life is built in those little moments, one day at a time.

We're looking forward to many more years together, and that's something I'm happy to say. We've built a relationship that matters deeply to me, and I don't take that history for granted.

Our relationship also includes the polyamorous lifestyle. For us, love isn't limited to one prescribed relationship structure. We believe in the importance of honesty, trust, communication, and respecting the people involved in our lives.

People have different ideas about what relationships should look like. That's fine. What works for one person won't necessarily work for another, and I don't believe every relationship needs to fit somebody else's template to be meaningful.

What matters is that the people involved understand one another, communicate openly, and treat each other with care.

I'm not here to convince everybody to live the way we do. I'm simply sharing a little more about the life behind my writing.

After 17 years together, we're still looking ahead, still sharing our lives, and still making room for whatever comes next.

And if there's one thing I've learned about a long-term partnership, it's that the years don't happen all at once. They happen in ordinary days, difficult conversations, shared responsibilities, unexpected laughter, and all the little decisions to keep building a life together.

I look forward to more of them.

Creativity Doesn't Stop When I Close the Laptop

Writing may be one of my greatest creative outlets, but it certainly isn't the only one.

I enjoy arts and crafts, and I love having something to work on with my hands. There is a particular satisfaction in taking an idea and turning it into something tangible. You start with materials, a little inspiration, and sometimes a vague notion of what you're doing. Eventually, if all goes well, you end up with something you can hold in your hands and say, "I made that."

Of course, sometimes a project doesn't go according to plan. Materials misbehave, ideas change halfway through, and occasionally you have to admit that the thing you imagined in your head isn't quite what happened on the worktable.

That's part of creating, too.

I also enjoy gaming and roleplaying. I love the opportunity to step into another world, develop a character, tell a story, and see where an adventure leads. Roleplaying combines imagination, collaboration, and storytelling in a way that appeals to the same part of me that enjoys writing.

There's something wonderful about creating a character who has a life of their own, giving them a history, figuring out what motivates them, and watching their story unfold through interactions with other people.

Sometimes I want to explore the real world through an article. Other times, I want to disappear into a fantasy setting filled with strange creatures, complicated characters, and adventures that would make absolutely no sense to my neighbors.

Both sides of my imagination need room to breathe.

And then there's the crafting business I help run with my younger sister.

Simply Hooked Crafts: Making Things With a Little Heart

My younger sister and I run a crafting business called Simply Hooked Crafts, which you can find on Facebook.

Crafting gives us another way to share our creativity, make things for others, and put some of our own personalities into the work we do. Running a small crafting business takes time, patience, and a willingness to juggle a few more responsibilities than you probably planned on having.

There are projects to make, ideas to explore, and the practical side of keeping a business moving forward. It isn't always glamorous, but it's rewarding to see something you've created find a home with somebody who appreciates it.

Working on a business with family has its own quirks, of course. When you combine family relationships with creative projects, you get a little bit of everything: shared ideas, problem-solving, conversations about what to make next, and the occasional moment when you both have strong opinions about how something ought to be done.

But that's part of the experience.

I'm grateful to have another creative outlet in my life, especially one I get to share with my sister. Between writing and crafting, there is rarely a shortage of ideas. If anything, the challenge is finding enough hours in the day to do everything that catches my attention.

If you'd like to see what we're making, you can find Simply Hooked Crafts on Facebook. We'd love for you to stop by and take a look.

The Woman Behind Miss Lil

So, after all of that, what does it really mean to be Miss Lil?

It means I'm a writer who has spent years learning to trust her own voice, even when other people weren't convinced it was worth hearing.

It means I'm a blood cancer warrior living in remission while knowing that my illness may return. It means I appreciate the good days without pretending the difficult ones don't exist.

It means I'm a partner of 17 years, a sister, and a devoted mom-tie to two wonderful kids who are growing up far too quickly. It means I live in a busy Wisconsin household with the people I love and enough pets to keep things interesting.

It means I enjoy creating things, whether I'm putting words on a page, working on a craft project, playing a game, or building a story with other roleplayers.

It means I have opinions, questions, interests, and more than a few things I want to explore.

And it means I'm still learning who I am.

I don't have every answer. I haven't figured out some magical formula for balancing work, family, creativity, health, and all the other things life expects us to manage. Some days go smoothly. Other days feel like I've spent twelve hours putting out little fires, only to discover that somebody has started another one in the kitchen.

That's life in a busy household, I suppose.

I'm not a perfect person, and I have no interest in pretending to be one. I'm simply someone who has lived, learned, struggled, laughed, loved, and continued moving forward.

I know what it's like to have people question your dreams. I know what it's like to face uncertainty about your health. I know how much the people you love can mean to you, and I know how quickly ordinary days can become memories.

Those experiences shape the way I see the world, and they shape the things I choose to write about.

I want my work to make people curious. I want to tell stories that deserve to be heard. I want to ask questions that make readers stop and think. Sometimes I want to challenge a popular opinion, and sometimes I simply want to share something fascinating that more people should know.

I also want to keep growing as a writer. There are subjects I haven't explored yet, stories I haven't told, and ideas that haven't quite found their way onto the page.

I'm not finished. Not even close.

And perhaps that's the most important thing to know about me.

I'm still here, still creating, still asking questions, and still finding new reasons to pick up my pen.

Come Sit at My Tea Table

If you've read this far, thank you for taking the time to get to know me.

I know the internet is full of people asking for your attention, and there is never a shortage of things competing for your time. So when somebody chooses to spend a few minutes reading my work, I appreciate it.

If you enjoy true crime, strange mysteries, forgotten history, social commentary, or stories about the complicated business of being human, I hope you'll stick around.

You don't have to agree with everything I write. You don't even have to like every subject I cover. I simply hope you'll find something here that interests you, makes you think, or encourages you to look at a familiar story from a different angle.

And if you feel like talking about it afterward, even better.

You can find me and my community on Facebook:

Join my Facebook group, share your thoughts, take part in the conversations, and get to know the people who gather around the tea table.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2155720388491578

You can also read my work on Vocal Media:

My writing covers true crime, history, mysteries, social commentary, and a little bit of everything else that catches my attention. My collection continues to grow, and I'd love for you to explore it, follow my work, and subscribe so you can keep up with new pieces.

https://vocal.media/journal/miss-lils-tea-table

And if you're interested in the crafty side of my life, come visit my sister and me at Simply Hooked Crafts on Facebook and see what we've been creating.

Thank you for reading, for supporting my work, and for giving an independent writer a place in your day.

I spent years hearing that writing was a waste of time. Maybe I could have taken those words to heart. Maybe I could have decided that pursuing something I loved wasn't worth the trouble.

But I didn't.

I'm glad I kept going, because I still have stories to tell, questions to ask, and plenty of things I'd like to share with the world.

So, make yourself comfortable. Wisconsin weather may be doing its best to freeze us all solid, my house may be full of noise, and there may or may not be a pet attempting to claim my chair, but there's always room for one more person at my tea table.

The kettle is on. The stories are waiting.

And Miss Lil?

She's just getting started. ☕🖤