Published Works
Church of Grief
Church of Grief is a raw exploration of religious and sexual trauma, focusing on the lasting effects of purity culture. Through haunting poetry and personal illustrations, Rachel reflects on the emotional weight of growing up in a faith that demanded perfection, silence, and submission, while also grappling with the scars of sexual trauma.
Coming Soon
Fire Poppy
Fire Poppy is a powerful and evocative collection of poetry that chronicles the raw and emotional experiences of surviving and enduring sexual assault. Through each verse, Rachel intricately weaves together pain, survival, and eventual healing, offering a deeply personal yet universally relatable narrative. In this poignant work, the "fire" symbolizes both the destructive force of trauma and the regenerative power of resilience, while the "poppy" represents the delicate beauty of recovery that grows in the wake of devastation.
Writers Retreat
I was high off the success of my debut novel that launched my dream career. I bought my first house, equipped with a gorgeous backyard, perfect for my service dog, Eira. To hurry and finish my second novel, Eira and I were heading out to a cabin in the Appalachian mountains with the trees in full autumn bloom.
The roadside religious signs casted long shadows of guilt and damnation. I was reminded of why I deconstructed, untangling myself from the holy web. But you have to remember, shadows follow you everywhere, and if you aren’t careful they’ll consume you.
I met the Devil. He was dressed in a mechanics coverall, with a young, handsome face, and a voice thick with the Smokys. He wanted me, body and soul.
No cross was coming to save me. It never did.
I had to be my own savior.