From Loudmouth to Author: The Perks of Being Unfiltered

Let me say it up front—I've never been able to keep my mouth shut. Like, ever. I popped out of the womb ready to give a TED Talk. Ask my mother. She’ll tell you. With tears in her eyes and a twitch in her left eyebrow.

All through childhood, I was the kid asking “why?” one too many times. Or, okay—every time. If a grown-up said something ridiculous, you better believe I had a follow-up question, a counterpoint, and probably a joke that would get me grounded. Again.

And you’d think with age comes wisdom. Nah. With age comes better timing… maybe. But my mouth still gets me into situations where I’m halfway through a sarcastic remark before my brain taps in like, “Really? You’re doing this? Right now? In front of the priest?”

Now, for those who don’t know, I was born in Germany. And let me tell you something about Germans—we do not do subtle. We do not do fluffy. We do not dance around a subject with polite small talk and whispered hints. We march straight into it, stare it down, and call it what it is. Preferably with bullet points and a spreadsheet.

So if you're hoping for a demure, tactful, gentle soul who speaks in metaphors and soft innuendo, I regret to inform you: this ain't it. But if you want someone who’ll tell you exactly how it is, straight from—how do they say?—the horse’s mouth? Saddle up.

It took me a long time to see this as a strength. For years, I tried to tone it down. Be quieter. Nicer. More palatable. It never quite stuck. Sarcasm would leak out of me like steam from a teapot. And guess what? I was miserable when I wasn’t being me.

It wasn’t until I started writing—really writing—that I realized this “loud mouth” thing might just be my superpower. Because my characters? They’ve got opinions. They say things I’ve only thought in PTA meetings. They mess up. They crack wise. They speak before they think. In short: they’re real. They're me.

And the best part? People like it. Turns out readers enjoy honesty. They appreciate a character—or an author—who doesn’t sugarcoat things, but still makes them laugh while telling the truth. And maybe that’s what the world needs more of right now: fewer filtered highlight reels and more bold, unedited voices. Maybe your voice, even the messy, sarcastic, sometimes-too-loud version, is the one somebody out there needs to hear.

So no, I probably won’t ever be quiet. I’ll still say awkward things at funerals, blurt out inappropriate jokes during tense moments, and offer unsolicited opinions on cheese. But I’ll also keep writing, telling stories that are loud, honest, and just a little bit unruly—like me.

Thanks for reading this installment of “About the Author.” If you’ve ever been told to quiet down, to “read the room,” or to be “nicer”—this one’s for you. Keep being exactly who you are.

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