Spring break brought rainstorms, Vikings‑in‑training, a domestic war zone of spring cleaning, and the chaotic countdown to my Barnes & Noble signing. Between last‑minute flyers, triple‑checking inventory, and loading my Jeep like it was prepping for battle, it was a lot — but the milestone and the magic made every bit of chaos worth it.

Earlier this week, I was contacted by a local high school teacher in regard to participating in an “Industry Interview” project for the...