Writing has always been where I go to find the words for what I am feeling, understand what I am experiencing, and turn pieces of my life into something meaningful. From childhood stories and handwritten poems to published books, the page has been one of the places where I have felt most free to be completely honest.
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. As a child, I loved creating stories and poems, and I still have a poetry book from sixth grade filled with some of what I considered my greatest middle-school work. What began as imagination and play gradually became something much more personal. Through my teenage years, my twenties, and into adulthood, poetry became a way to release my emotions and make sense of whatever I was going through at the time.
Many of my poems are snapshots of real moments in my life. They hold feelings, relationships, questions, heartbreak, hope, growth, and different versions of who I was when I wrote them. I often began with no plan beyond needing to get something out of my head and onto the page. Writing gave those emotions somewhere to go, allowing me to see them differently once they were transformed into words.
Over the years, I collected my favorite poems and placed them together in a binder. That collection eventually inspired me to publish my first book. I later explored a completely different kind of storytelling through a children’s book inspired by my daughter. Although the two books are very different, they both come from the same place: the desire to connect, encourage, and express something meaningful through words.
I still have poems and other writing that have never been published, and I continue to see writing as an evolving part of my creative life. This page is a home for the books I have already released, the stories behind them, and the work I may choose to share in the future.
Searching For My Soul with a Pen In Hand
by Courtney Dayne
A personal collection of poetry written through different seasons of my life.
Searching for My Soul with a Pen in Hand grew from years of poetry that I had collected and kept together in a binder. Many of the poems were written as a direct response to something I was feeling or experiencing, making the book deeply personal and reflective of my journey through different stages of life.
The title was inspired by a poem in the collection called “My Pen.” It captures the idea of searching within yourself through writing—allowing the pen to uncover thoughts, feelings, and pieces of your identity that may be difficult to express aloud. For me, the book is more than a collection of poems. It is a record of the moments when writing helped me understand myself.
Angel Friends
by Courtney Dayne
Angel Friends was inspired by my daughter Harmony when she was younger and even includes the cat she had at the time. In the story, Harmony shares a few of her favorite angels and explains simple ways children can think about connecting with them.
The book introduces Archangel Michael, Archangel Raphael, and Archangel Gabriel, three familiar archangels recognized across many spiritual traditions. Each one is presented in an approachable and non-denominational way, helping children learn what the different angels represent without making the subject feel overwhelming or complicated.
At its heart, Angel Friends is a warm and imaginative story about comfort, guidance, protection, and the idea that children are surrounded by love and support.