Laurel Morales writes witty stories about love, loss, and life's second chances. When not writing fiction you can find her on Substack, hiking the trails surrounding her Flagstaff home, or attempting to influence her daughters' music tastes. She's also an award-winning National Public Radio reporter, the creator of the internationally acclaimed podcast 2 Lives, and an active member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association.
Everyone has an era they’d check into like a hotel. For empty nester Jess Wilder the elevator dings at a Michigan summer camp in 1996 – the summer of firsts – first love, first sex, first regret. But when she grants her best friend’s final wish to see The Regrets in 2026, Jess is forced to confront her past – Benny Cruz, the rockstar who destroyed her marriage.
2 Lives - stories of people who faced darkness and how those moments transformed them. "We all have two lives. The second begins the moment we realize we have only one."
Where I share the ups and downs of empty nesting, book and podcast recommendations, and writing resources.