Find me on Slack in ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications on Medium under #mentoring — And, now the plot thickens… George Villiers of The Great Rehearsal, 1671 Hello and welcome, my name is Chelsea Mandler, and I teach people to write. Often, when a writer requests help from a mentor, they feel overwhelmed, nervous, and doubt themselves. Others feel defeated. …

How to overcome unconscious stressors — Re-entry When the plane hits the tarmac at LAX, I feel a sense of relief to be home. After moving away 25 years ago, my yearly visit is a requirement in my marriage. I must see the ocean. The mighty blue Pacific is where my soul comes to recharge. …

It is your choice where you land — Of course, the money enticed me. I did not care about delivering anyone’s newspaper. But I did like collecting payments from customers on the way to the mall to buy coke bottle gummies. However, every month I would end short of what I owed, and my dad begrudgingly paid for…

The inevitable outcome of involving yourself in other people’s business My general manager began making sexual innuendos to the younger girls on staff at the restaurant in which I bartended after a recent separation from his wife. For instance, if a young woman asked for the keys to the office…

How it affects your life This is the thought that woke me up from a nightingale sleep as if I was experiencing it in real-time. Walking into his hospital room, my cousin, Chris was sitting up being soothed by his loved ones. He looked up and saw my brother and…

Feature writers that shine — Our writers dazzle readers, shedding light with limitless boundaries of what you may find. Be it eclectic, sophisticated, eloquent, informational, controversial, and sometimes provocative, our writers invite readers to reach into their souls, hearts, and minds. Predetermined subjects do not enslave illumination; our writers engage their audience by radiating originality…

An editorial: The First Amendment — Is this the land of the free? I am just not sure anymore. But how could I find out if I wanted to anyway? The slanted news engages in emotional tactics that replace logic. Evidence shows that once someone becomes emotional in an argument, they have already been defeated. This…