Personal Essays

An Advocate for Marriage
The Southern Cross (p.12), 03/01/2024

Divorce, Annulment & the Petrine Prililege
Commonweal Magazine, 04/01/2024

The Catholic Church: The World's Divine Melting Pot (pgs 7-8)
The Southern Cross, 12/01/2023

The Southern Cross
Unearthing God's Purpose (pages 10-11), September 1, 2023

The Best Reasons to Become a Redhead and Stay One
Next Tribe, May 30, 2023

Alone Is Not a Synonym for Lonely: A Single Woman Explains
Next Tribe, 01/20/2023

Why you won't catch me wearing pink during Breast Cancer Awareness Month
The Independent, 10/17/2022

Prepping the Mushrooms
Angels On Earth, Jan/Feb 2022

How I Found Joy In Letting Go Of Ever Going ‘Back To Normal’
The Federalist, July 15, 2021

An Unlikely Advocate for Marriage
Institute for Family Studies, 03/04/2021

How My Divorce Helped Prepare Me for the Pandemic.
Divorce Magazine, 06/12/2020

COVID-19 Has Triggered Memories of My Unwanted Divorce
Institute for Family Studies, 05/06/2020

Old Boxes, New Life
Penn Stater Magazine, March/April 2020

40 Ways to Celebrate Your Birthday—or Any Other Occasion—During COVID-19
Next Tribe, 04/01/2020

Escaping the Clutter Trap
AARP Magazine, Feb/March 2020

In Sickness
Institute for Family Studies, 12/02/2019

When my husband filed for divorce, I was shamed for staying faithful to my vows
America, The Jesuit Review, 10/10/2019

Like many Americans, my divorce destroyed my mental health and nearly drove me to suicide
USA Today, 09/29/2019

What Happened When I Agreed To Go On A Date With A Man Decades Younger Than Me
The Huffington Post, 09/20/2019

Reconstructing a Life and Finding Home After the Devastation of Divorce
Institute for Family Studies, 08/26/2019

Editor's Pick: My 8-year-old daughter showed her strength — and convinced me of mine, too
The Lily, 04/28/2019

In showing her own strength, my daughter taught me that I, too, am strong
The Washington Post, April 18, 2019

I was falsely accused and my reputation was disparaged. I don't regret fighting back.
USA Today, 09/28/2018

You Should Be Dancing
Purple Clover, 09/22/2018

Where Have All the Good Men Gone?
Purple Clover, April 21, 2018

Tuesdays With Flannery
Writer’s Digest Magazine, November 29, 2017

How Not To Let Your Ex Ruin An Otherwise Perfect Day
Grown and Flown, September 1, 2017

Commencement Day
Purple Clover, July 15, 2017

Sounds of Silence
Weight Watchers Magazine, June 15, 2017

This interracial couple endured discrimination and bullying
The Washington Post, June 9, 2017

I Nearly Died From an Insect Sting
The Guardian, November 18, 2016

God Save the Queens
Purple Clover, July 9, 2016

I Divorced My Husband but Still Have an Affinity for His Jewish Traditions
The Washington Post, April 21, 2016

No Man in Your Lifetime is Ever Going to Love You
Purple Clover, March 26, 2016

Lighting Up
Brain, Child Magazine, March 21, 2016

Like Sand Through the Hourglass
Purple Clover, December 12, 2015

The Day My Daughter Became a Woman
Brain, Child Magazine, October 15, 2015

A Song In My Heart
Purple Clover, September 20, 2015

The Force Awakens
Purple Clover, August 29, 2015

A Legacy of Failure
The Mid/Scary Mommy, July 27, 2015

Blood Is Thicker Than Water
Purple Clover, July 26, 2015

Daydream Believer
Purple Clover, June 28, 2015

Sometimes It’s Okay to Bend the Rules
The Mid, June 1, 2015

The Girl On A Motorcycle
Purple Clover, May 19, 2015

The Incredible Shrinking Woman
Purple Clover, April 6, 2015

Shortchanging America’s Families: Marriage and Divorce Vegas Style
New Jersey Family Magazine, January 1, 2013

Four Days of Silence
Salon, October 16, 2012

The Anniversary I Spent Alone
Salon, December 25, 2011

When Moms Break Up
Salon, February 26, 2011

Through A Child’s Eyes
Prevention, December 1, 2010

Accept Divorce? Never
The Huffington Post, November 18, 2010

After the Divorce: My daughters, the strangers
Salon, November 10, 2010

After the Beast: Saying No to No-Fault
The Huffington Post, November 10, 2010

My Fight to Stop My Divorce
The Daily Beast, August 1, 2010

Part-Time Fulfillment (The NY Times “Lives” column)
The New York Times Magazine, 01/15/2010

Why I Let My Daughters See Me Cry
Family Circle, April 1, 2005

Amid All the Bad Jokes, An ‘Eternal Friend’
Newsweek, November 9, 2003

Jumping In
Newsday, August 11, 2003

The Catholic Church: The World's Divine Melting Pot (pages 7-8)
The Southern Cross, 12/01/2023

Non-Fiction Features

Blame Women For High Divorce Rates That Hurt Women More Than Men
The Federalist , 01/31/2024

5 Questions With Family Studies: Greg Ellis on America’s Broken Family Law System
Institute for Family Studies, November 2, 2021

Beverly Willett on Flannery O’Connor: “The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.”
Headbutler, 05/19/2020

30 Reasons Why Life Is So Hard (And what you can do about it)
UpJourney, May 6, 2019

Life After Divorce. 7 Lessons I Learned From My Husband’s Affair
The Sanity Snack, 04/22/2019

South Magazine
GA Ports Authority: Bringing Business to the South, June/July 2018

Power Poetry
South Magazine, June/July 2018

SING! The American Traditions Vocal Competition Celebrates 25 Years in Savannah
Savannah Magazine, March 8, 2018

Call of the Heart
Savannah Magazine, December 11, 2017

Positively Paula
South Magazine, October 6, 2017

NYC to Savannah
Savannah Magazine, May/June 2017

The Secret That Lies Off the Coast of South Carolina
South Magazine, March 29, 2017

So Happy Together
Savannah Magazine, Fall/Winter 2016/2017

Jay McInerney Talks Fame and Faking It
South Magazine, January 27, 2017

Villians, Victims, and Vices: A Conversation with Caroline Leavitt
South Magazine, January 27, 2017

How an Accidental Chef Created a Lasting Legacy, Slightly North of Broad
South Magazine, January 27, 2017

100 Years of Ginger
Good Grit Magazine, January/February 2017

Root Doctors
South Magazine, December 2016/January 2017

Still Magnolias
Good Grit Magazine, December 1, 2016

Emergent Savannah
Good Grit Magazine, October 1, 2016

This Means War
South Magazine, June 2, 2016

Georgia’s Antebellum Trail
Good Grit Magazine, June 1, 2016

Tiny Houses, Big Difference
Savannah Magazine, May 6, 2016

Tent Cities
South Magazine, April 1, 2016

Here’s Sonny
South Magazine, February 5, 2016

Nasty Divorces’ Silver Lining?
The Daily Beast, May 19, 2012

Building Hope (Architects and Designers Provide Low-Cost Design Solutions to Disadvantaged Communities)
Chicken Soup for the Soul Magazine, January 1, 2007

The Mom List: 5 Things You Wish You’d Never Said
Parenting, December 15, 2006

Surviving Alternate Weekends
Woman’s Day, September 12, 2006

Back-to-School Special: Goodbye Summer, Hello School!
Woman’s Day, September 1, 2006

An Angel in Disguise (Giving Hope to Families of the Missing)
Chicken Soup for the Soul Magazine, July 1, 2006

6 Ways to Calm Camp Jitters
Woman’s Day, June 6, 2006

Pouring Out Their Hearts (One Little Girl Inspires Thousands)
Chicken Soup for the Soul Magazine, May 1, 2006

Nix Neighbor Nuisances
All You, May 1, 2006

Make the Most of Your Birthday
Woman’s Day, April 6, 2006

Overall Dedication (Encouraging Employees to Give)
Chicken Soup for the Soul Magazine, March 1, 2006

Life Lessons: Raising Tolerant, Compassionate Children
Viewpoints on Parenting, Toys ‘R Us, March 1, 2006

All Work and No Play
Viewpoints on Parenting, Toys ‘R Us, October 6, 2001

Op Eds

There is no Republican plot to end no-fault divorce — but there should be
The Washington Examiner, 08/18/2023

Our Country's Deepest Bigotry is Not What You Might Think
The Opinion Pages, 03/05/2023

Not Getting Divorced Could Save Your Marriage
Institute for Family Studies, October 17, 2022

Let Catholics Pray in Lain
The New York Daily News, August 5, 2022

Work is great, but most moms want to raise their children: Biden would tilt the scale toward full-time employment
New York Daily News, May 9, 2021

How to unify America, starting now
The New York Daily News, 09/23/2020

Will COVID-19 promote trend toward isolation or restore our courage as Americans?
USA Today, 03/20/2020

Like many Americans, my divorce destroyed my mental health and nearly drove me to suicide
USA Today, September 29, 2019

Celebrity divorces should not be news: They probably are because we want to feel superior.
The New York Daily News, 09/17/2019

What fifty years of no-fault divorce has gotten us.
The Washington Examiner, 08/13/2019

I shouldn't have had to fight to be a stay-at-home mom. We need family-friendly policies.
USA Today, 07/31/2019

How Mom and I finally bridged our political divide
The Seattle Times, May 25, 2019

Divorce won't make you or your kids happy. This January, resolve to keep your marriage intact.
USA Today, January 9, 2019

I was falsely accused and my reputation was disparaged. I don't regret fighting back.
USA Today, 09/28/2018

Beyond the Border, Keep all Families Together
The Deseret News, July 15, 2018

A Newcomer’s perceptions of Savannah have Changed
Savannah Morning News, November 20, 2015

How the Victory of Gay Marriage Could Save All Marriage
New York Post, October 22, 2015

It’s Time To Get Serious About Infidelity
Public Discourse, September 25, 2015

Dear Pope Francis: Remember the Standers
First Things, June 10, 2015

Dear Monica: Cyberbullying Is Wrong — But So Is Adultery
Public Discourse, April 7, 2015

National Marriage Rates in Nosedive
The Deseret News, December 25, 2014

Campuses Must Confront Assault Issue
The Courier-Journal, December 16, 2014

Campuses Must Confront Assault Issue
The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 14, 2014

American Apparel is Still Obscene After Ousting CEO Dov Charney
The New York Post, June 22, 2014

Reforming Divorce Law Will Benefit Marriage
The Deseret News, May 7, 2014

Time To Reform Divorce Laws
The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 25, 2014

What’s Next for Anthony Weiner?
The Deseret News, September 17, 2013

When To Burst Your Friend’s Bubble (with Jennifer Weiner and Tracy McMillan)
The New York Times, Room for Debate, August 4, 2013

We’re Not Like Angelina
The New York Post, May 17, 2013

When Divorce Is A Family Affair
The New York Times, Room for Debate, February 14, 2013

‘No fault’ Nuttiness: Why Modern Divorce is Lunacy
The New York Post, September 19, 2011

Kraft’s Thoughtless Contest
The National Review, August 15, 2011

Book Reviews

Heartbreaking Memoir "Troubled" Indicts the Elites Tearing Apart Two-Parent Homes
The Federalist , 03/29/2024

Harrison Scott Key's Countercultural Prescription for Staying Married
Institute for Family Studies, June 27, 2023

The Mother Knot, by Kathryn Harrison
The New York Times Book Review, June 13, 2004

Baby B, by Michael Ryan
The New York Times Book Review, May 9, 2004

Other

Quoted in "A History of No-Fault Divorce in the U.S."
CNN, 2024

Quoted in The Atlantic's September 26, 2023 article on No-Fault Divorce
The Atlantic, 2024

The Catholic Review, Fall-Winter 2023, Vol. 112, reprint of NYD News article in Braille
Xavier Society for the Blind , 2024

Interviewed, profiled and mentioned in:
Psychology Today, Babble, New York Magazine, Woman's Day, The Christian Post, The Washington Times, Jezebel, Connect Savannah, etc. , 2019

Interviewed, profiled and mentioned in:
The Deseret News, Minnesota Public Radio, WJCL-TV, The Courier-Journal, Fatherly, Newsmax, OXY, Philadelphia Magazine, Adweek, etc. , 2019

Interviewed, profiled and mentioned in:
Crisis Magazine, Marriage Matters, The Marriage Place, Blog of Sara Beth Merrick, Haven Writing Retreats, Patheos, Overlawyered, etc. , 2019

How to Begin Again
The Huffington Post, 2017

The Day My Daughter Became a Woman
The Huffington Post, 2017

Sometimes It’s Okay to Bend the Rules
The Huffington Post, 2016

Savannah Anthology 2016
Contributor, Juried Competition (“My Midlife Teenage Rebellion”), 2016

Savannah Anthology 2015
Contributor, Juried Competition (“Thunder’s Grief”), 2015

Move Over, First Families: ‘Blended’ Families Are the New Game in Town
The Huffington Post, 2014

Move Over First Families: Stepfamilies are the New Game in Town
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2014

What Kids Want for New Year’s
The Huffington Post, 2014

What Kids Want Most
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2014

Parents Ask, Experts, Answer
Gryphon House, 2014, Contributor, 2014

First Monday in October
The Huffington Post, 2013

Why Divorce Reform is Key to America’s Prosperity
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2013

The Supreme Court’s Decision to Punt on Marriage
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2013

Is Forever Feasible? (Interview with Prof. Alan J. Hawkins)
The Huffington Post, 2013

Is the Way We Divorce in America About to Change?
The Huffington Post, 2013

Changing the Way We Divorce
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2013

How to Choose Your Next Husband (Interview with Suzanne Venker)
The Huffington Post, 2013

Should Filing for Divorce Be Harder?
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2013

Why I’m Fighting For Divorce Reform
The Huffington Post, 2013

Divorce Reform is Possible in 2013
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2012

The #1 Reason To Think Twice Before Splitting Up
The Huffington Post, 2012

The Mouths of Babes
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2012

Why We Need National Black Marriage Day
The Huffington Post, 2012

Why Your Marriage Can Endure More Hardship Than You Think
The Huffington Post, 2012

Introducing Issues With Opposing Viewpoints: Divorce
Cengage Learning, Greenhaven Press, 2012, Contributor (Chapter 3: No-Fault Divorce Laws Are Not Beneficial), 2012

The Beauty of the Pause
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2011

Why Stay-At-Home Dads May Get Screwed In A Split
The Huffington Post, 2011

Is Divorce Literally Killing Our Nation’s Children?
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2011

Couple Divorces over Mayonnaise Feud: Fact or Fiction?
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2011

Divorce Lessons for Our Children
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2011

Standing Up for Marriage and Family
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2011

Say ‘No’ To No-Fault Again
The Huffington Post, 2011

After the Daily Beast: Saying No to No-Fault
The Huffington Post, 2011

The Most Pioneering Divorce Reform Effort in 40 Years
The Huffington Post, 2011

The Impossible Dream: My Fight to Save My Marriage
Coalition for Divorce Reform, 2011

No-Fault Divorce? Maybe Yogi Was Right
The Huffington Post, 2011

Feminists Love Divorce!
The Huffington Post, 2011

Divorced + Children + Relocating? Fuhgeddaboudit!
The Huffington Post, 2011

When The One Who Got Away Is The One You Left
The Huffington Post, 2011

Pinky Swears are Worthless and Other Lessons Divorce Teaches Our Children Well
The Huffington Post, 2010

Pause! In the Name of Love
The Huffington Post, 2010