"Homeless in LA" by Jill Amber Chafin

 – What now?

Family sticks together, and we take turns being the savior.

Jill Amber Chafin is a personal finance writer for LendingTree, an aerial dance teacher, and a mother to two small children in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She co-hosts a nation-wide writers’ critique group where she teaches workshops on the craft of writing. She is currently querying agents for her domestic novel while also working on a young adult novel and her memoir. This story is one of many unique adventures she shared with her eccentric family. 

Author’s Talk

Jill Amber Chafin

My family has always thrived on adventure and following our dreams, no matter how crazy or unrealistic they may be. We spent 11 years living off the land in rural Wisconsin (making maple syrup, milking goats, climbing trees in bare feet), before moving to the eccentric, artistic town of Bisbee, Arizona. After five years, the wanderlust bug hit again. On a whim, we sold everything and moved to the other side of the world — New Zealand. What a dream! Turquoise-blue oceans for miles and miles, rugged mountains, pristine air, and more sheep than you can count. 

We were devastated to leave this slice of paradise behind due to immigration complications. But we persevered. We didn’t care that we were homeless and broke. We had each other, and that was all that mattered. After a lifetime of such risk-taking spontaneity, I now firmly believe that if you blindly jump, you’ll eventually land somewhere. It might not be where you thought you were going, but that’s part of the fun. 

This story is an excerpt from my soon-to-be-finished memoir, Dancing Naked in the Moonlight. I’m also pleased to announce that my domestic suspense novel, One Little Shake, is now being represented by the Ross Yoon Agency. Keep an eye out for when it hits the shelves. — Jill Amber Chafin