Originally intended to simply focus on book reviews, over time, KaliDesautelsReads has morphed into its own entity.
I write about issues that are near to my heart, be they political, feminist, motherhood, mental health, or, as the title holds, books.
A thirty-something Canadian woman in my mid-thirties, I have been “super married” to my high school sweetheart since 2006, and together we have two crazy, clever, kind, hilarious, wonderful kids.
My first book – How Not To Blog: Finding Myself, One Post at a Time is available on Amazon (in eBook formats for you clever tech readers, and paperback for those of us who love that new book smell!)
I have tried a podcast – it’s still on Apple and Google Podcasts – but writing is where my heart is.
My life changed dramatically when my husband was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer in 2018, and I am now a writer for a leading Canadian Cancer Non-Profit.
I am lucky enough to have a family that loves me and pushes me to be my best, even if it is outside of my cushiony comfort zone. I have a village of friends that nourish me, mentally, and spiritually.
Welcome to my thoughts. Sit down. Stay a while. Enjoy a cup of coffee!
Kali Desautels is a writer and blogger based in Vancouver, British Columbia. She began her blogging journey in 2017 with “KaliDesautelsReads,” a platform initially created to review books. Over time, her blog evolved to cover a wide range of topics including motherhood, feminism, and mental health advocacy.
Kali is the author of “How Not to Blog: Finding Myself One Post at a Time,” a memoir-style collection of blog posts that share her personal experiences with depression, anxiety, and family life, including her husband’s cancer diagnosis. Her writing is known for its candid and relatable tone, which has garnered her a dedicated following.
In addition to her blogging and writing, Kali works for the Canadian Cancer Society and is involved with the Slay Movement Collective, where she participates in fitness challenges aimed at promoting physical and mental well-being.
She has been recognized as one of the top 30 bloggers by Vancouver Mom in 2020.
I am aware that my little family is growing and I only have a few years left with all four of us under one roof. This makes nights like this one all the more special and important. To me, it will be a core memory.
Who’s up for a #Giveaway?? @kalidesautelsspeaks is sooooo close to 11k followers, why not do a giveaway??
As soon as we reach 11k, I will host a giveaway with a couple exciting prizes! So please like, and follow! We only need 50 more followers to reach this goal!
When my son was about 10, I was listening to Memory Laps by @davidsedarisbooks on audiobook in the car. Next thing I knew, he asked me to turn it up and soon was in stitches laughing at the story. Thus began a love for all things David Sedaris for him. He began asking for his books and would delight in reading his favourite essays and stories out loud to us, and to family and friends when they came for dinner.
When I found out that David Sedaris was going to be coming to Vancouver as part of @vancouverwritersfest, I knew that Liam had to be there. So, for his birthday, we bought 2 tickets and he has been counting down ever since.
Tonight was finally the night, and we got to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre early enough for the pre-show book signing! So not only would Liam get to see David Sedaris, but he would be able to meet him and get a book signed by him.
This was all exciting, but when we reached the table (and I started babbling nervously), Mr. Sedaris was so kind, and funny. He told Liam that he had a gift for him, because he likes to give gifts to young people who come to his shows. He drew a dinosaur while signing the book, and presented my son with a large, black velvet box. He prompted Liam to open it and told him it was the best gift he had in his bag. Inside was a fossilized piece of dinosaur dung, which Liam was quick to recognize as such. David Sedaris then told Liam that when life gets rough, and it feels like he can’t go on, he is to take the “turd” (his words) and “throw it as hard as you can” at whatever person is making him feel annoyed.
Liam left that encounter laughing and smiling so hard, he told me that this was “the best night ever”.
Trust a humourist to understand how happy fossilized dinosaur poop would make a 14 year old boy! All in all, this evening turned out to be more than I even hoped it would be.
To all those who identify as a mom. To all the caretakers. To all those missing their moms today. To the people who step in and love their kids however they come to them. To those for whom today is hard. To the stepmoms, aunties, surrogates, fosters. You are seen and you are valued. It isn’t easy to raise kids, and you are doing a wonderful job. Even if… especially if… no one told you recently.
It has always been my dream to see the Northern Lights, I just never dreamed I would see them from my own backyard!
When my child came running into my room to tell me, I had a moment of absolute shock. They said “you can see the Northern Lights from my window” and I believe my exact words were “NO YOU CANNOT!” as I rushed to their room to see, and just as they promised, there they were.
I have very few things on my “bucket list” but seeing the Aurora Borealis has always been the number one thing on it. It was quite literally a dream come true.
Amazingly, not one of these pictures has a filter on it. In a weird way, the photos turned out even more vividly than the actual night sky.
Kali J Desautels 