Meet Stacey E. Haught | Author/Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stacey E. Haught and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stacey E., as a parent, what have you done for you children that you feel has had the most significant impact?
I listened. I am a proud parent of two very unique and different children. I fell into parenthood with only the tools that I had been exposed to. I don’t think that you can every really fully prepare to be a parent. Even with all the planning, and tools out there really nothing prepares you to the soul responsibility of the care of a living and breathing thing. Someone who can’t speak for themselves, who can’t advocate for what they need.

For the first four years of parenthood it was just me as a stay-at-home mom in the day working at the theatre at night, and our son. I had always fought against the beast, that is comparison. My toddler wasn’t advancing the same as the others. But I chalked it up to him just being well… him. When he started VPK, it became glaringly obvious that our son wasn’t on the same mental, emotional, or responsive level as his peers. I had a choice then. To battle against this opinion that was handed to me. Or I could listen. So I chose the path best for our son and listened.

My attitude of calm and active listening wasn’t easy. Especially when the professionals are spelling it out for you that your son isn’t advancing like he should. That he falls somewhere on the spectrum, but they weren’t sure. When they tell you his language and speech skills are so behind the bar that he would be struggling most of his elementary life to learn a language that wasn’t foreign to him. I asked the professionals what I could do as a parent. Her response only confirmed my instinct. ‘Listen,’ she said, ‘listen to him, first and foremost. You are his strongest advocate. Trust. Trust your gut, and trust those who come into his life to help him.’

So I did. We welcomed our daughter into the world only a few short months into our adjustment to his diagnosis and lord knows that those wise words were just preparing me for what was to come. Our daughter, though not on the spectrum, had struggled from the moment she was aware of her surroundings with anxiety. Instead of being diagnosed with being on the spectrum, our daughter was diagnosed at four years old with General Anxiety Disorder.

So, I applied the same lesson I had learned with our son. Listen. Advocate and be the voice for your children. But first. Listen. Listen to them. Listen to your own voice, and trust. Trust that your gut is leading you in the right direction, and more importantly, teach your children to listen and trust themselves.

I may not have this parenting thing figured out. I may not be perfect. I make mistakes. Own them, and encourage my children to listen to others. To be kind and compassionate. Because we are all imperfect, all learning, all just figuring everything out.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I fell into writing much like I fell into parenthood. Sort of stumbled my way through it until I found my feet. I’m nowhere near perfect. But I am listening to the ideas in my head. Letting them weave and course through my soul before they find their place on my paper. I have felt like I have already had many different influences in the past four years as an author and writer. I worked for a few online magazines before I published my first novel. The lessons I learned in both of those situations influenced my choice to join a Web Novel publishing firm, all to land me in the seat of an indie author writing and publishing my first novel on my own.

I don’t think there’s any right pathway to writing, to growing into the title of author. There, of course, will be people who will tell you what they think is right and wrong. It’s important to remember that those voices are just opinions.

Don’t stop the creation process because you’re afraid of making a mistake. In all of my learned experience over the last four years, regardless of being signed with a publishing firm, or writing as a columnist, to writing web novels with a thirty-day deadline. Or sitting in this brand new seat as an indie author. It’s this. Inside of the mistakes we make. Whether they’re professional or creative mistakes. Learn from those mistakes. Use them. Let them grow and be a part of your story.

This year I will be publishing my first self-published work “Dark Cruel Fate.” and it’s the most excited I’ve been to tell a story. It’s my first time writing fantasy and building an intricate world. I hope you follow along for more news as I get closer to publishing!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My default place to take people when their visiting is Orlando. I’ve fallen headfirst into the magic that is Disney World. I first started going when I was a baby, but I didn’t grow up to be a Disney adult haha.

The first place we would go would be Disney springs. Our whole day would be spent there. We would shop, eat, and enjoy some free magic.

With so many dining options, we wouldn’t have to pick just one place. But I suggest the Polite Pig. Their sweet BBQ is mouth-watering, it warms the soul. With our bellies full, we would shop till we felt like we couldn’t walk, only going over to the bakery to grab a sweet pick-me-up. All of this, of course, would land us at the outdoor concert hall where we would eat a Wetzel’s Pretzel people watch and grab a Starbucks before watching whatever free entertainment was on the stage that night.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband.

His constant pursuit towards providing for his family, and his selfless attitude when caring for others. Has all been an inspiration for me.

Our lives together started full speed towards the pursuit of stability. We found ourselves walking hand in hand into the doorway of one opportunity to another. We faced together situations that would destroy most couples. Destroy most humans period. But even in the middle of some of the most cruel abuse we suffered at the hands of people we trusted, my husband always found an element of forgiveness. Of hope. Of humanity.

Philip never wavered from his steadfast provision for our family. Even when he wanted to give up. Throw in the towel and completely walk away. We fought together to find a place where our family could thrive. It wasn’t until two years ago. In the midst of one of the darkest seasons of our lives that we decided to give hope a try. We walked away from the career we had both known for our entire married life. We gave up the hold that career had on our lives, and our family, and we chose to thrive.

It wasn’t until we were in this new place; he settled into his new career that I truly found myself seeing my husband in his element. Things aren’t easy. I don’t think they’re ever meant to be easy. But as long as we fight alongside of each other in the pursuit of happiness, there is this simple calmness to the chaos.

My husband has always been one to meet me where I am. My fears, my concerns, my passions, my hopes and my dreams. He sits and doesn’t wonder if it’s going to happen. He welcomes it to happen. His attitude towards life, with all the things that we’ve been through, seeing him go through, has always fueled me to keep going.

Website: https://authorstaceyehaught.weebly.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacey.e.haught/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-haught-b85812227/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.stacey.e.haught/

Other: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/good-hope-stacey-e-haught/1140549725?ean=9781800741386 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Z4D9HNH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=23995NIUFKB89&keywords=Power+Stacey+E.+Haught&qid=1651190974&sprefix=power+stacey+e.+haught%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-1 https://www.tiktok.com/@staceyehaughtauthor