the sun doesn't fear it's shadows
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I love connecting with people through engaging presentations and hands-on workshops. Whether I'm working with aspiring authors or teenagers navigating self-doubt, my goal is the same: to help you discover the strength you already have inside.
My workshops cover creative writing, overcoming impostor syndrome, and my signature "Fiction Meets Fortune" program that uses tarot cards to plot the hero's journey. For teens, I focus on transformation and personal growth, turning life's pressures into something brilliant, just like diamonds forming deep underground.
This philosophy runs through everything I do, from my young adult dark fantasy novel Ashes to Ashes, to my newest teen workshops/presentations. Having taught high school and college for thirty years, I've seen firsthand how fear and self-doubt can silence creative voices. I've also witnessed the magic that happens when young people realize their struggles can become their greatest strengths. Our darkest moments often hold the seeds of something beautiful.
Sheley Rayne
Motivational Speaker/Teacher
PRESENTATIONS & WORKSHOP
FOR WRITERS & CREATIVE ENTHUSIASTS
Tarot and oracle cards have long been the tools of mystics and seers, but they also hold great potential for writers. These cards can illuminate the shadows of alternate realities that writers envision. As a brainstorming tool, tarot and oracle cards are unparalleled. In this workshop, participants will discover how to use tarot cards to enhance creativity, brainstorm new ideas, overcome writer's block, structure stories, and develop characters. Attendees will receive a brief overview of the tarot deck and learn various card spreads to assist in storyboard creation, including the Hero's Journey, the Three-Act Spread, and identifying creative blocks to writing. Each participant will take home a mini deck of tarot cards along with sample spreads.
That voice saying "you're not good enough" is a liar—but it's a persistent one. Impostor syndrome plagues writers at every level, manifesting as chronic self-doubt, fear of being "found out," and attributing success to luck rather than skill. These feelings create real barriers, stifling creativity and preventing us from sharing our unique stories. In this session, you'll explore the roots of impostor syndrome, identify your personal triggers, and learn practical strategies to combat debilitating thoughts. Through mindfulness techniques, positive affirmations, and goal-setting exercises, you'll develop a personalized action plan for embracing your voice, celebrating achievements (no matter how small), and cultivating the resilient mindset needed to face the inevitable challenges of the writing life. You belong here. This workshop proves it.
What makes you lose track of time? That one thing that lights you up inside? That's your bliss—and it's worth chasing. Bliss isn't just about having a dream job or perfect life circumstances; it's about discovering who you are, what you love, and what you're genuinely good at. In this inspiring workshop, you'll explore what "bliss" means to you personally, identify obstacles preventing you from pursuing your passions, and break free from limited thinking and lack of resources that typically hold us back. Through guided activities, you'll define concrete dreams and goals, create new habits, develop skills for success, and turn vague wishes into actionable choices. It's never too late to discover what makes you come alive and build a life around it. This workshop gives you the map.
Good writing doesn't just tell a story—it immerses readers so completely they forget they're reading words on a page. The secret? Engaging all five senses to create vivid imagery and profound emotional connection. In this interactive workshop, you'll learn techniques for incorporating sensory details that bring your narratives to life: painting visual pictures without clichés, using sound to evoke atmosphere, conveying texture to create intimacy, exploring taste as metaphor and memory, and harnessing scent to trigger emotion. Through hands-on exercises and discussion, you'll master the "show, don't tell" philosophy and discover how sensory elements like temperature and pain can enhance mood and tension. Leave with practical tools for writing descriptions readers can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell, and a deeper understanding of how sensory language transforms good writing into unforgettable storytelling.
PRESENTATIONS & WORKSHOP
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
What if your fears, scars, and "dark thoughts" aren't weaknesses—but raw materials for becoming unstoppable? This 90-minute workshop takes teens on a journey into their shadow side (the parts you usually hide) and transforms emotional scars into sources of authentic power. Through creative activities, fear mapping, and courage building, you'll discover that the brightest people aren't the ones without shadows, they're the ones brave enough to face them. Walk away with tools for turning pain into purpose and proof that you're stronger than your fears. No therapy-speak. No toxic positivity. Just real talk about real struggles and how to work WITH yourself instead of against yourself.
You're not just one thing—you're complex, multifaceted, and still becoming. We all have different versions of ourselves: the self our friends see, the self our family knows, the private self we are alone, and the self we're growing into. Through art, reflection, and guided activities, teens explore these multiple identities and learn that having many "selves" isn't fake—it's human. Discover the difference between authentic self-expression and performing for others, celebrate what makes you uniquely you, and identify which parts of yourself deserve to shine brighter. Leave with tools for navigating peer pressure while staying true to who you really are.
presentations & workshops