About

Hello! My name is Kelly Kandra Hughes. I am a writer, animal lover, and nature enthusiast. Some of my role models are Jane Goodall (for conservation and living your passion), Maureen Fergus (for how to tell a hilarious dog story), and Tina Fey (for sheer brilliance in comedy).

I prefer a minimalist lifestyle, and I credit minimalism with giving me the courage to quit my tenured position as an associate professor of psychology at a suburban Chicago university and to marry the love of my life despite only knowing him for three weeks (don’t worry – we ran background checks and credit reports). From 2016-2020, my husband and I traveled North America as professional pet and housesitters. The Norfolk Library offered me a job in September 2019 and I’m currently their Community Engagement and Online Programs Coordinator. When I’m not playing with animals or spending time outside, there’s a good chance I’m writing.

Thanks to the pandemic and my library job, we’ve settled in Norfolk, CT, for these past few years. I still housesit to give us extra space because our little two-room mother-in-law suite we rent (only thing we could find in Norfolk in June 2020) isn’t ideal for two people, especially when one has narcolepsy (it’s me!).

My PhD is in psychology from the University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill (GO TAR HEELS!). Sometimes I think it’s a miracle I earned a doctoral degree while having undiagnosed narcolepsy. If I had a life motto it would be:

How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. Annie Dillard

Feel free to follow me on this blog. I post every two weeks on Sunday nights. I have a non-committal relationship with Instagram. I am incredibly proud of the Norfolk Library’s Instagram, which I manage. Follow that account at @norfolklibraryct.