A book can offer information, entertainment, or an argument worth considering. Royce Siggard has written Massagelettes with a more immediate purpose: to give people a practical way to strengthen human connection in a world increasingly marked by loneliness. He argues that meaningful physical touch, practiced with care, can become a daily habit that supports relationships without demanding substantial money, time, or professional intervention.
The idea arrives at a moment when loneliness has become a significant public health concern. The World Health Organization has recognized social isolation and loneliness as widespread issues with consequences for mental and physical health. In modern life, connection is often treated as something to pursue through expensive experiences or structured services. Siggard’s book considers what might happen if people began looking more closely at the resources already available within their relationships.
He developed his interest in the subject through personal experience. After meeting his girlfriend, a former massage therapist with two decades of professional experience, Siggard discovered the value of brief, gentle massages exchanged during ordinary moments. A long drive or an evening on the couch could become an opportunity for connection.
“After a while, all of a sudden, the light bulb went on,” he recalls. “There’s such a thing as mini massages, and we’re not recognizing it and acknowledging it.” This observation became the foundation for Massagelettes, which examines techniques within the practice of effleurage, that involve soft, slow strokes across the skin.
Siggard’s discovery led him to explore how this form of touch can stimulate the release of oxytocin, a hormone associated with social bonding and stress regulation. He presents the practice as an accessible way for people to build moments of calm and closeness into their existing relationships.
“You don’t need an hour of your time, you don’t need a trained massage therapist, you don’t need oils,” he explains. “You just need your hands. Or if you don’t have hands, you can still use your arms, or maybe even your feet, who knows?”
The book’s premise also reflects a shift in how Siggard thinks about giving. He has encountered people who approach affection transactionally, expecting something in return for an act of care. His writing encourages readers to reconsider that exchange and develop a habit of offering touch as an unconditional gift.
This connects Massagelettes to a wider body of work that Siggard is developing across several subjects. His forthcoming projects explore parental involvement in their child’s education, financial awareness among young people, the opportunities working professionals have all around them, and practical ways individuals can approach their healthcare and future with greater agency. Each begins with a question about how people might gain access to knowledge or opportunities that could improve their circumstances.
Siggard’s interest in those questions has roots in experiences that shaped him early. His father died when he was 11, a tragic event that forced him to confront difficulty at a young age. Later, as a Mormon missionary in Houston’s inner-city neighborhoods, he encountered families living with severe material hardship while witnessing generosity and optimism that challenged his assumptions about what makes a fulfilling life.
“I got to see firsthand what it was like for people at the very bottom of society,” he reflects. “And yet, their hearts were gold. All they needed was a chance.”
That perspective continued into his professional life. Originally interested in medicine, Siggard eventually entered business school and developed an interest in organizational behavior. The discipline appealed to his belief that systems and circumstances could be improved through thoughtful intervention. His career, which included running a physical therapy company, gave him further exposure to the relationship between practical support and personal well-being.
At 66, Siggard is approaching authorship with the curiosity of someone still observing the world closely. His four adult children serve as an informal reference point for understanding generational changes, while his experiences as a father continue to influence his thinking about education and opportunity.
The subjects of his books may differ, but their underlying purpose remains consistent. Siggard is interested in identifying an everyday problem and asking what people can do about it with the resources already within reach. Massagelettes offers one answer through touch. His broader work continues the inquiry, guided by a belief that meaningful change can begin with small, conscious acts of care.
