I’m sure there was a time when I thought there was a process you needed to have in place before you could write. A distinct location or a certain amount of time. I don’t remember exactly when I tossed that idea aside, but I couldn’t have been a writer if I didn’t. I’m a journalist … Continue reading On phones and during runs and in line
Ways to be a writer
In writing, there are always new goals to strive toward. There are also always new ways to feel less than. I’m not a real writer if I’m only writing for work. I’m not a real writer if I’m writing genre fiction, or if I’m writing flash fiction. I’m not a real writer if I’m unpublished. … Continue reading Ways to be a writer
The role of heart in horror (and everything else)
I have always gravitated to horror, to the supernatural, to mythology. To the weird and the unexplained. Most of the books and movies and TV shows I like fall into those categories. I like the way they open up my imagination, make me look at the world differently. But for me to really love a … Continue reading The role of heart in horror (and everything else)
On friendship and adulthood and change
I started reading this Man Repeller essay on the idea of a "friendship complex," after seeing a Tweet about thinking you're "not doing adult friendship right." It struck a chord and I wondered if I’d recognize myself in it. (It’s good — read it.) I did and I didn’t. The author writes about loneliness, a … Continue reading On friendship and adulthood and change
What’s the appeal of fear?
I’ve been a fan of horror for as long as I can remember, starting from the moment I happened across “Goosebumps” in the school library. But why? Why scare myself on purpose, for fun? I’ve always been drawn to the supernatural stories in the genre. I’m far less interested in tales of the horrible things … Continue reading What’s the appeal of fear?
Still lakes, live music
Classic rock. The steady push and pull of the ocean. That particular kind of early September air that feels like the start of fall semester and cross country season all at once. Everyone’s list is different, by nature, and, if you’re lucky, it never stops growing. It’s like love. It makes room. Home isn’t a … Continue reading Still lakes, live music
On social media, and choosing to see the good
Say what you will about social media and smartphones, but like (most) everything humans have created over the years, they have the potential for good and for ill. And the ill of today's technology gets a lot of attention, for good reason. There’s plenty to hate about the internet, and these technologies have heightened that … Continue reading On social media, and choosing to see the good
Like rings on a tree
When I was little, I used to sit in my crib with a stack of Little Golden Books, “reading” them all. I’d flip through the pages, and then fling them through the bars onto the ground. Thud, thud, thud. I don’t remember this, of course, but my parents do. I loved reading before I could … Continue reading Like rings on a tree
Why write fiction?
I’m going to give you my conclusion up front: I’m still figuring it out. I feel like I should know this. But it’s not something I’ve given a lot of active thought to in my life, though I’ve spent most of it writing. It’s just something that I do; it’s part of who I am. … Continue reading Why write fiction?
Sometimes I write fiction, too
"The princess penned this tale" There once was a princess, fair as could be, with golden locks that shone like the sun and eyes blue as the sea. Her smile inspired a thousand sonnets; the flush of her cheeks a thousand more. But the princess cared about none of that. She chose sensible shoes and … Continue reading Sometimes I write fiction, too
