Haint Party, Chapter 2

One Helluva Shiner As I walked into the house’s expansive coastal kitchen, I was hit by the cold air of the air conditioner and I shivered myself aware of how much I needed to pee. I looked around for a door, but was paused by my view. I could see through a row of massive picture windows that dwarfed the… Continue reading Haint Party, Chapter 2

Signature Required

Occasionally new inspiration slips through the worries and I get create. Here’s where I found myself today: Louisa—Lou, if she trusted you enough to use it, which she didn’t, not really, not anymore—had been at war with the postal system for exactly seven days, thirteen hours, and what felt like six hundred soul-crushing minutes. Each morning she checked the tracking… Continue reading Signature Required

Haint Party, Chapter 1

Dani’s Arrival I took too much time feeling old in the mirror. There were new grey hairs in my eyebrows. It had started with my right eyebrow but both were now giving off serious mad scientist energy. My stomach growled and I remembered I had a muffin hidden in the breadbox. I had washed it down with another sip of… Continue reading Haint Party, Chapter 1

Haint Party: Prologue

A queer Southern Gothic wedding with a bruise, a trellis, and way too many secrets. Last time I told you there was a manuscript gathering dust in the attic. This was once its prologue. Now it’s just the first open door. Welcome to Haint Party. It is messy, queer, a little magical, and definitely fueled by wedding chaos. Think of… Continue reading Haint Party: Prologue

Why I Burned My Old Brand (And Left the Lights On Anyway)

On abandoned rooms, forgotten manuscripts, and the stories we’re finally ready to tell… There’s a room in my head I haven’t opened in months. It’s beautifully decorated. Tasteful. The kind of space where you’d serve tea in matching cups and speak in your most articulate voice. Everything has its place. The books are alphabetized. The light hits just right at… Continue reading Why I Burned My Old Brand (And Left the Lights On Anyway)

Let's Be Honest: I Hated My Own Brand

On ditching the book, finding my voice, and giving myself permission to be messy So here’s the thing—Found in the Margins never felt like me. It was pretty, sure. Poetic, even. But every time I sat down to write, I felt like I was wearing someone else’s blazer. Professional. Proper. Completely suffocating. This? This chaotic, punchy, say-whatever-grabs-me energy? This is… Continue reading Let's Be Honest: I Hated My Own Brand

You've been cited!

…a personal story This morning I received an email that someone had cited my doctoral dissertation in their research. I didn’t believe it, but it was a google alert. Who would fake those? It might be tougher to do so, but then I checked my profile on google scholar, something I haven’t done since I graduated in 2020. Yep, I… Continue reading You've been cited!

Editing My Ghosts (and My Book)

Reflections on writing, fear, and a bachelorette party that goes very, very wrong I’m doing my very last round of edits before handing this book to my wife, who will give it the final pass and tell me exactly where I’ve gone off the rails and believe me, she will. After that… it’s time to publish. Gulp. The goal? The… Continue reading Editing My Ghosts (and My Book)