Writes
November’s Grand Saga As the last echoes of Halloween fade and the days grow shorter, I’ve decided to embrace November with an ambitious creative endeavor. Instead of tackling a massive novel, I’m launching a more focused, equally exciting project: a complete short story cycle. What is a Short Story Cycle? If you haven’t heard the term before, a short story… Continue reading Writing a Short Story Cycle
Mabel’s Market I trusted Spencer to arrange the car pickup, so we flowed out of the restaurant but stayed under the awning as we searched for our driver. Lizzie spied that our driver had been held up down the block by someone wanting to park parallel. They were reportedly ancient so it was going to be a while. We ran… Continue reading Haint Party, Chapter 5
Bunnytails & Grunting Starfish It was a quick jaunt down the island on a road with terrific ocean views and I was grateful. Grateful for not having to play dodge the cars in my nicer clothes. I had dressed up to assure my more fashionable friends that I have more than t-shirts and joggers. I was still wearing jeans, but… Continue reading Haint Party, Chapter 4
Ghost Rider We were about to leave when Spencer spun around at the door, “Wait! I forgot something.” He ushered us into the kitchen, where he told us to wait while he jogged to his room. I didn’t have a clue what he could be doing. We glanced at one another as we waited and said nothing as Spencer seemed… Continue reading Haint Party, Chapter 3
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
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
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
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)
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
