There’s a point in one my favorite movies from childhood, Labyrinth, where the young heroine, frustrated at her lack of progress through the Goblin King’s maddening fantasy landscape, asks the Wiseman–who happens to have a bird for a hat–how to reach the castle at the center of the labyrinth. After an appropriately ponderous period of pause, given his advanced age, … Read More
This Is Scripture
I have dabbled in New Age spirituality, Buddhism, and Christianity in my life, but my true religion is poetry. I converted to it when I was seventeen, at the Interlochen Arts Academy, where I was given a book called Contemporary American Poetry, the fifth edition. It is a book that contains multitudes—to me, it is a grimoire, a codex, a … Read More
New Year, New Project!
One year ago, I launched a Patreon campaign to support the launch of my debut novel, Hot Season. Now–365 days, 12 book events, and 1 book tour later–I’m embarking on a new adventure: Dream Studies. These 12 speculative tales will blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy while intersecting with issues related to race, gender, class, and the environment. One … Read More
The Story Behind the Story: In Blackwater Woods
This month, I’m writing a spooky new YA short story, “In Blackwater Woods,” just in time for Halloween. The story has some things in common with the Netflix series Stranger Things, but I swear I wrote it before the show came out! Call it the zeitgeist–or writers of a certain age waxing nostalgic in dark fantasy. Those of you who know … Read More
