Birthdate?
October 7, 1988
When
did you start writing?
In
the 8th grade, my Language Arts teacher would let us have the entire
class period on Fridays to write whatever we wanted. The only
requirement was that we had to spend the period writing. I started
writing poetry and I haven't stopped.
When
and what and where did you first get published?
I
was first published in my high school's literary arts magazine
starting in my freshman year (2003). My poem was titled "The
Watcher." It was about a person living in a haunted house who
was looking out at the world outside.
Why
do you write?
Because
I have all of these weird and interesting ideas in my head that are
just kind of floating around and need to come out. I've tried other
forms of expression, like painting and the violin, but writing has
always been my medium.
Why
do you write Science Fiction and/or Fantasy?
When
I first started writing, I was reading a lot of Tolkien...I wasn't
aware back then why I felt such a connection to his work, but after
reading his biography, I've found that our work ethics are similar. I
also will edit and pick at things (he used the term "niggle")
until they reach the state of polish that I feel it needs to be at.
My editing process on a single piece can take anywhere from two weeks
to two years. Another thing in his work that really captivated me was
the world building--I was struggling with depression for the first
time, and to curl up inside of Middle Earth was the most beautiful
therapy. I think I'm still trying to create a similar experience for
my own readers.
Who
is your favorite author? Your favorite story?
While
Tolkien has been the author that I've gone back to for the longest,
my favorite author is Shirley Jackson. The Haunting of Hill House has
long been a book that I've appreciated the crafting of--it's simple,
yet effectively chilling. I'm always really disappointed when the
only story of hers that people have read is "The Lottery."
What
are you trying to say with your fiction?
As
a person with mental illness, I've often felt lonely or that my
struggle isn't considered valid because it can't be seen. I'm trying
to inform those who don't have psychiatric illnesses that it's
something to be understood and not feared, and I'm trying to tell
those who do that they're not alone and that if they speak up, there
are those who will listen and support them. "A Kind of Dying"
is inspired by a person who claimed to be someone who cared about me.
When I was struggling and needed support, this person turned their
back on me. It's a piece about moving forward and leaving behind a
friendship that has, ultimately, been toxic and destructive.
If
you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
Had
her cake and ate it, too.
Do
you blog?
No,
but I'm always thinking about how I should.
