Columnists

On Reclaiming Brokenness and Refusing the Violence of ‘Recovery Narratives’

I’m working on this essay when a friend texts me. His therapist suggested he write a list of things that he likes about himself but the picture that shows up on my phone is just a blank page.“Having ...

On Collaboration and Trust

 "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." – Helen Keller I crave collaboration. When I was young, I had no desire to connect or work closely with people in the way that I do today. ...

Making Time: Why Now is the Perfect Time for Tarot

I don’t want to pretend that I know the history of the Tarot or how it should be used, but I’ve been using it for the last three years because it’s been immensely helpful. I’m not an “expert,” ...

How to Keep Making Children’s Books Right Now, Or Not

As this new normal becomes, well, more normal, those of us able to self-isolate may start to find a bit of space in-between all of our feelings and obligations to build new writing routines, drawing routines ...

Book Therapy: Lean Out by Tara Henley

 (T)he notion—singular, unquestioned—that the only way to succeed in any industry, and especially mine, was to give it everything you had.”—Tara Henley, Lean Out By 2016, successful journalist ...

Bring Back the Good ‘Ol Days of Getting Lost in Fiction

“The anonymous woman in bed beside me adamantly shakes my shoulder.”—Amber Dawn, Sodom Road Exit“Sometimes we would hide in the closet when the drunks came home from the bar.”—Tanya Tagaq, ...

When My Mind is Frenzied, I Don’t Read—I Listen

Being read to is a luxury.Growing up, there were no bedtime stories in my household, at least none that I can remember. There were true stories traded around dinner tables of course, but there was none ...

Making Time: Finding Healing with Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama. You know her. You took a selfie in the Infinity Mirror Room at the AGO. You’ve seen her polka dots all over the Internet. You’ve seen her sobering gaze, her blunt bob.On April 15, Kusama ...

A Crip Writer’s Advice for Surviving a Pandemic

 “Write a book!”“Finish your memoir!”“Turn all this fear and grief into brilliant poetry!”As we have all now found out, the cultural imperative to be as productive as possible doesn’t disappear ...

All of this listening

It was hard to write this column. Like everyone else, I’m all for trying to grasp at normalcy where I can, but I don’t have many writing tips to share right now. (Actually, I do have one writing tip: ...