Writing With Friends, Writing About Friends
by Kaaron Warren
It was only once I finished the first draft of Going to Summertime that I realised something important that lay at the heart of it. Friendship. The importance of it, how it can save us, but also how it can destroy us, and how it can’t always be relied upon.
From Costume Designer to Illustrator and Author: An Artist’s Journey
by Bill Crisafi
My path from artist to author is something that wasn’t in my consciousness at all, but it ended up appearing at a time when I needed it most. I went from starting in fashion school and ultimately finding that general fine arts was a better fit, navigating the early days of Instagram to amassing over 300,000 followers and creating a brand using my illustrations as a guiding force. That path eventually led me to write my first book, The Glam Reaper’s Guide to Slaying, which is essentially an adult children’s book meant to bitch slap you into remembering you’re a fabulous diva.
Writer’s block? Gaaah, have a punt on the page. Take off without a map, see what you find. Here are some tips for when my mind’s a real mess and I reckon I’ll suck it and see.
Nostalgia, A Cautionary Tale
by Emma Davey
I have an excellent memory. If I close my eyes, I can drop myself into a favorite kindergarten field trip or the way I would always eat Grandma’s-brand vanilla sandwich cookies before dance class. I remember the first time I saw Shrek, the first time I visited New York, and the leopard print outfit I wore during my seventh birthday party. That acute degree of recall means I spend more time than I care to admit ruminating on the past, my thoughts constantly rubber-banding between house things were and how they are now
Searching for Kishke King
by Karen Resta
Manhattan was the starting point for my search. Kishke isn’t easy to find, but I’d checked ahead and knew this place was one of the last Jewish delis that served it. One might call kishke an exclusive item, in a sense. Hard to find. Niche. Was it a luxury item? I’d soon find out.
The downside of an enchanting revelry comes at waking to realize it was all a dream. This was the feeling on learning Nedra Talley, the final nightingale of that inimitable trio, The Ronettes, had emitted her last sigh.
Sorel Syndrome
by Sai Pradhan
Twice this past year, I experienced a racing heart, confusion, and a general loss for words at art shows. If only it had been an abundance of awe-inspiring beauty and meaning that was responsible for it!
I Am Quite at My Leisure: A Journey Through Jane Austen, Stardew Valley, and the Romanticization of Spare Time
by Ireland Headrick
Donald Sutherland sinks back in his chair, tears gated, eyebrows wild and raised, preparing to deliver Mr. Bennet’s final lines in Joe Wright’s 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. He is dressed in a voluminous white frock, his cravat wrapped up to the chin, his brown waistcoat buttoned almost, but not quite, to the top. In the generous light of a double-hung window, he sits underneath a dark-toned oil painting of a sheep. The desk in front of him is piled with books, suggesting an interest in reading, as well as a white orchid and a watering can, suggesting an interest in horticulture.