Ten years ago, I published my first book. That book changed my life. An author’s first published book always changes their life. It’s the first time that the work becomes […]
Meg Elison
Terry Bisson: Editor, Mentor, and Friend
When I met Terry Bisson, I had thought he was already dead. I had just moved to the Bay, and someone told me about the monthly event with Tachyon Publications […]
The Kind of Touch You Have to Pay For
This girl told me it was Rock Paper Scissors, with a twist. Winner slaps the loser. “In the face?” We were already in summer school; trouble was written all over […]
Best Things I Read in 2023
I read a lot of books this year, particularly in the latter half. It is one of the joys of my life that I got ot read a lot of […]
Barney, Vermeer, and Hannibal Lecter
Barney Matthews was the head orderly at the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, and he and Hannibal Lecter had an understanding based on mutual respect and courtesy. Inside […]
“The Little God of the Staircase” is a finalist for the Eugie Award!
My Freudian horror story “The Little God of the Staircase” published by The Dark in 2022 has just been announced as a finalist for the Eugie Foster Award. I’m very […]
Buffy (the Movie) Deserves a Little More Respect
The 20th anniversary of Joss Whedon’s seminal TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer gave its legions of fans a moment to reflect, to look at that gorgeous EW photo spread, […]
The Non-Toxic Masculinity of Rupert Giles
My favorite stories are genre stories, which are full of orphans and kids who grow up to find out that dad is Darth Vader, or tragic waifs who know that […]
Fat Scripts for Interacting with Your Doctor
Talking to your doctor as a fat person is too often an exercise in hostility or futility. I have navigated this difficult situation many times over the years, with varying […]
No Children
The song “No Children” by the Mountain Goats came out in 2002, but I didn’t need it then. The song went viral on TikTok in 2022, when a lot of […]