Category: fear
Imaginary Planets
When people ask me, "What's your story about?" I have a slight panic attack. Why? I can speculate, but I don't really know. I can't afford therapy. BUT I am excited about the story I'm currently working on. (I'm excited about every story. At this moment, however, I'm also in an optimistic mood. Why optimism …
Fear and Change
There was a large spider on the floor-length curtains. Large is relative, of course. I'd say it was about the size of the palm of your hand. I've told this story before, but this is in case you missed it. And the point this time is different. I was probably five or six. Before this …
Looking Forward
When does the New Year stop being new? A few years back I witnessed a heated debate about when it was too late to wish someone a Happy New Year. I don't know, but I'd accept happy new year wishes in July if need be. In any case, here we are. I haven't started my …
Into the Currents
"Just keep swimming," as the fish says. (You know what fish.) And here we are swimming from one year and into the next, and what a strange body of water it is. This week between Christmas and the New Year is a favorite week of mine. I teach, so I'm always off. But unlike other …
Short Stories to Come
I decided a while ago to self-publish a selection of short stories. They are almost ready. I'm working on a cover and pondering a release date. It is definitely scary to do. I tend to think of who will and who won't approve. I think about my own ability to promote it. There's a lot …
A Story Takes Shape
Sharing scenes from my current novel-in-progress (maaaaybeeee novellaaaaa...) has been quite the experience. So in no particular order... ...it forces me to write something. I promised to send people scenes every Sunday, and I haven't missed a Sunday yet (17 Sundays so far!) ...it pushes me through my fear of judgment. The fear is still …
In the Asylum
When I was a toddler, my mom spent time in a hospital in Tampa. It would have been in the summer of 1971 or 72, right around the time of The Baker Act. I don't know if that had anything to do with her time in the hospital. I know that she tried to harm …
Gimme Some Spoilers
These are strange times. Everything I've thought to write seems beside the point. To say I dislike uncertainty seems silly. Few of us do. Some people say they do, but I tend think they mean uncertainty within reason. Some people shrug and say they've been working from home for years and nothing much has changed. …
These Days Are Strange
I've done almost nothing creative for days. I've either been working to switch my real life classes to online class or reading about COVID-19 or taking pictures of our dogs or looking at other people's pictures of dogs. Well, I did build lots of odd, random structures out of Legos. This is why I dreamed …
Marta Pelrine-Bacon 