Published Work
How to Talk Like a Normie: A Step-by-Step Guide for the Autistic
The answer to “How are you?” should never be the truth. When a person greets you, they’re not actually listening. Respond “Fine” or “Good” and reciprocate the question, ignoring their response. On Mondays, the follow up to your greeting should be, “How was your weekend?” When someone asks this, always say, “It was great!” and…
Read MoreTalking About Suicide Helps Us Stay Alive
One winter evening in early 2019, I relaxed on a blue sofa as about six people trickled into a dimly lit room for that night’s peer support meeting, which I was leading. After greeting each other and grabbing coffee or flavored seltzer, everyone joined the circle of comfy couches and chairs. I began the session…
Read More9 Things I Learned in Megan Stielstra’s Memoir Course
When I read The Wrong Way to Save Your Life by Megan Stielstra, I knew I had to apply for her intensive year-long memoir course, the first of its kind offered through Catapult. These intensive “generator” courses are offered every so often for writing memoirs, essay collections, novels, and poetry. There are even generator classes aimed at specific…
Read MoreCatapult Audio Showcase
Our competitive 12-month memoir generator course is designed to help students create and refine a submission-ready draft. Alongside a group of talented peers and under the guidance of an accomplished mentor, writers spend a year together building their books from the ground up. As part of their graduation showcase, our 2021 generator students have been…
Read MorePanic in the Freezer Aisle
I can’t go to the grocery store anymore. I’m hiding in the car, crying without a tissue to wipe my snot and swiping away my feelings on my phone because I couldn’t survive shopping in a damn supermarket. My whole life I’ve lived with OCD and anxiety, but THIS, this was new. Continue Reading on…
Read More13 Ridiculous Questions People Ask About My Bipolar
And how I’d like to respond. Are you sure you’re bipolar? You seem so nice… Continue reading on Buzzfeed
Read MoreCaution! Hypersensitive Bipolar Lady Wearing Earplugs
Marisa and her husband were trapped on a flight at 36,000 feet when she had a mental breakdown. They’d hoped for an escape from her depression and anxiety; instead, stress and lack of sleep triggered her descent into a mixed state with psychosis. A mixed state, considered the most dangerous type of bipolar episode, is…
Read MoreThe Illusionist: a flash fiction story
My first childhood dream was to become a world-renowned magician. Instead, I became an elementary school teacher (by day). And a high-end escort (by night). One of my earliest memories has somehow managed to shape what I’ve chosen to do with my life. This memory is from kindergarten in 1991 during the time I fell…
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