Issue 3 of Waxing and Waning is up! It contains a story I wrote called Won’t You Go My Way? It’s about sorrow and siblings and mental illness and perseverance, but most importantly, it’s about cats.
Every writer goes through phases, right? Little quirks they get stuck on for awhile, or certain topics they chew on for several projects in a row. I’ve always written, but about five or six years ago, I started getting more ambitious and productive with my work. Not coincidentally, I was also getting effective therapy for … More Writing about Mental Illness
My latest crisis of faith is that I’m just not sure I have the fucking nerve to be a writer. It’s 3:30 AM. I woke up for no reason a couple of hours ago, then decided to take advantage of being awake to work on this story I’ve been poking at for months. I’m trying … More Writing Takes Some Gall
CutBank Literary Journal has an annual feature called “All Accounts and Mixtures,” which is devoted to showcasing writing from queer authors. This year they’ve been kind enough to include a short story I wrote called “Let’s Talk About the Forest.” I am very excited about this! It’s a story that’s pretty near and dear to me. … More New Story: “Let’s Talk About the Forest”
Zine Fest Houston is scheduled for November 11 at the Lawndale Art Center, and I have received confirmation that I will have a table there! I participated last year too, and it was incredibly fun. Also a bit intimidating, to be honest, because there were all these talent artists and writers who have their professional shit … More Zine Fest Houston!
So I have a hard time getting out and socializing, in the “multiple diagnosed anxiety disorders” sense. But I also care a lot about social and political issues, and I want to get involved in some of the important movements that are happening now. Conundrum! I wrote “Resistance for Introverts” for other people who may … More New Zine: “Resistance for Introverts”
[Hi! The Rejected Files is where I post stories or essays that have been turned down for publication, but that I still have a soft spot for. This is a little vignette/fairy tale I wrote a few weeks ago. I hope you like it!] Once a young woman named Aurora was waiting for a bus. … More Rejected Files: The Nine Sisters
Yes Ma’am is a cool feminist zine that publishes all kinds of writing and artwork. Awhile back they announced that they were soliciting submissions about the theme of bodies and our relationships with them. I had a poem lying around titled “What does it mean to love a body?” so I submitted it, and it … More New Poem about Bodies and Such
I’ve been job hunting for the last few weeks. “You should just make a zine and turn that in as your resume,” my friend Michael suggested. “That is actually brilliant,” I replied. And now here it is: Resume, the complete story of my working life to date. Check it out if you would like to. … More New Zine: Resume
[Hi! Sometimes I write something in response to a specific call for submissions, and when it gets rejected, I’m not sure what to do with it. It wouldn’t necessarily be a good fit for any other publication, and usually it just languishes on my hard drive while I move on to other things. But I … More Rejected Files: Bridges All Over
Emma Atkinson 