June 30th, 2023 Everything about Cold World was, for me, too big to contain in one story — whether I ever decide to write any of those other stories or not. I knew that I wanted to tell a complete, specific tale: this chapter of Calef’s life as he explores the power of understanding, throughContinue reading “Cold World: Building a house you can live in as is, with doors and stairways to expand up, down, or sideways”
Tag Archives: Growth
Untitled
June 25th, 2023 Seeing people so unabashedly, recklessly happy has filled my insides. I would love to do something weird and thank everyone who went to Twin Cities Pride and Taylor Swift this weekend. Through the magic of being human, your joy has been a highlight of my summer; you are all a Bomb PopContinue reading “Untitled”
Cold World: Communication & Understanding
June 20th, 2023 I was working at my first adult serving job when a woman sat down in my section and radically changed my perspective on people. Applebee’s was the catalyst for this revelation. See, I worked at Chili’s. And this woman wanted — nay, was compelled — to tell me about a terrible restaurantContinue reading “Cold World: Communication & Understanding”
Cold World: Loss & Grief
June 14th, 2023 Cold World was the first time I explored the loss of my mom in fiction. I do it here, on the internet, all the time. Your responses to that type of writing has ranged from “this is exactly how I feel, thank you for writing this” to “this makes me very uncomfortable,”Continue reading “Cold World: Loss & Grief”
How To Be Kind & Think For Yourself
June 7th, 2023 I was going to write about something else today, but Elliot Page has a new book coming out and I’ve been watching his insightful interviews and I want to talk about how we decide to be decent people. Sometimes, more than often than I’d hope, somebody around me will say something disrespectfulContinue reading “How To Be Kind & Think For Yourself”
SKP 2023: Cold World
June 1, 2023 A year ago, I released a novel about Earth, 200 years in the future, that has only one season: winter. This month, we talk all about it. Cold World has a science-fiction lens, but that’s not its focal point at all. It’s a story about a whole lot more, including spirituality, loss,Continue reading “SKP 2023: Cold World”
Football is Life (and Death)
May 30th, 2023 I’m posting this absolute thirst trap to talk about my two favorite shows right now which, like this photo, are about soccer and not about soccer at all. Yellowjackets and Ted Lasso couldn’t be more different on paper, but they share more than their European football connection; they compliment one another, andContinue reading “Football is Life (and Death)”
The History of The Next Step, Part VI: Unreleased Work, Legacy, and The Future
May 29th, 2023 Like a person, The Next Step isn’t and never was all good or all bad. And it was never a boy band. But it made me who I am today. Before I get to how, however, let’s talk about the stuff that never got made (or got made and then buried somewhereContinue reading “The History of The Next Step, Part VI: Unreleased Work, Legacy, and The Future”
The History of The Next Step, Part V: Honesty & Happiness
May 24th, 2023 At the start of Love & Fear, I apologize for falling asleep; at the beginning of Honesty & Happiness, I (unapologetically) crack open a cold beer (literally) and proceed to black and then pass the f— out. Honesty & Happiness is the angriest, sharpest, and saddest Next Step record, and it tookContinue reading “The History of The Next Step, Part V: Honesty & Happiness”
Platform of Pain
May 19th, 2023 If you would have told me when I was a kid that I would eventually build my life on hurt, I would have told you that you say really weird things to kids. But you would have been right. I was having a recorded conversation with a friend earlier this week (forContinue reading “Platform of Pain”
The Den 