Author Archives: Allison

All my life, I’ve wanted built-in bookshelves. It’s something I’ve dreamed of since seeing Beauty and the Beast. Except I don’t need the rolling ladder, because I’m already tall enough. My dad is a talented carpenter. You can point to anything in my parents’ house and many things in my house asking, “Where did youContinue reading “Dreams Come True”

I recently lost 15 years of data due to a corrupt external hard drive. Three and a half degrees’ worth of research and projects. Graphic design. English. Creative Writing. Library Science. Fifteen years of photography portfolios and outtakes. Art. Band photos. Portraits. Personal images. Notes, journals, and photographs of my travels up and down theContinue reading “All is Not Lost”

Today I’m thinking of the time a male classmate walked out of workshop with me. He said, “I find that when women write stories like yours, they’re usually true.” I’m thinking of the editor that rejected my story. He said it seemed like I didn’t understand depression, so I shouldn’t write about it. I’m thinkingContinue reading “Blurred Lines”

I did it. I dedicated three weeks to creative writing. Of course I still did paid work. I also did housework, parenting, mowing, and managed a few unexpected things that were fairly stressful in their own right. But I did it all. And I produced over 18,000 words of new material. I started with JamiContinue reading “3 Weeks of Writing”

I’ve been freelancing and ghostwriting for ten months now. This is what I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid, even if I didn’t know the specifics of how it’d work. I had a vision of me sitting at a desk, writing, and supporting myself that way. I didn’t know what I’d be writingContinue reading “Making Time for Creativity”

For as much as I felt “Zoomed out” last Spring, I’ve been loving how connected I’ve felt to the literary community lately. This past week’s SMOL Fair was no exception. SMOL Fair is an online book fair for small presses, created because most indie publishers felt AWP was charging too much for a virtual fair.Continue reading “SMOL Fair”

Is it a cliffhanger if you kind of forget you left it hanging? Why not. Ironically, I forgot about sharing my personal writing news because I was busy with professional writing deadlines. But the fact that I couldn’t finish a follow-up post makes all of the other pieces fall into place… I’ve been writing flashContinue reading “Cliffhanger”

I previously wrote about how I was finally making a living as a writer, but I used it as more of a “Farewell, 2020” post than a substantial update about the state of my own life. But honestly, sometimes all I need to say is: I’m making a living as a writer. What? I stillContinue reading “Shifting Priorities”

I know tomorrow is another day, but I’m the type of person who likes the idea of a new year being a fresh start. I think this year we’re all feeling that way, and I also think that by December 31st we’re all sick of people rolling their eyes and wishing 2020 away. Because we’reContinue reading “Ending 2020”

Another morning feeling like I’m struggling to keep my head above water, another morning of Writing to Transform from UNCW – which thankfully helps me keep my head up. This morning was “Send Word” with Anna Lena Phillips Bell, and the purpose was to inspire us to send postcards to connect with family and friends.Continue reading “What Matters to You?”