Family Life Stories

Disenfranchised Grief

Disenfranchised Grief

There has been an overwhelming response to my essay on disenfranchised grief published by Cognoscenti. My heart goes out to all those who carry their pain in silence. These words are for you. It’s been seven years since my sister died, and in ordinary moments, I am…

Lynne Goes Rogue

Lynne Goes Rogue

I had the privilege of writing a guest post at Rogue Women Writers on Dark Emotions and Character Likability. KJ Howe: Does your protagonist have to be likeable? Author Lynne Reeves doesn’t think so. In fact, she feels it can be quite compelling to have a challenging...

Poe For Your Problems

Poe For Your Problems

Of all the writers anywhere, Edgar Allen Poe might be the least likely person you'd turn to for advice. His life was beyond complicated: he married his cousin, got fired from one job after another, constantly feuded with friends and rivals, and he was always broke....

Making Meaning from Loss

Making Meaning from Loss

When their only child was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) at the age of 2, Maryanne O'Hara and her husband were told that Caitlin could live a long life or die in a matter of months. Thirty-one years later, following an excruciating, two-year wait on the...