38. 5 Years of Haunt

In February 2018, I published my first book. In more ways than I expected, it was a learning experience, but ultimately a rewarding one. Haunt is a collection of poems that I couldn't be more proud of. From ominous interludes to experimental formats, I threw as many bells and whistles into a box that I could, shook it around, and watched Haunt unfold. It's dark, it's campy, it's sad in places, looming and eerie in others. There may be things I would have done differently, in editing as well as publishing decisions, but this book helped me enter a world I never thought I would, and for that I'm forever humbled and grateful.

This month in 2023, Haunt celebrates 5 years of publication. First of all, I want to thank everyone who supported me from the start. This project began as an independent study at school (shout-out to the English department at Southern Connecticut State University! Additional shout-out to Vivian Shipley!), and bubbled over into something uniform, perplexing, and of course, haunting. But this isn't a review of my own work - that would be a bit self-indulgent. I wanted to take some time to dive into a few fun facts about Haunt, and explore some frequently asked questions, as well as some tidbits I think are interesting to share. 

Local Legends

A poem in Haunt titled "Dracula Drive" is based on a local Connecticut legend of the same name. The legend involves a challenge of sorts, which uses the darkness to its advantage. The trick is letting your mind play tricks on you! At night, drive into the dark, on that narrow & winding road, turn your car off and open the doors. See how long you can handle it... And see how the characters fare doing it themselves in my interpretation.

Playing with Ekphrasis 

Visual art is often an effective muse, and for me, that certainly applies to the works of Alfred Kubin and Zdzislaw Beksinski. Their pieces "The Water Ghost" and "Untitled (1984)" ignited my creative spark and helped me to create two fun ekphrastic poems. Creating stories in response to their work was invigorating, allowing me to interpret the scenes in my own voice while paying homage to two seriously talented artists.

Where You Thought the Answers Were

I've been asked about the title for my website and blog, Nothing Peak, and the answer is simple: they're named after a poem in Haunt! I wanted to come up with something spooky and unique to represent my online "brand," for lack of a better term, and I thought picking something that comes from my work was a great way to do that. Nothing Peak is my response to where we go looking for the unknown, but somewhere we simply shouldn't explore. Unexplainable, unreliable, and unnerving. That is what lies atop Nothing Peak. 

No Cobwebs on These Bookshelves

Finally, and probably the most direct: Haunt is available now, wherever you buy books! Both of my books are available mostly everywhere online, and if you're hoping to see it in-person  on store bookshelves, you can call your local bookstore to inquire about stock. If they don't currently carry physical copies, you can ask them to order one for you. Shopping local is helpful, not only to your community, but also to independent presses and authors, like myself. A little always goes a long way! And remember to leave a review wherever you purchased either book. Reviews help in so many ways, and are always appreciated! 

So thank you all again for supporting me by checking out my work, following me on socials, and even just perusing my website. It does not go unnoticed, and keeps me inspired to continue writing. I am hard at work on my next project, and I don't have a clear timeline just yet, but am super excited to share it with the world.

Leave a comment: if you've read Haunt, what are your favorite poems, and why? 

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