Killing time before my writing class, perhaps waiting for something in the way one waits for Godot. A blue-haired girl with large, round rimmed glasses is to my left, Misfits sticker prominently placed on her laptop, studying for what I think is a chemistry exam with a raven-haired girl with thick-rimmed black glasses. To my … Continue reading In the coffeehouse
Author: Leah Kent
Writer. Researcher. Analyst. Queer.
Denver, CO
On writing programs and pen names…
A little confession... Because I like to keep my identity private, I'm sometimes cagey about the details of my life, but I need to share this: The writing program I'm in is the Book Project through Lighthouse Writers in Denver. You don't need to live in Denver to participate. The Book Project isn't an MFA … Continue reading On writing programs and pen names…
In which the writer is plagued by the supernatural
I don't believe in magical thinking, and yet I find myself being careful what I say, in case my words somehow change the course of the physical or metaphysical world. I suppose that means that there's a disconnect between what I think I should believe, and what I fear - I know I'm supposed to … Continue reading In which the writer is plagued by the supernatural
An ode to untouched places
Beauty likes neglected places."John O'Donohue Folly Beach, SC One of the things I like about where I work is that it's next to a protected natural area. We get to see a lot of wildlife that one normally only sees in large state parks or zoos or nature documentaries, which is just an amazing experience. … Continue reading An ode to untouched places
Gods or sinners
As a writer, when you're building a world and learning about your characters, you're thinking about a lot of things. Do you ever think about how your characters perceive the world? How they process information? I've been reading a book called The Error of Truth that discusses the difference between changing what one knows versus … Continue reading Gods or sinners
Writing program!
I got into a two year intensive writing program for people writing books - fiction and non-fiction, though mine is fiction. Emotions are high - I'm excited, I'm terrified, I'm confident, I'm plagued with self-doubt. The word of the week is vacillation. I knew I wanted to do this, but I didn't know how much … Continue reading Writing program!
Prime
There's a book I come back to periodically throughout my life - a strange piece of Scottish literature called The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. I encountered this book when I was quite young. I didn't completely understand it the first time I read it, but it stuck with me. The main character, Jean Brodie, … Continue reading Prime
Writer of the moonlight
Sunny mornings, thundery afternoons. That's been the weather pattern lately, meaning the days start bright, but become gray by afternoon, making it seem later than it really is. This weather has me thinking about things like light and dark. Recently someone said to me, "I can see you writing some dark stuff." They didn't mean … Continue reading Writer of the moonlight
The faeries have disappeared
You can tell the difference between a dog and a coyote. I can't explain how, exactly - but the first time you're lying in bed on a warm spring night with the windows open, and you hear them in the distance - even though you didn't grow up here, even though you've never heard the … Continue reading The faeries have disappeared
Outline this.
I had a day off, and spent it drafting an outline. I've never been one who was able to write to an outline. My stories like to go off on little weekend retreats without telling me then come back and start ordering me around with the pride and swagger of a newly hatched adolescent. Mostly … Continue reading Outline this.
Notes in the Margins 