ABOUT ME
Both my writing and my makeup practices are outlets for self expression, coping mechanisms, and vehicles for healing and personal growth.
I began writing short stories in middle school and found a love for poetry in University. I studied English Literature and Creative Writing at St. Thomas University in Fredericton New Brunswick, Canada. I was able to expand my skills through work at Goose Lane Editions --Canada's oldest independent publisher-- , moorehype publicity, The Miramichi Reader, The Fiddlehead, and elsewhere. Here on my website you will find all of my published works: short pieces, reviews, poems, and more.
My makeup practice began as a hobby and became a skill and coping mechanism during the Covid-19 pandemic. When I feel depressed I know that doing makeup will make me feel at least a little bit better. I am self-taught. I found a real love for colour and creativity through makeup, and continue to learn new skills. At this point I have worked mainly on my own face, and occasionally on my friends. I have some experience working on different skin tones and am hoping that this website will help introduce new opportunities for me to expand my skills.
CREATIVE WRITING
All of my published creative work is consolidated below for your reading pleasure
RESILIENCE? II AND RESILIENCE, REALLY
published in issue #38 of Riddle Fence
Resilience? I was published in the 2020 Flourish Festival Zine, and the other two poems can be read together in this issue of Riddle Fence, a Newfoundland based journal.
The three poems together explore how two friends both stay in abusive situations, are able to empathize with each other but cannot save each other, and how it is ultimately their friendship that helps them survive.
IT SMELLS LIKE
featured on #PoetryPause
A project by the League of Canadian Poets
#PoetryPause is a project by The League of Canadian Poets, and was inspired by The Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-Day project where poems are emailed to you everyday. They feature writing by Canadian Poets across the country.
RESILIENCE? 1
featured in Flourish Fest Zine 2020
This is a local postcard Zine made by a local print shop -- Rabbittown Press-- as part of the annual Flourish Fest. I have linked Flourish Fest Facebook page.
The community care Flourish demonstrates is really something else. They paid contributors (which RARELY happens), and then offered the zine for free to make it as accessible as possible. With accessibility in mind, they put the whole zine together on post cards so that they can be sent out and shared! Finally, they collected donations and proceeds go towards local charities/movements. This project is in no way self serving-- everything this postcard-zine does goes back into the community.
RAZOR BURN: A SAGA
Published in Periodicities: a Journal of Poetry and Poetics as part of RM Vaughan: Marsh Blue Violet: Queer Poetry from New Brunswick
When RM Vaughan approached me about this project I told him I did not identify as queer but that this piece was written at a time when I did identify as queer ( I now openly identify as bisexual-- It's been a long, back and forth, coming out journey), Vaughan openly accepted me still, saying that "queerness is fluid."
I never had the honour of meeting Vaughan in person but did have the immense pleasure of working with him/interacting with his work in other capacities, such as on this project, and as a research assistant working on the New Brunswick Literature Curriculum in English. He was treasured in the community, and will be missed.
Following RM Vaughan's tragic passing, Frog Hollow Press is working on a physical Marsh Blue Violet chapbook to come out in early 2021
A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS FOUND IN A DRAWER IN MY OLD BEDROOM AT MY PARENTS' HOUSE
Published in FeelsZine issue 11 on Kinship
I explore family, growth, and memory in this issue on kinship!
COVID-19, MARCH 2020
A Covid-19 Anthology as part of The Pandemic Chapbooks Initiative created by /t3mz/ Review and 845 Press
An anthology in support of charitable giving by /T3mz/ Review and 845 Press. All of the poems are related to Covid-19. I am quite proud of the piece I wrote, and incredibly impressed by the other pieces in the anthology. There are contributors from all over the world.
My piece is featured in the March anthology. There is now a June anthology freely available online as well
SQUIRRELS
Featured on the elm+ampersand Podcast: A Poetry Podcast by Jenna Lyn Albert and Rebecca Salazar
April is National Poetry Month and elm+ampersand shared a poem a day to celebrate. My poem was featured on April 3, 2020
RELIANT
Published in the inaugural issue of Sonder Midwest
in 2017 I discovered the website Submittable, and on Submittable I found Sonder. They were the first magazine to publish my work! They primarily publish young writers with little to no publishing experience.
REVIEWS AND OTHER WORK
all of my non-poetry work is consolidated below for your reading pleasure
A MEMOIR IN POETRY: YOU WON'T ALWAYS BE THIS SAD BY SHEREE FITCH
Featured in The Miramichi Reader
Sheree Fitch breaks your heart to show you how to build it up again
TOWARD THE NORTH: STORIES BY CHINESE CANADIAN WRITERS, EDITED BY HUA LAURA WU, XUEQING XU, AND CORINNE BIEMAN DAVIES
Published in The Miramichi Reader
"Towards the North: Stories by Chinese Canadian Writers is a piece of work that any Canadian who believes in Canada’s claim to multiculturalism should read."
EVERYONE AT THIS PARTY BY TANJA BARTEL
Published in The Miramichi reader
“Often we place authors and poets on a pedestal, and Tanja Bartel does not let us do this with her. What makes the collection great is how grimy and true it is. More than grimy and true, though, it’s funny.”
INTERVIEW WITH GUGLIELMO D'IZZIA
Published in The Puritan: The Town Crier
I interview author Guglielmo D'Izzia on his book, The Transaction.
IN THE BEGGARLY STYLE OF IMITATION BY JEAN MARC AH-SEN
Published in The Miramichi Reader
“This collection….asks its readers to see the good side of misanthropy and to appreciate cynicism, which was surprisingly refreshing to read.”
I am a big fan of this book!
#820 CALGARY AND A WORLD AWRY
Published in The Ormsby Review
"In 'O Calgary: The World Awry,' Wayman uses the City of Calgary to represent universal urban problems. I grew up not far from Calgary, and I felt excited to find my home represented here. Wayman’s image of Calgary is not the sweet, simple, naive representation of the kind we want to read when our homes are represented in literature."
THE JEAN MARC AH-SEN INTERVIEW
Published in The Miramichi Reader
I interview author Jean Marc Ah-Sen on his collection of short pieces, In The Beggarly Style of Imitation
ANDREW SISK'S ALDEN NOWLAN TRIBUTE
Featured on the Goose Lane Blog
Musician Andrew Sisk visited Fredericton and performed a tribute to treasured Fredericton poet, Alden Nowlan. I reflect on the event as well as the collected works of Alden Nowlan, edited by Brian Bartlett.
DEAR ADDIE: AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR OF DEAR TWIN
Published in The Puritan: The Town Crier
I interview author Addie Tsai on her first YA novel: Dear Twin
ON THE RADAR: SOFT POWER BY STEWART COLE
Featured in EVENT Magazine
I interview author Stewart Cole on his collection of poetry, Soft Power
LITTLE BLUE ENCYCLOPEDIA: AN INTERVIEW WITH HAZEL JANE PLANTE
Published in Plenitude
I interview Hazel Jane Plante on her experimental novel Little Blue Encyclopedia (For Vivian)
CROW GULCH 101
Featured on the Goose Lane Blog
This is the first review I ever wrote!
I review Douglas Walbourne-Gough's collection, Crow Gulch. This is still one of my all time favourite poetry books! Recommend 100 times over.
