“Monsters in the Woods” is now available to read! Since Metaphor doesn’t have a website for their published work you can read it here.

Originally, “Monsters in the Woods” was a nonfiction story based on my childhood. This was one of those stories that I struggled to find inspiration for, then it came in a single burst–the first draft anyway. After some mentoring by one of my English professors, I decided to add “the man’s” perspective and upped the tension in the story. Eventually I decided that this story no longer fit into the nonfiction genre, but it’s pretty close.

This is also the story that I had the chance to read at the National Undergraduate Literary Conference hosted in Ogden, Utah.  I actually liked reading out loud a lot more than I expected. If I ever had to give advice on how to best prepare for a reading, it would be practice, practice, practice.

Out of all of the fiction I have written thus far, this story is by far the most lyrical. Most of my descriptions of my childhood home are much more verbose than my usual style, but the lush, rich landscape seemed to warrant a prosier approach. Anyway, I enjoyed writing “Monsters in the Woods,” and I hope you enjoy reading it.

Exclusive to this post, I decided to share a small poem I wrote last fall. This is a little poem that holds a big meaning for me. Enjoy!

4 years old
Tiny fingers
Splayed
Sticky petroglyph on glass
Moth dust
A moment
A flutter making contact
I only see the remains
Tomorrow
Today
Never so small again